Part 35 (1/2)

(Two girls, convulsed with the giggles, come tumbling in.)

DORIS: (confused) Oh-oh, excuse us.

FUSSIE: (foolishly) We didn't know anybody was here.

(MR FEJEVARY looks at them sternly. The girls retreat.)

SENATOR: (laughing) Oh, well girls will be girls. I've got three of my own.

(HORACE comes back, carrying an open book.)

HORACE: Say, this must be a misprint.

FEJEVARY: (glancing at the back of the book) Oh, I think not.

HORACE: From his first inaugural address to Congress, March 4, 1861. (reads) 'This country with its inst.i.tutions belong to the people who inhabit it.' Well, that's all right. 'Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government they can exercise their const.i.tutional right of amending it'-(after a brief consideration) I suppose that that's all right-but listen! 'or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.'

FEJEVARY: He was speaking in another age. An age of different values.

SENATOR: Terms change their significance from generation to generation.

HORACE: I suppose they do-but that puts me in bad with these lice. They quoted this and I said they were liars.

SENATOR: And what's the idea? They're weary of our existing government and are about to dismember or overthrow it?

HORACE: I guess that's the dope.

FEJEVARY: Look here, Horace-speak accurately. Was it in relation to America they quoted this?

HORACE: Well, maybe they were talking about India then. But they were standing up for being revolutionists. We were giving them an earful about it, and then they spring Lincoln on us. Got their nerve-I'll say-quoting Lincoln to us.

SENATOR: The fact that they are quoting it shows it's being misapplied.

HORACE: (approvingly) I'll tell them that. But gee-Lincoln oughta been more careful what he said. Ignorant people don't know how to take such things.

(Goes back with book.)

FEJEVARY: Want to take a look through the rest of the library? We haven't been up this way yet-(motioning left) We need a better scientific library. (they are leaving now) Oh, we simply must have more money. The whole thing is fairly bursting its sh.e.l.l.

DORIS: (venturing in cautiously from the other side, looking back, beckoning) They've gone.

FUSSIE: Sure?

DORIS: Well, are they here? And I saw them, I tell you-they went up to science.

FUSSIE: (moving the SENATOR'S hat on the table) But they'll come back.

DORIS: What if they do? We're only looking at a book. (running her hand along the books) Matthew Arnold.

(Takes a paper from FUSSIE, puts it in the book. They are bent with giggling as HORACE returns.)