THE MINISTERS _rise_. SEWARD, WELLES, _and_ BLAIR _shake_ LINCOLN'S _hand and go out_. STANTON _and_ CHASE _bow to him, and follow_. HOOK, _the last to rise, moves away, making no sign. Lincoln:_ Hook. _Hook_: Yes, Mr. President. _Lincoln_: Hook, one cannot help hearing things. _Hook_: I beg your pardon? _Lincoln_: Hook, there's a way some people have, when a man says a disagreeable thing, of asking him to repeat it, hoping to embarrass him. It's often effective. But I'm not easily embarrassed. I said one cannot help hearing things. _Hook_: And I do not understand what you mean, Mr. President. _Lincoln_: Come, Hook, we're alone. Lincoln is a good enough name. And I think you understand. _Hook_: How should I? _Lincoln_: Then, plainly, there are intrigues going on. _Hook_: Against the government? _Lincoln_: No. In it. Against me. _Hook_: Criticism, perhaps. _Lincoln_: To what end? To better my ways? _Hook_: I presume that might be the purpose. _Lincoln_: Then, why am I not told what it is? _Hook_: I imagine it's a natural compunction. _Lincoln_: Or ambition? _Hook_: What do you mean? _Lincoln_: You think you ought to be in my place. _Hook_: You are well informed. _Lincoln_: You cannot imagine why every one does not see that you ought to be in my place. _Hook_: By what right do you say that? _Lincoln_: Is it not true? _Hook_: You take me unprepared. You have me at a disadvantage. _Lincoln_: You speak as a very scrupulous man, Hook. _Hook_: Do you question my honour? _Lincoln_: As you will. _Hook_: Then I resign. _Lincoln_: As a protest against...? _Hook_: Your suspicion. _Lincoln_: It is false? _Hook_: Very well, I will be frank. I mistrust your judgment. _Lincoln_: In what? _Hook_: Generally. You over-emphasise abolition. _Lincoln_: You don't mean that. You mean that you fear possible public feeling against abolition. _Hook_: It must be persuaded, not forced. _Lincoln_: All the most worthy elements in it are persuaded. But the ungenerous elements make the most noise, and you hear them only. You will run from the terrible name of Abolitionist even when it is pronounced by worthless creatures whom you know you have every reason to despise. _Hook_: You have, in my opinion, failed in necessary firmness in saying what will be the individual penalties of rebellion. _Lincoln_: This is a war. I will not allow it to become a blood-feud. _Hook_: We are fighting treason. We must meet it with severity. _Lincoln_: We will defeat treason. And I will meet it with conciliation. _Hook_: It is a policy of weakness.