IRLF SO bbl CHARLES NIRDLINGER THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND A PLAY IN FOUR ACTS WALTER H. BAKER 6 Co., BOSTON . $uiero si f&rice, 60 &lt;ettt THE AMAZONS ^ arce in rllree Acts. Seven males, five females. Costumes, modern ; scenery, not difficult. Plays a full evening. THF CABINFT NIINISTFR Farce in Four Acts. Ten males, nine IfliJ lAIUflU I LWMBK femaleg Costume s, modern society; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening. DANDY DICK ^ arce *** T* 1 * 66 Acts. Seven males, four females. Costumes, modern ; scenery, two interiors. Play* two hours and a half. THE fiAY LORD OUEX Comed y in Four Acts. Four males, ter ^ females. Costumes, modern ; scenery two interiors and an exterior. Plays a full evening. Comedy in Four Acts. Nine males, f oui females. Costumes, modern ; scenery. three interiors. Plays a full evening. THE HOBBY HORSE Comed y ^ Three Acts - Ten males five females. Costumes, modern; scenery easy Plays two hours and a half. fDIC Drama in Five Acts. Seven males, seven females. Costumes, llu ^ modern ; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening. in Four Acts. Eight males, seven fe- Costumes, modern ; scenery, four in teriors, not easy. Plays a full evening. LETTY ^ rama k* Four Acts and an Epilogue. Ten males, five fe males. Costumes, modern ; scenery complicated. Plays a full evening. Sent prepaid on receipt of price by Walter & Bafcet; & Company No. 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, Massachusetts The First Lady of the Land The First Lady of the Land A Play in Four Acts By CHARLES FREDERIC NIRDLINGER NOTE The acting rights of this play are strictly reserved. Performance may be given by amateurs on payment to the author of a royalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Correspondence on this subject should be addressed to the author s agents, THE RUMSEY PLAY Co., Lyceum Theatre Building, New York. The professional stage rights are also strictly reserved, and performance by pro fessional actors, given in advertised places of amusement and for profit, is forbidden. Persons who may wish to produce this play publicly and professionally should apply to the author s agents, as above. BOSTON WALTER H. BAKER & CO. 1914 The First Lady of the Land THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY (At tast in the original production at the Gaiety Theatre^ New fork, December 4, 70/7, and later at the Fulton Theatre.) JAMES MADISON, Congressman from Virginia ; afterwards Secretary of Stat.e in Thomas Jefferson a cabinet - - Lowell Sherman. AARON BURR, Senator from New York ; afterwards Vice- President of the United States Frederick Perry. BOHLEN PINCKNEY, the President 1 s Secretary - Began Hughston. SIK ANTHONY MEBBY, British Minister at Washington - William Hawtrey. DON CARLOS MARTINEZ, MARQUIS D YRUJO, Spanish Minister at Washington William David. MYNHEER VAN BERCKEL, Minister from the Netherlands Carl Hartberg. Louis ANDRE PICHON, Charge d Affaires for France - John Prescott. JENNINGS, servant at Dolly Todays; later at Madison 1 s - Luke Martin. DE VAUX, Major-Domo at White House ... Fraucis Bonn. THE COOK - Lawrence Windom. THE HAIR-DRESSER Edward Stewart. DOLLY TODD, afterwards Mrs. Jame&lt;s Madison - Elsie Ferguson. SALLY MCKEAN, afterwards Marchioness D Yrujo Beatrice Noyes. MRS. SPARKLE Maud Hosford. SOPHIA SPARKLE, her daughter ; afterwards Madame Pichon Helen Bond. LADY MERRY .... Rose Coghlan. THE HONORABLE ENA FKRRAR, Lady Merry s sister - Helen Macbeth. VROU VAN BERCKEL Myra Brook. MINISTER FROM RUSSIA and ) COUNTESS DASHKOFP &gt; Silent figures in Act III. MINISTER FROM TURKEY ) CLOTILDE, maid at Dolly Todays ..... Georgette Passadoit. FOOTMEN, VALETS, SERVANTS, ETC. COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY CHARLES FREDERIC NIRDLINGER As author and proprietor All rights reserved To . H. F" 350 THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY {Ai cast in the second production, at the Pitt Theatre, Pittsburgh, January 12, 1914.} JAMES MADISON Robert Bleeker. AARON BURR William Bonelli. BOHLEN PINCKNEY .... Louis Kimball. SIR ANTHONY MERRY - George Riddell. DON CARLOS MARTINEZ, MARQUIS D YRUJO Wilson Day* Louis ANDRE PICHON Allan Reese. MYNHEER VAN BERCKEL .... Richard Dix. DE VAUX " William Crookshanks. JENNINGS - - - - - - Maurice Shane. THE COOK Franklin Trosh. THE HAIR-DRESSER * Orme Millar. LADY ANGELA MERRY Louise Rial. DOLLY TODD Mary Hall. SALLY MCKEAN - - - - - Nora Lamison. MRS. SPARKLE Louise Fraser. SOPHIA SPARKLE - - - - Clara Ayneston. THE HONORABLE ENA FERRAR - - Dorothy West. VROU VAN BERCKEL ----- Lois Miller. CLOTILDE Qlga Englebret. PLEASE NOTICE The professional stage-rights in this play are strictly reserved by the author. Amateurs may obtain permission to produce it privately on payment to him of a fee of $25.00 for each per formance, and payment made in advance. Correspondence on this subject may be addressed to THE RUMSEY PLAY Co., Lyceum Theatre Building, New York, N. Y. Attention is called to the penalties provided by law for any infringements of the author s rights, as follows : "SEC. 4966: Any person publicly performing or representing any dramatic or musical composition for which copyright has been obtained, without the consent of the proprietor of said dramatic or musical composi tion, or his heirs and assigns, shall be liable for damages therefor, such damages in all cases to be assessed at such sum, not less than one hundred dollars for the first and fifty dollars for every subsequent performance, as to the court shall appear to be just. If the unlawful performance and rep resentation be wilful and for profit, such person or persons shall be guilty o f a misdemeanor, and upon conviction be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year." U. S. REVISED STATUTES, Title do, Chap. 3. The First Lady of the Land THE FIRST ACT SCENE. The parlor of the hoarding-house kept by DOLLY TODD, in Philadelphia at that time the Capital of the country. A spacious, oblong room. Double doors at back lead to the entrance hall, with a part of its mahogany staircase, and the hanging lantern, in view of the audience. Under the staircase, at right, a deep bow window, with window-seats, and flowers, looks into garden, where ice-clad trees glisten in the sunlight. At left of room, brick mantel, with fireplace. Above the mantel a mirror. At right of room, a spinet door at either side. The scene, in color and furnish ing, though typical of the period and place, avoids the chill and barrenness that usually characterize Colonial stage-settings. Some of the furniture is rather handsome and cosily, recalling the "better days" of DOLLY S peo ple. And there are some French " touches," suggesting the lively spirit beneath DOLLY S sober attire. At rise of curtain and some seconds before, a fiddle is heard as through the wall of adjoining house. The tune, the familiar Horn- Pipe, is played repeatedly ; the first part rapidly, the conclusion long drawn out. 9 10 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND SIR ANTHONY MERRY seated at table, left, is writ ing a letter. Without looking up, he growls, " Stop it ! " at the fiddle-playing. A second later, looking towards the annoying music, he shouts : " Stop it, I say stop it ! " Resumes writing then taps bell on table, rises, goes to wall at fireplace, pounds on wall vigorously, shouting very quickly : " Stop it ! Stop it ! Stop it ! " JENNINGS, a negro, appears at door back, carrying MERRY S top-coat, heaver and cane. MERRY. [Angrily y indicating fiddle-playing.] At it again next door that fiddle-scraping ! JENNINGS. Yes, Sir Anthony. [Comes down. MERRY. Did Mrs. Todd inform the tavern-keeper I find it most annoying ? [Crosses to table/ " sands," folds and seals letter during ensuing dialogue. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. He begs Mrs. Todd s boarders keep their patience till election s over. MERRY. " Election " ? What s that to do ? JENNINGS. Well, sir, that fiddle-scraping is Mr. Thomas Jefferson. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND II MERRY. [Amazed.] Jefferson ! The man they want to make President ! JENNINGS. Yes, sir. MERRY. [Rather to himself.] Good gad! What a country ! JENNINGS. [Helping MERRY into his coat] Yes, sir. MERRY. See if Colonel Burr s gone out. JENNINGS. Some time ago, sir, and begs you ll find him in the Hall of Congress. [MERRY moves to exit. Enter PINCKNEY from hall. He is, judging from his dress, speech and manner, a mere fop and dandy ; a typical " beau " of the period. His clothes, in cut and color, suggest at a glance the " Incroyable " of the Directoire. His speech, though savoring of affectation, is that of a man of cleverness and elegance. And beneath all the tokens of foppery there is a note of strength and subtlety. PINCKNEY. Sir Anthony Merry ? MERRY. [Nodding assent.] Mr. ? 12 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND PlNCKNEY. Pinckney a fellow-lodger ; formerly of the Le gation at Paris, with Mr. Jefferson. MERRY. [Indicating the fiddle-playing .] This gentle man so Mrs. Todd said. Did he do that in Paris ? PINCKNEY. Only when troubled as he is now, by the election. MERRY. Any hope of relief ? PINCKNEY. No sign ! I m just from the Congress and they re as far as ever from choosing a President. MEKRY. Good gad ! [Enter CLOTILDE, a trim-looking quadroon. She takes carafe, glasses, etc., from table and exits. ] I m awaiting Lady Merry any day. She d never put up with this. The land lady must find some way to stop it if Congress doesn t. PINCKNEY. Congress has been voting the night through, and always the same result as for months past : seven states for Mr. Jefferson, seven for Mr. Burr, and one, New Jersey, for John Adams. MERRY. And what, in the end, will New Jersey do ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 1 3 PlNCKNEY. Oh, no foretelling that, sir! New Jersey is liable to do anything. MERRY. {Indicating fiddling next doorJ] So this may continue indefinitely ? PlNCKNEY. But I m sure you ve only to apprise Mr. Jeffer son that his fiddling disturbs you and, at least, he ll change his tune. MERRY. Thanks, I d rather change my lodgings than ask favors of Mr. Jefferson. JENNINGS. [Announcing. ] Miss McKean. {Enter SALLY McKEAN ; young, very pretty, and dressed in the extreme fashion of the period. SALLY. [To JENNINGS.] Tell Mrs. Todd I m here. MERRY. [To JENNINGS.] And {to SALLY] if you ll allow say I beg word with Mrs. Todd fore leaving. [JENNINGS exits. SALLY. {To PINCKNEY.] Is Mrs. Todd much hurt ? PlNCKNEY. [Puzzled^ Hurt ? 14 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND SALLY. She sent for me urgent. And Clotilde said she had met with an accident. PlNCKNEY. Oh ! Then it was Mrs. Todd ! They were tell ing at the wax-works last night of a lady thrown from her horse, near the Hall of Congress, dragged for blocks, trampled on, and carried home on a litter by half a dozen Senators with broken le limbs. [SALLY and MEREY disconcerted^ The lady s I mean. SALLY. [ With gesture of " no"] Mrs. Todd isn t riding horse these days. MEREY. [ With meaning.] And Colonel Burr would certainly have told me of anything so serious to our hostess. [Enter DOLLY TODD. She is little more than twenty years old ; wears the prim, conventional garb of a Quaker widow, with a gay-colored neckerchief that heightens the pearly white and delicate rose-tint of the complexion that was her chief beauty. DOLLY. [ With courtsey. ] Gentlemen ! Sally ! DOLLY. [To MERRY.] Thee sent for me ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND I 5 MERRY. Delighted to find you recovered from your misadventure. DOLLY. A mere trifle. MERRY. It seems, ma am, this fiddle-scraping may go on for weeks ! DOLLY. I ve just writ Mr. Jefferson himself to say he plays so sweetly, it gives some of my lodgers melancholy so thee may be leaving and that I d grieve to lose so charming a patron. MERRY. [Conciliated.] Not so much I, ma am ! Tis only if Lady Merry arrives. She s all nerves and if this went on [Gesture of dismay. PlNCKNEY. JSTo fear ! Mr. Jefferson, I m sure, would deny Mrs. Todd nothing. {The music ceases abruptly. MERRY. [In tone of relief.] Thank God ! DOLLY. [To PINCKNEY.] And Mr. Jefferson when next thee sees him. MERRY. May I have your company to the Congress, ladies ? There s promise of a lively debate. 16 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Thanks but my mishap keeps me indoors to day. Will thee be having friends to dinner ? MERRY. No. I m dining out to-day, at Mr. Alexander Hamilton s. {Exit. PlNCKNEY. I m rather sorry Mr. Jefferson stopped his [Gesture of fiddling. DOLLY. But I d have lost Sir Anthony ! PlNCKNEY. And his wife, too ! DOLLY. Plain-spoken, he says. PlNCKNEY. So he s usually sent to countries where she can t speak the language. We ve had terrifying reports. DOLLY. \KindlyI\ Perhaps they don t do her full justice. PlNCKNEY. That s what we fear, ma am. \_Exit to room, L. Enter CLOTILDE ; her speech is a mingling of French and Eng lish. DOLLY. [To CLOTILDE, glancing over some tradesmen^ "bills, and handing her the accounts and a purse.~] THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 17 The tradesmen s bills pay them. Thee bought little at market. CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame the English monsieur dine out his servant announce. DOLLY. Yes, but Mr. Burr may have guests. CLOTILDE. He no dine home DOLLY. Has he said so ? CLOTILDE. Marie I see in market she tell me. DOLLY. " Marie " ? CLOTILDE. [Explaining. ,] My sister, Madame, who serves the French lady. DOLLY. Oh, yes ! Marie still with Madame Jumel ? CLOTILDE. Monsieur Burr dine there to-day an Marie, she say DOLLY. [Stopping her.] Marie s a chatter-box. CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame, but only weeth her sister. 1 8 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Well, don t thee with thy sister ! CLOTILUE. Xo, Madame. [Crosses to exit. DOLLY. Clotilde, if a strange gentleman calls, I m not at home. CLOTILDE. For lodgers, also ? DOLLY. Of course. JN T o rooms vacant. CLOTILDE. But Monsieur Burr go soon. DOLLY. JSTot till they choose a President. Maybe weeks. [Gestures dismissal. CLOTILDE. [Persisting. ] To-day, Madame, lection finish. Marie hear at Madame Jumers. Then Mr. Burr go to Jericho ! DOLLY. [Perplexed .] Jericho ? SALLY. [Sotto-voceJ] Mexico ! CLOTILDE. Marie, she hear him tell Madame Jumel an Marie, she say - THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 19 DOLLY. {Impatiently] Go long ! And I forbid thee ever repeat gossip from Madame Jumel s. CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame. But Marie, she say - DOLLY. Allez ! [Stamps her foot and winces. Exit CLOTILDE. SALLY. [At fireplace, shaking snow from muff, etc.] What s happened ? DOLLY. [Breathless with excitement] Well, my dear, I ve been flirting- and hurt my ankle ! SALLY. [Pretending to be shocked. ] Hussy ! And that s why you sent for me ? DOLLY. No. I ve been found out ! SALLY. Oh ! Now I ll sit down. [Sits at table] Who found you out ? DOLLY. I myself, I blush to own : and the gentleman, too. SALLY. Blushed ? 20 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Found me out discovered my immodesty. SALLY. No gentleman would say so ! DOLLY. "Tisn t what he said but did ! SALLY. Ruffian ! DOLLY. [Sitting opposite SALLY.] Now I ll tell thee just how it SALLY. [Rising as if to go.~\ Think you d better ? DOLLY. {Seizing SALLY S handJ] I must tell some one. [Portentously. ,] My dear the fellow had me in his arms ! SALLY. Not really ! [ Unbuttons wrap. DOLLY. Enough to take notice ! SALLY. [Interested.] Where ? Where ? DOLLY. On the pavement. In full public. He picked me up ! SALLY, You mean ? [Takes off her ne cfawrap. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 21 DOLLY. [ With growing agitation.] Now, I don t expect thee to believe this. For tis just the sort of tale a lady always relates to explain some agreeable disaster ! I d been to Meeting-house for Wednes day prayer since my widowhood I ve been most pious. When I came way, twas snowing to blind one. I chose my steps carefully what with the wind and these abominable high French heels and went without mishap til I turned into Chest nut Street. Just when I d cross, by the Hall of Congress, a horseman loomed in front. I drew back, in a panic -my heel slipped and thank heaven, I had on my best stockings ! [Shows them. SALLY. To prayer-meeting ! DOLLY. Always on a windy day ! When I came to, I felt an arm about my waist. Oh, I felt it ! And some one leaned over, his face so close to mine I saw the very color of his eyes. Blue, a beautiful blue ! [Lost in pensiveness. SALLY. [^Recalling herJ] Yes ? DOLLY. In a flash, I realized twas some one I d seen be fore. He helped me to my feet. SALLY. \_Quizzingly.~] Arm still about you ? 22 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. {Eagerly &lt;md naively.] Well, that I can t re call. I ve tried to earnestly but I was that [Business of " rattled" SALLY. Pretty fellow ? DOLLY. [Ecstatic.] Oh, beautiful ! Like a young French abbe on a fan ! SALLY. You must have been ! [Repeats DOLLY S gesture of distraction. DOLLY With scarce enough wit to thank him ! As sured him I could get along without further as sistance tried to dismiss him, but he wouldn t have it insisted I couldn t walk alone that I had hurt my ankle. Said the word, too ! SALLY. [Pretending to be shocked.] Jamais ! DOLLY. Yes right out " ankle " ! SALLY. The libertine ! DOLLY. Bless thee, no! First-rate gentleman! [Sud denly all smiles. ~\ Beautiful manners, almost shy. Scarcely spoke all the way home, and beautiful voice, too ; low and gentle. [Rather as THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 23 if to herself.] I never realized what a pretty name Todd is, till he spoke it ! SALLY. {In surprise.] Knew your name ? DOLLY. [Nodding "yes."] And that I am freshly wid owed. Spoke of it so beautifully. Such sym pathy ! [Pensively.] Faith ! I never felt so consoled before ! SALLY. [Interrupting.] Who is he ? DOLLY. [Half hesitating.] I don t know. SALLY. You didn t ask his name ? DOLLY. [ With dignity J] Even a widow can be maidenly. SALLY. Well, my dear, if a man had me in his arms I d want to know who he is. DOLLY. No ! My ignorance is my sole excuse. As matters stand, twas an accident, liable to any lady with flighty French heels ; but one step further, twould become an adventure, for the gossip- mongers. SALLY. to go.] No fear ! 24 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. With Congress sitting ? Town s a hot-bed of scandal. Let your foot slip ever so little, and your character hasn t a leg to stand on. [The door knocker heard in the hall. SALLY takes up her muff, and prepares to go.] Thee s not going? SALLY. {Nodding " yes."~\ To view the wax-works with the Marquis. DOLLY. [ Confidentially. ] Settled ? SALLY. [Shaking her head " no."] Urn-urn ! DOLLY. Takes his time ! SALLY. Not he father. DOLLY. Why? SALLY. Something to do with your second-floor front. DOLLY. [Startled.] Colonel Burr ? m SALLY. He means to take Mexico from D Yrujo s king. And if the Marquis can t stop him he ll lose his post here. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 2$ DOLLY. [Reassuring^ Mr. Burr won t go to Mexico ! Too far from Madame Jumel s. SALLY. Madame Jumel ? Tis you he s after ! And, Dolly, he s dangerous. DOLLY. [Derisively.] My eye and Betty Martin ! How " dangerous " f He s never betrayed a friend, abused a foe, nor harmed a woman. SALLY. [In half whisper] Good Lord ! His reputa tion ! DOLLY. [Decisively.] Warning enough for any lady who isn t courting trouble ! These ^dangerous men wouldn t be half so dangerous if so many of us didn t try to find out why. JENNINGS. [At door.] Madame Sparkle s footman. FOOTMAN. [At door.] My lady s below, ma am, with Miss Sophia, and if Mrs. Todd is disengaged, will leave her carriage. DOLLY. Beg her walk in. SALLY. I ll leave you. [Starts to go. 26 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [Stopping her.] No^ no ! [Enter SOPHIA SPARKLE. Very young, not more than sixteen, buoyant, and sophis ticated, despite her appearance of ingenue. She enters briskly, glancing back to see if MRS. SPARKLE is within hearing. SOPHIA. [To DOLLY.] I ran ahead to put you on guard. Something s amiss ! DOLLY. [To SALLY.] I told thee ! [To SOPHIA.] What is it ? SOPHIA. Something in a letter came this morning. [Enter MRS. SPARKLE, a portly woman ; richly gowned / the grand-dame of the period. The younger women courtsey elaborately. MRS. SPARKLE. [To SALLY.] How do? [To DOLLY.] I thought to find you disengaged. SALLY. [Reaching for her furs.] Just taking leave, ma am DOLLY. [Seizing her furs, puts them out of reach. ,] No, no I ve no secrets from Sally ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 27 MRS. SPARKLE. The morning post, my dear, brought me a most in reticule] interesting [Brings out a letter with conspicuous seals. DOLLY. [Limp ; sotto-voce to SALLY.] Laws ! Stay by me ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Continuing.] and delicate communication from Mount Vernon. [DoLLY and SALLY exchange smiles and glances of relief . DOLLY. Lady Washington ? MRS. SPARKLE. [Reading from letter] Sends you expressions of regard and affection, and wholly disapproves your present mode of life ! DOLLY. [Shocked] Why! MRS. SPARKLE. [Giving her the letter] Kead ! [Turns to SALLY.] Well, Sally, you going to marry the Spanish Minister, D Yrujo ? SALLY. Hasn t asked me yet, ma am. MRS. SPARKLE. He will, if I know your mother ! Best catch of the year. I d have liked him for Sophia, only 28 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND I d promised the French envoy, Pichon. What s he asking the Marquis ? SALLY. {Puzzled^ Why ? MES. SPARKLE. Dowry what s he want ? SALLY. Nothing ! MES. SPAEKLE. Nothing ? Aren t your folks uneasy ? \To DOLLY.] Well, ma am, what have you to say ? DOLLY. [Still looking at the letter^ Thee wouldn t have me say it ! MES. SPAEKLE. What ! You re not honored ! Let the girls hear ! DOLLY. {.Reading. ] "While no accident of fortune could affect the high regard and deep affection in which I hold Mrs. Todd, nor lessen my lively ap preciation of her excellent qualities, both of mind and heart, yet I cannot regard with indifference her present device of maintaining herself by the entertainment of strangers, be they of ever so high a quality, for a stated weekly emolument " MES. SPAEKLE. Mrs. Washington s polite, Christian expression for a boarding-house ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 29 DOLLY. Yes, I so took her meaning. But General Washington himself has lodged here ; and I do now only as my mother did in her days of stress. MRS. SPARKLE. Thanks to your father ! DOLLY. [Bridling.] Because fortune deserted him ? MRS. SPARKLE. " Desert " ? He turned her out when he freed his slaves. Finest herd of blacks in the Old Dominion ! DOLLY. My father held no honest man could keep slaves after the Declaration of Independence. MRS. SPARKLE. Mr. Washington kept his ! SOPHIA. As for that, Ma , Thomas Jefferson keeps his. And he wrote the thing ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Sharply.] Sophia ! [To DOLLY.] Now that your sister Lucy s married their nephew, Step toe Washington, they make you one of the family. DOLLY. [Shaking head "no"] That doesn t pay the landlord. MRS. SPARKLE. Move to smaller house ! 30 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Laws ! When one begins that, one keeps on moving to houses smaller and smaller. MRS. SPARKLE. Then come live with us ! DOLLY. As a poor relation ? No, thank thee ! Tis the first step to the Old Ladies Home ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Angrily.] That is not the spirit of your Quaker father. DOLLY. [With decided brogue.] No, tis my Irish mother s. Mary Coles, from Enniscorthy, on the River Slaney, County Wexf ord. Heaven rest her soul! [More excitedly.] And look you if I didn t take boarders, I should have to turn boarder myself and the approval of the best society and the Continental Congress wouldn t pay me for that ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Reprovingly.] Your temper, ma am ! DOLLY. [ Walking about agitatedly.] My mother s ! MRS. SPARKLE. The brogue says that. DOLLY. Thy pardon. But tis hardly borne with patience. A woman left alone, in scarce a year of marriage, with just enough estate to pay the debts THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 31 and then, rebuked in kindliest spirit, of course, for wanting to keep a decent roof over her head, a decent frock on her bones and a decent inde pendence ! MRS. SPARKLE. Then marry ! DOLLY. Not one year a widow ! MRS. SPARKLE. A widow isn t a cask of wine to wait for age ! DOLLY. But waits for love ! MRS. SPARKLE. Most indelicate ! A young girl marries cause she s in love ; a widow should marry to keep out of it! CLOTILDE. {At door, to DOLLY.] A page from the Con gress. Monsieur Burr invites Madame Todd to the gallery. DOLLY. Mrs. Todd s compliments, but she s with com pany, say to Colonel Burr. [Exit CLOTILDE. MRS. SPARKLE. [Gasping. ~] If Martha Washington heard that ! My snuff, Sophia! [SOPHIA searches in hand bag. MRS. SPARKLE, impatiently.] Quick, girl. SOPHIA. [Looking in kand-bag.~\ Not here, ma am. 32 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MRS. SPARKLE. Then leave the room ! SOPHIA. {Rising, poutinyly.~\ Because you re going to talk of that wicked Mr. Burr ! MES. SPARKLE. [Severely.] What do you know of that man ? SOPHIA. Only what they say at school. He has the finest leg of any man in Congress ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Angrily.] Leave the room ! [SOPHIA exits into hall, where she sits in ~bay window. MRS. SPARKLE, continuing to DOLLY.] And that figure you harbor here ! No extremity can excuse it ; least of all, your widowhood ! DOLLY. I d never think to plead it, ma am. In my mother s widowhood, he lodged here. He has al ways been most scrupulous of my awkward cir cumstances. Whatever his figure, Mr. Burr is a gentleman ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Nose in air.} Presbyterian ! DOLLY. A man can be a Christian in any church ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Dogmatically -.] Perhaps. But a gentleman only in the Episcopalian ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 33 DOLLY. If he were Turk, he s no less my friend ! MRS. SPARKLE. Tis notorious, he admires you ! DOLLY. {Hands on hips. ] I shouldn t be in woman s shape, if he didn t ! Colonel Burr admires the sex pretty ones because they please him, and the ugly ones because he s sorry for them. His ad miration I rate lightly ; but not his friendship. MRS. SPARKLE. He d prove it best by lodging elsewhere. DOLLY. Heaven forbid ! My most generous patron ; pays forty shillings the week for the second-floor- front, thirty-five more for his meals. Dines out half the time, and scarcely ever home for break fast ! MRS. SPARKLE. [ With significant toss of head.] That I quite believe ! DOLLY. Mr. Burr makes my house the fashion, gives it reputation. MRS. SPARKLE. Not his own, thank heaven ! He lost that years ago ! So Washington wouldn t receive him in his home. DOLLY. Oh, George himself was no Joseph ! 34 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MRS. SPARKLE. But had the grace to hide it ! This one parades his peccadilloes. Boasts his conquests ! DOLLY. [Protestinyly.] Oh, never ! If Colonel Burr kisses, he doesn t tell. That I promise thee. MRS. SPARKLE. {Rising, angrily.] Thank you, I m in no danger ! DOLLY. \_Conciliatingly ^\ Nor I, good friend ! As for these stories, laws, ma am, gallantry s the fashion ! The gentlemen all affect the air of having a little French milliner behind the bookcase, when there s really nothing there but cobwebs. And thee and I ve lived long enough to know that no mere man could be so wicked as they credit Mr. Burr [MRS. SPARKLE is startled ] and yet retain the esteem of his countrymen, as he has. Half the states voting stubbornly, for months, to make him President. MRS. SPARKLE. [Interrupting. .] Oh, there s plenty of his stripe ! {From behind her hand.] And tis notorious they stand by one another ! {Enter MERRY. MERRY. [At door, as if to withdraw^ Beg pardon DOLLY. [Quickly. ] Pray walk in [Presenting him.] Sir Anthony Merry. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 35 MERRY. [Bowing.] Your servant ! The debate is over, Mr. Burr bade me say, and the gallery closed. [MRS. SPARKLE disconcerted. DOLLY. Then they re near a vote ? MERRY. They were near blows when I left. MRS. SPARKLE. The boobies when they ve only to re-choose John Adams ! DOLLY. Impossible, ma am ! His wife s declared she d not live at the new capital. MRS. SPARKLE. Quite right ! All swamp and no society ! DOLLY. [ With a sniff.] Of course ! A lady accustomed to the gayeties and dissipations of Quincy, Massa chusetts ! MERRY. There ll be no one elected, I take it, from the bitter talk just now in your Parliament. MRS. SPARKLE. Take no comfort from that, sir ! Merely a family quarrel. You married, sir ? MERRY. Unhappily, yes [Correcting himself. ] I 36 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND mean, so much loveliness makes one rather re gret - MRS. SPARKLE. Then your lady isn t with you ? MERRY. [ Good-naturedly. ] Happily, no ! I had to make sure Lady Merry d be content here. She s bring ing a younger sister, and has had such alarming reports of the country and people. DOLLY. She ll find us as God made us ! MERRY. {Assenting I\ She anticipates the worst ! DOLLY. Then we can t disappoint her ! MERRY. Thanks ! Most amiable of women when you understand her. DOLLY. We re sure to do that, if you re here long enough. {A church-bell rings / then a second; then several more, as if all the bells in town were ringing^ MRS. SPARKLE. What does that mean the bells ? [A cannon- shot 7ieard.~] Cannons, too ! {Martial music in street. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 37 SOPHIA. {Entering from bow window.] They re crowds in the streets, cheering, and music ! DOLLY. [Animatedly.] The election, of course ! They ve chosen a President ! MRS. SPAKKLE. [ With feeling.] A gentleman, pray God ! DOLLY. [Hinging.] I ll send to learn. \Enter PINCK- NEY from door left.] Eun to the tavern, next door, ask the news, who s elected ? [The door knocker heard.] There s the door. [CLOTILDE, who* has answered to the ring, goes into hall.] They ll know. [Door heard to open and close; voices in hall.] It s Colonel Burr MRS. SPAKKLE. [Rising. ~\ That man ! Come, Sophia ! We ll go! BURR. [Entering in season to hear.] Better wait, ma am ; crowds block the way. I had to fight through. MRS. SPARKLE. What s happened ? Anything wrong ? BURR. Matter of taste, ma am. Mr. Jefferson s chosen President. 38 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MRS. SPARKLE. [Horrified.] That atheist ! Beats the devil ! BURR. [With mock gravity.} And by only one vote, ma am. Eight states declared for Mr. Jefferson, seven for the other [bowing to indicate himself] candidate. DOLLY. Then you, of course, are Yice-President ? BURR. [Ruefully] Alas ! The law so orders ! MRS. SPARKLE. You! Vice-President of the Unite Out rageous ! [Extends hand in gesture of anger. BURR. [Kissing her hand] Thanks for your sym pathy, ma am ! God knows I ve done nothing to deserve that fate. [In tone of hopelessness] Yice- President to Jefferson, with his health of a stalled- ox, and sure of a second term ! Eight years of obscurity for A. Burr ! [Through ripple of laughter] My compliments to Mr. Hamilton s friends ! They ve done for me this time ! [Laugh ing heartily] Yice-President ! MERRY. Mr. Jefferson s no friend of England! We hoped for his defeat. BURR. [Quickly.] You should have made that known, sir! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 39 MERRY. Would it have changed the result ? BURR. [Laughing.] No ! But hastened it ! And spared the country months of wrangling, such as you witnessed to-day. You must have been hard put to keep your face straight ! MERRY. [Bewildered.] But I took it serious. Why, one of em quoted Latin ! BURR. [Nodding assent.] Kandolph of Koanoke. But he d been drinking. [To DOLLY.] You should have heard them abuse me Hamilton s friends- just before the final vote ! In their rage they didn t speak my name, they barked it ! [Imita ting.] Burr, burr, burr ! I kept looking up at the gallery, hoping you d be there ; then hurried a page here to fetch you. Lord ! How they did abuse me ! You d have been so amused ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Stiffly.] Mrs. Todd s mourning forbids amuse ments. DOLLY. But to hear an old friend blackguarded ? The most censorious wouldn t deny one that pleasure ! MRS. SPARKLE. There ll be other opportunities ! 40 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BUKR. But the rare occasion, ma am, may never re cur, even in your blooming lifetime ! A tie in the vote for President ! MRS. SPARKLE. You had hand in it ! BURR. So they said to-day. As though I carried the high office in my vest pocket ! MRS. SPARKLE. One word from you would have settled the matter long ago. DOLLY. [Coming down; with spirit.] Yes! One word from Mr. Burr, a nod of the head, would have made him President. Every one knows that ! BURR. Just as well you weren t in the gallery ! You d been blowing kisses to Madison. Twas he spoke in my defense ! DOLLY. The great Madison ? BURR. Declared the Congress would resent advice from either candidate how to cast their votes ; I had no more right to urge my own defeat than my elec tion. DOLLY. Splendid ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 4! BURR, And amazed me all the more in Madison, who s Jefferson s friend, and has never liked me. I vowed my eternal gratitude ; told him, if need be, I d go to {The others startled.] But he promptly assured me I need go no further than Fourth Street and bring him with me [bowing to DOLLY] to Mrs. Todd s ! DOLLY. [Startled.] Me f Why, I doubt he s ever seen me. BURR. [ With a twinkle.] He s caught a glimpse of you. DOLLY. [Quickly, as if in a panic.] When, sir ? Where ? [Crosses to SALLY, as if for support BURR. He didn t detail, but I surmised, from the zeal of his admiration, he d seen considerable of you. DOLLY. [In double-meaning] That must do him for the present. BURR. But I ve promised - DOLLY. [Indifferently] Next week, then, or BURR. [Insisting] The man s waiting, now. 42 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Waiting ? BUKR. Presuming on your good nature, I said he might present himself at four o clock, unless advised con trary. I ll send word. [Starts to ring. SOPHIA. [To DOLLY.] No, no, do have him in, just for a took! He s the one [To BURR.] Tis James Madison ? BURR. Yes. SOPHIA. Constitution man ? [BuRR nods " yes."] He s the one jilted Kitty Floyd, the Long Island beauty, for wearing rouge ! DOLLY. [Touching cheek in alarm. ] Laws ! MRS. SPARKLE. [Sternly. .] Sophia ! SOPHIA. [Continuing. ,] Just out of braids ; and after the most fiery courtship ! BURR. [Laughing.] Madison ! Never ! MRS. SPARKLE. Where d you learn that scandal ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 43 SOPHIA. School ! Some of the girls had seen corre spondence most passionate letters ! Why, they even say MES. SPAEKLE. [Thunderingly.] You needn t ! [SOPHIA continues the story, in pantomime and whispers, to DOLLY and SALLY, as they gradually move up stage. DOLLY. [Turning to BUEE, indicating MES. SPAEKLE.] Win her over ; she doesn t like you. MES. SPAEKLE. Passionate letters ! Absurd ! [Sits at table, L. BUEE. Quite! Mr. Madison never wrote anything " passionate " except the Constitution. MES. SPAEKLE. Hamilton wrote that, his friends say. BUEE. To be sure, ma am ! And the Bill of Rights, and the Treaty with England he wrote. And, of course, Washington s Farewell Address ! In short, to hear Hamilton s friends he wrote most every thing important to modern society, except Ben Franklin s almanac and the Ten Commandments. And presently they ll have him revising those ! MES. SPAEKLE. New quarrel ? [DoLLY crosses to back of armchair, L. 44 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. The same, always ! MRS. SPARKLE. That French petticoat, Jumel ? BURR. Nothing so worth-while, ma am ! Politics, mere politics ! You see, Washington bequeathed Ham ilton two of his most cherished possessions an an tique silver snuff-box, and his ancient grudge against me. As Hamilton no longer snuffs he displays the other bequest on every public occasion. MRS. SPARKLE. Yes. Privately, I hear, you re friends. BURR. [Assenting.] The same tastes, habits and asso ciations. MRS. SPARKLE. [Meaningly. ] That s what I meant. [DoLLY comes down intent on BURR S pro cedure with MRS. SPARKLE. BURR, [ Offering smiff-l)ox, at sign from DOLL Y.] Will you ? MRS. SPARKLE [Refusing.] Abominable habit ! BURR. [With cajolery.] But pretty custom, in some hands. I had the honor to know your first hus band. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 45 DOLLY. [Gesture of dismay, which only BURR sees.] There never was but one ! BURR. [Elaborate gallantry.] Not the fault of my sex, I m sure. [MRS. SPARKLE takes pinch of snuff from, his box. BURR nods toward SOPHIA.] That pink of a girl, with the refreshing air of the schoolroom sister ? MRS. SPARKLE. Daughter ! DOLLY. Youngest of six. BURR. Six ? Thank you, ma am. MRS. SPARKLE. For what ? BURR. Sharing, so freely, your heritage of beauty Blood will tell ! MRS. SPARKLE. \Dryly.] Wasn t your grandfather the famous divine, Jonathan Edwards ? BURR. [Bowing assent] Head of Princeton College. MRS. SPARKLE. A pious man and a great preacher ! 46 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Under his guidance, Mr. Burr studied for the ministry. [To BURR.] And your father was clergyman ? BURR. [Taking the hint.] And his father, too. Like Mrs. Todd, I come from a line of preachers. MRS. SPARKLE. A great responsibility such a heritage ! BURR. Prodigious, ma am ! One has to do the sinning for three generations ! [A chime clock in the hall strikes four. On the last stroke the door-knocker is heard. The young women come hurriedly from the hall. BURR, looking at his watch.~] Madison on the stroke ! [ To DOLLY.] With your per mission, I ll [Starts toivard hall. ] For, I warn you, he s most timid with the ladies. [Exit. DOLLY. [To MRS. SPARKLE.] Pray receive him. [ To SALLY.] Come with me. [Starts to exit. MRS. SPARKLE. [Recalling her. ] My dear very little rouge if he s timid. And, if you don t fancy him, I d like him for one of my girls. [DoLLY exits. Enter BURR and MADISON. BURR. [Presenting him.] Let me introduce Mr. Madison [general bowing] former classmate at THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 47 Princeton College. {Patronizingly^ And next Secretary of State. MADISON. {Protesting^ But, sir BURR. You ve accepted ? MADISON. [ With characteristic doubt.] Yes and no. BURR, [Patting MADISON on the back.] Good ! The very man for the post ! MRS. SPARKLE. Unmarried, I believe ? MADISON. No fault of my own ! MRS. SPARKLE. Then easy corrected ! The President being widower, and Vice-President no better, the State Department must provide " The First Lady of the Land." MADISON. So Mr. Jefferson says. MRS. SPARKLE. Most important that you take a wife ! MADISON. Keeps me wake o nights, ma am MERRY. [Coming down.] May the cares of your office prove merely domestic ! 48 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. Mr. Jefferson s purpose. MERRY. A people so hostile mong themselves, as witness to-day, won t court peace abroad. MADISON. We don t anticipate trouble. MERRY. \_Pompously.~] Diplomacy always anticipates. MADISON. [Surprised.} Then, you^ sir ? BURR. {Intervening quickly.} Sir Anthony Merry s come to look us over, and if he likes the place, re mains British Minister at Conococheague. MERRY. [Bewildered.} Why ! I thought twas Wash ington. BURR. [As if suddenly remembering} Yes, of course, they re going to call it Washington ! I prefer the Indian name. MERRY. Why change it ? MRS. SPARKLE. Or the place ? Capital should remain here, Philadelphia. . THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 49 MADISON. Too fast and frivolous, Congress found. MERRY. But this other, our Legation reports, a wilder ness ! BUKK. {Deferentially] Mr. Madison chose it. MADISON. [Correcting.] Mr. Jefferson! I merely ap proved. MERRY. I hope Lady Merry does ! [Engages in conversation with MRS. SPARKLE, as they turn up-stage. MADISON. [Sotto-voce to BURR.] Will the} - remain ? BURR. I ll see you re left alone. [Slapping him on the back.] Buck up ! MADISON. [Sotto-voce.~\ Any chance? BURR [Encouragingly. .] She s interested ! MADISON. Say so ? BURR. No but decorating herself. Always good sign ! 50 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MRS. SPARKLE. [Calling. ] Mr. Madison ! [He crosses to her. MERRY. {Coming down to BURR.] To-day s events, I anticipate, change your plans ! BURR. On the contrary, confirm them. MERRY. But as Yice-President, you can t take Mexico for yourself ! BURR. Great ventures can t, stop for small morals ! When it comes to that point, I ll resign the office. Only get me from London the loan I require. MERRY. [Drawing, partly, letter from breast-pocket.] I ve written to-day 200,000 dollars. BURR. Pounds, sir, 200,000 pounds! MERRY. I thought dollars ! BURR. \_Icily.~] Tis an expedition I plan, sir not a picnic ! [DOLLY and SALLY heard off. MADISON hastens to BURR, obviously ill at ease. MERRY rejoins MRS. SPARKLE. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 51 / SOPHIA. \To PINCKNEY, noting MADISON S embarrass ment^ Isn t he gay ? \Eeenter SALLY followed by DOLLY. At sight of former MADISON turns inquir ingly to BURR. DOLLY. [Sotto-voce to SALLY.] " Ankle " man ! BURR. Mr. Madison, ladies ! [An awkward pause in which MADISON plainly shows his embarrassment and timidity. During the following dialogue SOPHIA seated on the sofa between SALLY and PINCKNEY " guys " MADISON, partly in pantomime and partly with half- whispered interjections. DOLLY. I ve heard much of Mr. Madison. Strange we ve never met before. MADISON. Yes, ma am. DOLLY. From Virginia, I believe. MADISON. Mr. Jeiferson s state yes, ma am. DOLLY. [At a loss what to say.~\ It it snows there ? 52 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND \ MADISON. Sometimes in winter. SOPHIA. [To her companions, sotto-voceJ] Repartee ! DOLLY. You find our climate trying ? MADISON. Yes and no. SOPHIA. [Same business. ~] Diplomat ! MADISON. That is has compensations. DOLLY. Dinners, cards, and dances ? MADISON. I meant, rather, outdoor sports, like walking. SOPHIA. Isn t he wild ! DOLLY. Does thee visit the theatre ? MADISON. [Nodding " yes"~] The Wax-works, ma am. DOLLY. To encourage the drama ! And fond of music ? MADISON. Mr. Jefferson plays the fiddle THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 53 DOLLY. Yes we hear him. [MERRY sniffs. MADISON. And sometimes I accompany him. DOLLY. Second fiddle ? [BuRR coughs. MADISON. [Modestly.] Banjo. SOPHIA. [To companion."] Talented ! DOLLY. I dote on the banjo ! [BuRR disconcerted.] Tis the one instrument for a man ! [SOPHIA uougfo. MRS. SPARKLE. [Sharply ; prodding her with walking-stick^] So phia ! We re leaving ! [General movement. DOLLY. [Crossing to MRS. SPARKLE.] Now you ve spoke with Mr. Burr, you see he doesn t deserve what people say. MRS. SPARKLE. [Severely.] Every bit ! [Beaming.] Pie s charm ing ! If I m ever driven to lodgers, he can have my second-floor-front. BURR. [Observing DOLLY S approach, pats MADISON on back, saying sotto-voce.] Buck up, man ! Now s 54 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND your chance ! {Aloud, as DOLLY reaches them. ] But I warn you ; I ve asked Mrs. Todd to marry me- [All indicate interest. MADISON. [Startled.] Ah! . DOLLY. [To BUKR, laughing.] And so you have twenty other women, and just as seriously. With Colo nel Burr a proposal of marriage is a polite cere monial, a mere courtesy. He offers his heart to the ladies [taking BURR S snuff-box and handing it to MADISON] with no more meaning than he offers his snuff-box to the gentlemen. He expects it returned after a pinch or two ! {Returns BURR his snuff-box, and crosses to MRS. SPARKLE. FOOTMAN. [At door announcing.] Mrs. Sparkle s car riage ! BURR. {Offering arm.] My attendance, ma am ? MRS. SPARKLE. [About to take his arm, withdraws it.] But I ll lose my reputation ! BURR. [Putting her hand on his arm.] You shall have mine ! [BuRR and MRS. SPARKLE exit, the latter obviously pleased ~by his gallant atten tions. The others follow. DOLLY sees THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 55 them into hall and turns to find MADI SON prinking before the mirror. MADISON. [Advancing eagerly, his bearing suddenly changed to one of bold admiration and attack.] I didn t dare hope for so speedy renewal of our DOLLY. [Interrupting. .] Mr. Madison ! that never hap pened ! [ Winces as she moves from him a few steps. MADISON. [After slight pause of bewilderment^ and observ ing the limp] No. Of course not ! DOLLY. It couldn t have happened ! MADISON. So I ve said to myself twenty times over. Nothing so delightful could happen. I dreamed it! [Qmzaingly.~\ Ankle better ? DOLLY. Thee gentlemen of Congress should vote the walks kept free of ice. MADISON. Never with my vote, ma am ! DOLLY. After last night s accident ? MADISON. Not " accident," act of Providence ! 56 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [Startled.] What ! MADISON. In that belief I stand here. DOLLY. [/Sitting on couch. Then inconsequently] Sit thee down. MADISON. [ Continuing , with (/rowing excitement. ] To-day s attack on Mr. Burr. My impulse to protest, though I opposed his election. His extravagant thanks. The proffer of any service in my behalf, and this this interview, all Providence ! DOLLY. Thee helped a little ! And thy name would have opened the door any time. MADISON. [Resignedly.] Timidity. DOLLY. Modesty, the world sa}^. MADISON. No, I know my deserts ; but one doesn t get from law books the graces of the ballroom ; and for some tis easier to frame a statute than turn a compliment. And if I ve feared to enter here, twas only that well, I knew you were sought by one utterly beyond me in the ways that please women. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND $? DOLLY. That comes with practice. MADISON. [With gesture "no."] A gift of the gods de nied me ! DOLLY. Surely thee wouldn t exchange ? MADISON. Yes and no! There s been times when I thought I d like to ! When I ve seen you of an afternoon, in the fashion-parade, surrounded by famous wits and beaux, and noted how completely their temper accorded with your own, I d gladly changed place with the veriest macaroni of the lot ! DOLLY. Don t tell it, sir ! Thee s reputed a serious man. MADISON. To my sorrow, and most unjustly ! DOLLY. Tis no demerit ! MADISON. I know no greater obstacle to the favor of a charming woman. DOLLY. [As if in contradiction.] I married a Quaker! MADISON. [Sitting beside her, on couch. ] Tis that gives me courage ! Else I d never dare offer my hand 58 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND and heart, nor beg the chance to prove, by a life of affection and devotion, that I m vastly more human than my friends report ! DOLLY. [Taken aback. ] Why, sir ! You amaze me ! MADISON. Myself no less, ma am ! DOLLY. A declaration ? MADISON. [Assenting.] My meaning ! DOLLY. Laws, sir ! Ten minutes in the house and a declaration ! [Rises. ] You ve made a wager ; a rakish wager ! " Supper for the company at the Italian Inn, or Peg Mullen s. Oysters and champagne wine, that you propose to Widow Todd, fore candle-light." Come, sir, it is a wager ? MADISON. [ With increasing fervor. ,] More than wager a vow, to myself, last night, when your door closed between us, that if ever again I had the chance, though it came in street, church or mar ket-place ; if the whole world looked on and lis tened ; and though I know my suit is hopeless yet I d speak the words that quicken my heart- and surge to my lips at every thought of you. Love me, and be my wife ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 59 DOLLY. {After a pause.] To answer thy bluntness in kind, I ve resolved not to marry again. MADISON. You were unhappy ? DOLLY. Most happy ! MADISON. Then what better tribute to a sweet memory than to seek its renewal ? Persistent widowhood is a poor elegy. DOLLY. You ll never swing for want of argument ! That s one I never thought of ! MADISON. I ve thought of twenty a himdred to per suade you; pondered and phrased them gainst this very moment that I felt must come ! Often mid the wrangles of Congress, a new one rushes in on me, and I ll grope in the debate. Why, even as I toiled and troubled over the Constitution DOLLY. Never ! MADISON. [Excitedly.] Yes, yes, I believe, I shame to say, I could point to this clause and that, left vague and uncertain, only because my wayward thoughts wandered off to you. [MUdlyJ] Ah, dear lady, I ve courted you long and wildly ! 60 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [Bather chaiftingly J] I hadn t noticed it. Though, sometimes, as we passed in the street MADISON. [Drawing closer. ] So seemed to me at times ! But then came your marriage to Jack Todd and the thought of returning here, each season of Con gress, and renew at every sight of you or mere hearing of your name the memory of what I d missed disturbed me so I would have quit public life only for my good friend Mr. Jefferson. DOLLY. Who doubtless suggested more effective conso lations. MADISON. [Assenting.] He advised even larger activities in the public service, and that, meanwhile, I seek distraction by travel in strange lands. DOLLY. And so thee traveled to Long Island ! [MADI SON obviously startled^ And the distraction in that strange land prett} 7 ? MADISON. [Protesting^. ~\ I beg of you DOLLY. [Insisting. ] Miss Floyd. Was she pretty ? MADISON. [As if trying to recall. ] I I don t recol lect [looking at her meaningly} now. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 6 1 DOLLY. Clever ? MADISON. [Dubiously.] She had some reputation for wit in Long Island. DOLLY. Blonde or dark ? MADISON. Yes and no. DOLLY. One or t other, man ! MADISON. [Confidently.] Eight, ma am ! But which DOLLY. Well, her eyes, brown, or black or like mine, perhaps ? \Looks straight at him. MADISON. {Promptly gesturing " no"~\ Or I shouldn t be here ! DOLLY. And for wearing rouge thee jilted her ? MADISON. [In surprise] Jilt her I ? DOLLY. [Nodding " yes"] Gossip says. MADISON. Shoe s on wrong foot. 62 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [Indignant.*] What ! Thee don t mean she ? And why, pray? MADISON. Met some one she preferred. DOLLY. Reason enough! But he must have been a paragon ! MADISON. A parson ! And played the forte-pianer ! DOLLY. Laws ! What taste ! [Gesture of piano-play ing. ] A man at the forte-pianer! When she might have had the banjo! The forte-pianer! Tis a kind of fancy-work. And you loved her ? MADISON. Does one love twice ? DOLLY. [With mischief. ] "What better tribute to a sweet memory." 4 MADISON. [Moving toward her eagerly. .] Then I may hope ? DOLLY. [Gesture of decisive " no."~\ I fear not ! MADISON. [Resignedly.] I knew that. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 63 DOLLY. Knew ? MADISON. That you d refuse me. DOLLY. And yet asked me ? MADISON. After my vow, last night, I was bound to try ! Though I knew full well you re to marry Mr. Burr. DOLLY. [Startled.] But, sir, I ve no such intention ! MADISON. Mr. Burr has ! DOLLY. [Bridling.] Tis for me to say ! MADISON. [Assenting.] Yes and no. DOLLY. [ With some temper. ] Yes or no ! MADISON. [Appeasingly] Whatever you say twill come to the same. Mr. Burr wants you for his wife. DOLLY. But suppose I don t love him ? MADISON. Nothing to do with it ! 64 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. {Flaring icpJ] Indeed ! MADISON. [Continuing.] Enough for Mr. Burr that he loves you, and means to marry you. DOLLY. Whether I will or not ? MADISON. [Laughing, but meaning to pique herJ] But you will, finally. His mind is bent on it ! And even you, rarest of women, will do as he wishes. DOLLY. You seem very sure ! MADISON. If I weren t sure, perfectly sure, that Mr. Burr will have his way, would I offer myself ? After hearing his proposal, just now, could I be so dis loyal, if I weren t sure my own suit is hopeless, against this man your sex has always found resist less ? DOLLY. [ With finality.} I d marry no man against my will ! MADISON. lie will convince you ! DOLLY. How? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 65 MADISON. If I knew how, dear lady, I d do it myself. DOLLY. Of course, there are many ways to win a woman. MADISON. [Ruefully.] And Mr. Burr has em all, by heart. While I know only two ways and those by hearsay ! One is to carry her off ! DOLLY. By force ? MADISON. [Assenting. ] If need be a knock on the head ! DOLLY. \_Amazed.~] Wherever d you learn such un godly ? MADISON. [Quickly.] From the Indians, mong whom I worked as missionary. And maids wooed in that fashion, they say, make the best squaws ! The other way the woman knocks the man on the head and carries him off. DOLLY. As if any woman could do so ! MADISON. Oh, bless you, she doesn t really do it ! You only let her think she does it. [lUsesJ] And I may call again ? 66 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. "When you ve forgotten your vow ! MADISON. Never, ma am, while there s a chance a fight ing chance ! [DoLLY shakes her head " no"~] Oh, I shall lose, I know, but until you ve given your word to Mr. Burr ; til he lands you at the altar-step I shall try, and never cease to try though I wait to the crack of doom ! DOLLY. Mr. Madison, is there Indian blood in your family ? MADISON. [Startled.] Why ? DOLLY. Thy persistence ! MADISON. It annoys you ? DOLLY. [Seriously. ] Tis an honor, sir, a great honor, that no woman should take lightly. But since you know tis hopeless MADISON. I ask only to see you again. DOLLY. [Assenting. ] Well, when you return here for the next Congress. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 67 MADISON. Twill not meet here, but in the new capital, Washington. DOLLY. Yes. I d forgot. Well, then, when this Con gress adjourns. MADISON. [Leading her on.~] The very end f DOLLY. [Decisively, ] Not an hour before ! There, I m resolved ! MADISON. And I resigned til Congress rises only, I vow it. DOLLY. [ With warning gesture.] No more vows ! MADISON, And if you decide to receive me before DOLLY. Not likely ! MADISON. Ladies do change their minds. DOLLY. Then I will write thee. MADISON. [Ruefully.] " Write," dear lady ? Alas, that means 68 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [Impulsively. ] No, no, it doesn t, I assure thee. I ve no such thought, this moment. MADISON. [Fervidly.] Lord ! If Congress would only adjourn this moment ! DOLLY. Thy presence might hasten matters. MADISON. Thank you, ma am recalling my duties. DOLLY. The Nation s interest only, sir. MADISON. Quite so ! And you ll send me word ? DOLLY. Yes. [Gives him his hat, which she gets from table L. MADISON. [Loth to go.] The very moment ? DOLLY. As agreed. [ Gets his gloves from table. MADISON. Hall of Congress ? DOLLY. [Nodding " yes."] Fifth and Chestnut. [Gives him his walking-stick. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 69 MADISON. No, my lodgings. " The Indian Queen." Tis nearer. DOLLY. As you choose. MADISON. No to both ! Better to both ! So one s sure to find me. Else I d be flying between them, like boys at tag. You will send to both ? DOLLY. [Moving toward door.] Yes, yes. MADISON. [Still lingering.] And now, if you d only . DOLLY. Not a third message ? MADISON. [Seizing her hand.] No but give me assur ance DOLLY. [Drawing away.] You ve that and to spare ! MADISON. If you ll only promise DOLLY. Nothing more ! MADISON. * Tis only til I call again you ll take no more 70 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND risks on slippery pavements ! And God bless you, lady! [Kisses both her hands fervidly and exits .1 quickly. DOLLY stands at door looking after Mm, then turns front. DOLLY. [Alone.] He timid ? My eye and Betty Martin ! CURTAIN THE SECOND ACT SCENE. DOLLY TODD S parlor, three days later. It is evening and the room is lighted by many candles* some in sconces, others in candelabra. On the spinet, or elsewhere in conspicuous view, a banjo. During the progress of the act, a dance is proceed ing at the tavern next door. The music is heard faintly, the cello tones dominating. As curtain rises, JENNINGS enters from hall. PINCKNEY, at table L., is unwrapping wax- paper from a bouquet. PINCKNEY. Announce me to Colonel Burr. JENNINGS. Yes, sir. But he s awaiting Mr. Madison. PINCKNEY. Say to Colonel Burr I have word for him from the President. [JENNINGS starts to exit. Enter ENA FERRAR; young, gracious, in marked con trast to her sister, LADY MERRY. She is pretty, of the English type, and her clothes of a different style from that of the American women in the playJ] Miss Ferrar ! [Recalling JENNINGS to whom he hands the bouquet J] Care for these till Miss Ferrar leaves for the ball next door. One moment [Detaches the dance-card. JEN- 72 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND NINGS exits. PINCKNEY gives ENA tJie dance- card. ] The dance-card. ENA. [Looking at card.] Tis already written on ! PlNCKNEY. A suggestion, merely, of what I d like. ENA. [Reading from card.] Quadrille, cotillion, reel, and two waltzes ! PlNCKNEY. Tis only half the dances. ENA. But my sister, Lady Merry, might object. PINCKNEY. [Overlooking card, dubiously.] Then we ll omit the ENA. [Quickly.] Waltzes ! PINCKNEY. The quadrille ! And that we ll sit out. So you may see what a modish assembly looks like among us savages. ENA. " Savages," indeed ! PINCKNEY. Then we re not so red as we re painted ? ENA. Fallal, no ! I m hoping we stay on a long time. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 73 PlNCKNEY. [In tone of proposal.] If I have my way, you shall ! [LADY MERRY S voice, in angry tones ^ heard off. MERRY. {At door, R.] Ena, I think Angle s wanting you. [ENA crosses to exit. Pauses at nod from PlNCKNEY. PlNCKNEY. [To MERRY, showing dance-card.] May I have Miss Ferrar for these dances ? MERRY. Ask Lady Merry ! PlNCKNEY. [Starting to exit.] I ll go at once. [LADY MERRY S voice still heard off ; stamping foot, etc. ENA. [In alarm taking dance-card] No, no I ll tell her later. {Exit ENA. BURR enters from halL BURR. [To PINCKNEY.] What word from next door ? PlNCKNEY. [To BURR.] Mr. Jefferson begs you ll join him at supper after the dance. 74 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. [ Uncertain^ I may be leaving before. PINCKNEY. [Confidentially.} He s rather anxious over this issue of the Evening Post. [Shows paper. BURR. [Talcing the paper. ~\ What is it? PlNCKNEY. [Pointing to the article. ] An account of a dinner-party at Mr. Hamilton s. BURR. [Lightly. ,] Oh, yes. I ve seen this. And I ve asked Mr. Hamilton to explain. [Continues reading. JENNINGS. [At door.] Mr. Madison. [MADISON enters. BURR. [To PINCKNEY.] Tell the President no need of concern. Hamilton and I will reach an under standing [as MADISON comes down] thanks to this gentleman. MADISON. [To PINCKNEY.] I m just from Mr. Hamilton. [MERRY and PINCKNEY move up stage, into the hall, where they are seen at inter vals passing to and fro in animated con versation. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND ?$ BUEE, [Pointing to newspaper.] Did Hamilton say this? MADISON. [Evasively. ] He ll be here presently. BUEE. Does he deny he said it ? MADISON. [Appeasingly.~\ Yes and no ! BUEE. [Impatiently, ] Madison, life s done much for you ! Your ancestors gave you a fine head. Princeton gave you learning. The Nation gives you honor. Jefferson offers this place of power. But this you must do for yourself. Buck up and learn to say yes or no ! Now does Hamilton own or deny this ? [Taps the newspaper. MADISON. Well he does and he doesn t! That is, he neither denies nor affirms. He can t recall every word he may have used in all your hot rivalry of fifteen years. BUEE. This isn t a matter of fifteen years, but of three days ! And no great strain on memory to recall such words. [Pointing to paper.] " I look upon Mr. Burr to be a dangerous man." Did he say it, or didn t he ? MADISON. Well, he might have said it 76 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BUKR. {Turning sharply ^\ Ah ! MADISON. {Correcting himself quickly .] It might be said in jest or banter. BUKR. [AmiablyJ] Y-e-s. MADISON. [Laughing.] It s become a custom, Hamilton says. BURR. [Assenting.] A superstition, if he likes. But did he use that phrase of me ? MADISON- [As if to make light of it] The phrase by itself, as it stands there, may mean anything. BURR. [Gesture of " no."~] Only one thing if he said it ! MADISON. But all depends he argues on the tone and spirit of the speech on what preceded and fol lowed the context of the words. BURR. [ With uplifted eyebrows. ] Oh, he makes it a point of grammar, a matter of syntax, elocution, the dictionary ! I make it a point of honor, for him to deny or acknowledge ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND // MADISON. [Quickly. ] He will, when you specify the in stance, the particular occasion of the word. BURR. [Indicating newspaper.] But here it is ! Printed ! MADISON. The bare phrase you object to, yes, but nothing of what went before or after. BURR. [Slowly ; after a pause.] I see I see. He has that in mind ! MADISON. [Nodding assent.] I so took him. BURR. You didn t discuss it ? MADISON. Oh, no ! I held to the printed word, as you directed. BURR. Good! MADISON. The rest may be table gossip, a mere invention of mischief, or malice. BURR. Perhaps. [Calling. ] Sir Anthony ! [MERRY comes down : PINCKNEY follows. BURR speaks to MERRY, glancing from time to time at newspa per. ] You were at this dinner at Mr. Hamilton s ? 78 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MERKY. Yes, three days ago. BURR. Large party ? MERRY. Twenty gentlemen or more. BURR. Ladies present ? MERRY. None. BURR. [After a slight pause. ] Mrs. Todd was the toast of the evening ? MERRY. [ Uneasily.] In a way, yes but BURR. [Ironically.] Of course, if twas in confidence to the twenty gentlemen MERRY. [Breaking in.~] No, no ; twas quite open ! After a health to the new President, Mr. Hamilton proposed " The First Lady of the Land " ; as we stood with glasses raised, some asked : " Mrs. Madison or Mrs. Burr f " [Hesitates. BURR. [ Urging him.] Yes ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 79 MERRY. {Continuing^ " It comes to the same ! " he re plied. "And so one glass may serve for both, we ll drink Dolly Todd." BURR. [After a slight pause, with repressed temper. } Was he drunk ? Hamilton ? MERRY. [ With gesture of doubtful " no."] U m cheer fullike the rest of us. But, good gad, that isn t printed ? BURR. [Lightly.] Oh, no. Merely talked of, by most of the twenty gentlemen, and the lackeys who served them. When it comes to print, Mr. Ham ilton sticks to politics. There he s always been safe with me. If you will, Mr. Pinckney ? {Hands newspaper to PINCKNEY. PINCKNEY. [ Unfolding paper and reading^ " The report that Mr. Hamilton will oppose James Madison for Secretary of State grows out of the gossip of a re cent dinner-party at Mr. Hamilton s. Some kill joy questioned the host as to Madison s fitness for the office " MERRY. {Promptly^ Yes, /did. BURR. [Surprised.^ You f 8o THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MERRY. [Ingenuously.] As British Minister, my chief concern is the State Department, and I asked, quite naturally after the toast to Mrs. Todd what Mr. Hamilton thought of this gentleman [nodding to MADISON] as Secretary of State. BURR. And he answered as they ha\ 7 e it there ? [PINCKNEY givespaper to MERRY. MERRY crosses to fireplace / reads in silence. BURR picks up banjo from spinet. Looks at MADISON smilingly ; plunks a chord or two. MERRY. [After a pause.] Precisely what Mr. Hamilton said that he looked upon Mr. Burr to be a dan gerous man. BURR. The others heard, of course ? MERRY. [Assenting.] Good God, yes ! And were all attention ! Fearing he had misunderstood, I said " but tis Madison who s to be Secretary of State " ; whereupon Mr. Hamilton repeated, quite meas- uredty : " Yes, and I look upon Mr. Burr to be a dangerous man." [Gives paper to BURR. BURR. [To MADISON, and tapping paper, laughingly.] Word for word, as they have it here. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 8 1 MERRY. But how d they come by the story ? BURR. {Indicating the newspaper] The Post has al ways been Hamilton s mouthpiece against [indi cating himself] this "dangerous man." [To PINCKNEY.] Tell the President you left us laugh ing over the matter. PlNCKNEY. And you will join him at supper ? BURR. [Deep bow.] Honored if not detained. [MADISON accompanies PINCKNEY up stage at door. There they pause for a moment ; then disappear into hall. MERRY. I must send that, at once, to London ! It will assure the loan you seek. When my people read between the lines BURR. [ With spirit.] Read what ? MERRY. Why, your admitted influence with Madison. BURR. [Laughing.] No more influence than you have ! MERRY. ^ Directly,, no ! But here, as in the Courts of Europe, there s always a Power behind the throne. 82 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND And, if our clever landlady becomes Mrs. Madi son BURR. [Interrupting .] If you please ! No lady s name in this affair ! MERRY. No name, of course ! With diplomats a mere hint BURR. [Decisively."} No, sir! Not by hint, intima tion, nor innuendo ! Not for a world of Mexicos ! MERRY. [Insistent. ] " Great ventures can t stop for small morals." BURR. [Interrupting.] N~o point here of small morals, sir, but abuse of privilege, hospitality, with a charming woman [as MADISON comes down] whom I hope to make Mrs. Burr. JENNINGS. [At door announcing J] Mr. Alexander Hamil ton. MERRY . [Quickly, to BURR.] Before you receive the gentleman, may I have word with him ? [BURR bows assent. MERRY exits. BURR. [To MADISON.] I ll not see him ! [Makes to exit. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 83 MADISON. [Stopping him. ] I beg of you BURR. [ With anger. ] After what Merry just told us ! No! MADISON. [Persisting.] Do me this favor ; and come what may, I m your friend ! BURR. But what use ? MADISON. [Persuadingly.] If you two men will come to gether if only for a moment I am sure you can compose this quarrel. And you must ! BURR. You fear for him ? MADISON. No! BURR. Then for me ? MADISON. Even less ! It s for Mrs. Todd I fear. BURR. Her name won t figure in MADISON. [Ironically.] Won t it, indeed ? 84 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. No, not while we keep to the printed word. {Indicates paragraph in newspaper. MADISON. But the spoken word ? That you heard just now from Merry. The talk of the twenty guests and the lackeys who served them ? The words that went before, and followed the phrase you d keep to the " instance " they d have you specify the " particular occasion " of the words. Will her name figure there ? Or won t it ? BURR. [After a troubled pause^\ I ll see him ! MADISON. Thanks ! [Makes to exit.] I ll fetch him and then leave you. [A turmoil is heard from room, R. ENA enters hurriedly from R. As the door opens LADY MERRY S voice heard off in angry colloquy. MERRY enters from hall. BURR. [Stopping MADISON.] No, the reception room show him. [MADISON exits c. BURR turns to MERRY, quizzically, indicating noise off.~] We might disturb Lady Merry. [Exit, L. LADY MERRY S voice heard in angry tones. Stamping foot, etc. MERRY. What s the trouble with Angie ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 85 ENA. [ Tone of resignation^} Angle ! MERRY. Who now ? Mrs. Todd ? ENA. For the moment, no ! It s the coiffeur. He forgot hair-powder, and Angle s telling him what she thinks of the American Republic. [LADY MERRY heard nearer in quarrel with the hair-dresser, who flees through the room protesting : " Oui, Madame. 1 fetch, Madame, etc} LADY MERRY. [Pursuing him to door, c.] You d better ! And be quick about it ! HAIR-DRESSER. Oui, I get ze powder ! LADY MERRY. You a hair-dresser indeed ! HAIR-DRESSER. Oui, Madame ! I dress ze hair for General Washington ! {Exit. LADY MERRY. {Continuing toward door c., looking after himJ] Hell s bales ! Don t you throw that man in my face ! He s dressed General Washington s hair ! For any and every complaint that one answer : " General Washington ! " I tell Mrs. Todd s cook the roast is overdone and their excuse is : " Gen- 86 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND eral Washington has dined here." I say the Madeira s muddy, but [nose in air] " Gen eral Washington didn t find it so ! " They bring a pint of water for a bath and when I ask for more, " Twas always plenty for the Gen eral ! " The beds are hard beyond endurance, but, " General Washington has slept in em." I ll have them know I m not dining with General Washington, nor drinking with him, nor si [MERRY and EN A shocked. ] Well, in short. Gen eral Washington isn t paying my score ! Pretty place to bring us ! MERRY. Best the town affords, and pray be your usual, tactful self with our hostess. LADY MERRY. [Spitefully.] This landlady ? ENA. " First-lady-in-the-land " she ll likely be, Mr. Pinckney says. MERRY. So they said t other night at Mr. Hamilton s dinner-table. LADY MERRY. Well, if you ask my opinion MERRY. [Interrupting in alarm.] I don t ! LADY MERRY. Well, I told her plump what was hinted there. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 8/ MERRY. That she d be Mrs. Madison or Mrs. Burr ! LADY MERRY. Pounds to pickles she takes the rake ! ENA. \Despairingly.~] The Vice-President ! [ftises.] Hadn t we better make ready ? MERRY. Tis only next door. LADY MERRY. What time s this war-dance begin ? ENA. It s a ball, Angie, to honor the new President. Nine o clock s the quadrille. LADY MERRY. That s all you ll dance with the yokels ! ENA. I ve engaged to waltz with Mr. Pinckney. LADY MERRY. Mr. Pinck ! Very social on short acquaint ance with that popinjay ! ENA. Why do you speak so of these people ? LADY MERRY. I ll say what I like ! ENA. In Madrid or Petersburg they d sent us packing ! 88 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND LADY MERRY. I never said such things in Spain or Kussia. ENA. [Cuttingly.] You didn t speak the language well enough ! LADY MERRY. [Turning on her. ] I ll speak " language " you never heard before if that Yankee hangs about. JENNINGS. [Announcing. ~] The Marquis D Yrujo and Miss McKean. MERRY. [8otto-voce.] Careful ! His fiancee. LADY MERRY. Oh ! [Enter D YRUJO and SALLY. Bows. SALLY. [To JENNINGS.] Apprise Mrs. Todd. LADY MERRY. [Introducing ENA.] My sister, Miss Ferrar. [To D YRUJO. Lorgnettes SALLY.] So this is the future Marquise ? How d that happen ? D YRUJO. [Bowing to SALLY.] My answer, ma am. LADY MERRY. [To ENA.] I must write Peggy this very day. [To SALLY.] My cousin, Lady Peggy Hastings. D Yrujo was head over heels to marry her. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 89 SALLY. [Sweetly.] My compliments to the lady ! LADY MERKY. But he wanted too much ! SALLY. Then my condolence ! LADY MERRY. Thanks, though she d have died in this awful country ! D YRTJJO. [To switch the conversation.] Lately arrived, I believe. LADY MERRY. Last ship. D YRUJO. Good crossing ? LADY MERRY. Only seven weeks from London worse luck! Now I see what we ve come to, I wish it had been seven years ! What on earth keeps you here ? D YRUJO. My king s interests. LADY MERRY. Have the Yankees left him any ? D YRUJO. Mexico ! 90 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND LADY MERRY. They must have overlooked it ! [D YRUJO crosses to MERRY. TJiey move up stage. JENNINGS. [At door, to SALLY.] Directly, Mrs. Todd says. LADY MERRY. The house is full, if you re looking for lodgings. SALLY. We re calling on Mrs. Todd. LADY MERRY. [Affecting surprise.] You know her ? SALLY. My dearest friend. LADY MERRY. [Disdainfully. ] Oh ! But I suppose no social lines are drawn here since the Declaration of Im pudence. [Enter DOLLY. She wears a gown of black lace, and Quaker cap and kerchief. D YRUJO salutes DOLLY elaborately. LADY MERRY to DOLLY with insolence] Has that coiffeur returned ? DOLLY. The servant will bring thee word. LADY MERRY. [To the others] Fancy ! After being jabbed and pulled for hours by a yokel hair-dresser [to DOLLY] recommended by you, ma am, though I swear he learned his trade in a stable, to find he s brought no powder ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 91 DOLLY. Tis little used here, ma am. LADY MERRY. Since when ? DOLLY. It went out with the English ! Except for the middle-aged. The gentlemen complained it soiled their coats. LADY MERRY. [Lorgnetting DOLLY.] I notice they don t ob ject to rouge ! DOLLY. [ With glance at SALLY.] Yes and no. [To D YRUJO.] Thee ll be leaving soon for Wash ington ? D YRUJO. [ With meaning.] And you, too, we hope. LADY MERRY. Too bad there s no lady for the President s house ! Of course, I only mean DOLLY. {Finishing for her.] President s widower. LADY MERRY. And the Vice-President ? DOLLY. Mr. Burr has no wife of his own. LADY MERRY. So many here widowers ! How d s happen 92 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND not taking second wife ? Though with Mr. Burr, easy understood. You made him so comfortable here! [The others disconcerted.] And my hus band, too ! DOLLY. Yes, Sir Anthony said he hadn t been so con tented in years ! LADY MERRY. [.Looking about] He warned me such accom modations were scarce, and dreaded my coming. DOLLY. So he kept saying, Lady Merry. LADY MERKY. Oh ! Don t bother with my title ! Since they re " taboo " here, I ll forget I m Lady. DOLLY. Just be your own natural self, ma am, if it makes you more comfortable. CLOTILDE. [At door to LADY MERRY.] The coiffeur, Madame, with powder. [LADY MERRY and ENA rise. DOLLY. [Mock regret] Oh, and we re just getting cozy ! ENA. [Sotto-voce to DOLLY.] Please forgive Angie ! DOLLY. [Same business] And you forgive me. [They clasp hands. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 93 LADY MERRY. [At door.] Ena ! {Exit ENA. SALLY. [Laughing.] A handful, isn t she ? DOLLY. [Angrily.] She can t find things pleasant enough to say to me. SALLY. I notice she didn t say them. Though she didn t put you out any. DOLLY. Before that, I d put her out ! I would now, only I owe for this new frock. SALLY. [Admiringly] Smartish ! DOLLY. Mr. Madison may be calling on his way to the dance. SALLY. His old flame, Miss Floyd, will be there. DOLLY. [ As if enlightened] O-o-h ! With the parson ? [ Gesture of piano playing. SALLY. She s jilted him ! DOLLY. Laws ! Tis a habit with her ! If she keeps on 94 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND no man will go to Long Island. D ye suppose she s come for another look at Mr. Madison ? SALLY. As a Cabinet officer, he ll look better. DOLLY. [Dubiously^ Yes. And while she s at hand to console him, he ll think to hurry my answer. SALLY. {Confidentially^ Will you? DOLLY. I ve half a mind. SALLY. Only half? DOLLY. [Troubled. ] H m, h m. SALLY. Where s the other half ? DOLLY. Second floor front ! SALLY. You wouldn t think of marrying Burr ! DOLLY. \Raiher pensively .~\ One thinks a lot of things when the day s long ! SALLY. [Warningly.~] Dolly! That rake! Why, they say half the women he meets THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 95 DOLLY. [Interrupting, .] Now don t tell a woman she mustn t love a man because other women love him ! Competition is the life of trade ! Whatever I think of Mr. Burr [seriously] I ll take care he doesn t know it ! SALLY. [ WarninglyJ] Ah, but you re wavering ! DOLLY. What woman wouldn t between two such men ? A woman half Quaker half Irish ! {Enter MERRY and D YRUJO/rtfra hall. D YRUJO. [To SALLY.] At your service ! [SALLY and DOLLY move up stage. Enter LADY MERRY, followed by EJSTA, from door R. They are in full attire for the ball. DOLLY. [Admiringly.] Lady Merry, if you ll allow me, your cloak is gorgeous ! LADY MERRY. You hear, Ena ? I said twas good enough ! Haven t had it on since my thirtieth birthday. DOLLY. How well it s worn ! [All exeunt into hall, laughing, chatting, leave-taking. BURR enters from door L., crosses to spinet, takes up banjo, plays a few chords. 96 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. [Turning to DOLLY at door.] Well ? DOLLY. [Same tone.] Well ? BURR. Tell me. DOLLY. Tell thee what ? BURR. Jim Madison s asked you ! DOLLY. [In tone of contradiction .] What makes thee think so ? BURR. [Holding up banjo.] I dote on the banjo. [Plays a few chords. DOLLY. Nonsense ! Left here by a former lodger. I fetched it from the attic, to help make conversa tion. But I never knew you could BURR. Heaven forbid I couldn t do anything that Jim Madison does. [Putting down banjo.] Own up, he did make love ! DOLLY. [Pretending doubt] Urn yes and no ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 97 BURR. {Rather slightingly -.] That s like him ! You haven t answered ? DOLLY. Yes. BURR. [ Unhappy ^\ Ah ! DOLLY. [Quickly.] And no ! BURR. That s like you born diplomat ! DOLLY. Laws ! Should I jump down the man s throat the moment he opens his mouth to speak of mar riage ? BURR. [Encouragingly.] No, of course not ! DOLLY. I must have time BURR. [Approvingly.] Right ! DOLLY. [Continuing. ] : to think it over. BURR. By all means ! He must be reasonable ! DOLLY. So he was ! Most reasonable ! Said he d wait til the crack of doom ! 98 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. [ With mock surprise.] I never knew him to be so impulsive ! DOLLY. I said he might call again when Congress ad journs. BURR. I ve never known you so deliberate. DOLLY. [In alarm.]. Why? Does it threaten a long session ? BURR. Until to-morrow. DOLLY. [Dumbfounded.] To-morrow ! BURR. They adjourn then : to reassemble in Washing ton. Didn t he tell you that ? DOLLY. [Nodding " yes"] He he mentioned Wash ington, but BURR. Omitted the Deceived you, eh ? What s happened the man ? He s become human ! And on first meeting with you ! Shocking ! [Takes snuff. DOLLY. We d met before. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 99 BURR. Then he deceived me, as well as you. DOLLY. Twas only by chance and quite informal. My heel slipped on the icy pavement, and Mr. Madi son set me on my feet. BURR. And so you promptly took him off his ! Woman ! DOLLY. He can take care of himself ! BURR. He ll have to ! If he doesn t make you marry him, I ll make you marry me. DOLLY. O-o-h you threaten me ? BURR. Only to know my fate ! I ve paid my debt of gratitude to Madison, brought him here, sung his praises. Now you must choose between us ! DOLLY. [As if skeptical^ You ask me to marry you ? BURR. Tisn t the first time ! DOLLY. \Looking in mirror.~\ No, but I ve never taken it serious. 100 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND v BURR. You do now. You looked in the mirror. First thing a woman does after a proposal ! DOLLY. [Shaking her head " no. "] A proposal from you [ With pretended seriousness.] Ah, I m disappointed in thee : so disappointed ! BURR. Disapp ? DOLLY. [Interrupting. ] I ve always counted thee a friend, a good friend. [Laughing and lapsing into the brogue.] And now you ask me to marry you ! [Starts to exit.] Go long with you ! [Extends her hand dismissingly / BURR takes and holds it. BURR. Not til your answer ! Madison or me ! \_A pause. DOLLY. [Drawing away, BURR still holding her hand] To-morrow. BURR. To-morrow may be Jemmy s. Now is mine ! DOLLY. [Turning suddenly and facing BURR.] Well, then, advise me ! BURR. Advise ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND IOI DOLLY. As a friend. How would thee advise ? As my best friend. BUEE. Oh, hang it. that isn t fair ! You put me on my honor. DOLLY. It has never failed me. Between Mr. Burr and Mr. Madison, whom had I better take ? BUEE. \As if in doubt."] Both have their points ! DOLLY. [Same business. ] Tis that troubles me. BUEE. You ve known Burr longer. DOLLY. But I know Madison better ! Burr s a man of mystery. No one really knows him, and no one ever will least of all, his wife ! BUEE. \Persuadingly. 1 " Vice-President and Mrs. Burr ! " DOLLY. [Same toneJ] " Secretary of State and Mrs. Madison ! " BUEE. Twon t be said that fashion. 102 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. No? BURR. T other way about. "Mrs. Madison and the Secretary of - DOLLY. [Catching his meaning.} That you call "sing ing his praises " ? BURR, [NoddingI} Yes. DOLLY. [ Continuing^ Same tune as u Buck up, Jemmy ! " BURR. Yes, to you, clever, ambitious [DoLLY makes gesture of protest}^ I know you best of all ! Most ambitious woman in the sixteen states ! DOLLY. Then of the honors you name BURR. There s a better, " Empress of Mexico ! " DOLLY. [Laughing.] Laws ! Still buzzing that bee ? Ever since I ve known you, your head s run on Mexico ! BURR. More than ever ! DOLLY. .Now you re Vice-President ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 103 BURR. Because of it ! The thought of four years, pos sibly eight, of conspicuous insignificance appals me ! And against that desert of ennui an em pire to be had for the taking ! An " empire " f We d make it paradise P DOLLY. Go on so and I ll be marrying you to keep you out of mischief, and Mexico ! Patience, man, and the prize you ve just let go is yours, in eight years at most. BURR. [Ruefully. ,] Eight years! I shall be fifty. For a man at that age, no prizes only consolations ! DOLLY. Mr. Madison may feel the same, though, I be lieve, he s a bit younger ? BURR. Yes. And / brought him here ! What a joke ! DOLLY. Joke? BURR. [Pointing to her keel.] If the tilt of your French heel should change my destiny ! DOLLY. [Tilting her nose.~] The tilt of Cleopatra s nose changed Caesar s. BURR. [In tone of absurdity. .] But you marry Madi son with his " yes, and no " ! 104 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. He ll say yes or no, if I marry him. And, Kon- nie, he s worth twenty of you ! BURR. {Nodding assent.] Yes but not for you ! I m your man ! And you know it. [Approaches her. DOLLY. [Rising, draws away.~\ I want none of thee I ve always told thee so. BURR. I never took you serious. DOLLY. [Crossing to L.] The conceit of the man ! " my man " ! BURR. [ With feeling.] Who knows you best of all, understands you to the full ! Who sees beneath that prim, Quaker kerchief a heart in rhythm with his own, a spirit gay and daring : that would droop like a caged bird, with prosy, timid Jemmy 1 DOLLY. [Of her guard.] "Timid"? [BuRR shows surprise.] I d question that of any man that plays the banjo ! [Soberly, and betraying her in most thought.] With him I should have peace, calm, the assurance of a love constant and abso lute ; with you, unceasing doubt the shame of rivalry, the torture of jealousy THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 105 BURR. [ Quickly, interrupting. ] Never I can swear it ! DOLLY. [With brogueJ] Sure you can with all the practice you ve had ! And the others you swore to ; they believed you ? BURR. I hope so ! DOLLY. And you expect me to be equally foolish ? BURR. No ! That s the irony ! The one woman with whom I really mean it doesn t believe me. DOLLY. Faith you re always so honest with me, I marvel I never do believe you. . GLOTILDE. [At door.] Beg pardon, but some one bring let ter for [to BURR] Monsieur. BURR. Leave it in my room. CLOTILDE. He say I must give it into Colonel Burr s hands. [Gives BURR letter and waits. BURR. [To DOLLY.] May I? [Opens the letter and reads. DOLLY sits at spinet ; plays very softly. BURR, after 106 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND reading letter, glances meaningly at DOLLY ; starts as if to show her the let ter , then gazes, as if lost in thought, into space. CLOTILDE waits in hall. Some seconds elapse. CLOTILDE. Monsieur [nodding toward MESSENGER], the messenger waits. BURR. There is no answer. Say, " No answer ! " [Exit CLOTILDE. DOLLY. [At spinet ; speaking over her shoulder .] She ll be heart-broken, poor thing ! Tis the cruelest of answers. " There s no answer." Will she be at the dance ? BURR. Who? DOLLY. [Piqued.~\ My eye and Betty Martin i [Pounds keyboard and rises as if to go. BURR. [Intervening, shows " address " of Utter.] Is that a lady s script ? DOLLY. * Huh ! Little I d care - BURR. [Drawing near to herJ] I wonder, sometimes, if you really care as little as you pretend. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Sometimes, I wonder. BURR. {Earnestly .] Put away all question ! I ll jus tify your faith ! I love you. I adore you. I would stake my life for you, and I want you to believe, to-night, if never before ! DOLLY. [Lightly r , as if to swerve him from his serious mood.} Because Mr. Madison s calling ? BURR. [ With a shrug. ] Perhaps DOLLY. [ With fervor.] You fear he might persuade me ! BURR. No, but you might persuade yourself and Dolly, never til this moment did I realize what a woman s love could mean to me. DOLLY. [ With fan-tap.] You ve turned forty, Ronnie. At that age it comes hard. Go long to the dance, she ll be waiting for you. [BuRR turns to goJ] Save one for me ! BURR. [Near exit, c.] All if you like ! DOLLY. [At R. corner of spinet.] Just one the first waltz, so she can t have it. 108 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BUKK. Will you wait up till I return ? DOLLY. ISTot likely ! BURR. I may be leaving on a long journey. , DOLLY. To Mexico ? BURR. Or even further. And I may want to tell you something. [CLOTILDE at door L. She is obviously agi tated. DOLLY. What, pray ? BURR. [After slight pause of hesitation. ,] Good-night ! [Exit. CLOTILDE. [Enter in g as B u RR exits. Excitedly. ] Madame ! DOLLY. Yes! CLOTILDE. That letter was from DOLLY. How dare you, girl ! CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame, but they have quarrel ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 1 09 DOLLY. Who? CLOTILDE. Monsieur Burr an Hamilton. DOLLY. [Lightly. ] They always do. CLOTILDE. Not like thees, Madame. Marie say DOLLY. [ With temper, and gesture of dismissal."] Allez ! Didn t I forbid thee ever repeat Marie s chatter ? CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame. [Starts to go. DOLLY. [Recalling her when near exitJ] What did she say ? What nonsense did she tell you ? CLOTILDE. [Ominously. ] They light, Madame. DOLLY. [Incredulous. .] Fight ? You mean duel ? CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame. [In half whisper. ] An tees for a lady ! DOLLY. When? CLOTILDE. It will be arrange soon Monsieur Burr arrive New York. 110 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Where d you learn all this ? CLOTILDE. Marie. She hear at Madame Jumel s DOLLY. Have you spoken with any one ? CLOTILDE. [Abashed.} Madame [Sniffles. DOLLY. Answer ! CLOTILDE. Alixe ; Mr. Burr s man. I only ask him. DOLLY. He told you twas nonsense ? CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame ! DOLLY. Of course ! CLOTILDE. But slap my face and say if I tell you, Madame, he cut my tongue out ! DOLLY. Said that, did he ? CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame, so I quick tell you ! [JENNINGS at door c. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND III JENNINGS. Mr. Madison. DOLLY. [Panicky.] Not at home ! Yes, I am. Show him in. [Exit JENNINGS. To CLOTILDE.] Go next door. Have Mr. Burr called from the ball room. Tell him Mrs. Todd will wait up till he re turns. [CLOTILDE exits L. DOLLY goes quickly to cabinet on desk R., near door / takes rouge-brush and mirror from drawer rouges cheeks. Through out ensuing scene DOLLY is obviously under nervous tension, knowing of impending duel / her gaiety a mask of her actual feeling . JENNINGS ushers in MADISON. To MADISON, quickly.] Thee wasn t to call till Congress adjourns ! MADISON. I come on behalf of Mr. Jefferson to beg you ll join the dance. DOLLY. But he knows I m still in mourning. MADISON. [EuefidlyJ] Awkward ! DOLLY. [Sighing. ] Oh, being a widow isn t all cakes and ale ! MADISON. [Eagerly.] The yery mood he hoped to find you in ! DOLLY. Lonely ? 112 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. [Nodding " yes"] And perhaps you d welcome a little diversion [confidentially], and give him chance to add his persuasions to mine. He s most anxious to announce, to-night, that his adminis tration will be graced by a clever, serious woman. DOLLY. [Protesting.] Ah, but I m not a serious woman ! Don t be taken in by my Quaker cap, sir. If I didn t keep it tied very tight [pulling the cap-ribbons] it wouldn t set straight. Tis only fair to warn thee. Thee knows me, sir, so little. MADISON. Except by reputation. DOLLY. Drat reputation ! You ve a reputation for being timid, and here you are ready to marry a woman you d never known only for her ankle ! I wouldn t marry a saint on his reputation ! [DoLLY sits B. of table, L. MADISON. That s a comfort, ma am. He couldn t live up to it with you. DOLLY. Heaven forbid he try ! [MADISON sits on couch E. c.] Twould keep me fretting over my own imperfections. But why this lively concern of Mr. Jefferson in my answer ? MADISON. [Evasively.] Well, I fancy, ma am, he fears a Cabinet made up of widowers and bachelors might THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 113 prove unpopular ; and if I, the youngest among them, can t find a wife [DoLLY turns her head], I feel I should decline the State portfolio. DOLLY. [ With pretense of pique] Well, I ve given no thought to marrying a portfolio of any quality ! But if a wife is all that s wanting to complete Mr. Jefferson s Cabinet [rising ], go ask Miss Floyd. [MADISON, disconcerted, rises. ] She s at the dance, and now she s had enough of the forte- pianer, she may give ear to the banjo. MADISON. [Eagerly.] Dare I believe, ma am, you re just a bit ? DOLLY. [Interrupting / laughing.] Jealous ? Me ? Not the least ! [ With some show of anger] But if you think to court me for campaign purposes, as a part of Mr. Jefferson s political policies, or a piece of furniture for the State Department MADISON. [Troubled] But my dear lady - [Draws nearer. DOLLY. [ Warningly, in broken voice] No, no ! Don t urge thy answer to-night ! MADISON. [Earnestly.] Yes to-night this very hour now I want your promise ! To-morrow or the day after recall it if you choose ! But till then you are pledged to me ! 114 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. No ! You must give me time to think it over. MADISON. A year if you like forever if only meanwhile you marry me ! [DoLLY protests, with gesture of refusal. With feeling .] And I dare assure you ll have no cause to regret it. All that my great love can do to make you happy, and all that my poor gifts can do to make your life splendid, I promise absolutely. And I only wish I could tell it you less bluntly and awkwardly. DOLLY. [Tearfully. ,] Faith ! I ve heard it done worse, sir ; and I wonder how Miss Floyd [ With quick swerve to tone of gaiety J\ Go find her, sir ; she s entitled to another chance. She s come all the way from Long Island for no other purpose. And you ll own, sir, I was no better than a second choice. You ll see her at her best to-night soft lights and music, and dancing, and who knows ? Once you have her in your arms again MADISON. [Protesting .] Never, ma am ! DOLLY. But you will, to-night in the waltz ! And to that music ! [She indicates tavern whence waltz music is heard faintly r .] Just come from France ! MADISON. [Rather sombrely J\ My heels aren t up to that to-night ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 115 DOLLY. The tune will carry em along, once you get it well in mind. {Goes to spinet.] Take the banjo ; that will help. [MADISON takes the banjo ; sits at table L. MADISON. [Tuning up.] Give me D, please. DOLLY. You play by note or ear ? MADISON. {Lost in troubled thought] Yes and no. DOLLY. [Impatient. Forming mouth as if to say " Damn " y then quickly .] " D," you said, sir ? MADISON. If you please. [Plays the banjo, to the accompaniment of the spinet. DOLLY. The dance is very simple, sir. [Comes down illustrates the old-time waltz.] Between a high land-fling and a pigeon-wing. One two three ; one two three. Once you re in the swing of it, your heels will fairly fly. [Dances faster while MADISON swings his crossed leg in rhythm. She continues.] One arm about thy partner, so ! Tis sometimes done with both, and if the floor be slip pery, take care thee holds her tight. Il6 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. [Letting fall the banjo and rising eagerly.] Let me try it, ma am. DOLLY. By all means ! [MADISON starts to put arm about her. She, drawing away. ] No need of that ! MADISON. " Hold tight "you said. DOLLY. If the floor be slippery ! [They execute a feio waltz-steps at a/writs length, and both counting, " One two three" etc. BURR appears at door. BURR. I beg pardon [MADISON stops suddenly. DOLLY. [To BURR.] You left the ball early. BURR. [DrollyJ] Evidently just in time. MADISON. [Embarrassed.] Mrs. Todd was showing me BURR. [ With knowing nod.] The first step in diplo macy. But Mr. Jefferson tells me you may de cline the State Portfolio. MADISON. Yes! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 1 1/ BURR. Because your appointment is opposed ? [MADISON tries to signal silence to BuRR. DOLLY. [Catching the move. ] Opposed by whom ? MADISON. Mr. Hamilton, chiefly DOLLY. But why, why ? BURR. Because of me ! DOLLY. [To MADISON.] But you ve been friends, you and Hamilton ! MADISON. {Nodding assent.] Until I stood up for Burr in the election-tie. DOLLY. [Matter-of-fact tone.] The day he brought you here? MADISON. My few words, in Burr s defense, enraged Ham ilton, and he threatens to harass the administra tion if I am State Secretary. DOLLY. And that is why you decline the post ? And not because you can t provide a lady for the State Department ? You haven t been frank with me, sir! Il8 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. I m sure, ma am, if you understood DOLLY. I quite understand. MADISON. My acceptance Mr. Burr well knows might em barrass others. BURR. [ With meaning. ~\ Give yourself no uneasiness on that score. Mr. Hamilton, I promise, will give you no trouble. MADISON. If I felt sure of that BTJKE. [Buoyantly^ You may be ! Hamilton and I have done with quarrels ! Go tell the President you take the post. MADISON. [Firmly. ] I will [after a troubled glance at DOLLY and BURR] to-morrow. DOLLY. To-night, sir ! Now ! MADISON. {After a paused} As you will, ma am always ! [Kisses her hand. Moves to exit C. DOLLY. And the waltz. [Repeats the dance-step.} One two three ! You ll not forget ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 119 MADISON. [ With feeling.] I fear not, dear lady ! [Exit MADISON. BURR. Jim Madison ! [Imitates his waltz-step ; then with a gesture of mock consternation. ] What a woman can make of a man ! DOLLY. [Gayly.] Plenty tried their hands on you, and a nice cup of tea they ve made of it [with sud den vehemence} this time ! [BuRR displays utter consternation. DOLLY continues tensely .] You re going to fight Hamilton ! BURR. {Taken by Surprise, his tone betrays the truth. ] Good God, ma am ! DOLLY. Thanks ! I was fraid you d deny it. BURR. You shouldn t know DOLLY. But I do ! BURR. From Madison ? DOLLY. No! BURR. Then Pinckney ? 120 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Beau Pinckney ? BURR. Put here to spy on me ! DOLLY. Laws ! See how you magnify ! You think yourselves so clever and careful. But put you at table with a pretty woman and some wine, and the rest of the world dissolves ; you re in the clouds while your soul s secret goes below stairs with every empty bottle and change of plate. BURR. I ll deny what you ve heard. DOLLY. Why ? Why should you deny \i ? BURR. So that you may say I denied it that you knew nothing of this. DOLLY. Why ! Why ! What am I in this quarrel tween you and Hamilton ? BURR. Nothing, nothing ! Only well, he s determined to destroy me ! [Spoken very lightly. DOLLY. [As if impatient.] So you ve always said. And he of you ! You ve been at each other s throats from the time you were boys with Wash ington. THE FIRST LADV OF THE LAND 121 BURR. Whom he set against me ! DOLLY. But no duel ! BURR. [ With bitterness.] He fought me for Governor for the Senate DOLLY. No duel ! BURR. [Continuing.] Kept me from the Presi dency DOLLY. Politics ! And still no duel ! BURR. Now he turns the careless chatter of his own. dinner-table to destroy me. DOLLY. [As if skeptical.] What can he do to ki des troy " you ? BURR. He says I m a dangerous man ! DOLLY. [Bursting into ripple of laughter.] And that s the reason for a duel ? If twere, you d have to fight half the men in the United States and all the women ! [Rises. ] He s always called you " dangerous." 122 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. {Lightly .] Dangerous to the country. That I didn t mind " Politics " as you say. But now he becomes personal ! DOLLY. [Half in question.] Who is she ? BURR. [Gesture of denial.] No, no ! DOLLY. [Standing at right of table. Insisting.] The truth ! Who is she ? Back of all the quarrels tween you two there s always been a she ! Bove all the nigh-sounding phrases of politics and prin ciples one could always hear the rustle of a petti coat. You ve endured much from each other in public life. It s been give and take, in fairness and reason and now, at the top of your careers, only one thing could bring you to the pistol point and she s a [BURR startled into trying to silence her] Oh, I can t say the word, cause I m a Quaker, damn it ! But it s twice too good for the French hussy. [BuRR winces] And you don t dare deny it ! [BuRR gestures helplessness] And, but now, when you asked me to be your wife, you knew of this ? BURR. [Assenting] Yes. DOLLY. And with my word pledged to you, you would involve me in this wretched affair of scandal maybe tragedy ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 123 BURR. [After slight pause, in matter-of-fact voice. } Yes. DOLLY. Ronnie, was that fair, or honest, or decent ? BURR. J Matter -of -fact.] No, it wasn t. But it was the y way. [Tensely.] And I want you ! DOLLY. And want to make sure of me, before you leave on this errand, so that if you return well, what ever happened, you knew I d keep my word. BURR. And if I didn t return, you d keep me [hand on heart] here, whoever called you wife. DOLLY. You are without shame, or conscience without fear of God or man ! BURR. [Assenting] That much I love you ! DOLLY. [ With growing excitement, almost to hysteria and tears.] Then you will not do this mad thing this wicked, stupid, silly - [BuRR attempts to in terrupt] Yes, that s what it is, Ronnie Burr a blunder that shames you who ve always called blunder worse than sin ! And [with burst of laughter] Lord, how they ll laugh at you ! BURR. Laugh ? 124 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [Still laughing."] Every one ! To see you go to the devil, just as they always predicted for a petticoat ! BURR. So I would any day for the woman I love ! {Approaches her. DOLLY. Yes, and take her to the devil with you, any day. But only for one day, and then you d come back for another ! You sha n t do so with me ! BURR. [Overcome, betraying himself."] Good God, can t you see, even now [Moves to take her in his arms. DOLLY. [Evading him; exultant] I knew it! Now we ve the truth ! I m the quarrel tween you two. BURR. [Denying."] On my oath ! DOLLY. [Snapping her fingers."] That for your oath ! Gainst your every tone and look just now. And when I "damned the woman, you didn t dare de fend her, lest you betray yourself as now ! With out that, I d have known it ! Madison opposed for office " because Burros a dangerous man " ! Who will doubt what that means ? [Indicates self.] And that much you love me ? You d make that love a byword and scandal and every linger point at me ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 125 BURR. [Ominously. ] Oh, no! Not when I ve done with Mr. Hamilton ! DOLLY. You shall not ! I forbid you ! BURR. [Quietly.} There s no turning back now, not even for you. I must meet him. DOLLY. Meet him, yes, but with no harm to him. BURR. I should be a laughing-stock ! DOLLY. Why ? You ve fought before and left your man unhurt. Foretold the very button you d shoot from his coat satisfied honor with mere show of your skill. And so you ll do now ! BURR. Impossible. [Turns to go. DOLLY. [Brokenly. ,] Then I m done with you ! [Crosses to desk. BURR. [Startled ; turning. ,] Dolly ! DOLLY. [ Vehemently .] Done with you, sir ! [Sits at desk and writes. 126 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. [After slight pause.] And take Madison ? He came for his answer ? DOLLY. [Spoken while writing letterJ] He went away without it! When I learned of this quarrel I made believe to be jealous to avoid answer. Said he must wait till he d seen his old flame. But now he shall have his answer ! [Seals note rings tap-bell on desk. Rises, goes to c. As she passes BURR he stops her. BURR. [Taking note from her.] You don t love him. [DOLLY looks at BURR, but does notansiver; she is obviously dominated by him. CLOTILDE. [At door. ] Madame ? BURR. [Quickly. ~] Tell my man to make ready. We re leaving at once. [Exit CLOTILDE. DOLLY moves as if to re-take letter. BURR crosses to fireplace, tears letter and throws it into grate.} You don t love him. DOLLY. I will when you ve gone. I shall when you re not near me. When you are [Hand across brow, as if to dispel charm} I m little better than the rest, whom you make do as you bid. [A pause. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 12? BURR. [ With profound tenderness.] And if I do now as you bid ? DOLLY. [Troubled.] Why why [suddenly] come back for your answer ! BURR. [Laughing.] Within the week ! DOLLY. You will shoot to miss ? BURR. Of course ! DOLLY. At any risk to yourself ? BURR. Word of honor ! Wish me Godspeed ! DOLLY. And speedy return [BURR moves as if to kiss her. She draws away] if thee doesn t fail me ! BURR. [Ecstatically.] "Fail you"? And lose all chance of you ? I d rather he killed me ! DOLLY. So would I ! [Exit BURR. DOLLY, alone, lis tens to the faint music from the tavern mingling with the sleigh-bells of arriving guests. Rings. CLOTILDE enters^ Lights out ! [ Goes to window in hall ; opens it. 128 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame. {Snuffs candles. Advances to reading -light near fireplace. DOLLY. {Coming down as CLOTILDE is about to extin guish lightJ] No leave that. I ll read till the music stops. CLOTILDE. {Nodding toward tavern^ Tees gay to-night the ball. DOLLY. Very ! [ Takes look from table. Sits in front of fire. CLOTILDE. Madame, now the Congress go way, there be rooms free, for new lodgers. DOLLY. {Promptly^ No, no ! And if any apply, say Mrs. Todd no longer takes boarders. {Exit CLO TILDE. DOLLY gazes abstractedly into the fire, the light of which illumines her face. The room in darkness, save for the reading lamp, and the moon light, through hall window. From the tavern the music sounds somewhat louder in the silence of the scene. The candle-light flickers and finally sput ters out. There is seen, at hack, as if through a morning haze, a dumb-show of the duel between Burr and Hamilton, carried on in animated pan tomime. At the drop of the kerchief, to signal THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 129 " Fire" the flash of the pistols is seen, but there is no sound, A.S Hamilton totters, JSurr leaps toward him, his face showing utter surprise. The vision ceases abruptly. The hall window falls with a crash of broken panes. DOLLY, jumping to her feet, calls in tone of terror .] Clotilde ! [CLOTILDE enters quickly with lamp. CLOTILDE. Oui, Madame. DOLLY. That noise ? CLOTILDE. [Pointing to hall-window where the curtains are blowing."} The hall-window it fall, Madame. DOLLY. [Passing hand over brow as if dazed. ] Oh is that all ? I must have been CURTAIN THE THIRD ACT SCENE. The red room of the Presidents Man sion, which came to be called the White House. Six months later. The walls are covered with crimson damask / the chairs and couches are of red brocade in frames of gilt. Floor waxed and polished to the point of reflection. Two large chandeliers of rock crystal are sus pended by red silk cords. At hack, on either side of the elaborate marble mantel, are double doors that lead into tlie main corridor of the house. At right and left of scene are smaller mantels, with doors on either side leading into various apartments the Cabinet-Room, the Presidents office, etc. Over the mantel at hack is the life-size portrait of George Washington, painted by Gilbert Stuart. Over the mantels at left and right are mirrors. Down stage, right and left, busts of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette on tall pedestals. The Foreign Ministers and their ladies, together with ^ MADISON and PINCKNEY, are assembled at rise of curtain. They are chatting audibly, animatedly, so that a confused murmur of speech reaches the audience. In the hall, just beyond the doors at back, n. and L., stand FOOTMEN in the Jefferson livery. DE VAUX, the Major-Domo, at door R., back. String music, not too audible above the chatter, 130 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 131 throughout opening of act. The guests move about, informally, to the doors R. and L., as if surveying the adjoining apartments. In one of the latter is seen bowl of punch and silver goblets on table. The Ministers of Rus sia and of Turkey figure mutely among the other diplomats. PiCHON. [He lorgnettes bust of Louis XVI on pedestal. Churlishly to MADISON.] Mr. Secretary ! MADISON. [Coming down] Monsieur Pichon ! PiCHON. Who have you here ? MADISON. Your former king, Louis XVI, whose war-ships helped us at Yorktown. He gave America this head. PICHON. [ With gesture of beheading."} He gave France his own. [Icily. ] Napoleon s envoy [indicating himself] did not expect to meet him here ! [An grily. ,] Nor Sir Anthony Merry ! MADISON. [Affecting surprise] British Minister ? PICHON. But France and England at war ! 132 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. [Appeasingty] Forget it during dinner. [A voice off, announcing. MADISON turns to go. PlCHON. [Intervening -, sotto wee.] The President, of course, takes in my wife ! MADISON. He couldn t do better ! DE VAUX. [At door back; announcing. ,] Minister from the Netherlands and Yrou Van Berckel. [They enter figures of cheer and dignity. In look and dress like Rembrandt por traits. MADISON. [Greeting.] Madame ! VAN BERCKEL. Ye are late, but the storm ! MADISON. [Assenting] Yes, bad driving to get here. VAN BERCKEL. [Cheerily. ] Ye came in a poat ! De streets are canals ! MADISON. Like in Holland ? VAN BERCKEL. Makes us feel at home ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 133 EN A. [Coming down from PINCKNEY, to VROU VAN BERCKEL.] My sister, Lady Merry s often spoken of you. VROU VAN BERCKEL. [Beaming. ~\ So ? ENA. And how d ye like it here ? VROU VAN BERCKEL. So! ENA. [-Rapturously.] Isn t it fascinatin ? I ve been gay as a grig since landin ! Lost my heart com pletely ! VROU VAN BERCKEL. [ With a smile.] So ? ENA. The country, and people ! Every one so civil not the least like report. VROU VAN BERCKEL. Unt Laty Merry is veil? ENA. Her usual self. I ll fetch her. [Goes up. VAN BERCKEL. [Gesture of despair.] Dondervetter ! [Crosses quickly to VROU VAN BERCKEL.] Eememper mit Laty Merry [finger on lips] silenzio ! 134 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND VROU VAN BEKCKEL. [Same business.] So ! VAN BERCKEL. Unt vat she says [tapping right and left ear] in unt out ! VKOU VAN BERCKEL. [Nodding assent. .] So ! LADY MERRY. [Her voice heard in tone of complaint as she comes down.] I ll swear our horses swam here ! [Greets VAN BERCKEL.] How d ye do, Mynheer ? We haven t met since Madrid. VAN BERCKEL. You hafen t changed, ma am. LADY MERRY. I m here only a week ! [_To VROU VAN BERCKEL.] And you here, too ! You poor thing ! How d that happen ? VROU VAN BERCKEL. Mynheer vas promoted. LADY MERRY. Promoted f From Madrid ! to this God-for saken swamp? The place fairly reeks of agues and alligators and things. All one s life is worth to put foot out-of-doors. [Confidentially. ] I say, d you suppose it s some deep game of this Presi dent fellow to kill us off ? What ? No ? He s full of those bloodthirsty French ideas ! Every body free and equal ! You ll dine to-night with a bar-maid ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 135 VKOU VAN BERCKEL. So? ENA. [Horrified.] Angle ! LADY MERRY. Well, perhaps not exactly ENA. [Interrupting rather breathless with anger / to VROU VAN BERCKEL.] Mrs. Todd was good enough to receive us in her Philadelphia home for a time as guests. LADY MERRY. Paying guests ! You know, the old tune. " Gentlewoman, reduced circumstances, will re ceive a few paying guests, if properly introduced." Mr. Burr introduced Tony [Fans herself vig orously and hums meaningly the tune of " Mary Was a Housemaid"] H m what? Oh, I thought you said something. [VROU VAN BERCKEL promptly sfiakes head " no" ENA walks about nervously, obviously annoyedJ] That s the worst of being diplomat s wife ! We re tongue-tied ! Though Lord knows it s no secret. [ENA anx iously pulls at LADY MERRY S frock. ] Don t fidget, Ena ! She d have married the rake only for his killing that man Hamilton. And on her account, too ! Now she ll likely take that Mr. Maddington, to stop vicious ENA. [Interrupting ; to VROU VAN BERCKEL.] Where s your Legation ? 136 THE FIRST LADY, OF THE LAND VROU VAN BEKCKEL. [Dubiously. ] In a kind of a house. LADY MERRY. Like ours, I suppose a hut ! VAN BERCKEL. [Promptly, and after sign of silence to his wife.] But in de most beautiful street in de city [indicating spacious vistas] statues, fountains, sunken gartens, colonnades magnifique ! LADY MERRY. [Eagerly.] In God s name, where is it ? VAN BERCKEL. Yell, ees yet only on de map ! LADY MERRY. On the map ! Our Legation has a pump on the map, but not on the premises ! Fancy, not even a pump ! We ll file to the river for a morning tub like Indians. VAN BERCKEL. Our house is most confenient. Excellent duck- shooting in de back yart ; and partridges unt squails. And ven de river s high a little, goot fishing von de parlor vindow. ENA. How jolly ! LADY MERRY. For a shooting-box not a capital ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 137 VAN BEECKEL. Of course, ees not yet ! But ven ees once has efery advantages. LADY MERRY. What, pray ? VAN BERCKEL. {Puzzled for answer.} Um veil for one ting, de best oysters in Vashington I efer eat ! LADY MERRY. [Rising.] Oysters and diplomats ! VAN BERCKEL. Veil, a good diplomat can learn someting from a good oyster ! [Takes his wife s arm, moves up stage. DE VAUX. [Announcing] The Minister from Turkey ! [The MINISTER FROM TURKEY enters, folloived by tiny negro, carrying narghile, Turkish pipe. The MINISTER elaborately disregards the women ; crosses L., sits cross-legged on divan, and proceeds to smoke. DE VAUX to LADY MERRY as she passes himJ] This room, ma am [pointing to room R.], con tains portraits of the Signers of the Declaration of Inde [LADY MERRY turns away impatiently] and a collection of stuffed birds. President s own hand-work ! LADY MERRY. [To MERRY.] Come, Tony, we ll look at the stuffed birds ! [Exit with EN A. 138 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MERRY. [Coming down with PINCKNEY. To MADISON in tone of affected surprise.] Mr. Pinckney in forms me Pichon is dining here ! MADISON. French Charge of course ! MERRY. Our countries are fighting ! MADISON. [Appeasingly] They. may have stopped for dinner. MERRY. Possibly! [Starts to go R. Stops.] The President, I anticipate, takes in my wife. MADISON. [Same tone as to PICHON.] He couldn t do bet ter. MERRY. [To PINCKNEY.] Lady Merry accepts the honor. I promise him ! [Exit MERRY. PINCKNEY and MADISON disconcerted. PINCKNEY. He means "command." And President will re sent his " high-horse." MADISON. Merry knows that. He s riding for a fall. [As if struck with sudden idea] All the better for us THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 139 if he stumbles over some such trifle as a point of dinner-etiquette. D YRUJO. [Coining down; with subtlety J\ Does to-day s company include Mr. Burr ? MADISON. The Yice-President is in the South ; since his tragic meeting with Mr. Hamilton he s been there. D YRUJO. [Ironically .] For his health ? PlNCKNEY. [Quickly.] Hunting expedition, his friends re port for big game. D YRUJO. Yes Mexico ! [MADISON startled.] Isn t that the game he s after? To take Mexico from Spain ? MADISON. [Dismissingly.] Of course we ve heard rumors. D YRUJO. [Derisively.] " Rumors " ! Mr. Burr " hunts " with three thousand rifles, crack-shots every man of them ! And you hear only rumors ! MADISON. [After slight pause.] Whatever Mr. Burr s plans, Spain s rights are safe. I pledge you our good faith. 140 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND D YKUJO. Prove it ! Tell the British Minister pack his trunks ! [MADISON gestures protest^ He is Burr s ally has been at every step from the first at Madam Todd s ! MADISON. We have no proof ! D YRUJO. We have proof enough ! In Lady Merry s gossip. MADISON. [ With a smile. ] God forbid, sir, we hang the peace of nations on a woman s tongue ! [Soberly. ] And surely you, a seasoned diplomat, familiar with this lady s eccentricities can appreciate Mr. Jefferson s embarrassments and mine. D YRUJO. [Assenting, cordially. ~\ Yours, I ve every wish to lighten, but [ With finality.] Sir An thony gets his passports, or I take mine ! [70 PINCKNEY.] Mr. Jefferson can choose ! [Starts to go. PINCKNEY. [Halting him; with deference.] Mr. Madison is Secretary of State. D YRUJO. [Recalling Hamilton s words, the cause of the duel] Yes but " Mr. Burr is a dangerous man"! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 141 DE VAUX. [Announcing."] Mrs. Todd ! [D YKUJO bows and exits as DOLLY enters. DOLLY wears Quaker costume of white lace. DOLLY. [Rather to PINCKNEY.] Sorry I m so late, but my coach broke down in those dreadful roads from Georgetown. [MADISON gazes at DOLLY, obviously troubled.] You re disturbed, sirs. What is it ? [Looks after D YnuJO. MADISON. [Flustered.] Why why [Helpless. PlNCKNEY. {^Jumping in] Tis this dinner that troubles us. The first time foreign Governments dine here. DOLLY. They ll feed well enough ! MADISON. These Embassies make it an affair-of -State ! To establish, to-day, for all time, the diplomatic etiquette of the White House. PlNCKNEY. Who goes first, second, and so on. DOLLY. But they know Mr. Jefferson s views on the vanities of rank and title. 142 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. The British Minister virtually demands his wife go first on President s arm. DOLLY. Well, why not she as well as any other ? PlNCKNEY. But Pichon asks the same for his wife ! DOLLY. [Nodding toward President s room.] Well, the man has two arms ! He takes in both ladies. [PlNCKNEY, as if accepting the solution, makes to exit: recalling. ] One minute, Beau before the review. [Points to President s room.] Pas trop gai ? [Indicates her attire in general. PlNCKNEY. Charmante ! DOLLY. [Adjusting head-dress, as she glances in mirror] And my coiffure ? PlNCKNEY. Most becoming. MADISON. [Looking into space. ~] Work of art ! DOLLY. And the robe ? PlNCKNEY. Ravissante ! MADISON. [Same business.] Work of art ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 143 DOLLY. Thanks ! President suggested something " plain." And [tapping cheek ] my color ? [PlNCKNEY blows kiss of admiration. MADISON. [Still looking into space.] Work of art ! DOLLY. Rouge ! Not a bit ! President said I shouldn t. And I ll have color to spare when Lady Merry gets at me ! [PlNCKNEY exits to President s room. Drawing nearer. Rubs cheek. ] See ! But you re not looking at me. [MADISON nods " yes."] No ! You re looking straight through me. And your thoughts a thousand miles away ! D Yrujo sent them there. He left you as I came in. And he s been saying ? MADISON. \_Appeasingly.~] Not now ! To-day you need all your wits and peace-of-mind. DOLLY. Hang my peace-of-mind ! There s vastly more at strike than that ! Else why am I here on this occasion of State ? Why should Mr. Jefferson choose me before scores of other women better graced than I am to do the honors of his com pany, were it not to give the lie to calumnies, and proclaim his confidence in you ? Tis no kindness, sir, to keep it from me and no use ! For I know from Sally. MADISON. [ With mock despair.] Diplomat s wife ! 144 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. Before that, my friend ! And tells me only what she must in fairness to you ! The talk in the Embassies MADISON. [Dismissingly] Lady Merry s chatter ! DOLLY. [Insisting.] And her husband s belief, shared by his colleagues, that whatever folly, or madness, Burr is engaged in, you will shut your eyes to it ! MADISON. [Quickly, and as if suddenly impelled by emo tion.] Would you wish me to ? DOLLY. [Interrupting.] I beg of you MADISON. [Insisting / drawing nearer] Would you have me shut my eyes ? DOLLY. If it blind thee to honor, no ! But I wish him only well. MADISON. And I for your sake ! DOLLY. Take no thought of me, sir ; nor of him ; nor of any but thyself ! MADISON. [Seriously] The nation, ma am ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 145 DOLLY. A woman doesn t think in " nations " ! Her nation, her world, her universe is one man. [Enter PiNCKNEY/rom President s room. PlNCKNEY. President begs Mrs. Todd s attendance. DOLLY. [Turning to exit.} His study ? PlNCKNEY. Dining-room to place the guests. And please put me near Miss Ferrar. [Exit DOLLY. PINCK- NEY crosses to MADISON.] There s a post just arrived from England. MADISON. {Making as if to cross.] I ll go at once. PlNCKNEY. [Detaining Mm.] Might better wait, President says, til the company s gone. MADISON. Anything disturbing ? PlNCKNEY. He says " no," but he s called for his fiddle ! [The guests gradually emerge into view, in hall and corridors. MADISON. [As EN A r centers.] Have you asked Miss Ferrar ? 146 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND PlNCKNEY. Yes and no ! MADISON. Eight ! You ve no time to lose. PlNCKNEY. [Crossing to EN A.] We re in luck; Mrs. Todd will place us at table. ENA. I go in with the Vice-President, Angie says. PINCKNEY. [Laughing. ] Mr. Burr s a thousand miles away ! ENA. He was with Sir Tony an hour since. PINCKNEY. [Amazed.] Impossible ! [Insisting. ] But I saw him ! PlNCKNEY. You must have mistaken ! ENA. No. They had high words, because Tony s letters to the king - PlNCKNEY. [Breaking in.] I ve heard nothing you ve said, but I m sure you re mistaken. ENA. [Catching his meaning. .] Oh, perhaps I am _ THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND J 47 nods approval.] Yes of course I m mistaken. I didn t see Mr. Burr, since you say so. PINCKNEY. Thanks ! You ll make an ideal wife for a dip lomat, won t you ? ENA. [Smiling. ] I ll try my best my level best though Angie will never give consent. PlNCKNEY. Then the only thing is not to ask it. [The guests reenter. LADY MERRY. [To PINCKNEY, who approaches her as she enters.] The stuffed birds are most exciting, but we d like a glimpse of our host. PlNCKNEY. The President s engaged, for the moment, with Mrs. Todd. LADY MERRY. [ To SALLY, nose in air.] Fancy ! Kept wait ing by your former landlady ! [Seeing MADAME PICHON and indicating. To SALLY.] That s the French Legation ? SOPHIA. [Turning sharply, bows assent.] Oui, Madame. LADY MERRY. [Taken aback] Vous comprenez Anglais ? SOPHIA. [Rather sharply] Parfaitement, Madame. 148 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND LADY MERRY. Our countries have come to blows but we needn t ! SOPHIA. [Amiably.] Not til we re better acquainted. LADY MERRY. Your English quite good ! Where d you pick it up ? SOPHIA. Philadelphia. LADY MERRY. Phila ! Good heavens you re not Amer ican ? SOPHIA. Yes. LADY MERRY. Oh, you poor child ! How d that happen ? SOPHIA. My people " happened " over here some hun dred years ago. LADY MERRY. Damme ! I thought only Indians had been here that loner I [LADYMERRY sweeps across stage to R., join ing SIR ANTHONY and ENA. SOPHIA. [As a parting shot. ] You English were here longer ! [Enter DoLLY/k&gt;m President s room. The audible chatter of the guests is silenced on THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 149 her appearance. Elaborate courtesies from all except SIR ANTHONY and LADY MERRY, who low stiffly. The general murmur of conversation resumes as DOLLY moves briskly from group to group ^ to greet the company. DOLLY. [To VROU YAN BERCKEL.] So glad you re here. President feared storm might detain you. [Admiringly. Sotto-voce] And your robe ! Ausgezeichnet ! VROU VAN BERCKEL. [Beaming.] So ? DOLLY. [To SOPHIA.] So glad you re here. President feared storm might detain you. [Admiringly. ] And your robe ! Paris, of course ! SOPHIA. [Nodding "yes"] And the customs brutes made ma pay duties. Hundred dollars ! DOLLY. [Indicating SOPHIA S extreme decollete] And for next to nothing ! [Behind her fan] When President sees you he ll make em refund it. [They turn up stage. D YRUJO. [Coming down to PICHON.] Madame Pichon is charming ! PICHON. One require something in such a place ! Ev ry ISO 777^ FIRST LADY OF THE LAND night I ask heaven what have I done that I must live in such a city ? D YRUJO. [In FrenchJ] Courage ! [Sotto-voce.~\ It won t last! PICHON. [Disgustedly.] Bah ! Napoleon says " yes " ; that the Providence that takes care of children and blind folks takes care of the United States ! DOLLY. [Greeting the MERRYS.] So glad you ve ar rived ! President feared storm might keep you way. [To ENA.] You won t mind, dear, but I had to place you at table next Mr. Pinckney. ENA. [ With furtive hand-clasp, ,] Thank you, ma am. LADY MERRY. [Cattishly.~\ Seems you ve the run of the cellar here ! DOLLY. [Apologetic. ,] I count on your indulgence ! LADY MERRY. [ Withfanr-tapJ] Fal-lal ! You re accustomed to entertaining ! I ve been telling Yrou Yan Berckel, your house in Philadelphia, so well ordered, quite unlike a public inn. You still take boarders ? DOLLY. [Sweetly. ] Not since you, ma am ! You were the last ! I couldn t endure the thought that oth ers might disturb the memories of thy visit. [Nods THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 151 toward other roomJ] Have you seen the stuffed birds ? LADY MERRY. Yes and the portraits. [Nose in air. ] I pre fer the birds ! DOLLY. Tell that to the President you ll be friends at once. LADY MERRY. [Lorgnetting Washington s portrait. ] This is the gentleman we dine with Mr. Jefferings ? DOLLY. That is General Washington, ma am painted by Gilbert Stuart. LADY MERRY. [With a spiteful laugh. ] Oh, is it, though? Still, they all looked pretty much alike, I ve heard our officers say. DOLLY. Perhaps, at a running glance ! LADY MERRY. [Disconcerted ; still lorgnetting. ] This one looks a bit of a gentleman. DOLLY. Quite a bit, ma am. Six foot three ! LADY MERRY. Much family ? DOLLY. No children at all ! I $2 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND LADY MERRY. Oh poor man ! [Sotto-voce.] How d that happen ? DOLLY. [ With feeling J\ We believe posterity left him childless that his country might call him father ! LADY MERRY. [As if enlightened.] Oh ! That s how it ! Extraordinary interference in one s family affairs ! [Sweeps up stage to SIR ANTHONY. SALLY. [Advancing quickly to DOLLY ; imitating her.] So glad you ve arrived. President feared storm might detain you. And your robe ! DOLLY. [Sotto-voce.] Traitor! [To D YRUJO.] You see, Marquis, she has all my State secrets ! D YRUJO. [ With meaning.] She must give you mine in exchange ! [D YRUJO crosses. DOLLY. [Taking alarm.] What is it ? SALLY. [Sotto-voce.~\ Burr has returned ! DOLLY. [Grasping SALLY S arm.] No ! SALLY. Promise you ll not see him ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 153 DOLLY. [ With forced gaiety, as MADISON approaches^ No no this isn t the gown from Paris. Presi dent didn t wish me to \year it. SALLY. Afraid of pneumonia ? [Indicating low cor sage. MADISON. Newspapers ! We must all patronize home in dustries. DOLLY. [To SALLY.] So I ll have it made over. Didn t fit, anyway. DE VAUX. \_Announcing.~] Dinner is served ! [General movement among company ; and the familiar, awkward moment of wait ing for a couple to " lead off" LADY MERRY. [Behind fan to MERRY.] See I go first ! [Turns to SALLY.] My husband takes you in. SALLY. Honored ! LADY MERRY. After President and me. SALLY. Thank you. LADY MERRY. [To VROIJ VAN BERCKEL.] I m famished ! What ll we get here ? 154 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND YROU YAN BERCKEL. [Blankly, .] Dinner. LADY MERRY. Barbecue, I wager ! YROU VAN BERCKEL. So? VAN BERCKEL. [Sharply.] Yrou Yan Ber [He comes down. YROU YAN BERCKEL. [Turning quickly. ~] Mynheer ? [Crosses from LADY MERRY to husband. YAN BERCKEL. [Sotto-voce.~\ De less you say to det English bullfinch v ile ve are here, de more I von t say to you ven ve go von here. YROU YAN BERCKEL. I sayt only "so." YAN BERCKEL. Dot s too much ! [Turns, saunters up stage, still keeping an eye on YROU YAN BERCKEL. DOLLY. [Coming down.] Dinner s announced. What are we waiting for ? LADY MERRY. Our host ! DOLLY. Mr. Jefferson meets his company at table. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 155 LADY MERRY. [ With forced gaiety. ] We re dining with the President, not Mr. Jeft erings. DOLLY. [As if to dismiss the question. ] He makes no ceremony of his office. MERRY. We do of ours ! PICHON. This dinner is a formality ! LADY MERRY. Not a pleasure ! [After a nudge from ENA.] Merely ! DOLLY. The only formality here is informality. Mr. Jefferson makes every guest at his table the equal of every other. MERRY. Once at his table, perhaps. But who goes first ? DOLLY. No one ! PiciiON. We go pele-mele f DOLLY. [Assenting, .] The custom of the country, to which the President adheres ; gentlemen en-masse give place to ladies en-masse in passing out. [She nods toward dining-room. 156 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MERRY. Our ladies might come at the end of the masse ! DOLLY. Our ladies must at the English court. LADY MERRY. [ With rising temper -.] But, if only to avoid a polite riot, some one goes first ! DOLLY. {Nodding assent with a gesture toward door.] Whoever happens nearest the door. LADY MERRY. [ With gesture of elbowing.] And has the sharp est elbows. PlCHON. Or the rudest manners ! DOLLY. But we re such a small party I PICHON. [ With suppressed anger to MADISON.] It might " happen " [indicating VAN BERCKEL] Holland go before Napoleon ! [Indicating himself. MERRY. Or a Charge-d Affaires before a Minister-Pleni potentiary ! D YRUJO. Or a mere Minister before a titled Ambassador ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 1 57 MADISON. Mr. Jefferson ignores all courtly forms as foreign to our people and institutions. MERRY. We should have been apprised ! But Mr. Jef ferson knows what he s about ! Pretense of igno rance only aggravates the offense. He was four years Minister at the brilliant Court of Louis XVI [pointing to marble bust and glaring at PICHON, who turns his back] when France was still a polite nation. I am sure he learned there the amenities of diplomatic rank. LADY MERRY. [To DOLLY.] If not, then Mr. Maddington, his Minister for Foreign Affairs DOLLY. [Smiling. ] Foreign affairs only, Lady Merry ; his domestic affairs Mr. Jefferson orders himself. [A NEGRO COOK, in white cap and apron of his calling, appears at door of dimng- room. THE COOK. [At door ; announcing.} Ladies an gent men ! Marsa Jefferson s dinnah s gettin cold ! [Exit COOK. The TURKISH MINISTER, throughout the turmoil, sits composedly puffing the narghile. At sight of the negro cook he rises abruptly and exits to dining-room, with his attendant. JEF FERSON S violin heard. I $8 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND PlNCKNEY. [Entering from President s room to DOLLY sotto-voce] He s in towering rage, his dinner kept waiting. Says they may go as they choose, but if they don t go in they ll go without ! And to tell them straight [Turns to cross. DOLLY. [In alarm] Lord, no ! Twould undo every thing. [Pauses to gather her wits ; then to the others.] My dear friends, the President s first solicitude is the satisfaction of his guests, and he begs you ll compose the matter for yourselves, who goes first, second or last. PICHON. [Coming down] Admirable ! [Offers his arm to DOLLY. MERRY. Reasonable ! [Same business. D YRUJO comes down. All three stand over DOLLY, offering escort. DOLLY. [At sign of " no "from MADISON.] But I can t go with all Europe ! D YRUJO. [Offering his arm.] Spain goes first ! MERRY. [Intervening.] By what right ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 159 D YRUJO. This dinner began in the caravals of Columbus, built by Spanish gold. VAN BERCKEL. [Nodding assent, jovially.] Yich dey took from Holland ! MERRY. [To D YRUJO.] You forget the English sloop, Mayflower PICHON. [To MERRY.] And you the French war-ships at Yorktown ! YAN BERCKEL. Ach ! On your poats ve ll nefer get dinner ! MERRY. Pray, don t wait on me. [Turns as if to exit. PICHON. [Same business. ] Nor me ! [SOPHIA halts him. MADISON. [Appealing.] I beg of you gentlemen ! PlCHON. [Excitedly] We are, to-day, not gentlemen governments ! MERRY. [To PICHON.] There d been one less, had I known you dine here to-day ! 160 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND PlCHON. {Explosively^} Tees not I who dine here to day, but thirty meelion Frenchmen ! {Turns up stage. VAN BEKCKEL. {To the others, jovially^ Let us go in before dey do ! Ye get nothing after dirty million Frenchmen ! {Turns to follow the others. MERRY. {Recalling him rebukinglyJ] Mynheer, Hol land has diplomatic dignities, small as she is ! VAN BERCKEL. [Soberly. ] Und small as she is, Holland is too big for such a quarrel ! {The Ministers and their ladies move up stage, in a gradually closing group they discuss the situation in a confused mur mur / tones and gestures and occasional ex clamations some, in foreign, language evince their temper and excitement. They approach door R. led by the MERRYS as if to exit hut pause and turn with in dications of changed purpose, at sound of JEFFERSON S violin. MADISON utterly disconcerted / DOLLY all smiles of satis faction. MADISON. [Sotto-voce, to DOLLY.] Lord! We ve set them wrangling mong themselves ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND l6l DOLLY. {Pleased. Turning to PINCKNEY.] Tell the President ! [Exit PINCKNEY. MADISON. [Starting toward them.] Gentlemen ! DOLLY. [Holding him back.] No no no ! MADISON. But hear them Merry and Pichon ! DOLLY. [Complacently.] Composing the matter for themselves ! MADISON. [Alarmed.] But, dear lady, they re fighting snarling like DOLLY. Kilkenny cats ! Just what lie planned ! [Nods toward Presidents room. MADISON. This disturbance ? DOLLY. [Correcting, .] Diversion he calls it. Diplo matic diversion. [As the wrangling up stage in creases.] Works to a miracle ! MADISON. [In final alarm, as guests move to exit.] But they re leaving. [Makes as if to cross to President s room. 162 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND PlNCKNEY. [At door.~\ Ladies and gentlemen ! [All in stantly quiet. PINCKNEY advances to c.] The President awaits you at table. He begs Mrs. Todd show the way. DOLLY. [Crossing to LADY MERRY ; with intention.] Shall we go ? [Amid laughter and chatter, and with DOLLY leading, all move toward door to dining-room^ excepting MERRY, who remains rooted, down R. MERRY. [Calling.] Angela ! [LADY MERRY follows, at some distance, the other ladies as they advance, en-masse, toward dining-room. MERRY, command- ingly] Lady Merry ! LADY MERRY. [Turning, comes down.] Yes ? MERRY. You re not going in ? LADY MERRY. [Protesting^.] I m hungry ! MERRY. [In low tone, with wrath.] Remain ! [Others exit, laughing and chatting ani matedly, into dining-room. DE YAUX. [At the door, looking into dining-room, then THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 163 toward the MERRY s in perplexity / after a pause.] Pardon, sir. MERRY. Well? DE VAUX. President s at table. MERRY. [ With a gesture.] Close ! [DE VAUX exits, dos ing door. MERRY turns to SERVANT at door R.] My carriage ! LADY MERRY. [Snappishly.] And wait for it ? MERRY. All the better to give that savage his lesson ! LADY MERRY, [Explosively] Yes ! That was the last straw ! His Majesty preceded by Dolly Todd ! MERRY. En-masse, and pele-mele ! LADY MERRY. Very free with their nasty French ! MERRY. They ll pay for it ! I ll smash their tuppeny Republic ! All Europe saw this insult. LADY MERRY. And shared it with us ! 1 64 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MEERY. {Gesture of protest.] England shares nothing with any one. This slight was aimed at us alone. And yet you d have gone in ! LADY MERRY. [Shrilly. } Hell s bales ! Nothing since break fast but a cup of chocolate ! [ Walks about nerv ously.] Then bumped and jolted til my bones cracked, to get here. And now, no dinner ! \_Plumps into chair. MERRY. There are more important things than dinner ! LADY MERRY. Not when you haven t got it ! MERRY. Would His Majesty dine after such ? LADY MERRY. [Jumping in.~\ Bah ! Take more than that to keep King George from his dinner. I ve seen him eat ! [Putts bell-cord.] Where s that coach ? Come, we ll walk. MERRY. Those streets we d drown ! LADY MERRY. We can t stop here without some reason or excuse ! MERRY. We ll say you ve fainted. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 165 LADY MERKY. So I shall from hunger ! MERKY. Then do ! [Gestures, slightly, as of a fall. LADY MERRY. Pretty figure I d cut ! MERRY. Figure or no ! LADY MERRY. Hell s bales ! I m in hoops, man ! [ Gesture as of upturning hoops. MERRY. [Sputtering. ] Well well then you ve taken cold the rain you ve taken cold ! LADY MERRY. Like enough ! [Shudders. MERRY. [Taking snuff. ] Then be good enough to sneeze ! [LADY MERRY sneezes faintly. ,] Near the door so they ll hear. [Half opens door. LADY MERRY sneezes slightly. MERRY, angrily J\ I said sneeze, ma am not sniffle ! [He sneezes vociferously. ] That sort ! LADY MERRY. [Hands on hips.~\ I won t answer for my stays, but I ll do my best for you. MERRY. [In a rage.] For me ! I don t ask you to 1 66 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND sneeze for me, madam ! You re sneezing for His Majesty ! {Takes pinch of snuff. LADY MERRY. [After sneezing vigorously.] There ! for King George ! MERRY. God save him ! LADY MERRY. And my stays ! [As if discovering broken stays] There ! I knew it ! You might have anticipated this. MERRY. Anticipate this stroke of luck ! That gives me free hand with Burr ! England wants merely ex cuse for war ! This Mrs. Todd provides a cause. LADY MERRY. Clever man ! [Sneezes. Enter DE YAUX, followed by FOOTMAN with a silver tray, on which are two silver goblets, a bottle of cham pagne, a dish of cakes. DE YAUX. President s compliments ! [FOOTMAN pours wine, exits. MERRY. We re taking leave, say to Miss Ferrar. [DE YAUX bows and exits. LADY MERRY. [After sniffing the wine. ] Damme ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 167 MERRY. [In alarm. ] What is it ? LADY MERRY. Champagne ! The beggars drinking champagne ! [Offers the goblet. MERRY. [Refusing. ] I d choke first ! [Picks up bottle and looks at label.] Cuvee 99 two guineas the bottle! That s Mr. Jefferson s simplicity the humbug ! LADY MERRY. [Sipping the wine.] No humbug about his champagne ! I ve had worse at St. James Pal ace. Tony, I wonder if we re doing these people injustice ? MERRY. [Indignant ; very quickly. ~] What ? LADY MERRY. Well, they can t be such lumpkins with this in their cellars. [Starts to fill glass. MERRY. [Thunderingly.] Angela ! [She puts down hot- tie. ] How can you take hospitality of these hate ful people ! LADY MERRY. I never hate people so much I can t drink their champagne ! [Lifts glass. MERRY. [Taking glass.] I forbid ! 1 68 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND LADY MERRY. [Rising .] Then let s go ! [They move to exit. SERVANT. [At door, R.] Your coach is not at hand, sir ; but if you ll have the Vice-President s MERRY. Mr. Burr ! SERVANT. Just entered, sir, and his carriage at your service ! [Exit. DOLLY. [Entering. ~] Can t we persuade you take dinner ? MERRY. Lady Merry s taken an ague. [LADY MERRY sneezes. DOLLY. So we heard ! And it s thrown a chill on the entire party. Before you go, then [raising glass} with the President. MERRY. [Declining curtly. ,] Thank you DOLLY. One glass to your King ! [MERRY is disconcerted for an instant ; starts to drink the toast, which is halted by SERVANT at door. SERVANT. [Announcing. .] Mr. Burr ! [BuRR enters. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 169 LADY MERRY. [ With meaning.^ To yours, ma am. [Sweep* across the room to exit. BURR. You re the first to go ? LADY MERRY. Yes since we didn t go first ! BURR. [Laughing."] I see ! \Sotto-voce to MERRY.] You have sacrificed an empire for a ceremony ! DOLLY. [ To MERRY.] Mr. Madison will join you in the hall with Miss Ferrar. MERRY. [ With deep bow.] Mrs. Todd - [SIR ANTHONY and LADY MERRY exit. Doors close quickly. BURR. Thank heaven, still Mrs. Todd . \Kis8es her hand., then retains it. They gaze at each other in silence. DOLLY. [Drawing hand away.] Why are you here ? BURR. [As if a matter of course.] For my answer ! DOLLY. You re in danger, sir gravest danger ! 1 70 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. [Smilingly. ~] Madison ? Is that my danger ? In the wilds, where I ve been, news is slow and uncertain. Somewhere I heard, vaguely you were to marry. I turned back rode night and day to make sure it isn t true though I never for a moment doubted you d keep your word. DOLLY. {After paused} I told you, come for your answer after you d met Hamilton and, Ronnie, you gave me your word BURR. [Quickly, in half -whisper. ] And meant to keep it ! What happened was accident. [DOLLY indicates gratification. ] Hamilton s half-step for ward an untrue bullet some fiendish mischance ! You must have known. DOLLY. [Rather exultant.] Yes ! I knew you wouldn t fail that vow willingly unless blind with rage and hate BURR. [Quietly. ~] There was none ! Nor any thought but you ! I saw before me only you waiting my return. And when that happened, the earth fell from under me. Courage left me courage to face you ! My wits failed me. DOLLY. Yes, or you d never have gone on that madman s errand ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND \Jl BURR. My one chance ! A stroke quick and desperate to win out there a new world where I ve come to take you ! DOLLY. But, surely, you know what they re saying ? BURR. {Derisively and laughingly^- That I plan treason, yes [Angrily^ And Madison, of course DOLLY. {Breaking in. ] Not one word has he told me of what these Embassies ring with. BURR. But in my absence under clouds of distrust and calumny he s tried as he vowed he would ! [DoLLY gestures protest] Oh, no blame to him. All s fair in And he d be more than hu man to refuse his advantage. DOLLY. You wrong him and honor me too much ! Mr. Madison has avoided me in your absence. He s forgotten his vow save only at first after the duel when he quick offered his name as shield against gossip that flew thick and fast ! BURR. {Eagerly .] And even so, you refused ? DOLLY. What else in honor to him and you ? 1/2 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. No ! You wouldn t marry for protection, and, thro all, keep me here [Hand on heart. DOLLY. [As if resisting the old fascination J] You will not put such thoughts into my head - BURR. [Insisting.] The truth only !. You d be the unhappiest of women. DOLLY. [Hands over ears.] I ll not listen. I ll not BURR. [Drawing nearer. ] You can t shut out the truth ! You belong with me. Your every heart-beat tells you so now I m by you ! [Seizes her hand. Enter MADISON from hall-door R. MADISON. [Startled on seeing BURR.] Burr ! [Come* down.] We thought you in the South ! You ve come, pray God, to set yourself right with the President ! BURR. First of all, with you, sir, whose rare chivalry disdained advantage that I couldn t have re sisted in rivalry such as ours. [A slight pause.] I once pledged you my eternal gratitude. But when put to the test of my life s happiness gainst yours, love ruled. And I took from her hand and destroyed a message that told you " yes." [MADISON turns eagerly to DOLLY. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 1/3 DOLLY. [To BURK.] Is that the heart you saw beneath my Quaker kerchief ? You who understand a woman best of all ! {To both.] Comehappen what may there must be always, twixt me and you two men, only faith complete and candor. [To MADISON.] What I wrote thee, sir, that night he went to meet Hamilton was " no " ! [BuRR startled.] That was the message he took from my hand, as he went to face death because of me. And I m sure you divined it, sir. MADISON. Yes. [Indicated, rather than spoken. Rather whimsical J] I knew he d lind a way somehow in that moment of his peril. BURR. [Approaching DOLLY.] And-now dare I hope that, now I stand in greater peril, you will answer him MADISON. [Intervening ; with fire.] No ! I ll not take her answer now ! I ll not risk all my life s hope in the balance with you at this moment when pity so akin to love, may turn the scale against me. And you d not have me ! BURR. [To DOLLY ; with gesture of appealJ] If pity alone will turn the scale to me, I ll not forego it. MADISON. And let her share the storm that to-morrow will 174 THE FIRST LADY OP" THE LAND crash about you ? Your arrest is certain. [BuRR raises hand in protest.] Innocent or guilty, you must confront a tempest that may overwhelm you. DOLLY. [To MADISON.] And you no less, sir. [BURR is startled. To BURR.] Malice doesn t spare his name in all this ! Whatever you plan they say, you ve nothing to fear from the State Department ! That even disloyalty Mr. Madi son will wink at because of me ! BURR. Who dares ? MADISON. Your ally Merry and all these foreigners. BURR. A word from me will show them their blunder [ringing] and the President, too ! MADISON. [Intervening.] Later to-morrow ! BURR. Now, at once! He must silence these cal umnies. Prove to these foreigners, in the most decisive way possible, how far he discredits their inventions. [DE YAUX appears at door.] An nounce the Yice-President. [DE YAUX exits. MADISON is obviously troubled!} Tis known that I am in Washington. Failure to show myself here to-night would be woefully misconstrued. [To DOLLY.] My arm, ma am. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND I?5 DOLLY., [To MADISON.] And yours. [They move to door j DE YAUX confronts them. DE YAUX. The President regrets there s no place at table for Mr. Burr. {Exit DE YAUX. A brief but tense pause. MADISON. [To BURR.] I should have warned you I might have known DOLLY. [jSetween tears and anger. ] That this could happen here ! [To BURR.] And to you ! BURR. [ With characteristic levity.] And by only one vote! DOLLY. There s some mistake ! He would not proclaim you unheard, before all that world ! BURR. [Quietly. ] That I don t mind. [With vehe mence^ But to humiliate me in this fashion before you ! [Swings to entrance ; throws open the doors; bows, calls off] Messieurs et Mes- dames ! [They come on : D YRUJO well in front of the others. Some remain in entrance.] My profound apologies for this role of spectre at the banquet ! Hospitality is Mr. Jefferson s second religion. His table is his shrine, and I d rather 176 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND have disturbed his devotions than his dinner-party. But the Second Office of the Nation [indicating himself] cannot forego this opportunity the last, doubtless, as well as the first, in this house, to greet the Powers of Europe. And to beg you convey to your Sovereigns Colonel Burr s word- of-honor that his adventure in the South had no thought to take for himself one jot of his own country, but merely an empire of theirs ! [Bows to D YRUJO.] I shall be summoned, presently, to clear my name of the taint of treason. Arid though I marshal a myriad proofs of loyalty, I can conceive none so satisfying to myself, and those who know me, as this my return to Wash ington for but one purpose not to defy my judges, nor cajole my foes, nor embarrass Mr. Jefferson, but only to* implore this lady [lending knee to DOLLY] to become my wife. Would I, I appeal to you, could I, or any man, ask so rare a creature to share a traitor s name? [Quietly. ] For this mad intrusion on your gayeties forgive me and good-night! [Boies profoundly. Exit CURTAIN THE FOUKTH ACT SCENE. The library at SECRETARY MADISON S. At the back, double doors lead to music-room. At the right, a door opens into the hall, where is seen the newel-post of descending stairs. Below the door is a French window heavily curtained. Mantel, with fireplace, at left of / JL e/ i/ room scene. Door above, to MADISON S study. The woodwork and bookcases are of dark fumed oak the hangings of deep violet or purple. The furniture-coverings of violet or purple, but not of same shade as hangings y the frames of dull-tarnished gold. The wall- pictures are illuminant of the period. Con spicuous on the walls are parchment copies of portions of the Federal Constitution, and of the Magna Charta. On a chair, in corner, a banjo. Cries of " Extra ! " " Extra ! " heard off, as from street, at rise of curtain and for some seconds before. MADISON, at desk, is reading letters with deep concern. He pauses from reading now and then, and listens as ^f to catch the street-cries. JENNINGS. [At door.] Mr. Pinckney ! [PiNCKNEY enters. 177 178 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. [To PINCKNEY, indicating street-cries.] What are they crying in the streets ? PlNCKNEY. It s an issue-extraordinary of the National Ga zette. They print rumor that the Court at Rich mond has refused to impeach Mr. Burr for treason. MADISON. [Incredulous^ President would have first news ! PlNCKNEY. He suspects a trick. There s a British ship in the river, the same that brought those letters. [Points to letters in MADISON S hand.] And this rumor may give Burr time to go aboard and flee the country. MADISON. If he only would ! Would save us no end of trouble. [Rises.] Pinckney, we have no proof of treason convincing proof ! PINCKNEY. President is convinced by all the circumstance. MADISON. Yes but no proof of such overt act of treason as the Constitution means. PINCKNEY. [Deferentially.] You, of course, would know, sir. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. {Rather to himself. ] Yes that, I m sure, I wrote quite clear. PlNCKNEY. [Pointing to letters.] But that he contemplated treason MADISON. [Interrupting ; nodding assent] That appears certain from these letters of Merry to the King. And with the country so bitter toward England, they may count heavy against Burr. PlNCKNEY. They will end him [gesture of hangman s noose], President says. And none too quickly ! MADISON. There I m not with him ! For the first time in life ! A nation scarcely begun to be hanging the Second Office a popular idol while Europe looks on and chuckles bad business ! And I don t like it ! One, of course, shouldn t look a gift-horse in the mouth ; but this animal [indicating letters], I believe, is sent to bite our heads off ! Or kick up trouble of some sort like the horse the Greeks gave to Troy ! When England turns kind to America [Shakes his head as if distrustful. PlNCKNEY. [Persuadmgly.] Politics makes strange bed fellows. MADISON. [ Unconvinced.] Yes but I can t imagine John 180 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND Bull and Thomas Jefferson in the same {Starts to replace letters in a portfolio^ Return them to the President. PlNCKNEY. They are to remain with you, sir. President thinks best. MADISON. [Troubled. ] Best for whom ? PlHCKNEY. He leaves that to your discretion absolutely. MADISON. [After pause, and dubiously^ I realize the honor and responsibility. JENNINGS. [At door, announcing. ,] The Vice-President. BURR. [Entering hesitating at threshold.] Are you " at home " ? MADISON. Why, of course ! BURR. [Coming down.] The servant wasn t sure. And over the way I couldn t see the President. PlNCKNEY. [Half apologetic.] He s engaged with an at tache of the British Legation. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND l8l BUKR. I went only because of this street rumor. I knew he d be torn with anxiety, and flew to reas sure him, at first hand, that I have been impeached for treason. MADISON. [Amazed. ] We ve no word ! BURR. I had ; two hours since ! Your courier rides bad horses. [To PINCKNEY.] Will you send word to the President ? Because he ll have no peace till he sees me hanged ! PlNCKNEY. You wrong him, sir ! At the worst, I know Mr. Jefferson would never see a Yice-President hanged ! BURR. [ With a smile. ] Shot, instead eh ? PlNCKNEY. [Bowing deeply. ~\ With all ceremony due your high office. BURR. [Equally polite.] My apologies to Mr. Jefferson I didn t give him credit for such delicacy. [PiNCKNEY starts to exit R. MADISON. From my study you can send word. [PiNCKNEY bows. Exit ~by door L. BURR. What a sin ! [Sits at table. 1 82 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. Sin? BURR. Worse than sin, a blunder ! To stop me by this trumped-up charge when he knows that out there they wait MADISON. [Interrupting; with deep feeling J\ Tell me, in sworn confidence between us two and the Almighty, what in hell did you have in mind out there ? BURR. [Matter-of-fact tone.] Mexico ! To take Mexico from Spain. MADISON. And the Western States from us ? BURR. [Laughing.] Surely, you don t believe MADISON. [Insisting. ] Yes or no ! And as you an swer, I must answer to the nation and my conscience. Did you mean for the West to leave the Union ? BURR. Damn it, man, no State can leave the Union. The United States is a nation, not a confederacy. [Offers snuff -box.] You gentlemen of the South never seem to realize that. MADISON. [Suspecting evasion. ] Burr you haven t an swered me. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 183 BURR. [After slight pause.] Question Harry Clay, or Randolph, or Andrew Jackson my guides and confidants at every step in this venture. Would they point a way to treason ? MADISON. President says you fooled them. BURR. What ! All three of them ? What the devil does he think I am ? MADISON. That s just what he thinks you are the devil. BURR. But no one ever named me fool ! And I m not choosing to face a file of soldiers, blindfold, with Tom Jefferson so eager to give the signal ! [In pantomime, drops handkerchief. JENNINGS. [At door ; back.] Mrs. Todd, and some com pany, sir in the music-room. MADISON. Beg Mrs. Todd step here. [JENNINGS exits.] I d forgot for the moment. I ve asked them in for a little music, and, maybe, a reel. [Enter DOLLY, from door, back. She has a small newspaper-bulletin, with conspicu ous head-line : " Extraordinary" DOLLY. [Startled on seeing BURR.] You ve brought the 1 84 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND good news ! [Hands bulletin to MADISON.] I hoped to be the first. BURR. That bulletin isn t quite accurate. DOLLY. {Looking from one to other. ~] You mean ? MADISON. Colonel Burr s had later news, and not so good. DOLLY. [Huskily. ] Oh I m so sorry ! {Eagerly -.] But are you sure ? BURR. Quite. DOLLY. As we came by your house there were throngs cheering and calling for you. [To MADISON, and nodding toward music-room.] We ll turn away, of course. BURR. Why ? Quite informal, isn t it ? DOLLY. But music and dancing at such a time ! They ll understand [Turns to go. MADISON. No no couldn t happen better ! There must be no sign of panic, or alarm anywhere in the government. Contrary bravest show possible. At least till we know for certain I ll put them at ease. [Exits to music-room. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 185 DOLLY. I was praying it was true this rumor. BURR. Twill come to the same, in the end. Til then, let nothing kill your faith in me, I entreat you ! They may rake the country over heavens above and the sea beneath and not one scintilla of treason, in what I ve done, or spoke, or written. DOLLY. Then the devil take the Englishman ! He s done for you. Writ enough to hang you twice over ! And they have all of it ! Every line to his government, now in Jefferson s hands. The day you returned they reached him, while his guests were assembling for dinner. That s why he gave Merry an excuse to quarrel, and go. After your avowal to the company your strange avowal of loyalty, he bade me remain, and ques tioned me blunt as an old friend might. Then read from Merry s letters to persuade me. I im plored his sanction to tell you. BURR. f With a twinkle.] He agreed, of course ! DOLLY. [Gesture of " ?w&gt;."] T would warn you, he said, to flee the country. BUKR. But he let you tell me ? 1 86 THE FIRST ADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [Quickly.] I vowed you wouldn t, even if it were possible, watched, as you are, every moment. BURR. [Eagerly. ] And to that he replied ? DOLLY. [Quickly.] Nothing! Except to remark the twinkling lights of a British ship, in the river, be low the White House. BURR. [ With knowing smile] The fox ! DOLLY. But I wouldn t take the hint. I wanted his leave I insisted definite leave to put you on guard. Then he roared: " No ! " " No ! " For when twas known, as surely would be, that you d fled arrest, thro word from me, the blame, he said, would fall on Mr. Madison. Gainst that argu ment I could offer nothing except tears. [Touches her eyes. Lapses into brogue] Whereat he lost patience completely. Swore all women were wax in the hands of rogues ; that every drop of ink from Merry s quill he ll use for a gun- wad ; that I might tell you straight if I chose and he d double the watch on you ! BURR. [Laughing] No need ! I ve already assured him. [ Tenderly] But such proof of your devo tion to a friend gainst every counsel of pru dence and wisdom tis worth a charge of treason ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 187 JENNINGS. [At door.] The British Minister ! DOLLY. Apprise Mr. Madison. [Nods toward music-room. JENNINGS makes to cross. BURR. I ll have word, first, with Sir Anthony. [Makes to exit R. JENNINGS. He s brought a lady, sir. [Exit JENNINGS to music-room. Enter SIR ANTHONY. DOLLY. [Cordially.] Lady Merry s with you ? MERRY. No, she s not yet rid of her ague. DOLLY. [ With show of sympathy. ] Poor dear ! Still sneezing ? [Enter MADISON. Advances with out stretched hand to welcome MERRY. JEN NINGS follows, crosses to R. MERRY. [Freezingly.~] My visit is purely official. Miss Ferrar begged to attend me, through mistrust of my temper. She waits below. 1 88 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [To JENNINGS.] Show Miss Ferrar to the music-room. [To MERRY.] There s a small com pany to-night. [Exits to music-room. MERRY. [To MADISON.] Your Chief summoned me, urgent, a while ago, for conference. I sent to ask the purpose of the pow-wow but he refers me to you. [Pompously.] Declines to treat with my attache. MADISON. If the matter be urgent, do you wonder, sir ? MERRY. [Angrily. ] I wonder more that he expects me ever set foot in his wigwam after the day I went to dine and didn t ! MADISON. He may wish to explain MERRY. He can t explain. He has in mind, I presume, an apology, which he may communicate through the medium of the State Department. MADISON. I ll advise his secretary. He s in the house. \Exits to study. BURR. [Lightly. ] You exaggerate, I m sure, the im portance of this summons. Mr. Jefferson has in mind nothing more serious than [tensely] your notes to the King, regarding me. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 189 MERRY. [Staggered.] W-what ! BURR. They have copies. MERRY. Impossible ! I kept no copies. I wouldn t trust them about me with his spies everywhere. BURR. Then how d they come by your dispatches ? MERRY. [Excitedly] Stole them, of course. That s why we ve had no reply. They never reached the King. BURR. [Incredulous.] Stole them from your courier? MERRY. From the post. I sent them by post. BURR. [Amazed.] You entrusted such communi cations to the post ? MERRY. A Minister s letters are sacred, in any civilized country. And could I, for a moment, think - - ? BURR. [Interrupting; quietly] No, you couldn t think anything [bitingly] more vital than a point of dinner etiquette ! [Crosses, threateningly] Of all bunglers, you are 190 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MERRY. [Drawing up to full height J] His Majesty s Minister ! BURR, [Recovering his calm.] Thank you for remind ing me. I was about to lose my temper, and descend to violent speech. [ With quavering voice. ,] But the provocation ! Think of it ! An Empire inviting to enter advancing to greet me. My position, fortune, friends, life, even all staked, and lost for a trifle unguarded letters an im prudence, damn it ! that would shame a school girl. Why, sir, had you planned to destroy me, cunningly, in cold blood, I d bear it with more complaisance than such superhuman stupidity ! [A pause. MERRY. Less stupid than you think for! [Crosses to door of study. Calls.] Mr. Madison ! [Comes down.] Diplomacy always anticipates such emer gencies. [Enter MADISON.] I demand audience with your Chief. MADISON. Certainly. I ll arrange, for to-morrow. MERRY. To-night! Now! I want from his hands all my correspondence that relates to Mr. Burr. MADISON. To what end ? MERRY. That is for me to determine. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND IQI MADISON. [AppeasinglyJ] We d prefer to keep this a family quarrel MERRY. [With touch of impudence^ You doubtless would, sir ! But my king s interests compel me to disregard your personal feelings. Mr. Jefferson must surrender my dispatches. MADISON. [Sharply.] He won t ! I warn you, sir ! MERRY. Then the alternative. And with no delay ! MADISON. You ll not be kept waiting ! [Exit to study. BURR. [To MERRY.] If the President grant your de mand, you couldn t make public these letters ? MERRY. I owe it to my Sovereign, and to the high place in which I stand for him. I must show the Chancelleries of Europe what they have to deal with, in this barbarian who invades the sanctity of diplomatic correspondence. As for the effect on you, sir well, the event will justify what I wrote the King of your influence with Mr. Madi son. [DoLLY appears at door back. BURR. Surely, you haven t dragged in ? 192 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MERRY. {Interrupting .] " Great ventures can t stop for small morals ! " DOLLY. {Coining down. ] " Small morals," sir, to hold up the great Mr. Madison for knave or fool ? To put in doubt his faith to a people that worship him ! You d make his honor serve the ends of dishonor and call that " small morals " ? MERRY. [ With deep bow.] My king s interest above everything ! DOLLY. [ With mingled temper and tears.] But I venture to doubt that " the first gentleman of Europe," as you call your king, will countenance diplomacy that makes war on a woman ! [indicating herself] and that, too, in the secret way that leaves her defenseless ; that stamps upon her name, in the records of state, a slur and suspicion that time will only deepen. [Half turns away. Moves slightly up stage. BURR. \_To MERRY, threateningly. ] I forbade you pledged you not to by name or hint ! You shall answer to me ! MERRY. [Accepting the challenge. ] At your service, sir ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 193 DOLLY. [Intervening quickly .] No, no ! [Moves up stage with BURR. BUKR exits into music-room. Re enter MADISON, fol lowed ly PINCKNEY. MADISON. [Handing MERRY a document.] Your reply, sir. MERRY. [Reading superscription^ "Anthony Merry, Esq." Omitting my official titles ! I ll not ac cept. [Throws packet on table. MADISON. The contents explain. MERRY. [Impatiently and imperiously. ] I demanded audience ! MADISON. President will receive you at your earliest con venience [MERRY triumphant] in atWience-of- leave. MERRY. [Taken aback. ] But I asked no such audience ! MADISON. President assumes that you will be eager to hasten your departure now you ve resigned as Minister here. MERRY. [Beginning to see.] I m not aware His Majesty has received my resignation. 194 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. Then His Majesty must anticipate it. ME KEY. [Angrily.] You presume to speak for the king ? MADISON. [Taking up quickly."] He is unwilling, I m sure, to be represented by a gentleman who so lightly appreciates the hospitality of a friendly people, and mistakes tolerance for timidity. Your pass ports, Sir Anthony ! [Offers them. MERRY. [Refusing them.] Take care, sir ! You are not prepared for war with England ! MADISON. [Mildly.] We never are prepared, sir, but al ways ready. MERRY. [Breathless with rage.] When the King learns his Minister s letters stolen from the post. MADISON. No such thing could happen here. They come from England your letters to pave the way for your successor, Lord Erskine. MERRY. [Bewildered.] I ll not believe my ears. MADISON. Your eyes, then. [Takes up packet of letters from desk. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 195 MERRY. {After glance at it. ] The Eoyal Seal ! MADISON. From the king they come to prove he is well with us treats in good faith MERRY. [Looking into space. ] I I d have sworn they were- [Turns to MADISON.] And I beg your pardon ! [Sows. Suddenly.] Though I believe Mr. Jefferson quite capable of what I sus pected ! JENNINGS. [Announcing. ] Lady Merry ! LADY MERRY. [Entering flurried, in time to overhear last of MERRY S speech.] Tony, what s this they say at the Embass} r ? [MERRY holds up passports for her to see. LADY MERRY is bewildered.] We re going home ? [MERRY, too overcome to speak, nods "yes." LADY MERRY explosively continues.] Thank God ! MERRY. [To quiet her.] Angela ! LADY MERRY. [Fervidly and with quavering voice.] Yes, thank God, we re going ! Though it be in dis grace, in chains, anything so we leave this cruel, brutish country ! [Falls into chair, sobbing bitterly. ENA enters hurriedly from music-room. 196 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MERRY. You will pardon Lady Merry s outburst DOLLY. [With feeling] We quite understand, sir. Some things here must have been a trial to Lady Merry. Our ways are not quite your ways, and, I m sure, as time goes on, and we look back on these little differences, we ll all be sorry. LADY MERRY. [Rising quickly recovering herself and ex plosively.] Sorry ? To leave these Mohocks ! [Starts to go.] Come, Ena ! ENA. [To DOLLY.] Au voir, ma am ! LADY MERRY. [Correcting her, sharply.] " Au voir," indeed ! ENA. [Timidly. ] I hope to see Mrs. Todd often. LADY MERRY. We leave to-morrow, by God s grace and first coach ! ENA. I ve promised Mr. Pinckney to remain. LADY MERRY. [ Wildly.] Ena, have you lost your head f ENA. [Huskily.] Goes with the rest ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND LADY MERRY. [Tearfully.] How d that happen ! [ Viciously. ] To that [Moves toward PINCKNEY. ENA. [ With spirit* stopping her.] Don t, Angle. [Plaintively.] Please don t ! He s not one of the things you were going to say. And if he were all of them [Crosses to PLNCKNEY. LADY MERRY. [Intervening.] Never ! Leave you here ? ENA. [Quickly.] Not for long, dear. We re going to our London Legation First Secretary, when Tony s successor arrives. LADY MERRY. There ll be none ! MERRY. [Nodding " yes. "] Lord Erskine. LADY MERRY. [To DOLLY.] His wife s American ! DOLLY. Miss Cadwalader, of Philadelphia. LADY MERRY. [To DOLLY.] A friend ? [DOLLY nods " yes."] I see I Hell s bales! [To MERRY.] And you you played into the hands of these ENA. [Calming her, and nodding toward music-room.] Angie, they ll hear 198 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND DOLLY. [ With show of sympathy.] Let them ! I m sure Lady Merry s tired of being diplomatic stifling her feelings choosing her words. Say what you like, ma am, for once in your life. Twill do you good ! [BuKR enters. LADY MEKRY. [Through her tears.] Thank you ! That s the first kindness we ve known here except our pass ports. [Picks them up from table. To BURR.] For these we re indebted to you, and I forgive you everything, and I [viciously ] hope you ll live to be hanged ! BURR. [Offering his arm.] Till then, at your service. [She is about to take BURR S arm. MERRY. [Sharply.] Mr. Pinckney ! [Motions PINCK- NEY to take out LADY MERRY and ENA. BURR, after prof ound bow, moves up stage. To DOLLY.] Sans rancune ? DOLLY. Not the least ! All in a day s work ! And be fore you leave you must honor me at dinner. [MADISON is disconcerted. MERRY. [ With meaning , and a smile.] Thanks, but there won t be time, I anticipate. [To MADISON.] Your Chief has put on you a duty you will some day regret. THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 199 MADISON. I regret most, sir, the duty you put on me in my own house ! [MERRY lows and exits. MADISON goes to desk / takes up MERRY S letters ; then sits and writes. BURR. [Coming down to DOLLY.] Tvvas kind to ask them to dinner but suppose they d accepted ? DOLLY. 1 anticipated they wouldn t ! [To JENNINGS at door.~\ Send word to the President they ve taken leave. And Mrs. Todd begs he ll bring his fiddle. [JENNINGS exits BURR. [To MADISON, indicating letters.] And what of those ? Will Jefferson use them against me ? MADISON. Tis out of his hands ! He leaves the State Department to determine. BURR. [Joyously. ] Then I ll coach to Richmond with a light heart. [Bows as if to exit. Stops at sound of music off j it is same tune, the waltz, heard in Act II. To DOLLY.] That dance you remember ? [Takes up banjo from chair strikes chords. DOLLY. [Same tone as in Act II.] One two three. 200 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND BURR. [Offering arm.] What say, ma am? [DOLLY is disconcerted. MADISON. [Intervening."] Your ankle up to it, ma am ? DOLLY. [Talcing the hintJ] It s never been the same since that slip on the ice. [Through the open windows is heard the measured " tramp " of soldiers ; then the drum-roll or ougle-call that sianals halt ! " JENNINGS. [At door.~\ Captain Gadsby inquires for Colo nel Burr. BURR. [Uncertain.] Gadsby? MADISON. President s Marshal. BURR. That means of course my arrest ? [MADI SON nods assent. To DOLLY.] And I lose my dance with you ! [To JENNINGS.] Alone ? JENNINGS. Some army, sir six or eight. BURR. Pomp and circumstance ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 2OI MADISON. [Going to door of study.] Show the Captain here. DOLLY. {Stopping JENNINGS.] One moment ! [To MADISON.] If you please - [To JENNINGS.] Call Colonel Burr s carriage. Beg Captain Gadsby drive to his house. Colonel Burr will join him there. [Exit JENNINGS. DOLLY, to MADISON.] Not under your roof, the arrest ! President might have thought of that. BURR. Break up another party ! MADISON. [With emotion.] Great God, man, at such a moment you can jest f j t/ BURR. What else ? Excuses ? Regrets ? I hate them both. This game was of my own making. I cut the cards, dealt them, named the stake. [Looking at DOLLY.] And well worth playing for ! If I must lose DOLLY. {Interrupting^ You ll bear it as bravely, I know, as you d have borne the honors. JENNINGS. [At door, to DOLLY.] The Marshal will do as you bid, ma am ; but leaves the soldiers here. MADISON. Give them some refreshments. 202 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND JENNINGS. Ale or wine, sir ? DOLLY. [Sotto-voce.~\ Lemonade ! MADISON. [To JENNINGS.] Or ginger-pop ! DOLLY. [Calling after. ~] Nothing stronger ! [Exit JEN NINGS. To MADISON.] Or folks will say you plied em with drink to help him escape. MADISON. Yes I d best reassure the Marshal \_Exit. BURR. {Calling after.] And Mr. Jefferson s army ! [Going to window, looks out, laughing^ Six or eight ! There he stands at the White House win dow, [to DOLLY] waiting to see me fly down Pennsylvania Avenue pursued by his army. He has no sense of humor ! DOLLY. Where was yours in all this ? [Tone of impa tience.] Your sense of humor that found some thing of fun in the fiercest tirade against you that laughed down mountains of abuse raised by your enemies. That glorious sense of humor that so often saved you from the tragedy of your follies where was it when you set about this ridiculous enterprise ? BUER. [Piqued.] At least not ridiculous ! THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 203 DOLLY. Yes most absurd and fantastic since Don Quixote and the windmills. [Mockingly .] You ! the careless, cynical Burr, who played with high politics as a child plays with toys who let the Presidency go with a jest, when a sober word would win it who never took anything seriously but his love-affairs the beau, the gallant, heart breaking Burr^ [in tone and gesture of mock heroics] sets forth on the conquest of Mexico and the throne of the Montezurnas ! [ With quick swerve of tone.] And you don t see the humor of it. [Laughs. BURR. [Same spirit; laughing. ] Now that you put it that way ! [Glowing.] And yet we d have made it Paradise ! It s a land of sun and color, dancing and music, care-free, romantic. [Ad vances to DOLLY. She draws away as he ap proaches.] And there I planned or dreamed a life splendid and dazzling to blind you to every thing in the world but me make you forget all the world but me. DOLLY. The world s esteem and good report ? BURR. There we come to small morals ! I gave no thought to them. Nor anything but just you ! DOLLY. {Brokenly.} Don t let me believe I brought you to this! Think what a memory, if from a 204 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND great love such wretchedness and shame should come to you ! BUEE. {Seriously and with feeling .] Your solicitude for me your anxiety, so frank and sincere touches me profoundly more than I can tell you, and more than you d believe. I m called a vain man and, perhaps, justly. And yet, curious enough, there are so few persons in the world for whose good opinion and affection I ever gave a second thought. Now in this moment of crisis and peril I think of but you ! Come what may, I know you will think of me, always, with the perfect understanding that lifts gentle womanhood to the plane of angels. And if Fates forbid it comes to the worst DOLLY. \_In alarm.] It won t and can t ! Mr. Madi son will prevent ! BUKE. [ With characteristic levity and cynical gaiety] He s only human, and with me out of the way- well, if it happens my friends shall have due notice of time and place. And I promise, as the showman says, "a great concourse of company, much gaiety and a rare sight " [with hurst of laughter] a Vice-President shot for getting bored with the office ! {Looking at her closely as she touches her eyes.] Oh ! but you re I beg your pardon. But I couldn t know you d take me serious. You never have ! Forgive me, I im plore you, and yet, in candor, the tears that THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 205 glisten in your eyes I d rather have won than the jewelled crown of Mexico ! Au voir, dear lady. [Lower tone. ] Till we meet again, may God Almighty bless you ! [Moves as if to take Tier in his arms. DOLLY. [Turning from him with gasp of surprise. ] Good-bye ! [Extends hand in gesture of dismissal. BURR. [Taking her hand; in tone of challenge.] You don t mean that ! DOLLY. [ With cold, steady tone of decision.] Yes. BURR. [Insisting, with almost impudence; smiles as he kisses her hand and looks up at her] I ll wait word from you after the trial at Richmond. [Goes to door, where he pauses, as if for her assent, and Mows kisses. DOLLY shakes . her head "no" / her smile and bearing say " Thatfs over" BURR exits with look and manner that indicate assurance that it is not the end of the story. DOLLY. [Alone] Good-bye. [Puts hand to lips, as if to throw kisses ; lets hand fall quickly, as if sud denly recalled to herself] You poor great splendid wretched man ! [Puts hands to eyes as if dazed and striv ing to throw off the fascination. Bursts into tears. MADISON enters. 206 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. Why ! What s wrong here ? What did he say to you ? DOLLY. [Faintly. ] " Good-bye ! " MADISON. {Looking at her closely J] Tears? He doesn t deserve them. DOLLY. And so I weep for him ! MADISON. [ Tenderly.} That s the Quaker of you ! DOLLY. No just the woman ! Rogues always get our pity. MADISON. He ll need it ! [Shouts heard from street ; and drums and Jifes. MADISON points offJ] You hear that ? A mob jeering him^-and u The .Rogues March " ! He hasn t a friend in the world ! DOLLY. [Boldly. Crosses to window ; shuts it. ] Yes, he has ! I am his friend whatever wrong he s done and you, too, are his friend. MADISON. [Deprecatingly.] I ? DOLLY. You must be just as / must be because, sir, he s the best friend we ever had! Why, man, THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 207 but for him I might be a spindly, Philadelphia widow, taking lodgers in South Fourth Street [MADISON makes gesture of protest, ] Don t wince, sir ; tis the truth ! And you d be mooning still over that Long Island hussy who jilted you for a parson and his f orte-pianer ! MADISON. [ With a half smile.] He s been simply the agent of Providence, or Fate. DOLLY. Whosever agent he was, he did the work devil ish well ! [Looks off, pityingly^ Out of his very evil, good comes to you ! Over the ruins of his career you step to higher things. And tis hard that you, of all men, must hold the proof that damns him ! MADISON. Have no fear on that score. [Gives her the portfolio.] At least, for the present. DOLLY. [heading.] " Confidential Communications from His Majesty, George III. Not to be opened for one hundred years." And you mean MADISON. Without those, they ll never convict him of treason. DOLLY. And you d have him go free ? 208 THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND MADISON. {Nodding "y^."] I think it best for the nation. DOLLY. And for me ? MADISON. [ With a slight shrug.] You couldn t share a " traitor s " name. DOLLY. [ With the brogue.~] Lord, man, must I knock you on the head ? I feared so, from the first. MADISON. [Triumphant.] I meant you should ! But while he was near DOLLY. [Taking up quickly^ Ah, don t try to follow the twists and turns of a woman s heart ! And don t question a woman ever ! If she loves you there s nothing to tell, and if she doesn t love you she ll tell you nothing. I m no saint, sir, but thee may take me for wife! And, with God s help, thee ll have no cause to regret it. All that a great love can do to make thy life happy, I promise absolutely. JENNINGS. [At door. He carries violin case. ] The Presi dent s driving in, sir. And sent his fiddle, ma am. MADISON. [To DOLLY.] Shall we receive him here ? THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND 209 DOLLY. No, no the music-room. And, Jennings, take the banjo. [JENNINGS exits to music-room. From the hall below, and rather distantly, a voice is heard announcing : " The President! " which is repeated somewhat nearer at hand From the music-room comes a tuneful march, in lively tempo, and the murmur of many persons chatting and laughing. MADISON is leaning at table, in attitude of deep thought. DOLLY crosses to him. ] Buck up, Jim ! MADISON. [ With a start.] Yes, yes I was just thinking. DOLLY. [Nodding toward music-room. ] This gaiety to-night ? Tis wicked^ I know, and worldly and selfish and and human. But, after all, I m only a woman, and thee my husband ! MADISON. [Arms about her.] And after us, the deluge ! as the French King said. DOLLY. He didn t say it first. Twas Noah s wife once she had him safe in the Ark. CURTAIN $ctce, 60 ent*S ad THE MAfiKTBATP Farce in Three Aot& Twelve males, four 111C iUAUldlKAlfi female& costumes, modern; scenery, all interior. Plays two hours and a half . TIB NOTOBODS MRS, EBBS8BIB 1 Costumes, modern ; scenery, all interiors. Plays a full evening. TUP PfifiFI Iff ATP Play in Four Acts. Seven males, five females. u Scenery, three interiors, rather elaborate ; costumes, modern. Plays a full evening. ParceinThreeActs.Ninemales,seven females costumes, modern; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening. THE SECOND MRS. TANQDERAY ^ to ^e^. ". tumes, modern ; scenery, three interiors. Plays a full evening. CU/CUT f A VTWTlFB Comedy in Three Acts. Seven males, four 1 females. Scene, a single interior; costumes, modern. Plays a full evening. THE TIMES C me&lt; ty *** ^ oar Acts. Six males, seven females. I it 1 LJ Scene, a single interior; costumes, modern. Plays a full evening. THP WP4Pff ^FT Comedy in Three Acts. Eight males, eight UC WBAAEB JBA femaleg&gt; Costumes, modem ; scenery, two interiors. Plays a full evening. A WIPE wrraoDT A SMILE modem : scene, a single interior. Plays a full evening. Sent prepaid on receipt of price by W<w fy TBafeer & Company Ho. 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, Massachusetts ^tlitam Garten Cfcttum , 25 A^ YfiTT I IF IT Comedy in Five Acts. Thirteen males, four AJ I vl) MAb II females. Costumes, picturesque ; scenery, va ried. Plays a full evening. in Five Acts. Nine males, five females. Cos- tumes, modern j scenery, varied. Flays a full evening. ^ a " - ;7 " ^ ico;3 - Thirteen males, three females. ^ scenery varied ; costumes, Greek. Plays a full evening. M ABV QTITADT Tragedy In Five Acts. Thhteen males, four fe- lfiHl\l J iUAAl males, and supernumeraries. Costumes, of the period ; scenery, varied and elaborate. Plays a full evening. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE S35$Rai: picturesque ; scenery varied. Plays a full evening. Fifteen males, two females. Seen- ery elatx&gt;rate ; costumes of the period. Plays a full evening. TFTP BJVAI^ Comedy in Five Acts. Nine males, five females. Ill* HITAI*J Scenery varied; costumes of the period. Plays a full evening. SUP STftftlN Tfl CANAI1PB Oomsdy in Five Acts. Fifteen JJlii 3Hlvr3 1U ^Vn^UCli males, four females. Scenery va ried ; costumes of the period. Plays a full evening. TWELFTH NlfiHT; OR, WBAT YOU WILL three females. Costumes, picturesque; scenery, varied. Plays a full evening. Sent prepaid on receipt of price by Walter & BaScr & Company No. 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, MavSsachusetts