Lincoln:  Where’s that?

Scott:  Vermont, sir.

Lincoln:  You live there?

Scott:  Yes, sir.  My ... we’ve got a farm down there, sir.

Lincoln:  Who has?

Scott:  My mother, sir.  I’ve got her photograph, sir.

He takes it from his pocket.

Lincoln (taking it):  Does she know about this?

Scott:  For God’s sake, don’t, sir.

Lincoln:  There, there, my boy.  You’re not going to be shot.

Scott (after a pause):  Not going to be shot, sir.

Lincoln:  No, no.

Scott:  Not—­going—­to—­be—­shot.

He breaks down, sobbing.

Lincoln (rising and going to him):  There, there.  I believe you when you tell me that you couldn’t keep awake.  I’m going to trust you, and send you back to your regiment.

He goes back to his seat.

Scott:_ When may I go back, sir?

Lincoln:  You can go back to-morrow.  I expect the fighting will be over, though.

Scott:  Is it over yet, sir?

Lincoln:  Not quite.

Scott:  Please, sir, let me go back to-night—­let me go back to-night.

Lincoln:  Very well.

He writes.

Do you know where General Meade is?

Scott:  No, sir.

Lincoln:  Ask one of those men to come here.

SCOTT calls one of his guards in.

Lincoln:_ Your prisoner is discharged.  Take him at once to General
Meade with this.

He hands a note to the man.

The Soldier_:  Yes, sir.

Scott:  Thank you, sir.

He salutes and goes out with the SOLDIER.

Lincoln:  Hay.

Hay (outside):  Yes, sir.

He comes in.

Lincoln:  What’s the time?

Hay (looking at the watch on the table):  Just on half-past nine, sir.

Lincoln:  I shall sleep here for a little.  You’d better shake down too.  They’ll wake us if there’s any news.

LINCOLN wraps himself up on two chairs.

HAY follows suit on a bench.  After a few moments GRANT comes to the door, sees what has happened, blows out the candles quietly, and goes away.

THE CURTAIN FALLS.

The First Chronicler:  Under the stars an end is made,
And on the field the Southern blade
Lies broken,
And, where strife was, shall union be,
And, where was bondage, liberty. 
The word is spoken.... 
Night passes.

The Curtain rises on the same scene, LINCOLN and HAY still lying asleep.  The light of dawn fills the room.  The ORDERLY comes in with two smoking cups of coffee and some biscuits.  LINCOLN wakes.