Lincoln:  Good-morning.

Orderly:  Good-morning, sir.

Lincoln (taking coffee and biscuits):  Thank you.

The ORDERLY turns to HAY, who sleeps on, and he hesitates.

Lincoln:  Hay. (Shouting.) Hay.

Hay (starting up):  Hullo!  What the devil is it?  I beg your pardon, sir.

Lincoln:  Not at all.  Take a little coffee.

Hay:  Thank you, sir.

He takes coffee and biscuits.  The ORDERLY goes.

Lincoln:  Slept well, Hay?

Hay:  I feel a little crumpled, sir.  I think I fell off once.

Lincoln:  What’s the time?

Hay (looking at the watch):  Six o’clock, sir.

GRANT comes in.

Grant:  Good-morning, sir; good-morning, Hay.

Lincoln:  Good-morning, general.

Hay:  Good-morning, sir.

Grant:  I didn’t disturb you last night.  A message has just come from Meade.  Lee asked for an armistice at four o’clock.

Lincoln (after a silence):  For four years life has been but the hope of this moment.  It is strange how simple it is when it comes.  Grant, you’ve served the country very truly.  And you’ve made my work possible.

He takes his hand.

Thank you.

Grant:  Had I failed, the fault would not have been yours, sir.  I succeeded because you believed in me.

Lincoln:  Where is Lee?

Grant:  He’s coming here.  Meade should arrive directly.

Lincoln:  Where will Lee wait?

Grant:  There’s a room ready for him.  Will you receive him, sir?

Lincoln:  No, no, Grant.  That’s your affair.  You are to mention no political matters.  Be generous.  But I needn’t say that.

Grant (taking a paper from his pocket):  Those are the terms I suggest.

Lincoln (reading): Yes, yes.  They do you honour.

He places the paper on the table.  An ORDERLY comes in.

Orderly:  General Meade is here, sir.

Grant:  Ask him to come here.

Orderly:  Yes, sir.

He goes.

Grant:  I learnt a good deal from Robert Lee in early days.  He’s a better man than most of us.  This business will go pretty near the heart, sir.

Lincoln:  I’m glad it’s to be done by a brave gentleman, Grant.

GENERAL MEADE and CAPTAIN SONE, his aide-de-camp, come in.  MEADE salutes.  Lincoln:  Congratulations, Meade.  You’ve done well.

Meade:  Thank you, sir.

Grant:  Was there much more fighting?

Meade:  Pretty hot for an hour or two.

Grant:  How long will Lee be?