_Susan_: He's a real white man. No offence, of course. _Custis_: Not offend. He talk to me as if black no difference. _Susan_: But I tell you what, Mr. Custis. He'll kill himself over this war, his heart's that kind--like a shorn lamb, as they say. _Custis_: Very unhappy war. _Susan_: But I suppose he's right. It's got to go on till it's settled. _In the street below a body of people is heard approaching, singing "John Brown's Body_" CUSTIS _and_ SUSAN _stand listening_, SUSAN _joining in the song as it passes and fades away._ THE CURTAIN FALLS. _First Chronicler_: Unchanged our time. And further yet In loneliness must be the way, And difficult and deep the debt Of constancy to pay. _Second Chronicler_: And one denies, and one forsakes. And still unquestioning he goes, Who has his lonely thoughts, and makes. A world of those. _The two together_: When the high heart we magnify, And the sure vision celebrate, And worship greatness passing by, Ourselves are great. SCENE IV. _About the same date. A meeting of the Cabinet at Washington_. SMITH _has gone and_ CAMERON _has been replaced by_ EDWIN M. STANTON, _Secretary of War. Otherwise the ministry, completed by_ SEWARD, CHASE, HOOK, BLAIR, _and_ WELLES, _is as before. They are now arranging themselves at the table, leaving_ LINCOLN'S _place empty. Seward (coming in_): I've just had my summons. Is there some special news? _Stanton_: Yes. McClellan has defeated Lee at Antietam. It's our greatest success. They ought not to recover from it. The tide is turning. _Blair_: Have you seen the President? _Stanton_: I've just been with him. _Welles_: What does he say? _Stanton_: He only said, "At last." He's coming directly. _Hook_: He will bring up his proclamation again. In my opinion it is inopportune. _Seward_: Well, we've learnt by now that the President is the best man among us. _Hook_: There's a good deal of feeling against him everywhere, I find. _Blair_: He's the one man with character enough for this business. _Hook_: There are other opinions. _Seward_: Yes, but not here, surely. _Hook_: It's not for me to say. But I ask you, what does he mean about emancipation? I've always understood that it was the Union we were fighting for, and that abolition was to be kept in our minds for legislation at the right moment. And now one day he talks as though emancipation were his only concern, and the next as though he would throw up the whole idea, if by doing it he could secure peace with the establishment of the Union. Where are we?