I--think--so----
BETTY
You"ll try----?
MRS. LINCOLN
I"ll _do_ it, child--certainly! You"re one loyal friend we have in that crowd of wolves on the Capitol Hill----
BETTY
All right, I"ll find out if they"re discussing politics or your dressmaker"s bill.
[BETTY _hurries to the door, followed by_ MRS. LINCOLN.]
MRS. LINCOLN
G.o.d bless you, child----
[NICOLAY _enters by the other door._]
--Hurry!
BETTY
If it"s dresses--I"ll beat them to the White House!
[BETTY _exits._]
NICOLAY
The President is coming, Madam----
MRS. LINCOLN
I"m going. But I may want to see him before that Committee--in case I send in--see that he comes, will you?
NICOLAY
I"ll try to manage it. The friends of the Chief may call on you for some inside work, Madam.
MRS. LINCOLN
[_Eagerly._]
I"ll do my part, never fear!
[MRS. LINCOLN _exits and_ NICOLAY _hastily arranges his desk and stands at attention as_ LINCOLN _enters._]
[LINCOLN _crosses the room with long nervous stride, reaches his desk, looks at the pile of letters and shakes his head wearily._]
LINCOLN
Sorry for you, John, with all these letters on your hands----
[_Laughs._]
_You_ have to work----!
NICOLAY
I"m trying to get them out of your way, sir----
LINCOLN
Thank you--you know the ones I want to see----
NICOLAY
Yes, sir----
LINCOLN
[_Softly._]
And don"t forget that no man or woman can be turned from that door, who comes here to ask for the saving of a human life----
[_Pauses._]
There"s a firing squad shooting a boy down in Virginia this morning----!
[_Shakes his head._]
I hope I didn"t do wrong to let them. Somehow I could not find an excuse to save him----
[_Sighs._]
The Generals are all after me about my pardons----
NICOLAY
The Secretary of War is out there now, champing his bit, to head you off on some of them, I think----
LINCOLN
Don"t let old Mars in yet. He"s no business here at this hour. Let him paw a hole in the ground.
[_Pauses._]