nts.

LINCOLN _rings the bell, and waits until a third_ CLERK _comes in_.

_Lincoln_: See if Mr. White and Mr. Jennings have had any answer yet.
Mr.--what's his name?

_Seward_: Hawkins.

_Lincoln_: Mr. Hawkins is attending to them. And ask Mr. Hay to come
here.

_Clerk_: Yes, sir.

_He goes_. LINCOLN _sits at the table and writes_. HAY _comes in_.

_Lincoln (writing):_ Mr. Hay, do you know where General Scott is?

_Hay_: At headquarters, I think, sir.

_Lincoln_: Take this to him yourself and bring an answer back.

_Hay_: Yes, sir.

_He takes the note, and goes_.

_Lincoln:_ Are things very bad at the Fort?

_The Messenger_: The major says three days, sir. Most of us would have
said twenty-four hours.

_A knock at the door_.

_Seward:_ Yes.

HAWKINS _comes in_.

_Hawkins_: Mr. White is just receiving a message across the wire, sir.

_Lincoln_: Ask him to come here directly he's finished.

_Hawkins_: Yes, sir.

_He goes_. LINCOLN _goes to a far door and opens it. He speaks to the_
MESSENGER.

_Lincoln_: Will you wait in here?

_The_ MESSENGER _goes through_.

_Seward_: Do you mind if I smoke?

_Lincoln_: Not at all, not at all.

SEWARD _lights a cigar_.

Three days. If White's message doesn't help us--three days.

_Seward_: But surely we must withdraw as a matter of military
necessity now.

_Lincoln_: Why doesn't White come?

SEWARD _goes to the window and throws it up. He stands looking down
into the street_. LINCOLN _stands at the table looking fixedly at the
door. After a moment or two there is a knock._

Come in.

HAWKINS _shows in_ WHITE _and_ JENNINGS, _and goes out_. SEWARD
_closes the window_.

Well?

_White_: I'm sorry. They won't give way.

_Lincoln_: You told them all I said?

_Jennings_: Everything.

_Lincoln_: It's critical.

_White_: They are definite.

LINCOLN _paces once or twice up and down the room, standing again at
his place at the table_.

_Lincoln:_ They leave no opening?

_White_: I regret to say, none.

_Lincoln_: It's a grave decision. Terribly grave. Thank you,
gentlemen. Good-morning.

_White and Jennings_: Good-morning, gentlemen.

_They go out_.

_Lincoln_: My God! Seward, we need great courage, great faith.

_He rings the bell. The_ SECOND CLERK _comes in._

Did you take my messages?

_The Clerk_: Yes, sir. Mr. Chase and Mr. Blair are here. The other
ministers are coming immediately.

_Lincoln_: Ask them to come here at o