SCENE I BOOTH If this must be, I take it. Be a man. Don't whine like that. You suffer only from fear. But if you had this torturing leg. My God! If you rode sixty miles as I did, flesh Prodded at every jump by broken bones ... HARROLD What's that? BOOTH A dog there in the yard. HARROLD Those troopers We hid from on the way here -- Federals -- Did they go on, or follow, hunting us? BOOTH We're ended likely. Let us stand our ground. We have our carbines for the ending up ... But oh, to be thus hunted, like a dog, Through swamps, woods, thickets, chased by gunboats too, With every hand against me. And for what? For doing what brought honor unto Brutus, And deathless fame to Tell. Who'll clear my name? Who'll print what I have written? There's the pang To die and have my spirit and sacrifice Sealed up in silence, or drowned out in cries Of "cut-throat" or "assassin." I struck down A greater tyrant than great Brutus slew. And my act was more pure than his or Tell's. One would be great, and one had private wrongs To heap his country's up for quick revenge. But I, what greatness could I hope for this? What wrongs had I except the common wrong? I struck for country and for that alone; I struck for liberty that groaned beneath A tyrant's monstrous tyranny -- and now look The cold hand they extend me in the South For which I struck! Our country bleeding, broken, Cried to me for relief, and I was made The instrument of God by God alone. HARROLD A rooster crows! BOOTH Two hours till morning yet. It's only two o'clock. HARROLD What shall we do? BOOTH To-night we'll try the river once again ... Why not return to Washington and end it? They'd try me and I'd clear my name. Repent? No, I do not repent. But I've a soul Too great to die a felon's death. Swift guns Against a firing wall are honorable. Before them I can clear my name. O God! Give me a brave man's death, for I have wronged, Nor hated no one. And was this a wrong To kill a tyrant? God must deem it so, By making it a curse upon our time, Our country and our countrymen. My fate How miserable soever it may be Proves not I did a wrong. Great Milton come And comfort me in this my agony! You who could write a tyrant forfeits life To those whom he oppresses, and 'tis just To take him off. O curse of Cain no less! Now I must pray again. (He prays.) SCENE II. (At the Garrett House.) (Lieutenant Baker, and a squad, including Boston Corbett.) BAKER (Knocking at the door.) Halloo! halloo! A VOICE What's wanted? BAKER Open the door! SCENE III. (Inside the Tobacco House.) HARROLD They've come. BOOTH Yes! rapping at the door. Perhaps Old Garrett will not tell that we are here. Hold to your carbine. Do as I command. SCENE III. (At the Garrett House.) BAKER (Taking Garrett by the throat.) Where are these fellows? In your house? GARRETT No! No! BAKER We'll search! Men, search the house! GARRETT They are not here! BAKER You make yourself accomplice if you hide them. Last time: where are they? GARRETT In the Tobacco House. SCENE IV. (Inside the Tobacco House.) HARROLD They're walking toward us. BOOTH Do as I command. BAKER (Outside.) Come out of there. BOSTON CORBETT (Outside.) Lieutenant, they can pick The whole of us through cracks with their carbines. Old Garrett says they're armed. (He goes back of the tobacco house.) BAKER Come out of there. Five minutes to come out, then I set fire To the tobacco house. BOOTH (Inside.) Who are you? What do you want? BAKER (Outside.) We want you. And we know you. Come, you are Booth, assassin of the President. Surrender arms. Come out! BOOTH (Inside.) I want a little time to think about it. (A silence.) BAKER (Outside.) Well, now come out. BOOTH (Inside.) You are a brave man, captain, I believe, Honorable too. I am a cripple, have One leg, the other broken. Yet no less If you will take your men a hundred yards From the door of the tobacco house, I'll come Out as you command and fight you all. BAKER (Outside.) I have not come to fight, but capture you. BOOTH (Inside.) Give me a chance for life. I'll better terms. If you will take your men off fifty yards I'll come out, fight you all, till I am killed, Or kill you all. BAKER (Outside.) NO! BOOTH (Inside.) You are a coward, sir, Denying to a brave man chance for life. HARROLD (Inside.) They've set the house afire! Now, let me out! (The house burns.) BOOTH (Inside.) You hellish coward, would you leave me now? Go! Go! and leave me. It would be dishonor To die with such a coward. Let this man Come out of here! BAKER (Outside.) All right! Hand out his arms And come. BOOTH (Inside amid flames.) A coward goes to cowards. (The flames are coming up around Booth.) (He stands on a crutch, pale and defiant.) SCENE V. (Boston Corbett looking through a crack in the Tobacco House at Booth amid the flames.) CORBETT I hear you God and will obey! (He points a carbine through a crack and fires at Booth. Booth leaps and falls. The soldiers go in and bring him out on the lawn.) SCENE VI. (On the lawn.) BAKER (To Corbett.) Why did you shoot? You had no orders to? I'll take you back to Washington in chains! Why did you shoot? CORBETT God told me to. BAKER It looks it. You hit him just behind the ear. Same place Where Lincoln got the mortal wound. BOOTH Tell mother I died for country, liberty, as Brutus Did what he did for Rome. I thought it best To do what I have done. God's will be done As I have tried to do it. (He dies.) | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CONTEMPLATIONS by ANNE BRADSTREET THE ROMAN ROAD by THOMAS HARDY THE GODS OF THE COPYBOOK HEADINGS by RUDYARD KIPLING THE PITY OF THE LEAVES by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON SIC VITA by HENRY DAVID THOREAU THE LETTER by MUHAMMAD AL-MU'TAMID II IN AN OLD CEMETERY by LILLAH A. ASHLEY THE ALBION QUEENS, ACT 1: THE WONDER by JOHN BANKS (17TH CENTURY-) |