Giles goes toward door R. and the curtain falls quickly.
Picture.—Monroe is going; Hamilton, C., looking toward door; Schuyler takes Betsy in his arms. Giles is seen going through street door. He glares at Hamilton and bangs the door after him.
Curtain.
Act IV
Scene.—A room in Hamilton’s house; the next morning. It is a lofty anteroom, with very large folding doors centre, which, when opened, disclose a large reception room beyond. There are doors down right and left and a window up right. The room is severe in its Colonial dignity, very large panels being either side of the folding door, and on the walls right and left. The general tone is of a yellowish cream relieved with gray. A harpsichord is on stage down right centre and a chair in front of it. Black console tables with a pair of marble vases stand against the walls right and left of centre doors at back. Hanging above the consoles in black oval frames are two old-fashioned pictures of flowers. A three-piece Chippendale settee is against the wall left above the door. Lace curtains and blue rep hangings on window up right. When centre doors are opened you see a large handsome mantel at back with windows right and left hung with red rep curtains. Two small square tables in front of windows, and a large mahogany table in centre in front of fireplace. Ornaments on mantel and vases on small tables. The doors are closed.
| General Schuyler discovered standing in centre of room dejectedly, with newspaper clutched in hand. Boy calling “Paper!” heard through window. Boy calls, “Federalist! Federalist! Philadelphia Evening Sun! Confession of Alexander Hamilton!” Schuyler goes and slams down window. Returns to centre and looks at newspaper. Enter Angelica down on right. She has evidently been crying. She goes up to her father and kisses him sympathetically. He instantly puts paper behind back. | |
| Schuyler | Where’s Betsy? |
| Angelica | R. of him. Still in her room. |
| Schuyler | I wish Alexander would come. |
| Angelica | He’s still locked in his study. |
| Schuyler | He’s been writing since early morning. Can’t you get him out? |
| Angelica | I’ve tried. I told him there were people waiting to see him. He called out, “Let them wait.” |
| Schuyler | But this room pointing to doors up stage is full of men—Senators, Congressmen, and heaven knows who besides. It’s not like him to run away. |
| Angelica | He won’t run away. |
| Schuyler | The thing’s done. He’s got to face the music. |
| Angelica | He’ll face it. |
| Schuyler | How does Betsy seem now? |
| Angelica | She’s so deadly calm. I wish she’d cry or rave—be more human. |
| Schuyler | She’s determined to go? |
| Angelica | Yes, I can do nothing with her. |
| Schuyler | Looking at paper. It’s a bad business—a bad business. Putting paper behind him quickly. |
| Angelica | R. C. You needn’t hide that paper. I’m not ashamed of it. |
| Schuyler | Surprised. You’re not? |
| Angelica | Coming to him. Oh, father, isn’t he wonderful? |
| Schuyler | Who? |
| Angelica | Alexander. |
| Schuyler | Well—er— |
| Angelica | Oh, I wish he were my husband—I should be proud of him. |
| Schuyler | Angelica, if you’d only been a man—if you’d been my eldest son instead of my eldest daughter, I’d have taken you by the hand and called you a fine fellow shakes hands with her, but those are hardly the proper sentiments for a young married woman. |
| Angelica | If he were my husband, I’d show him how a woman can forgive. |
| Schuyler | But he isn’t your husband, and that makes all the difference. Don’t be hard on Betsy. It’s easy enough for one woman to forgive another woman’s husband. Enter Zekiel door L. |
| Zekiel | Speakah Mullenburg an’ Mistah Morris has jes’ come. |
| Schuyler | Did you say Mr. Hamilton was engaged? |
| Zekiel | Yessah, but they said lack de odders dat dey’d wait, so I done showed ’em into de room wid de rest of ’em. |
| Angelica | Very well, Zekiel. |
| Zekiel | They ain’ goin’ to do nothin’ to Mars’ Hamilton, is dey, sah? |
| Schuyler | No, no, no! |
| Zekiel | Going out. Wal, I done wish dey wouldn’t all stan’ roun’ waitin’ for him. Exit, L. |
| Angelica | Up stage R. C. I’m glad I’m not your eldest son, after all, father. |
| Schuyler | What is it now, Angelica? |
| Angelica | Indicating toward inner room C. If these are fair samples of men, I’m glad I’m not one of the tribe. All waiting around to kick a man when he’s down. |
| Crossing in front to L. Enter Betsy door R., dressed for the street. | |
| Schuyler | Oh, there you are, Betsy! Going out? |
| Assumed brightness. | |
| Betsy | R. C. Yes, I’m going, father. Has Alexander come down? |
| Schuyler | Not yet. Where are you going? |
| Betsy | I’m going to Albany, father, to wait for you. I’m going home. |
| Schuyler | Won’t you stay and see him? |
| Betsy | Things for him will go on just as if I had not come back from Europe. That is all. He can resume that life. The coach for Albany leaves at noon. |
| Schuyler | C. You’d better see him, Betsy. |
| Betsy | R. C. I’ve seen the morning paper. |
| Angelica | L. C. And so have I—read every word of it—twice. |
| Schuyler | Well, if your sister’s determined to go, you had better get your things together, Angelica, and go with her. She can’t go alone. |
| Angelica | Why don’t you go with her? |
| Schuyler | I can’t leave Alexander at a time like this. |
| Angelica | Well, neither can I. Betsy’s the only one who can leave him, so she must go alone. |
| Schuyler | Come, come, Angelica. You mustn’t talk like that. |
| Betsy | Coming to Schuyler. Don’t, father. I’d much rather go alone. I can’t bear to see or speak to anybody, I’m so ashamed—I can’t even face you. |
| Going toward L. | |
| Angelica | Stopping her C. Betsy, take off that hat and stand by him. Are you going to leave that man? |
| Betsy | Yes. |
| Angelica | Good. He |
