"Over here, Ashton." "Come and see." "A green heron left it, I think." "She'll be coming back to nest." " Then she'll be disappointed." " Ashton, put that back!" " That isn't yours!" " It is now!" "No, please, you can't take a mother bird's baby!" "I'm sorry, Brett." "You're right." "You found it, you put it back." "If I can't have it, nobody can." "Miss Ashton, Miss Brett!" "You stop it now!" "I say stop it, hear?" "Come along, you're wanted to the big house." "Mr. Orry's just about to go." "Come along now, little ladies." "It's time to say goodbye to your big brother." "You made sure you saw to Mr. Orry's trunk?" "Yes, ma'am." "Priam put it on the steamer this morning." " Thank you so much." " Welcome, ma'am." "He's as eager to get started as I am, Priam." "I'm gonna miss all of you so much." "Remember to keep warm." "You won't be used to the cold up North." "And come back to us." " I will." " Safe." "I expect you'll do well, Orry." "Now, Tillet, tell him what you told me." "Son, I know we've had our disagreements in the past." "Sometimes your behavior has been a little less restrained... than I might have wished for." "Your father's forgotten how he was at your age." "Perhaps I have." "I want you to know I'm very proud of you." "It's no small thing for a man to have a son at West Point." "Thank you, sir." "I'll do my best for you." "I know you will." "Orry!" "What in the world happened to you two ladies?" "Brett fell down, and I had to help her up." "I picked this for you." "Thank you, Brett." "That was sweet." "I found you a present, too." " Liar." " Brett wouldn't let me keep it." "Well, I'll tell you what." "This will be from you both to remind me how much I love you." "And Mont Royal." "Whoa, son." "Help!" "Praise the Lord." "Somebody heard us." "Please don't move." "A snake's gotten in the carriage." "Sweet Jesus." "Please be very still no matter what happens." "It is poisonous." "I'm sure it is, Maum Sally... or the young gentleman wouldn't be so concerned for us." " You are very brave." " Thank you very much, sir." "It was my pleasure." " Would you help Maum Sally first?" " Miss Madeline, I can wait." "Maum Sally, if we argue, we'll both catch cold." " Careful." " Thank you, sir." "Thank you very much." "We can never repay you, sir." "And I don't even know your name." "It's Orry, Orry Main." "I'm from Mont Royal, just up the river." "My name is Madeline Fabray." "I'm delighted to meet you." "My father... and I have only recently come from New Orleans to Charleston." "I'm afraid our driver isn't used to South Carolina roads yet." "The horses slipped and bolted." "It must have been terrifying." "Maum Sally and I are traveling to meet my father." "He has business at a plantation near here." "I'd be happy to escort you there." "I haven't told you where it is yet." "Perhaps it's out of your way." "I'm headed for Charleston." "Actually, much further than that." "I'm on my way to West Point." " The military academy?" " Yes." "I won't be back this way for two more years." "I'm so sorry..." " that we haven't had more time to talk..." " You know... it's customary in this part of the country... for a lady to give a gentleman a token if she wishes to thank him properly." " I see you collect them." " Ma'am?" "Tokens." "This is from a lady who stole my heart six years ago... when she was born." "My little sister, Brett." "Miss Madeline, Mr. Villefranche tell me we got trouble." " How is he, Maum Sally?" " He got a bump on the head, that's all." "But he told me we will never reach Resolute before dark now." "The LaMotte place, that's where you're going?" " Yes." "You know it?" " They're neighbors of ours." "Let me take you there." "We can send back horses and men for the carriage." " But how?" " Do you ride?" " Yes, of course, but..." " Then it's settled." "Miss Madeline, you hardly know this gentleman." "I'll be safe, Maum Sally." "Whoa, boy." "I feel I can trust him." "I don't know why, but I do." "You'll all be safe at Resolute long before dark, I promise." "You see?" "Ready?" "How much further?" "Resolute's just around the next bend." "I've dropped something." "That was very clumsy of me." "Yes, it was." "Thank you." "Maum Sally would say that wasn't ladylike." "That I should have given you this instead." "I've never met anybody like you, Miss Fabray." "I'd be honored if you'd write to me at the military academy." "I'd like that." "Well, I suppose we should be going." "Resolute is quite impressive, Justin." "You are to be congratulated." "Yes." "I certainly hope your daughter shares your opinion, Nicholas." "I confess I'm a bit worried." " They should have arrived long before this." " They probably got a late start." "We've got plenty of time before dark." "Why don't we have a julep while we're waiting?" "Very well." "Papa, there's been a most terrible accident." "What happened, Main?" " Their carriage horses slipped and bolted." " Our carriage was thrown in the river." "Monsieur Main, he risked his life to rescue us... and then he told me that he was a neighbor of Monsieur LaMotte's." "I am most grateful, Monsieur." "Please, sir, anybody would have done the same." "What about Maum Sally and Villefranche?" "They're still with the carriage, Papa, but they're fine." "I told them you'd send fresh horses." "I'll do better than that." "Nathaniel!" "Come over here, boy." "I want you to organize a rescue party." "I'd like to stay and help, but I'm afraid I have a steamer to catch." "What a shame, but once again, Monsieur, my thanks." "And mine." "Now remember, you promised to write." "I will." " Madeline, you must be exhausted." " I am, Papa." "I have not properly introduced you to Monsieur LaMotte as yet." "Station's over there." "It's as far as I go." "Well, ladies, goodbye." "And I'll see you in two years." "I'm sorry." "You'll be needing help getting that to the station." " No, thank you." "I can manage." " Will you listen to that?" "Where you are from, country boy?" "I'm from South Carolina." "And going to West Point, or I don't know one when I see one." "Yes, that's where I'm headed, so... if you could get your foot off my trunk." "I got a train to catch." "Thank you." "Now listen here, soldier boy... me and my friends will get that on the train, or you'll go on without it." " How much to load it?" " $2." "It's worth maybe 25 cents!" "Who do you think you're talking to?" "We ain't no part of your slave labor." "No, sir." "No, you're not." "So if you'll just stand aside, I'll handle it myself." "We'll load it or you'll load it... the price is the same, $2." "Don't put your hands on me again, sir." "Or you'll what?" "Thanks." "Orry Main." "George Hazard." " Glad to know you." " Not as glad as I am to know you." "Pennsylvania." "Lehigh Station." "South Carolina." "I'm on my way to West Point." "So am I." "I had no idea this trip would be so eventful." "You're probably the first real Southerner I've ever met." "You're my first damn Yankee." "I used to think that all Yankees ever did... was peddle jackknives, tin ware, and try to beat their neighbors in court." "Well, we've got some like that." "And I guess there're probably some Southerners... who eat pork and collards, sleep all day and beat their slaves all night." "Some of us do think slavery's outdated, you know... we favor more modern methods in spite of what some folks believe." "I know that." "My family owns an ironworks." "We've got labor problems, too." " Hazard Iron?" "That's your family?" " Yes." "I hope you don't consider that peddling jackknives." " No, not at all." "You make farm machinery." " Yeah." "I believe that mechanization is the key to the South's future." "Sounds like you want to be a farmer, not a soldier." " I do." " Then why're you going to the Point?" "I want to learn something, George." "The military academy... is the best all-round education a man can get in this country." "I want to improve Mont Royal." "Maybe even build a cotton mill." "I've wanted to be a soldier all my life." "Thank God I've got an older brother... who can take care of the ironworks, or I couldn't do this." " I think you'll be a good one." " I hope so." "We'll have to be pretty tough to make it through West Point, though." "No leave for two years..." "They say the hazing is hell." "I've never been too great at book learning." "I just wonder if I'll make it through." "You'll make it through." " I'll bet money on it." " You will?" "What are you doing?" "That's a $10 note!" "That's right." "When you graduate from West Point... you give that half back to me, plus another $10." "What if I don't graduate?" "Then I'll give you mine, but that's not gonna happen." "This is one bet I'm going to win." " I trust the wine is to your taste, Nicholas." " A fine vintage, Justin." "From France, of course, and quite costly." "I have it shipped up by an importer on the Gulf." "If there is a war with Mexico... it's going to play havoc with my wine cellar." "You expect President Tyler to fight over Texas?" "He must, sir." "It's a point of honor." "Mexico repudiating its treaty, guaranteeing Texas its independence?" "Some say Mexico intends to sell Texas to Britain." "Aren't those fears being exaggerated... by those who want Texas to enter the Union as a slave state?" "Where did you hear that, my dear?" "I encourage my daughter to read and question, sir." "She has an excellent mind." "A mind hardly seems necessary, Nicholas... when one has the face of an angel." "Left, right, left!" " Attention!" " Fire!" "Fire!" "Once again, gentlemen." "Charge." "Move!" "Go, gentlemen, strike the melons!" "Ready." "Fire!" "Charge cartridge!" "Draw sabers!" "Ram!" "This company can load and fire three times a minute!" "It's like I always knew it would be." "Only better." "Think we'll ever be able to learn all this?" "Are you joking?" "We'll be experts in no time." "Well, so far, we haven't even been able to find our barracks." "He looks helpful." "Excuse me, sir." " My friends and I are plebes..." " No, sir, you are not!" " Sir?" " You are things, sir." "To become plebes, you must first survive the entrance examination." "Until then, you are lower than plebes." "You are the lowest of the low." "You are things, sir." "Remember that." "I'm beginning to wish I'd never seen this trunk." " Here, these belong to you two." " Thank you." " I'm Ned Fisk." " George Hazard." "Orry Main." "Thank you." "I come from Ohio." "Lehigh Station, Pennsylvania." "I know, you've never heard of it." "I'm from a place called Mont Royal, South Carolina." "It's near Charleston." "You're a planter, are you?" " My father is." "We grow cotton." " With slave labor." "You can sleep someplace else." "I may have to be here with your kind, but I don't have to like it." " And just what's my kind, friend?" " Slave owners!" "My pa's got a small tobacco farm." "He can't get decent prices because of Southern competition." "I had to wait two years to get here... because there was no money for the trip." "That's unfortunate, but it is hardly my fault." "The hell it isn't." "It's yours and every slave owner's in this country." "Well, there's nothing anybody can do about it here." "So we'll just have to live and let live, all right?" "Your visit has been distressingly brief, Miss Fabray." "Or may I call you Madeline?" "Yes, it has been a short visit." "And I'm not sure that we know each other well enough for first names yet." "Perhaps we should get to know each other better." " Good morning." " Good morning." " You two seem to be enjoying yourselves." " It was a wonderful ride." "It's a pity we have to leave this afternoon." "You see, my dear?" "It's the opinion of the majority." "And the majority rules." "A well brought up young lady is ruled by her father." "Isn't that right, Nicholas?" "Alas, I am ruled by my business appointments in Charleston... but, Justin, your hospitality has been beyond compare." "We are most grateful." "I promised Maum Sally I would supervise Villefranche." "She is afraid... his injury has made him forget how to load a carriage." "Shall I help, Papa?" "No." "Enjoy your breakfast." "I shan't be too long." "Your father is very indulgent with his slaves." "Maum Sally is our freed servant." "And my father is kind to everyone, no matter who they are." "Of course." "Miss, I apologize!" "I'm most terrible sorry." "Don't distress yourself, Nancy." "I have to change anyway." " Lf you'll excuse me." " Of course." "If that ever happens again, it'll be the whip." "My name is Bent." "Cadet Bent." "I, sirs... am your drillmaster." "Elkanah Bent, sirs, of the great and sovereign state of Georgia." "And you, sir, are from Ohio." "Yes, sir." " I can't hear you, sir." " Yes, sir!" "To most of us from the Southern states, the word Ohio means one thing..." "Oberlin College... where white and black students defy convention... by studying together as equals." "You consider yourself the equal of a nigger, sir?" "No, sir!" "I mean, yes, sir." "What is your comment on that, sir?" "Or do you have one?" "No, I don't." "You will reply, "No, I don't, sir!"" "No, I don't, sir!" "Thank you, sir." "I know how difficult that must have been, sir... because you gentlemen from South Carolina consider yourselves... superior to the gentlemen from Georgia, do you not, sir?" " No, we don't, sir!" " Good, sir!" "I'm pleased you agree with me." "Surprised, but pleased, nonetheless." "And you, sir." "How do you feel about the South as compared with... your section of the country, sir?" "The East, I believe?" " Which do you think superior, sir?" " Why, the East, sir!" " What did you say?" " I said, the East, sir!" "Nothing but dirt farmers down South!" "Present company excepted, sir!" "As always." "Mr. Hazard... the potmaker from Pennsylvania." "You will step forward, sir!" "I shall use you to demonstrate a fundamental principle of marching, sir." "And Mr. Main... our hothouse lily from South Carolina." "You seem amused." "You step forward, too, sir!" "Now, sirs... you'll raise these buckets to your sides and keep them at a 90-degree angle... to your bodies at all times." "Now, sirs!" "The principle of which I spoke is commonly called the goose step, sirs." "On command, you will stand on one leg thus, your right leg, sirs!" "On the command, "Front," you will fling the raised leg forward, thus, sirs!" "Now, sirs, begin!" "Stand!" "And front!" "Down!" "Front!" "Down!" "Continue, sirs!" "Not one drop of water is to be spilled, sirs!" "Keep your arm up, sir!" "Arms up, Main!" "Arms up, sirs!" "Up, sirs!" "Get your legs down, sirs!" "Keep your arms up, sirs!" "Up, Main!" "Up, sirs!" "And up, sirs!" "Yes, sirs!" "Up, sirs!" "And continue, sirs!" "Let's see 90 degrees, sirs!" "Up, sir!" "No slacking off, sir!" "Halt, sir!" "Stay where you are, sir!" "Up on your feet, Mr. Main." "You have not yet mastered the principle." "Cadet Bent." "These two men have been drilled sufficiently." "You will return them to rank, sir, and dismiss the squad." "Yes, sir!" "Fall in, sirs!" "Squad dismissed!" "Good for you, boys." "You stood up to him." "Called his bluff." "Call that a bluff?" "By the way, Hazard, we haven't really met." "My name is George." "So is mine." "That makes three." "I'm George McClellan." "And I'm George Pickett, from Virginia." "So am I. From Virginia, that is." "Tom Jackson." " Are you all right, Mr. Main?" " Fine, Tom." "The name's Orry." "That Cadet Bent is a little tetched, I think." "Thank God for that upperclassman, whoever he was." "His name is Ulysses, but they call him Sam." "Sam Grant." "The mail, sir." "One for you and one for Miss Madeline." "Thank you, Maum Sally." "I have something for you, child." "Why didn't you tell me there was a letter for me this morning?" "Because I only just arrived." "Now, who or what could be so important?" "He says he's always thinking of me, and that he can't wait to see me again." ""Even though the training at the academy is sometimes..." ""merciless..." ""the thought that..."" "The thought that I'll be here when he gets home helps him through it." "He says a whole lot for such a short acquaintance." "What else he got to say?" "You're mighty taken with that Mr. Main, aren't you?" "Madeline, dear, may I speak with you?" "Yes, Papa." "Justin LaMotte has written to say... he will be here in Charleston on business the first of the month." "He asks permission to call on us." "Well, that's fine." "I'll have something special prepared for dinner that night." "I hope you will be as pleased to see Justin as I will." "Of course, Papa." "He's your friend." "Mr. Fisk, sir." "You hold your saber like a hose, sir." "You parry as though you were scaring crows, Mr. Fisk." "You are nothing more than a miserable, clumsy little farmer." "But I'm supposed to make a soldier out of you." "En garde." "Set yourself down." "Bend your elbow." "Straighten your knee." "I said, bend your elbow, sir!" "Your head, Mr. Fisk!" "Parry!" "Seconde!" "Point!" "Parry seconde!" "Seconde!" "Point!" "Parry seconde!" "You're a joke, Mr. Fisk." "On the battlefield, you'd be cut to ribbons." "And rightly so." "You, sir... are the sorriest excuse for a soldier I have ever seen." "All right, sirs." "Who shall we have next?" "Let's have you, Mr. Main." "At your service, sir." "My pleasure." "Drummer, sound mess call." "Squad dismissed!" "Where did you learn how to handle a sword like that?" "My father thought it was something... every Southern gentleman should know, so he gave me lessons." "You sure gave Bent a lesson." "Look, child." "These were the cuttings Mr. LaMotte sent from Resolute last fall." "They're very pretty." "You look so sad." "Still thinking about Orry Main?" "I can't seem to do anything else, Maum Sally." "His letters were so wonderful." "I think they were part of the reason that I fell in love with him." "But he doesn't write anymore." "You got to forget about him." "Young men always making promises they never going to keep." "That's what Papa says." ""Soldiers have wandering hearts."" "He tells me I should forget him, but I can't, Maum Sally." "I can't, no matter what I do." "Madeline, it seems our guest has arrived early." "He says he could not deny himself the pleasure of our company any longer." "Monsieur LaMotte, how nice to see you again." "You're more lovely than ever, Miss Fabray." "But I do wish you would call me Justin." "I think it is proper, my dear, after all this time." "As you wish." "Justin." "Splendid." "I will tell Uncle John to have an extra place set for dinner, sir." "Thank you, Maum Sally." "Justin, I've been saving a very interesting brandy for you." "If you'll excuse me, I will have it brought up from the wine cellar." "You're too kind, Nicholas." "I know it isn't proper, but I took the liberty of bringing you this." "I hope you'll accept it." "That was very thoughtful of you..." "Justin." "I really shouldn't accept it, but I love surprises." "It's beautiful." "Thank you." "Not half so beautiful as you." "I'll never make it, George." "Mahan is gonna eat me alive in that class." "I wasn't cut out for West Point." "Don't say that." "You ride a horse better than any man here." "You're a good marksman." "Lord knows, you're handy with a saber." "That won't do any good if I can't remember what's in these books." "I'll get you through it." "We'll drill it till you know it backwards." "It doesn't seem any use right now." "I don't even want to be a soldier." "But you want to improve Mont Royal, don't you?" "Maybe I should find another way." "I think there's something else that's bothering you." "And I don't think it has anything to do with military history." "How long has it been since you've heard from Madeline?" " Fisk." " Ned." "I thought you'd gotten used to us, Fisk." "I haven't heard you talk about moving to another barracks..." "I'm not moving to another barracks." "I have to resign from the academy." "My pa took a fall from a hayloft." "Laid him up real bad." "They need me to run the farm because there's nobody else." "I'm sorry, Fisk." "That's tough luck." "If there's anything we can do..." "You could help, Mr. Planter's son, but you won't." "You're gonna keep on working your slaves and undercutting prices... so that folks like us will always live hand-to-mouth." "You can save your sympathy." "Put it in the bank with all your money." "Come on, what do you say to a trip to Benny Havens?" " This hour?" " You need a bracer, don't you?" "We already have more demerits than any other two men in our class." "Over 150 each." "And whose fault is that?" "All right, so those demerits came from Bent." "Just the same, over 200 skins in one year, and we're out." " And if we're caught at Benny's..." " We won't get caught." "Who would be crazy enough to go out on a night as cold as this?" "Come on." "Careful." "That ice is soft." "George, you're right." "Who would be crazy enough to go out on a night like this?" "Here we are." "Now, you just face the wall there." "You come around here." "Now, remember what I said." "Don't face one another and that will take care of your boys' honor code." "So if an officer was to ask you if you'd seen one another drinking... you could swear on oath that you hadn't seen nothing." "Thank you, Benny." "To your health." "George, listen." "I've been thinking." "We could make things right for Fisk." "How's that?" "We both get allowances." "We could give him the money to hire somebody to run his farm." "Then he could stay at the Point." "Fisk is too proud." "He wouldn't accept charity like that." "Yes, he will." "If we make it a loan." "We'll just give him a long time to pay it back." "Might leave us a little short of cash, though... but it would sure be worth it." "You're right." "It would." "Let's do it." "Now don't you feel better?" "Yes." "A little." "I just keep thinking..." "No." "About Madeline?" "I just don't understand why she doesn't answer my letters." "There could be a hundred reasons." "You hardly know her." "I know her well enough to believe that she..." "What is it?" "Nobody." "Just a civilian from the village." "Don't you do that to me." "You took 10 years off my life." "You boys best get moving." "Just seen the Corporal go round to the back door." "Damn." "Go." "Stop, you there!" "The path's up ahead." "George." "Help!" "He's fallen through." "Good, that ought to slow him down." "George, we can't leave him here." "He might drown." "I was afraid you'd say that." "Help me." "Careful, George." "It's cracked." "Lie down." "Hold on, Bent." "We'll get you." "Take my hand." "Come on." "Bent, you can't stay here." "Bent, you gotta get back to your barracks." "You'll get pneumonia." "I know." "I can make it without any help... from either of you two." "That gracious "thank you" made it all worthwhile." "At least he can't put us on report." "We saved his life." "Don't let that get around the barracks, or we're in trouble." "You sound awful, Orry." "You really should report to the medical officer." "I'm fine, George." "Hazard, Main." "You have both been placed on report, sirs." "Bent." "He really did report us." "After saving his life." "Can you beat that?" "Come in." "What do you want, Main?" "Request permission to report to the infirmary, sir." "Why?" "You look healthy enough to me." "I think I'm very ill, sir." "I think you're a malingerer, Main." "I think you just want to avoid your assigned duties." "Cpl. Bent, I swear..." "Permission to report to the infirmary denied." "Now I'll show you what happens to shirkers, Mr. Main." "As of right now, you start 10 hours of extra guard duty." "You are dismissed, sir." " Cadet Grant, isn't it?" " It is." "What are you doing out here in this weather?" "Working off demerits, sir." "You're a sick man." "You should be in the hospital." "No, sir." "Thank you, sir." "I'm all right." "Shall I ask a tactical officer to have you relieved?" "No, sir." "I have to work off these demerits, sir." "You'll make a good soldier, Mr. Main... if Cpl. Bent doesn't kill you first." "If Grant hadn't had that tactical officer send someone to relieve you... you might have frozen to death." "We should have let Bent freeze." "You're the one who insisted we go back." "Anyhow, it's better that it turned out this way." "Grant and his friends are keeping their eyes on Bent." "That will make him ease up on us." "Don't you think that somehow in Bent's twisted mind... he'll see that as our fault and come down even harder?" "No." "He's too much of a coward to go up against Grant." "He'd rather bully underclassmen." "I never met anybody like him before." "I believe the word is "bent."" "There's another reason why I'm glad you didn't freeze." "What's that?" "I wanted to thank you for loaning me the money to stay here." "I guess I might have been wrong about Southerners." "Maybe some of them." "But remember, Bent's from Georgia." "Yes." "George." " Would you mail that for me?" " Sure." "Still wooing Madeline?" " Lf she doesn't write me soon..." " I'm sure she will." "But even if she doesn't, I've still got a sister who's not married." "We've got to go." "Goodbye." "Hello, Mr. McCullough." "Our foundry's down here, and there's the new library building." "Mom!" "Dad!" "They're here!" "This is your house?" "Hi, George." "George, hello." "Come on." "At last." " Hello, Mother." " Welcome home, son." "Doesn't he look grand?" "I thought we'd never get here." "Those were the longest two years of my life." " It's good to have you here, George." " Thank you, sir." "I want you to meet my parents." "This is Maude and William Hazard." "How do you do?" " It's a pleasure." "Welcome to Belvedere." " Thank you." "George has written us so much about you." "It's kind of you to have me here." "And these are my brothers, Stanley... and this is Billy." " Are those real sabers?" " Here, take a look." "Don't touch that, Billy." "It's dangerous." "My brother obviously forgot to introduce me, Mr. Main." "Of course not." "I'm Virgilia Hazard." "Pleased to meet you, Miss Hazard." "I've heard so much about you." "George tells us you're a Southerner." "Yes." "From South Carolina." "Do you keep slaves?" "My family does, yes." "Are you evil, Mr. Main?" "Oh, no." "Not again." "Virgilia." "Great men like Mr. Garrison keep trying to show Southerners... the evil they're doing." "And it's our duty to take..." "Virgilia." "I thought I asked you to stop reading that abolitionist nonsense." "It's not nonsense, Father." "It's God's truth." "I'm afraid her causes are Virgilia's way of making up for not being born a man." "Don't you patronize me, Stanley Hazard." "That will be enough, Virgilia." " Now, I think we should all go indoors." " Yes, by all means." "I hear congratulations are in order for you." "Mother wrote that you were engaged... but she didn't tell me who the lucky girl was." "My fiancée is Miss Isabel Truscott... from one of the best families in Pennsylvania." "I've no doubt." "George wrote that you might be interested in seeing the foundry." "Yes, sir." "I want to know all there is to know about Hazard Iron." "It's the busiest operation of its kind in the country." "Our boilerplates wind up on everything from ships to fire engines." "Anything that uses a steam generator." " Like a cotton mill?" " Like 10 or 12 of them." "I take it you found that impressive." "More than that, sir." "Your foundry is a revelation." "I'm sure it's a good idea to build a cotton mill in South Carolina." "I just hope I can make my father see that." "Surely he must be aware that the economy of the South... would be much stronger if more cotton were processed there." "Yes, sir." "But he has a very strong bias against any form of industry." "My God." "That's a shame." "Father, I think this requires your attention." "Would you excuse me for just a moment, please?" "Yes, sir." " Who lives there?" " Our workers." "Immigrants mostly." "Irish, German, Welsh." "A lot more than when I left." "I know." "They're not much better than your slave quarters, are they?" "They're worse." "At least our workers have a choice." "We don't own them." "We don't force them to work here." "They can leave whenever they want." "An empty belly is a pretty good reason to stay." "Are you saying that you don't like the way that we run the foundry?" "I don't have to like everything about... what you do any more than you have to like everything we do." "I guess you're right." "I guess there's probably room for improvement on both sides." "I know there is." "That's why I wanted to visit and learn from you Yankees." "You're really serious about this cotton mill, aren't you?" "After the army, I'm dead serious if I can talk my father into it." "If Hazard Iron supplies the parts, you won't get a better deal." "I'm planning on using that argument on my father." "They sure don't feed us like this at West Point." "I'm glad you were the one who was there." "Soup, Mr. Stanley." " Late again, Billy." " Sorry, sir." "Now, don't forget to put your napkin on your lap, Billy." "Salt and pepper, Mr. Main?" " Thank you, Miss Truscott." " You're welcome, Mr. Main." "I'm sorry you have to leave so soon." "Yes, there's a friend I have to see in Charleston before I head home." "A friend, Mr. Main?" "I think it must be a lady." "And how do your instructors feel about your president?" "Well, sir, they like him." "Even when they don't agree..." "But I've enjoyed my stay here very much." "Have you read something on Mr. Polk's views?" "I think that Polk will annex Texas if he's elected president." "After all, he's a committed expansionist." "But it's wrong." "Texas belongs to Mexico." "And if he does, there will be war." "I just hope that Orry and I don't graduate too late to fight it." "They say we'll see action with Gen. Zachary Taylor." "Wouldn't that be something?" "Mr. Polk believes in Manifest Destiny, all right." "If this country is to stretch... from the Atlantic to the Pacific, there will be plenty of action." "We know that." "Unless God strikes him dead first, which he deserves." "Can't any of you see?" "Expansionism is just another name... for perpetuating the foul institution of slavery." "Virgilia, be quiet." "No, Mother." "Not this time." "I can't just sit by and listen to my own brother and a slave owner... tell us how eager they are to fight... when everyone knows that this a devil's war." "George, to annex Texas as a slave state..." "I see you're still reading your abolitionists, Virgilia." "I'm doing more than reading, George." "I've joined their cause, and my allowance goes to support it." "Virgilia." "I have a right, Father." "I'm a grown woman, and I must decide for myself now." "And I will fight the ungodly evil that lives in the South." "Miss Hazard..." "Perhaps if you knew more about our Southern way of life... you wouldn't be so quick to condemn." "Mr. Main, I know all I need to know." "And I will not sit down at a table with a man who chooses to keep... his fellow human beings in bondage." "Orry, I'm afraid I have to apologize for my sister." "She sometimes lets her emotions run away with her." "Why don't you tell us some more about your plans for the cotton mill, Orry." "Yes, sir." "Strawberries." "Blueberries." "Berries, fresh berries, sweet berries, out on your front street." "Fresh berries." "Ain't nobody home, sir." "This is the Fabray house?" "Yes, sir, but they is all gone now." "Gone where?" "Me can't rightly say, sir." "But that house there been closed up for nearly a week now." "Thank you." "Yes, sir." "Strawberries!" "Blueberries!" "Berries, fresh..." "Orry, you're home!" "Hello, sir." "I'll take care of him." " Are you feeling all right, sir?" " I'm just tired, son." "And worried about the cotton crop." "We didn't get enough rain after the spring planting." "Irrigating by hand is keeping the slaves away from other work." "The crop is still liable to be small." "We could still make a profit in spite of that... if we milled our own cotton." "Son, we've argued this point before." "Father, you should have been with me at Hazard Iron." "I saw a hundred ways to improve Mont Royal." "You seem very anxious to change your home." "We can't ignore progress, sir." "We'll be left behind." "That's what the Hazards said and..." "I'm very sure your friends know a great deal about running their foundry... but a cotton plantation is different." "Every year, the South counts for less on a national level... because we cling to manual labor." "That's enough, son." "I said I don't wish to discuss it." "Daddy, if you..." "You just got home." "Go join your mother in the parlor." "I'll be along directly." " He does, too!" " Does not!" " He does!" " Not!" "All right." "Who does or doesn't do what?" "Brett says Priam doesn't deserve to get whipped." "And I say he does." "We don't punish our slaves that way." "We have ever since Salem Jones got here." "The new overseer Father wrote me about?" "Yes." "And Priam doesn't do anything bad." "But Salem Jones whips him anyhow." "Because Priam's uppity like his sister." "What has Semiramis got to do with this?" "Ever since Salem Jones has been sleeping with Semiramis..." "Priam's been acting strange, and getting whipped a lot." "You two go upstairs, and be nice." "Who the hell are you?" "I'm Orry Main, Mr. Jones." "Mr. Main, sir..." "I was coming up to meet you just as soon as I finished with this." "This is why I'm here." "What has Priam done?" "Why are you beating him?" "No crime, exactly." "It's his attitude, sir." "Priam don't show the proper respect." "A good overseer knows how to get a man's respect without beating him." "And we don't whip slaves at Mont Royal." "So you let Priam go." "Your father told me to handle these slaves any way I see fit." "I don't see fit to let you whip them." "Especially because it appears you enjoy it." "Now you do what I tell you and you let him go." "Now!" "Cuffey, Caesar!" "Get him down!" "You've been away two years, you'll be two more at the academy... then another four in the army." "You're not running Mont Royal yet, and you'll not interfere with those who do." "Salem Jones gets more work out of the Negroes than anyone ever has." "That doesn't make him right." "Cruelty, like what I saw yesterday, makes both of you wrong." "Does it?" "Well, Salem Jones knows a thing or two." "What about that slave, Nat Turner, murdered 55 white people in cold blood?" "That was over 10 years ago in Virginia." "You think it couldn't happen here?" "With those abolitionists stirring up slaves against us." "Tillet, Orry, please." "We've got such a short time together while Orry's home on leave." "Let's not spoil it." "I'm sorry, Mother." "We're invited to a wedding this afternoon." "It wouldn't do for us to be fussing." "Whose wedding?" "Justin LaMotte." "I wrote you about it." "No, sir, you didn't." "Who is he marrying?" "Orry, she's the most beautiful girl you ever saw." "A Creole from New Orleans." "Her name is Madeline Fabray." "Do you, Justin, take Madeline for your lawful wedded wife... promising to love, honor, and cherish her... forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?" "I do." "And do you, Madeline, take Justin for your lawful wedded husband... promising to love, honor, and obey him... forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?" "I do." "In the sight of God and this company, I pronounce you man and wife." "We should pay our respects, son." "My very best wishes, Mrs. LaMotte." "You are very kind, sir." "How nice of you to come." "Monsieur Main, I am so glad your family could come today." "It gives me the chance to thank you again for your courtesy toward my daughter." "Was she planning to marry Justin even then?" "No, she was not." "I had it in mind from the day I met him." "I knew he would be a perfect match for Madeline." "An older husband." "Wiser, more settled." "I see." "Tell me, how is life treating you in the military?" "As well as could be expected, sir." "Thank you." "Good day." "Cuffey, saddle my horse for me." "Yes, sir." "Orry, please don't go." "I have to ask you something." "What could possibly matter now?" "Why did you stop answering my letters?" "What?" " I didn't." "You stopped answering mine." " I didn't." "Papa." "It was Papa." "He destroyed your letters." "What?" "He wanted me to marry Justin." "But until now, I never knew how much." "Now it's too late." "Every day that I was away from you..." "I kept thinking about the day I would make you my bride." "Better have this back now." "Don't you think I dreamed of you, too?" "I better leave." "Leaving, Main?" "See you again when you finish military school." "Come, my dear." "Our other guests are waiting." "Justin." "I didn't expect you so soon." "You've been up here half an hour, my dear." "I thought you'd be ready for me by now." "You're so beautiful." "So beautiful." "What's the matter with you?" "Nothing." "You're always so distant." "But not tonight." "I'll show you what it means to be my wife." "No!" "Shoulder arms!" "One!" "Two!" "Ready!" "One!" "Two!" "Three!" "Aim!" "Fire!" "Recover arms!" "Shoulder arms!" "One!" "Two!" "Order arms!" "One!" "Two!" "Good, except for you, Mr. Main." "That was a very poor performance." "Not your usual level at all." "I have to put you down for a month's extra musket practice." "That is all, gentlemen." "Dismissed!" "I asked you a question, Mr. Main." "Why did Napoleon charge the center of Wellington's line at Waterloo?" "It was contrary to every rule of warfare." "It lost him the battle." "Yet a great general like Napoleon did that, Mr. Main." "Why?" "I don't know, sir." "Because, sir, he had tried both flanks and was repulsed." "Napoleon had no choice but to charge the center." "Common sense, gentlemen." "A resource of all great commanders." "No, Mr. Main, I am not finished with you yet." "You are now in Wellington's army... commanding a regiment of eight companies, in double rank... at that same center of the line." "You see 10,000 French cavalry massing in front of you... ready for an attack." "What do you do?" " Four-mile square, sir." " Issue the proper command." "Form square!" "Double column at half distance!" "Battalion inwards, face, march!" "Good, Mr. Main." "Now what?" "Right wheel!" "Congratulations, Mr. Main." "You have just changed history." "With that move, you opened Wellington's flanks... to Napoleon's cavalry and lost the battle of Waterloo." "What is the correct command, Mr. Hazard?" "Right and left into line!" "Wheel, march!" "Fourth division, forward!" "Forward guard, left." "Very good, Mr. Hazard." "You may sit down." "You've been sleepwalking ever since you got back from Mont Royal." "I know who you're thinking about." "But it's impossible, she's out of your reach now." "I can't forget about Madeline just like that." "You don't have to forget her." "You just have to stop thinking about her for a while." "How do you suggest I do that?" "By a visit to a dear old friend of mine." "A lady by the name of Alice Peet." "George told me you do the laundry for some of the officers and cadets." "I do lots of things for a lot of the boys." "Come on in." "That sweet George Hazard is a particular friend of mine... on a strictly cash basis." "I do hope he told you." "He told me..." "Lord, you mean..." "You're a..." "That's right, darling." "Don't you think we ought to be getting down to business?" "Let's just take things one step at a time." "Why you are not eating, Miss Madeline?" "What good is it, keeping that?" "Remembering." "I don't know." "But I can't help it." "Sometimes..." "Orry's face is... so clear to me." "Get." "Nathaniel!" "Get your black carcass over here." "This horse is lame." "What kind of man is he, anyway?" "Perhaps that's why I remember Orry." "To help me forget my life here at Resolute." "Orry, I don't understand." "You didn't like Alice Peet?" "Yes, I liked her very much." " But I want more than that." " So do I, eventually." "But Alice can make a man's time here very pleasant." "She's sweet." "Madeline's a hundred times more desirable to me because I love her." "Until you've been in love, you don't know what it's like." "Nothing else matters." "Then you, sir, are a romantic fool." "Squad, dismiss!" "No, not you, Mr. Fisk." "I have decided that you need a drill, sir." "A very special drill, sir." "Now you dismount." "Fisk again." "Ever since the upperclassmen made him ease up on us..." " Bent has been all over that poor boy." " He's got to take it out on somebody." "So much the better if he happens to be a friend of ours." " What do you think he's up to?" " I don't know." "If we are late for class the demerits will finish us." " Fisk is not a very good rider." " But at least he's on that gray." "She's the gentlest horse here." "Come on, we've got to go." "Follow me, sir." "You will stop, sir." "All right, Mr. Fisk." "Mount up, sir." "No, Mr. Fisk." "You're going to ride this course on a real mount:" "Satan." "Mount up, Fisk." "What's the matter, sir?" "You have trouble following orders... like your friends, Mr. Main and Mr. Hazard?" "I said mount up, sir." "Get up there, Fisk." "Faster!" "Satan, faster!" "Faster, Satan!" "Go on!" "Good boy, Satan." "We know it was Bent who did this to you." "Why keep saying it was an accident?" "I was thrown." "That's the truth." "For God's sake, Fisk!" "Why do you keep covering up for him?" "Fisk, I know this is hard for you to hear." "But the doctor told us that knee may never be any good." "Cpl. Bent may have kept you out of the Army..." "Hush, George." "He's scared enough." "That's it, isn't it?" "You're afraid Bent may do something even worse if you press charges." "That's a very real danger, gentlemen." "Given Bent's mind." "I'm afraid it ties our hands, as well." " Well, what lit your fire, son?" " Justice." "One of the tactical officers guessed what happened." "He's bringing Bent up in front of a general court-martial... for disciplinary excesses." " Good for him." " Who's the officer?" "DeJong, Lt. Casimir DeJong." "Cpl. Bent, I will ask you again." "What do you know about Cadet Fisk's injuries?" "Lt. DeJong, sir, I heard he was thrown from his horse." "That's all I know." "Cpl. Bent, you were seen leaving the parade ground with Fisk." "You are bound by your honor as cadet." "So think about your answer." "How did Cadet Fisk sustain his injuries?" "I do not know, sir." "They believed Bent?" "I don't think DeJong did." "But a cadet's honor is above question." "All charges were dropped." " Blast the man." " You know Bent." "The court-martial is a blot on his record." "He'll take that out on Fisk." "It's time we did something about Bent before he kills somebody." "What can we do?" "I just remembered something." "Lt. DeJong thinks Alice Peet does laundry for him and nobody else." "Now, what if we were to use that information... to give Bent a little taste of his own medicine?" "What if he leaves too soon?" " He won't." " Alice will keep him in there." "With the whole class contributing, we gave double of what she usually gets." "This will be a day that Cpl. Bent will never forget." "You certainly have a way with women." "Oh, my Lord, I got so carried away, I forgot." "An officer comes to pick up his laundry every Thursday at this time." "In the name of decency, sir, cover yourself!" "Oh, sir, I'm so sorry." " Shut your mouth, slut." " That's enough, Bent." "Try and conduct yourself as a gentleman, while you still can." " Still can?" "Sir..." " You are on report, sir... for more offenses than I can enumerate." "But be sure I will enumerate them... and they will lead to your dismissal." "Sir, if you would just let me explain..." "The way you explained Fisk's injuries with lies?" "You be in the commandant's office in 10 minutes, mister... or we'll hunt you down." "You whore!" "You stupid whore!" "You get out!" "George told me you were crazy." "Just get out!" "George Hazard." "He and Mr. Main planned this, didn't they?" "To get rid of me." " Didn't they?" " Get out now or I'll get rid of you myself." "I wanted to be the one to tell you." "Be here." "See your faces when you heard the good news." "I have been dismissed from this academy." "That's right." "Go ahead, you all can laugh about it later." "No more Bent to give us trouble." "You two... have conspired to rob me of a military career." "A career I think I'm suited for better than any man on this post." "Let me tell you this." "I have friends in high places." "And I, too, will one day be highly placed... very highly placed." "You can count on that." "And you be on your guard... because I won't forget you two." "I won't forget you two ever!" "That man is crazy." "That's why we'd better believe him." "And be on our guard." "But for how long?" "The rest of our lives?" "Cadet Orry Main." "Cadet Orry Main, you are recommended for the infantry." "I still can't believe I made it through." "I wouldn't have if it wasn't for you." "Hogwash." "No, it's true." "I graduated second from the bottom." "You pulled me up there every inch of the way." "I sure didn't want to lose my bet." "Bet?" "I almost forgot." "I've never been so happy to lose a bet in my whole life." "Thank you." " I want to thank you, George." " Don't mention it." "I mean that." " George, Orry." " Fisk, congratulations." "Well, how does it feel, soldiers?" "Felt like somebody took 50 pounds of battle gear off my back." "You rank near the top." "Congratulations." "That means the engineer corps." "No, I decided against the engineers." "Why didn't you tell me you picked the artillery?" "Good for you." "Unlike us poor sloggers who had no choice but the infantry." "As a matter of fact, I chose the infantry myself." "You didn't think I'd let you go to Mexico without me, did you?" "All right, y'all, come on, gather around." "Come on." "To our guests of honor..." "Lt. George Hazard, and our son, Lt. Orry Main." "We salute their graduation from the military academy... and we honor them as they go to fight for their country in the war with Mexico!" "We pray God keep both of them safe in battle." "To George and Orry!" " Hear, hear!" " George, say something." "Come on." "Thank you very much." "You have been so kind." "Well, I guess the best thing I ever did at West Point... was to make a good friend from South Carolina." "Lt. Hazard, you handsome old thing." "Will you give me a plate of barbecue?" "You've already had three, Ashton." " It's not my fault I forgot." " A lady never forgets." "And what would you know about that, Miss Emily Rosesmith?" "Mother says a real lady never eats anything in public." "I declare, you take my senses away in that uniform." "No wonder I forgot." "You'd be mighty tempting if you were about five years older." "Well, I will be in about two more years." "Ashton, Brett, you come here and take your nap." "Oh, fee!" "Come on." "Let's go." "My little sister." "That's Madeline, isn't it?" "Come on." "I want you to meet her." "Mr. and Mrs. LaMotte..." "I would like you to meet my friend, George Hazard." " It's a very great pleasure, ma'am." " And for me, Lieutenant." "I understand you are a Yankee." "From Pennsylvania?" "Yes, I am." "The Keystone State, and a lovely one at that." "Let me stand you to a cigar and a mint julep and tell you about it." "You'll excuse me, my dear." "Main." "Yes, sir." "He's a very good friend, isn't he?" "He's the best I'll ever have." "It's nearly killed me being away from you." "Please, we mustn't say things like that to each other." " Why not?" "We feel them." " There's nothing we can do." "You don't love him." "You are not his." "I can never be yours." "I have to go now, Orry." "It is good to see you again." "Wilmot's from Pennsylvania." "You ought to be ashamed of him." "Because he favored negotiating with Mexico?" "That wasn't necessarily cowardice, sir." "Congressman Wilmot has attached a proviso to a bill... outlawing slavery in newly acquired territories." "Which got that bill defeated in the Senate... by your own John C. Calhoun." "Nonetheless, sir, it was an insult to the entire South." "There's only one way to redeem our honor." " Are you speaking of secession, Justin?" " I am." " We should get right on with it." " Now, that's going too far." "We've struggled too hard to establish this country." "I'd hate to see it torn apart." "You know very well the South would be better off as a separate nation." "How can you say that, Justin?" "I am a Southerner, born and bred." "I've heard men speak of secession... since I was a child." "And I think it would be a tragic mistake." "Is that a fact, ma'am?" "What if we were a separate nation... and the rice and cotton markets went soft?" "It's happened before." " That isn't the point." " It's a matter of honor!" "We need the North." "We have no factories... no resources of our own." "We can't survive on speeches." "My dear, you forget yourself." "Nobody here in this company cares what you have to say." "They're married, Orry." "He's an arrogant ass, but there's nothing you can do about it." " I'd like to horsewhip him." " So would I, and he deserves it." "But it's not the time or the place." " Leaving now, sir?" " Get away from here, boy." "You had no right to drag me out of there in front of everybody." "I had no right?" "You humiliated me in front of my friends." "I expressed my own views." "They have nothing to do with you." "You're not entitled to any views whatsoever... except those that are mine and mine alone." "Women with intellectual pretensions are not tolerated here." "Your father should have taught you that." " He taught me to think." " That was his mistake." "Up North, women are preaching for free niggers and free love." "We won't have that here!" "You will know your place and you will stay in it." " Or you will suffer for it." " I already have." "You think so?" "If you ever speak out and embarrass me on any subject whatsoever, ever again... you will suffer as you have never suffered before." "If you are so intelligent, you will remember that." "Are you all right?" "Thank you." "Yes." "Don't worry." "He won't see us." "I cannot stand to see him treat you that way." "I'm fine, Orry." "Fine." "I want you to meet me tomorrow, just to talk." "What can we talk about?" "All the things that will never be?" "Madeline, please." "There's an old abandoned church near the marsh." " All Saints Chapel." " Yes." "I'll be there at noon and I'll wait for you if you can get away." "I don't know." "Please, Madeline." "I'm leaving for Mexico." "This may be the last chance we ever have." "Say yes." "I'll try." "Now let me go back." "Alone." "Semiramis, you stay away from Salem Jones now." " Priam, I ain't got no choice." " You stay away." "Neither do you." "Semiramis, come here, honey." "Look at that dumb field hand." "Reckon I can have some fun with him." "You look mighty thirsty, my friend." "Care for sip of corn?" " You ain't allowed to have that." " That's right." "But all the white folks are looking the other way." "I'm Mr. LaMotte's driver." "If I say it's fine, it's fine." "Go on, have another one." "Sure go down easy." "You can have more, all you want, but we better step out back." "Another drink." " I want another drink." " Of course you do." "I told you how to get it." "Go on, now, do just like I said." " Where're you going, boy?" " What's wrong with him?" "Get out my way." "Leave me alone!" "I'm going to get me some more now." "I'm as good as any man here." "And I wants me another drink." " Priam, my God, what happened?" " Priam, please, get out." " No, leave me alone." " Get to your cabin, you'll regret this." "Sorry, sir." "He done got away from us." "Get to your cabin." "What kind of punishment is that?" "I know what we would do with him in Resolute." "You're right, Justin." "Priam's dishonored this house." "Insulted my guests." "Mr. Jones, get him out of here." "Make sure he receives a proper punishment." "Yes, and just what would that be, sir?" "I'll leave that to you." "Yes, sir!" "I guess I'll be leaving." "Justin, I'm terribly sorry about all this." "What're they going to do to him?" "You heard my father." "He'll receive the proper punishment." "You saw that look on the overseer's face." "You got to put a stop to this." "This is my father's house and you are his guest." "Don't forget that." "Please!" "Please, Salem." "I beg you!" "No!" "All right, I'm ready now." "Priam needed to be punished!" "I would not punish an animal that way and neither would you!" "Don't give me any more of your Yankee sermons!" "I am not preaching." "I'm arguing against brutality." "But it's not your place." "Now be so good as to leave me alone." "Hello." "Was it difficult for you?" "No." "Justin went to Charleston on business." "I have thought so often about being with you." "Don't." "I love you." " I had to tell you just once." " You have to stop thinking that." "It's true, and you love me." "I came here today to tell you we can never see each other again." "Why?" "Because of Justin." "You don't love him." "But I chose him." "He's my husband now." "If I leave him..." "I go against everything I was raised to be." "And so many people would be hurt." "And if you stay with him... you'll be the only one hurt." "Is that what you think?" "Perhaps God will help him to change." "He doesn't want to change." "Look at me." "Now tell me that you never want to see me again." "I do love you." "I do." "No!" "I'm sorry." "I am sorry." "I shouldn't have." "No." "Don't apologize." "You see..." "I want it as much as you do." "But if we were lovers, you'd never be free." " I don't care." " I do." "I won't let you give up the rest of your life for me." "Your future... and your honor, and that's what this would be." "And I won't be responsible for it." "Forget me, Orry." "It's the only way." "I just thought you might want to know... my mother's been to the sick house twice today and Priam's face is healing." "Your mother's very conscientious about caring for your slaves, isn't she?" "Yes." "I'm not sure they could care for themselves." "They're like children." " They're not permitted to be anything else." " You don't understand." "Priam shamed my father in front of his guests." "Right, I don't understand that and..." "I don't understand how you could stomach what they did to him." "That was wrong." "And I told my father so." "There's something wrong with the whole system." "I am beginning to see what Virgilia's talking about." "It's not up to you to change it." "We're sick and tired of Yankees coming here and telling us how to run our lives." "Why don't you go back to Hazard Iron and help your own workers?" " That is not the point!" " That is the point!" "This is our way of life." "It has been for over a hundred years." "How would you like me coming up to Lehigh Station... with the intent of telling you how to run your life?" "Change the way you've always lived?" "But I mean this, George." "You and me..." "We are good friends." "If we want to keep that friendship... there are certain things we can never say to each other." "Certain things we can never talk about." " I guess you're right." " I don't want..." "We're supposed to be fighting Mexicans, not each other." "No." "Over there." "You assured me when I arranged for your appointment at the military academy..." " that you'd ask for nothing more." " I told you, sir... that was before your favor was undone by enemies wishing to destroy me." "My country needs me in Mexico." "You could arrange a field commission." "A commission?" "What reason could I give after your dismissal?" "You're a Southern boy from Georgia." "I'm a senator from Ohio." "I'm not even supposed to know you." "But you do know me, sir... even if the world is not aware you're my father." "Is that why you came here?" "To destroy me?" "I could have done that when my dear foster mother first told me the truth." "I never had any love from you." "I never knew who my real mother was, except she wasn't your wife." "Didn't I see to it that you were raised and cared for?" "Raised, yes." "The Bent family cared for nothing... but the money you gave them to keep me out of your sight." "I'm a family man in public office." "I paid dearly for that one mistake." "Is that how you... always think of me, sir?" "As a mistake?" "If I did arrange a commission..." " would you promise to" " Leave you alone?" "Of course, Father dear." "You needn't worry." "I wouldn't embarrass the honorable Senator Edwards." "I may be a bastard, but I'm not a fool." "I have great leadership abilities." "My instructors at West Point compared my tactical maneuvers to Napoleon's." "You should learn to curb your enthusiasm for yourself." "I'll do that, sir." "And you take heart, Senator." "I might get killed on the battlefield." "Company, regroup!" "Stand your ground!" "Company!" "Get away!" "Fall into line!" "George, over here!" "I can't find my men..." "Take cover behind that wall." "Company "D," fall into line behind the wall!" "Fall into line, men." " Behind the wall!" " Hurry up!" "Take cover!" "Take your positions behind the wall!" "Return the fire!" " I told you to stop!" " We've been ordered to retreat." "Company, on your feet!" "Form a line now!" "On your feet!" "I heard the two of you were here." "This is the reunion I promised you at West Point." "Lt. Main... you take these men and scout forward." "Bring me a report of enemy strength at the bridge." "For God's sake, you must be mad!" "You send the squad down that road... they'll be cut to bits." "That's right." "And you'll be right there with them." "Move or I'll shoot you where you stand for disobeying a direct order... from a superior officer!" "Now!" "Let's move it!" "Go now, men, move quickly and stay down!" "We can't stay here." "And we can't go back." "Just what Bent had in mind." "Orry, no!" "Orry, get down!" "Come on!" "Attack!" "They're firing on their own men!" " Get him ready." " What are you going to do?" "Take his leg, it's the only way to save him." " No!" " You want to handle this?" "Sir, you take his leg, it'll kill him." "I do 50, 60 amputations every time there is a fighting." "Nearly half the men survive." " Could I take a look?" " Certainly, sir." "Leg's no good." "He'll never be able to use it." "If it becomes infected..." "If it becomes infected, then we'll take it off." "Col. Flynn, we got a bad one over here, sir." "Get that dressed." "Get him out of here." "Orderly, we need some help up here." "He's right here." " Lt. Hazard." " Pearson." "Haven't seen you since Churubusco." "How are you?" "Fine." "But if you'll excuse me, you don't look so good." "Just a little worried about a friend of mine." "Well, this might cheer you up." "Maj. Waite's giving a gala tonight to celebrate the armistice." " I don't think so." " Sorry, Lieutenant." "All junior officers are under orders to attend." "Come on." "Might cheer you up." "Excuse me." "Excuse me, sir." "I didn't get a chance to thank you." "Back in the field hospital." "Yes, an amputation it was." "It would've been, sir, if it hadn't been for you." "Yes, I remember." "You were very insistent." "I'm afraid you have the advantage over me, Lieutenant." "First Lieutenant George Hazard, 8th Infantry, sir." "Pleased to meet you." "And how's your friend?" " They say he's getting better." " He will, son." "It just takes a long time, you know." "A wound like that." " You sound like you've seen a lot of them." " Too many." "And too many dead." "That's why I'm leaving the Army." "I should be back in Ireland before the year is out." "I should never have left." "Thank you, Miss Constance." "I see you've noticed my Constance." " Yours, sir?" " My daughter." "Or couldn't you tell?" "I hadn't realized, sir." "But it could be the best piece of luck I've had in a long time." "Well, you could wait a while until she gets a chance to break free." "Or you could give us an introduction." "I think I could arrange something." "Why don't you follow me, Lieutenant?" "And be prepared to move fast." "Sorry about that." "I didn't see you." "It's a terrible waste of whiskey, isn't it?" "Here." "Come let me get something for the inside of you." "Excuse me." "But I thought I was dancing with Maj. Lafferty." "I'm afraid your father and I changed his plans." "Did you, now?" "Well, I happen to be the one being danced with." "Are you sorry I cut in?" "No, I didn't say that." "Miss Flynn, I think you're the loveliest girl I've ever seen." "Do you, now?" "I could dance with you forever." "Excuse me, Lieutenant." "But this is my dance, I believe." "Yes, sir." "Don't lose heart, lad." "Why don't you finish your talk with Constance... over dinner tomorrow at my quarters?" " Welcome, Lieutenant." "Come right in." " Good evening, sir." "Constance, would you look who we've got here now?" "Lt. Hazard." "I'm sorry, sir." "I could've sworn you invited me for dinner." "Now, why didn't you tell me he was coming, Pa?" "Because I know how you love surprises." "I didn't want you telling me not to." "If this is an inconvenience I can come back another time." "Nonsense, me boy." "We've got more boiled beef than we can eat." "Isn't that so, Constance?" "She's a lovely cook." "My father thinks he's very clever." "He doesn't want me feeling obligated to go back to Ireland." "So he's trying to find me a husband." "Speaking of that, I've got to go to the consulate to see about me passport." " I thought you went there yesterday." " Don't wait up for me." "I may stop at the canteen for a wee dram before I come back." "Enjoy your supper, lad." "Well, thank you, sir." "Are you really angry with him?" "No." "I just feel overrun sometimes." "But then I always laugh." "Your laugh's one of the beautiful things about you." "I hardly think I know you well enough for that kind of a compliment." "Could we remedy that, then?" "Over dinner." "All right." "I wrote your parents, told them you're going to be fine." "Thank you, George." "I've got something else to tell you." "I'm in love, Orry." "Her name's Constance Flynn and she's wonderful." "Now I know what you meant about Madeline and you." "She's warm, she's funny." "She's beautiful." "She's a first class cook, too." "I think I've been looking for her all my life." "And when I get up the courage, I'm going to ask her to marry me." "That's wonderful, George." "I'm very happy for you." "At first I thought Pa was crazy to go back to Ireland... what with the famine and all." "But then, you know, George, I realized he was right about a few things." "What things?" "Well, the killing here is man-made." "They could stop it if they wanted to." "But in Ireland, the people have no choice about dying." "My father thinks they need his help more." "Your father is a fine man." "I'm glad I've had the chance to know him." "Constance, speaking of Ireland... there's something I want to ask you." "Yes, George?" "Constance, I admire you more than any woman I've ever met." "And I've grown to care for you deeply in the short time since we've met." "I think we've got a lot in common... and I know I could provide for you and a family." "Why, George Hazard, is this a proposal of marriage?" "You know it is." "Constance Flynn, I love you." "Will you marry me?" "George, we both know it isn't that simple as that." " You mean because you're a Catholic?" " An Irish Catholic." "And my father is an abolitionist." "So is my sister." "Even if my family refuses to admit it." "They may refuse to admit they have a daughter-in-law... especially if she goes to mass and speaks like one of the housemaids." "Whatever my family thinks, it doesn't make any difference." "I love you." "And I want to marry you." "If you want to marry me." "Of course I do." "You know, I fell in love with you during our very first dance." "Was it my face or the uniform?" "It was the way you looked when Maj. Lafferty cut in on us." "Like a little lost puppy dog." "Do you think this game Doubleday's so taken with will catch on?" "No." "But at least it keeps Abner from talking politics." "Thank God." "Sometimes it's like listening to my sister, Virgilia." " I got a letter from home today." " How's your mother?" "Better." "But I don't think she'll ever really get over my father's death." "George, there's some things people never recover from." "Anyway, the letter helped me to decide something, Orry." "I'm resigning my commission." "Leave the Army?" " Yes." " But you always wanted to be a soldier." "I did." "And I thought it was all brass bands and glory." "But Churubusco opened my eyes, Orry." "Nothing like a trip to hell to show you what it's really like." "A good soldier should see war as a profession." "All I see is a terrible waste." "So what are you going to do?" "My mother didn't say it in so many words... but I think Stanley could use some help running the foundry." "He's still head of Hazard Iron, though." "I'll have to fit in wherever I can." "But we'll be heroes to the folks back home." "I hear we're being decorated for conspicuous valor at Churubusco." "I'll take those medals and force them down Bent's throat." "Amen to that." "You know, they tell stories about him here." "In Monterey, they call him Bent the Butcher." "They even say he shot some of his own men in the back." "He would've done it to us if he could've." "Somehow, Bent always comes out on top, like scum." "He left me a souvenir this time." "Good as a wooden leg, but it'll never get better." "It won't get any worse, either." "Thank you for those kind words of comfort, George." "I'm sorry, Orry." "But sometimes I just don't know what to say to you." "Then don't say anything." "I got to go, Orry." "I want to tell Constance about my decision." "I wish you'd think about the good things." " Think about going home." " To what, George?" "The woman I love is married to somebody else." "The fruits of victory, Major?" "What do you want, Hazard?" "Your manner is offensive!" "And what's more, you're out of uniform." "I'm glad you noticed." "Or else I couldn't give you this." "Get up, Bent!" "I always knew you were a coward." "If you ever cross me or my friend Orry Main again..." "I'll find you and I'll kill you... just as sure as you crippled him." "It was nice of Pa to leave us alone." "He really is a sweet old dear sometimes." "You know, he said he'd help us celebrate later with real Irish whiskey." "What's the matter, George?" "Can't you tell me?" "I was thinking about Orry." "I want him to be best man at our wedding, Constance." "Of course you do." "He's your dearest friend." "He's changed, though." "Since he was wounded." "I didn't get a chance to talk to him before they shipped him home." "You mean to say you didn't ask him to stand up with you?" "No." "Somehow, it didn't seem like the right time." "Well, then I think you should stop at Mont Royal on your way home." "You see things very clearly." " I'm glad I fell in love with you." " So am I." "You know, Pa won't be home for hours." " We really shouldn't." " And why not?" "Aren't we almost married?" "It's Orry!" "Son, why didn't you let us meet you at the station?" " Let me help you, son." " Thank you, sir." "I can do it." "Orry, you've got to see my new afternoon dress." "It's got real lace." "Your favorite mare foaled." "And the filly is the prettiest thing you ever saw." "How are you, son?" "I'd like your advice about a baling machine I bought." "I'm pretty tired right now." "And hungry, too, after your long journey." "Actually, I think I'd like to be alone for a while if I could." "They're saying that Mr. Orry is not himself." "Semiramis told me he just stay in his room, don't talk to nobody." "I heard he was badly wounded." "Wounds heal." "But he doesn't, child." "Maum Sally, I have to go to him." "I have to." "He needs me." "That is the one thing that you can never do." "Sorry I didn't give you more warning about my visit." "I hope it's not inconvenient." "My company manners are a little rusty, George." "I haven't been getting out much lately." "You never used to drink straight whiskey before." "People change." "It's not going to help you feel any better." " I think I'm the judge of that." " Do you?" "I don't think you got the judgment of a mule right now." "All you can do is sit and feel sorry for yourself." "If you came here to lecture me, you can leave now." "Damn it, Orry!" "The world has not come to an end." "You got your whole life ahead of you." " You don't understand." " Yes, I do." "You think your life is over... because you've been hurt, and you've lost the woman that you love." "You've got a lot left, too." "Like a family." "And friends who care about you." "But if you sit there, and keep to yourself... and keep pouring whiskey on the hurt... nobody's going to help you." "I know you're right." "I just don't know where to start." "You are going start at Lehigh Station." "By being the best man at my wedding to Constance." "I will be very proud to stand up with you, George." "Keep on looking, Mr. Jones." "See me after supper." "Yes, sir, Mr. Main." "Good evening, George, Orry." "Looking for what?" "One of our people seems to have misplaced himself." "Though he'll likely be home before dark." "Seems you have a bad effect on him, George." " Starts acting up whenever you're here." " Priam." "Take this inside." "Clyta tells me you've run away from Mont Royal." "I'm telling you to go back." "Yes, ma'am." "You don't mean to do that, do you?" "I'm sorry, ma'am." "I just can't." "But the Main family is good to you." "It ain't the family." " It's Salem Jones." " Yes, I've heard of him." "He's going to kill me." "I'd rather die running." "Why did you come to me?" "Folks said you got about the kindest heart around here." "And I just didn't know nowhere else to go." "I told Priam maybe you could help him, if anybody can." "This is all I can give you, Priam." "I wish it were more." "Thank you, ma'am." "No, don't thank me." "Don't." "The day after tomorrow at 9:00, a train will pass the flag stop." "Do you know where that is?" "Yes, ma'am." "You stay out of sight till then." "Not here." "Somewhere near the flag stop." "The train will slow down." "You be on it when it speeds up, you hear?" "Yes, ma'am." "It'll take you to Charleston." "From there you can make your way North." "God bless you, ma'am." "Good luck, Priam." "God bless you, too." " What is it?" "They found Priam?" " Not yet." "But last night, he was seen over at Resolute." "We could use your help." " Cuffey, saddle my horse for me." " Yes, sir." "Once more, Ezekial." "My nephew Forbes saw Priam out his window last night." "Now who in this plantation was helping him?" "I don't know, Mr. Justin." "I swear to God!" "If I find out you're lying to me, God hisself won't be able to help you." "It's my fault." "Ain't nobody's fault." "It's just the way things are." "Whichever one of you knows and isn't telling... is whipping the rest of you." "Remember that." "You." "Clyta." "You're next." "No, Mr. Justin." "No!" "Clyta, my God!" "I have to tell him." "It won't help Clyta none and things just be worse for you." "Put these niggers back to work." "You heard Mr. LaMotte." " Tillet." "Orry." " Justin." "Forbes." "I think your slave's gone." "Why don't you come up to the house and have a drink?" "We'll get our shotguns and help you chase him down." "It's Orry!" "You'll have to find the right time." "But, please, give this to Orry before he goes." "Please." "I had to see you." "I thought I'd die if I didn't." "I don't want you to feel sorry for me." "I don't feel sorry for you." "I still love you." "I just wanted you to know that." "When I heard you'd been wounded I went out of my mind... wondering if you were alive or dead." "I wasn't sure for a while." "But I know now." "I'm very much alive." "You took a terrible chance coming here, didn't you?" "It isn't important." "You remember... a year ago... you said there were things you'd never let me give up?" "Well, I can never... never let you risk yourself for me." "But I'm not afraid." "I'm afraid for you." "Well, then, this is all we have." "My father back?" "He's inside." "George, listen." "You still don't understand this." "I don't want to." "I'd rather keep your friendship." " Priam is my father's property." " No." "I don't understand that." "I have to leave in the morning, Orry." "All right." "I'll take you to the train." "This will stop the train." "Is that it?" "No." "That's the Charleston freight." "It goes by here every other day about this time." "The passenger local will be here in about 20 minutes." "Priam!" "Stop!" "Orry, no!" "This has nothing to do with you, George." "Please, Mr. Orry." "For God's sake!" "If I take him back, he'll wish he was dead." "You don't know what they'll do to him." "Then let him go." "I told you." "He belongs to my father." "Please." "If not for Priam, then do it for me." "That's not fair." "You're taking advantage of our friendship." "Yes, I am." "All right, Priam." "All right." "Run." "Run before I change my mind." "Run!" "A life for a life, George." "You saved mine." "And I will still stand up with you, if you want me." "But you have to get it through your head." "Our lives down here are different." "They have to be." "Don't ever interfere with us again... or ask me to go against my own kind." "I, Constance, take thee, George, for my lawful husband." "I, Constance, take thee, George, for my lawful husband." "To have and to hold from this day forward." "To have and to hold from this day forward." "For better, for worse." "For richer, for poorer." "In sickness and in health." "For better, for worse." "For richer, for poorer." "In sickness and in health." "Until death do us part." "Until death do us part." "To think I'd ever be forced to attend a Catholic ceremony." "It's a disgrace." "Be quiet, Isabel." "At least they had the good sense to keep it private." "As if anyone would have come, anyway." "Please be quiet, Isabel." "May I have the ring, please?" "By the authority vested in me... by the Holy Mother Church and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania..." "I now pronounce you man and wife." "You may kiss the bride." " Here you are." " Thank you." "Does it go on forever?" "It's not everyday your big brother gets married, Billy." "I know." "I just wish I were somewhere else." "Where would you like to be?" "You think they'd take me at West Point?" "Want to be a soldier?" "I really envied you and George when you were fighting down in Mexico." "There were some hard times down there." "You don't envy me this leg, do you?" "No." "I'd just like to be a soldier, that's all." "Maybe some day you will." "Constance, my dear." "If my William had lived..." "I know that he would've been proud to welcome you to our family today." "Thank you." "Everyone has been so kind." "We're all so fond of you already." "George, there's something very important I want to say to you and your brother." "And I'd like you and Isabel to hear it as well." "You're being mysterious, Mother." "Not really." "This is something I've wanted to do for quite a while." "So come along." "Miss Hazard." "Mr. Main." "I thought Constance made a very beautiful bride." "Yes, she did." "Do you admire beauty?" "As a matter of fact, I do." "What about a woman's mind?" "Do you admire that also?" "I just heard that Southern men... aren't concerned about what women think." "I can't speak for all Southern men, but for myself..." "I admire a woman for all that she is, and that includes her ideas." "Is that so?" "Perhaps you'd like to hear a few more of mine." "It's a great joy to have my children near me now." "Since George is home for good, married and settled at last..." "I feel that it is time for a change in the management of Hazard Iron." "A change, Mother?" "Yes, dear." "I've decided George and Stanley... should have equal responsibility of the foundry." "What?" "I thought it was understood... that I, as the oldest son, would run Hazard Iron." "As the oldest, you will retain financial control, of course." "But George will have an equal voice in all other matters." "I feel that George has earned this, Stanley." "And I believe that it is fair to both of you." "Of course, Mother." "George, I'm so happy for you." "And now, I think we should all return to our guests." "So what have you done with yourself the last few years?" "I've been working very hard for the antislavery society." "I'm giving my first address a week from tonight in Philadelphia." "Really?" "I was told that you will be in that city then." "Yes." "On your way back to Dixie?" "That's right." "Since you're so enamored with women and their ideas... perhaps you would enjoy listening to one who actually has some." "The meeting is public and you're certainly welcome." "Believe it or not, Miss Hazard... since your brother and I became friends..." "I have taken a serious interest in the Northern point of view." "I would consider it a pleasure to hear you speak." "Orry, here you are." "We have something we'd like to ask you." "It's an invitation, really, for you and all your family... to join us here at Belvedere next summer for a nice long visit." "Our lake is really very lovely that time of year." "That sounds delightful, ma'am." "On behalf of all the Mains, I accept with pleasure." "Mother." "We need to notify the architects... so we can set up slave quarters in the back." "Virgilia." "I'm so sorry." "Mother, we all know that the best thing to do... when Virgilia gets like this is to ignore her." "I think this is an excellent opportunity... for the best man to propose a toast to the bride and groom." "It would be my very great pleasure." "Roll it along!" "Roll it along!" "Roll it along!" "thro' the nation Freedom's car, Emancipation!" "Roll it along!" "Roll it along!" "Roll it along!" "thro' the nation Freedom's car, Emancipation!" "Men of various predilections Frightened, run in all directions" "Merchants, editors, physicians Lawyers, priests and politicians" "Get out of the way!" "Get out of the way!" "Good evening." "Representative Sam Greene, Pennsylvania." "One of the leading lights of our movement, Mr. Gerrit Smith." "George Hazard." "This is my wife, Constance." "And our friend, Orry Main." " Hazard of Hazard Iron?" " That's right." "Then you must be related to Miss Virgilia." "My sister." "You gentlemen are acquainted with her?" "Why, she's the reason that we're here." "You must be very proud of her." "Proud?" "Why, yes." "She's done wonders for our cause." "A hard worker, with enormous energy to match her remarkable beauty." "If she can manage to put into words in a public forum... what she feels so deeply in her heart... then the days of slavery are numbered as from this night." "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome and good evening." "I have the honor to introduce to you... a man whose personal sufferings and trials... symbolize and personify... the wicked and diabolical institution of slavery... which nature and all decent men abhor." "A man free at last by the grace of God... who has literally suffered the cruelties and tortures of the damned... at the hands of human monsters who held him in bondage." "Mr. Frederick Douglass." "Thank you, my friends." "I am very glad to be here." "I am very glad... to mingle my voice with those with whom I have labored... for the purpose of undoing the burdens of my brethren... and hastening the day of their emancipation." "My friends, slavery must be abolished." "And the only way that can be done... is by enforcing the great principles of justice." "Vainly you talk about voting it down." "When you have cast your millions of ballots... you will not have reached the evil." "It has fastened its root deep into the heart of the nation... and nothing but God's truth and love can cleanse the land." "I ask you..." "No, I beg you... to look at the practical operation of the slave trade... the American slave trade... sustained by American politics and American religion." "There you will see men and women reared like swine for the market." "Driven so that they crowd the highways of the nation." "Driven by men armed with pistol, whip, and bowie knife." "See you the young girl of 13 weeping." "Yes, weeping... as she thinks of the mother from whom she has just been torn." "Attend the slave auction and see men examined like horses." "And women rudely and shockingly exposed... to the gaze of American slave buyers." "And never forget the sobs that arise from this group... as they are sold... and separated forever." "Tell me, dear citizens." "Where under God's sun... can you find a spectacle more fiendish and shocking than this?" "Bravo!" "It is now my singular pleasure to introduce... a new and tireless member of our organization... who has fearlessly chosen the path of God's work." "May I present Miss Virgilia Hazard." "My friends... there is one aspect of slavery so foul... so utterly depraved, that even we on this platform... have been loath to raise its specter." "I must admit to you my shame... to stand before you with rising indignation." "A decent Christian woman addressing an audience of her own kind." "Forced to address publicly a sin... so vile, so vicious and degenerate." "The South's hateful system... depends on the perpetuation of its free labor force." "So where, ladies and gentlemen, do these new slaves come from... when the aged and infirm are worked to death?" "Beaten to death." "Why, they come from slavery itself." "For the true crop of a Southern plantation... is a human crop." "Yes, my friends." "The plantations of the South are nothing more... than black breeding farms." "She's an offense to all the women in the abolitionist movement." "Giant bordellos, owned and operated... by a degenerate aristocracy." "Men, who in their lust... force their animal passions... on the defenseless bodies of the women and children they hold prisoner." "God in his heaven cries out against these crazed satyrs... and every upright human heart cries out in moral outrage." "No!" "Orry, you know she doesn't speak for all of us." "Not for you, but for everyone else here she does." "You mustn't leave while Miss Hazard is speaking." "I'm afraid, sir, I have a train to catch." "To South Carolina." "I have some blacks to breed." "Pardon me." "Dear lady." "You were magnificent." "You were beyond description." "Thank you, Mr. Greene." "I only spoke what was in my heart." "You said things that have not been said... that cried out for the saying." "The passion of your address... your physical presentation, stirred me deeply." "You do me an honor to say so." "You've done us the honor." "I wonder, might we share a late supper... to further discuss my reaction?" "I've taken the liberty of requesting a small repast." "I'm most grateful for your approval, sir." "But I seem to remember that you are a married man." "My marital status should present no obstacle... to the cause of freedom." "Nor does it, Mr. Greene." "But freedom must ever be coupled with responsibility... as our Founding Fathers so aptly put it." "Perhaps another time... when you yourself are free." "Madeline!" "Don't you answer when I call you?" "I'm sorry, Justin." "I was taking a nap." "I didn't hear." "You hear well enough when your slave women holler, don't you?" "I heard about your latest errand of mercy." "I just do what I can to help." "You have quite a reputation around here." "Madeline, the merciful." "Madeline, the pregnant niggers' angel." "Justin, please." "Damn it!" "I don't want my wife spending all her time playing midwife to my slaves." "Perhaps you'd rather risk losing the children." "You're worried about the children, are you, my dear?" "I'm worried about children, too." "My own." "The ones you're not giving me." "I want a son." "I want a boy of my own, that's all." "Damn it, woman." "Look at me when I'm talking to you." "Until you give me the son I want... you stay away from those black sluts, you understand me?" "You better." "I'll be watching you." "Remember that." "I've ridden by 100 times hoping you would be here." "I tried to stay away, too, but I couldn't." "There hasn't been a day I haven't thought about you." "Madeline, leave Justin." "We could run away." " I can't bear to be" " We can't." "I will not let him stop us." "You don't know him." "He'd hunt us like slaves." "We'd be fugitives, with no legal or moral right on our side..." "I don't care about right, I care about you." "Divorce him, Madeline." "I can't." "If I even suggest it, I think..." "In my heart..." "I'm married to you." "And I always will be." "Get away from the building!" "Get those men over there!" "Set up a stretcher for the wounded." " Come on." " Mr. Hazard, there's men in there dying." "I'll go in and get them." "Take care of that man." "Mr. Hazard, you can't go in there." "It's an inferno." "Help me!" "Help!" "I'm over here!" "Are you all right?" "Run to town and get the doctor." "Get all three of them, and get back here fast." "Yes, sir." "I already sent Hawkins, but I'll go myself." "You sure you're not hurt?" "Wiley, why did it blow?" "Pressure, sir." "The wrought iron bands, the reinforcement bands." "I ordered them installed!" "Yes, sir, but Mr. Stanley canceled the order." "Why did you cancel my order, Stanley?" "The shipments were off." "We couldn't afford it." "Couldn't afford it?" "You think we can afford those dead workmen?" "They have families that have depended on us, Stanley." "Families who are now without husbands or fathers." "The bands will go on immediately." "I'll reissue the order." " You can't." "You don't have the authority." " The hell I haven't." "The only place your name takes precedence over mine... is on the bank drafts." "We'll reinforce those bands immediately, and we'll pay $5,000 compensation... miserable comfort though it is... to the families of the men who died at Hazard Iron." "That's insane." "I won't do it." "It's not insane." "It's the only decent thing to do... and you will do it, Stanley." "You will sign those bank drafts... or I'll come down here with 100 mill workers... and let them convince you." "I've just come from the foundry." " I was shocked by what I saw there." " I know." "This new system simply is not going to work." "We can't have this division of authority." "I know that, Stanley, and I'm going to do something about it." "I've learned a great deal about Hazard Iron since your father died." "Not particularly because I wanted to... but because I was compelled to learn by my responsibility for the foundry." "That's an embarrassment to me, Mother." "As if you didn't have confidence in my ability." "I'm sorry if it seems so, dear." "Mother..." "By giving you financial control of Hazard Iron..." "I've let you prevent George... time and again, from making improvements." "You refused to burn coal instead of charcoal... even after George proved coal was more efficient." "You refused to buy new equipment, or repair the old... and now this horrible explosion." "Dear God." "That was not my fault." "I'm going to have to try a change, Stanley." "I'm going to give George control of the money... and see how things progress." "Mother, you can't take that away from me, too." "You and George will still have equal say in everything else." "My decision is made, Stanley." "I don't want to hear another word about it." "I just don't understand you." "Why weren't you stronger with her?" "What could I do?" "Her mind was made up." "You could have made a stand." "Instead you let your brother George walk all over you." "Mother says we're equal." "Except that George now has the money, which means he really has the power." " What can we do?" " Nothing." "Except wait." "And watch for a time when we can get our own back." "That could take years." "Yes, Stanley." "All because you weren't man enough now." "We'll have our chance." "We'll get back everything your brother George has stolen from us." "Him and that Irish slut of his." "We're going to make them sorry." "Very sorry indeed." "My dear friends... as we commit Tillet Main to God's care today... we must remember these words:" ""In my father's house are many mansions:" ""If it were not so, I would have told you." ""I go to prepare a place for you."" "And I know that the Lord has prepared a special place for Tillet Main." "His family must not grieve." "His loving daughters, Brett and Ashton... must all remember him in their hearts... and rejoice that this fine man... this loving father and husband... is now with our Lord and savior for all eternity." "Amen." "Mother, you ought to sleep." "I will, Orry." "Father would've wanted you to take care of yourself." "I can't believe he's gone." "He loved you very much." "I know." "I'm afraid he didn't always know how to show it." "Lord, I'm going to miss him so." "They do care about you." "They don't care about me." "They treat me like I'm a stranger." "Hell, if it wasn't for my last name, they wouldn't have me here at all." "I am a stranger." "I know that." "But blood is blood." "You think they'd honor that." "A cousin's a cousin... even if his parents were poor." "They done made a home for you here." "Some home." "Old Clarissa, she treats me like I'm a child." "Orry, the big master, he's as distant as a king." "I guess that's what he thinks he is." "He pays me no mind at all." "I'm no more family to them than you are." "Just like another one of their slaves, or might as well be." "Maybe you don't like the way that feels." "No, I don't." "You're the only one who understands, Semiramis." "Sure, I understand." "I've been a slave my whole life." "That don't mean that I liked it." "I'm sorry it has to be that way." "You best be getting back." "It's getting late." "Mr. Orry, sir." "You're out doing early enough this morning." "Best to take care of hard business early, and that's what I'm here to do." "Is that so?" "I'm releasing you from your employ at Mont Royal." "You have a month's pay and your choice of a horse from the working stable." "Why?" "I never liked you, nor the way you did your job." "Is that right?" "And how is that, sir?" "I always did my best." "Your father never complained of me." "My father and I are different men." "Now that he's gone, I gotta do what seems best to me." "Take a man's place that's worked like a nigger..." "Anger will not serve you, Mr. Jones." "No." "What hard work won't do, talk will never help." "But you hear me." "The day may come when you'll regret having thrown me out like this." "I promise you that." "I think not." "Good day to you." "Semiramis, get back here!" "Barkeep, make us another round here." "What have we here?" "What a sorry nest of drunkards." "Three more to swell the company, by the looks of you." "Never mind." "You'll take our money." "Three Barbados, the full measure." "Can't find a way to get away from that tribe." "What's that you say, Salem?" "None of your business, boy." "Keep your ugly Main nose in your own ale." "You insult my family." "Your family?" "Is that what you call them?" "That ain't what they call you." "So happens I'm not in love with the Mont Royal branch of the family... but I've talked to some of the slaves about you, Mr. Jones." "Fact is, I defend you." "They said you weren't fit to sleep with pigs." "But I said you were." "Look out, he's got a gun!" "Hold it." "You three." "Out of here." "Move smartly, now." "Come on, Salem, you heard me." "The constable will be paying you a visit to account for all this." "Good lord, Charles." "Brawling in a tavern like a common cotton chopper!" "What does it matter?" "Don't you have any pride in yourself, if not in us?" "In fairness to the boy, sir, it was Jones that went for him first." "That's all well and good, sir, but a gentleman... does not lower himself to a fistfight with a lout like Jones." "You're a disgrace, Charles." "You're not my father!" "You don't care about me, none of you do." "And I don't care what you say!" "Breathe in." "That has to be tight enough, Ashton." "What would you know about it, anyway?" "You're still a baby." "No amount of lacing would make you look one bit better than a pine board." "Now pull!" "Do you always have to say things like that?" "It's true." "Besides, babies are sweet... and you have sweet baby skin... and sweet baby bloomers... and you'll probably still be just baby-sweet... when you're a sweet old maid." "Cousin Charles." "He's just getting in." "Been out all night again." "You kind of fancy him, don't you?" "I just let on like I do, you know... to make the poor orphan boy feel accepted." "I was real nice to him once, and do you know what he said..." " what he had the nerve to say to me?" " What?" "He said, "Keep your distance, cousin dear..." ""I'm wise to you."" "What do I care?" "He'll be dead soon enough." "Dead?" "What are you saying?" "Where do you suppose he's been all night?" "Off sparking Sue Marie Smith." "But she's engaged to her cousin, Whitney." "Of course she is, dummy!" "And her cousin Whitney will just kill Charles for it." "Though he ought to kill Sue Marie." "The men say her britches are like a basket of coals." "Of course, you wouldn't know what that means, but I do." "Now, what is it exactly you want, Mr. Huntoon?" "Sir, I seek the approval of your bountiful heart." "In short, sir, I beg your kind permission to pay formal court to your daughter." "My daughter?" "No, sir." "Damn, I misspoke myself." "Your sister, Miss Ashton, sir." "Are you sure you know what you're doing, Huntoon?" "My love leads me on, sir." "I worship the very ground she walks on." "Did I say something that I should not have said, sir?" "I guess that's all in the point of view, sir." "There, I'm already tight as a drum inside." "When are you and James Huntoon announcing your engagement?" "Whatever makes you think we will?" "If not, then why is he downstairs asking Orry's permission... to come courting, if you have no intention..." "He's got all the intentions, child." "What do I know what an old man thinks?" "He's more than 20." "Here's how I feel about him." "Don't laugh." "It's true." "I can't stand his puffy old face... his squinty little eyes... and his slippery old kisses!" "Kisses?" "You let him kiss you already?" "Just a little old taste of honey, you baby, to sweeten him up." "But if you don't even like him... how could you?" "What's like got to do with anything?" "Everybody says James is going to be real important some day." "A gal can't have too many important men courting her, now can she?" "Ashton, can't you ever be serious?" "But I am serious." "Lord, I might even marry slobbery old James." "That is, if I can find some advantage in it." "In short, sir, I make bold to consider myself qualified... perhaps even highly qualified, to offer myself as a candidate... for your sister's fair hand." ""Offer yourself" is a good choice of words." "Perhaps you already discount me, for some reason?" " No, James, I don't discount you at all." " I would hope not, sir." "As you know, sir, I am South Carolina's youngest attorney-at-law." "I am a champion of states' rights... and a follower of the noble John C. Calhoun." "Since his passing, I have begun to aspire to high political office... so that I may continue his great work." "And there are those who feel that my goal is not an impossible one." "Excuse me." "Orry, I need to speak with you right away." "If you'll excuse us." "I may, then, consider my suit... as not entirely unwelcome to Mont Royal?" "You may, and God speed and guide you." "You're going to need it." "Thank you, sir." "I'll find my own way." "This time he's really done it." "Your cousin Charles is in serious trouble." "You must come." "Please state your business, sir." "My name is Mr. Smith Dawkins... and I am representative and relative of Mr. Whitney Smith... who last evening came upon Mr. Charles Main, of this plantation... in dalliance with his fiancée..." "Miss Sue Marie Smith." "The gentlemen exchanged words, whereupon Mr. Main struck Mr. Smith... a severe blow." "Whereupon Mr. Smith... demanded satisfaction." "In consequence of which, I'm here to make arrangements." " Will you be acting as Mr. Main's second?" " I will not." "Mr. Main is too young to be fighting duels." "Besides, they're against the law." "He is old enough to have given offense in a totally adult way." "And as you very well know, sir, the Code Duello... is in common practice despite South Carolina law." "Now if you will kindly direct me to Mr. Main's second... or better still, to Mr. Main himself." "I'd be delighted to, but I don't know where he is." "You are determined to go through with this farce, aren't you?" "Mr. Whitney Smith does not consider it a farce, sir." " And neither will your kinsman." " To hell with it, then!" " I'll stand as second." " We promise absolute discretion, sir." "No witnesses other than family." "In the case of the Smith family, that could run into the hundreds." "We will keep our number to no more than 12... and you must give similar assurance." "The site will be the clearing at Six Oaks." "The time, Tuesday morning, sunrise." "The weapons... conventional dueling pistols." "Assuming, of course, these arrangements are agreeable to you, sir." "They are not!" "None of it is." "But I accept." "Good day, sir." "Did you put a stop to this insanity?" "Where is that lunatic?" "One, two, three, four... five, six, seven... eight, nine, ten." "You're now dead." "All I need is practice." "That and some sense of what you're practicing." "Smith Dawkins just left." "You got until Tuesday morning to save your life." " What's that to you?" " I don't want to be further disgraced..." " so I have just become your second." " Why you?" "This is my affair, and I'm not afraid of that lily-white..." "You should be." "He will undoubtedly kill you, as unprepared as you are." "He's killed men before." " I can handle him." " But you can't." "This is not just another one of your country brawls, Charles." "This is a duel, theoretically between gentlemen." "It will be fought with rules, strict rules." "You are a Main, Charles." "You hear me?" "You are a Main." "And I can't have you dying on me and sullying the family name." "If there's one reason on earth..." "I wouldn't want to get my brains blown out, that's it." "I'm going to teach you how to shoot and how to win." "72 hours is all we got." "We'll get you some proper pistols first." "Come on, get on your horse." "Four, five, six... seven, eight, nine, ten." "No." "You're rushing your aim, and you're still jerking the trigger." "Fear will push you into haste, and haste will push you into the grave." "Deliberate." "Be deliberate." "Again." "Perfect!" "Now, again... exactly the same as before, until it's second nature." "We may save your life yet." "Thanks for saying "we."" "Don't get sentimental on me." "It's a bit early for that." "I know that you're scared, but that's to your advantage." "That peacock over there... he's too stupid to be scared yet." "Look at him." "He's keeping his coat on." "Appearances mean more to the fool than his life." "And since he isn't worried, he might not take sufficient care." "You will." "Now remember, take your time... be calm, deliberate, and you will drop him." "You are a Main." "You must..." "You must stand, Whitney." "Stand!" "Acknowledge their tribute." "It's you they're applauding." " Me?" "But that's his family." " The man proved himself a coward." "They're showing their admiration for your courage... and for your generosity in spirit in not killing him." "You have shown every attribute... of a Carolina gentleman today." "I'm proud of you, Charles." "Here's to life." "Thanks to you." "I owe you mine." "All the time, all the care you took with me." " Without you, he'd have killed me certain." " Probably." "But what you did, you did." "Always before, when I'd fight, everyone disapproved." "What made it so different?" "The rules, Charles." "There's a strict and definite code of honor among gentlemen... that must be observed... even in a fight." "Especially in a fight." "Orry, I want that." "To be a man of honor." "Like you." "Do you think..." "Is there a chance... that I could go to West Point?" "You'd never pass the entrance exams, not now." "You have the intelligence, but you don't have the education." "But if you're serious... we could have you tutored." "I've never been more serious about anything in my life." "They're simply exquisite." "And these are my Pride of Pennsylvanias." "It took me years to get them started." "They're Mother's special favorites." "I believe this is the most beautiful garden I've ever seen." "It should be." "Mother worked on it like a slave." "Over here are my climbing roses." "I've been trying to train them to patterns." "Virgilia, why don't you run and see if Cook has tea ready?" " The minister's cat is an active cat." " The minister's cat is an angry cat." " The minister's cat is an awful cat." " The minister's cat is an artful cat." " The minister's cat is a beautiful cat." " The minister's cat is a bashful cat." " The minister's cat is a bumbling cat." " The minister's cat is a babbling cat." "You're not still upset about South Carolina... trying to secede earlier this year, are you?" "You're damn right I am." "Aren't you?" "I don't think they'll try it again." "And even if they do, it won't be like we're two separate countries." "That's exactly what it will be like." "I've got some neighbors up here who just don't argue... about slavery and states' rights anymore." "They're beginning to hate Southerners." "Yeah, I hear talk in South Carolina, too." "Some of my neighbors are none too fond of Yankees." "George, it's not the majority, it's the fanatics." "I hope you're right." "Because if South Carolina does secede, a lot of other states will follow." "And we'll all have to choose sides." "Quite a young man, your Charles." "Already the picture of a Southern gentleman." "Next fall, he and Billy go off to the Point." " Plebes together, just like we were." " What about when they get out, though?" "At least you and I could fight on the same side." "Hardly seems possible." "Turn this boat over, you're going in, too." "There may be hope for the North and South, after all." "At least, for those two." "...and he just stepped right over my feet when we were dancing." "Ashton, I just have to say it." "I think he is so handsome." "Billy?" "He'll do." "Of course, alongside Charles, most anybody would look good." "She's about the most exciting thing I ever laid my eyes on." "And 100-proof trouble." "Take my word and give her a wide berth." "Brett's the one you want." "Take another look at her." "Billy, you come here this minute." "I need you." "Coming." " What are you doing?" " Billy, I'm right here... and I'm waiting for you." "That's how the wind sets, eh?" "Never mind, pretty girl." "He'll get enough of her games sooner than you think." "Let's take a walk, you and I." "The Fugitive Slave Law should be repealed altogether." "Changing it is just another scheme to appease the South." "Dear me, I feel so lost when the talk turns to such things." "Then you should inform yourself." "Lord knows we won't get the truth from our menfolk." "It was such a pleasant afternoon, Virgilia." "The law as changed, Mrs. Main, would take fugitive slave cases... away from individual states... and it would put it into the hands of the Federal government." " Doesn't that benefit the runaways?" " It would seem to, and that's the evil of it." "In reality, the law gives slave catchers the right to enter free states... to capture escaped slaves... even when those states guarantee slaves their freedom." "It's far worse than before." "Our representatives are only trying to preserve the Union." "Our representatives are only catering to Southern gentlemen." "That will be enough, Virgilia." "We are here to enjoy ourselves." "If you don't like Southerners, why in the world did you invite us here?" " Ashton, sit down and be a lady." " No, I'll answer the child." "I didn't want you here, but I wasn't consulted." "But since you are here, you might take the time... to listen and to learn the truth." "The truth, Miss Virgilia?" "What is that?" "The same truth you told in Philadelphia?" "What was it..." " degenerate Southern satyrs?" " Deny it, if you dare." "I'll shout it from the housetop." "Slave owners are nothing more than whoremasters." "I'm sorry, George, but I believe it's time we were leaving." "No, please." "You'll apologize to our friends now." "Your friends, George." "I find their way of life repellent and wrong." "You can tell your friends they needn't leave." "I'll be happy to stay in my room for the rest of their visit... so I don't have to look at their faces or hear their damn Southern voices." "Orry, all of you... please do not let what Virgilia says or does... ruin our first summer together." "Please stay with us." "Mother?" "All right, George, we'll stay." "Thank you, George." "I've been thinking about something." "Remember the first time I was here... and we visited Hazard Iron and we talked about a cotton mill?" "Yes, and you made me show you every part we ever made... for a textile mill." "George, I still think it's a good idea, maybe better than ever." "How do you figure that?" "Right now every ounce of cotton... has to be shipped North or to England." "Imagine having a mill right in South Carolina." "Imagine." "Can you imagine... being able to manufacture the cotton right where it's grown?" "I can imagine that... if you and I were equal partners in it." "Wait, George." "I was only asking for advice, not money." "I know that, but remember the last time we talked about this?" "I told you then that Hazard Iron should manufacture the parts for it." "But I can do better than that now." "I've got some money tucked away." "It sounds like an excellent investment." "I don't know what to say." "It's so much better than I hoped." "I've got one condition, though." "No slave labor." "Agreed." "Main and Hazard." "It's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" "Almost as nice as Hazard and Main." "Are you absolutely certain that's what George said?" "A cotton mill in South Carolina?" "I told him it was a foolish idea, but it is his money." "And it is our salvation." "Imagine George being stupid enough to invest in the South." "I don't understand." "How does that help us?" "Think about it, Stanley." "George is investing in a region that's beginning to think of itself... as a rival country." "Why, he is going to lose everything in this silly mill venture." "What better way to prove to your mother that she made a terrible mistake... and that you should be running Hazard Iron?" "They're so ripe, Billy." "Just look at them." "They look delicious." " I saved them just for you." " You did?" "Let me give you one." "Was it good, Billy?" "Do you want more?" " I'll give you more if you want me to." " Yes." "Why don't you take it all?" "Take everything." "Ashton, no." "We can't." " I mean, your brother." " Forget about them." " No one will know." " Ashton, no." "I want to, but no." "I can't, all right?" "Forget it, then." "I'm going home." "Don't be angry, please." "I care about you." "You care about me?" "If you cared about me, Billy, you wouldn't be such a damn gentleman." "But I can manage myself, thank you very much." "I hope you're not mad at me." " No, you don't." "I'm angry with you." " Didn't mean to offend you." "It's been a wonderful summer." "I can't thank you enough." "On the contrary." "We should be thanking you for having come." "Orry and I want to have you all come down to Carolina... just as soon as you find the time." "We insist upon it." "She's very determined when she makes up her mind." "So you must say yes." "Very well." "On behalf of all of us..." "I accept your kind invitation." "Mont Royal will await you." "Again, our deepest thanks." " Main and Hazard?" " Hazard and Main." "Take care, old friend." "And you, until we meet again." " Bye, Orry." " Bye." "Spying slut." "How dare you follow me here?" "Maybe you're jealous because she can give me what you can't." "Maybe I should drag you in there and show you how I can get a man child... on any slut on this plantation but you." "You are disgusting!" "You can just lie there and rot, for all I care." "Thisbee?" "Madeline." "You're gonna be all right." "Easy." "I'll kill him." "Dear God help me, I will kill him now." "Don't say that." "Don't even think that." "I can't let you go back to him then." "Please let me send you away." "I'll join you as soon as I can." "You can see how dangerous he is." "He'd find me." "He'd kill me." "He'd kill us both." " But if you stay" " Things must stay the way they are." "He still knows nothing about us." "And he must never know." "Please." "Then this is the safest place for us." "He'll never come back here." "This will change nothing that's between us." "Nothing." "You know that room that I mentioned to you before?" "The one that used to be the saddle-maker's workshop?" "As I said, it's yours if you want it." "George, you need to know what it's to be used for." "You mustn't be angry with me." "And you must deny me if you don't approve." " You're opening a brothel." " Be serious, George." "Listen..." "I want Belvedere to be a link on the Underground Railway." "If free Negroes can help, George, so can we." " You want to shelter escaped slaves?" " Yes." "It's dangerous, Con." "You'd be breaking the Fugitive Slave Law." "If you're caught, it means federal prison at least." "I know that." "Believe me, I've thought about the risks." "But, George..." "Come with me." "I want to show you something." "The abuse was constant, George." "There was no provocation." "Then it became more than he could bear, so Abner ran away." "And made his way here through houses and friends in the network." "All the way from Raleigh." "You're safe here with us." "I want you to know that." "Thank you." "I admire what you're doing, Joel." "No one can know but Mother." "Virgilia cannot be trusted, and Billy..." "Is too young." "I know." "We can't let anyone find out, ever, or we're finished." " I'll stand by you, though." " Thank you." "I knew you would..." " once you saw." " You've always known me too well." "It's Orry, isn't it?" "That's what you're thinking about?" "Here we are, partners in a business." "And I'm helping people that he considers criminals." "But they're not criminals, George." "And someone has to help them." "Orry's ideas are part of his heritage." "It'll take generations to change them." "When we all go down to Mont Royal in a couple of weeks... we're gonna see how he was brought up, the things he believes in." "It's going to come as quite a shock to some of the people in our family." "Thank God Virgilia is not going to be there." "George, she told me she wanted to go." "In fact, she begged me to speak to you about it." "You can tell her the answer was no." "You can't forbid her." "After what she did the time the Mains were here..." "I most certainly can." "But she seems so honestly sorry about that." "Besides, the whole family was invited, and Virgilia says that includes her, too." "It was assumed she wouldn't go." "Virgilia knows that." "Orry's too polite to make conditions." "Think of it this way, George." "Maybe Stanley and Isabel won't go to Mont Royal if Virgilia does." "Now wouldn't that be a dreadful loss?" "George, do I get to go?" "What I don't understand is why you want to go, Virgilia." "You hate the South and all Southerners, or so you've endlessly claimed..." "But you're always preaching that all hate is based on ignorance." "I'm willing to admit that I may have been wrong." "But I'll never find out unless I see it firsthand." "Taking you into South Carolina is like taking a torch into a powder magazine." "I'll be good as gold, I promise." "That man is my best friend on this earth." "No talk about abolition, or free soil, or anything else that might offend him." "Word of honor." "I'll swear to it on a Bible if you want me to." "You've given me your word of honor, I have to accept that." "You can go." " Wonderful." "I'll finish packing." " Wait just a minute." "Come here." "The Bible's in there." "And there's the favored man himself, Miss Ashton's beau and intended." "Don't worry, Billy." "Ashton has a good many callers... but there isn't one who has gotten her to accept." "Courage." " Well done, Virgilia." " And warmly, too." "My word's not something I take lightly, George." "You should know that." "Miss Virgilia, Galen DeVere, your servant." "May I have the signal honor of this dance?" "It would be my pleasure, Mr. DeVere." "She is the soul of charm, so far." "And knowing her, that's what worries me." "One moment, sweet Ashton." "Gentlemen, these long and studious faces." "Is there no mirth extant?" "You, gentleman, young Lochinvar of the North... are you availing yourself sufficiently of our decadent Southern delights?" "We dance and drink a good deal up North, too, you know." "And court the ladies as well, I suppose." "The essential liberties, long may they prevail." "I can safely say all Americans are in favor of that." "Yes, but some of us would go to greater lengths than others... to defend them." "Huntoon obviously has some rather definite views on states' rights." "Definitely." "Somewhat prickly from the Northern point of vantage." "Is that so?" "Perhaps not prickly, merely logical." "In the matter of the basic freedoms, such as private property, for example." "Universally respected, as far as I know." "Under the states' rights doctrine... the holding of slaves is a matter to be decided... by the sovereign states themselves, rather than an overreaching... power hungry, and I must say it, a meddling federal government." "Sir, that's wrong." "Slaves are human beings, not things, not private property." "Well then, you'd best read the constitution." "I quote from the 10th Amendment of that revered document." ""The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution..." ""nor prohibited by it to the States..." ""are reserved to the States and the people thereof."" "I beg you to look into it, my Northern friend." "You seem very quiet, Madeline." "Am I?" "I'm sorry." "I've forgotten my manners." "No, your manners are impeccable." "It's your spirit I'm talking about." "I know a man who suffers much the same way you do." "Are there others like me?" "That's the tragedy of feeling sorry for oneself." "It obliterates one's sympathies for others." "Very clever, Madeline, but you needn't be with me." "I'm your friend." "And I'm his friend, too." "My, now, aren't you two the pair?" "Are you proposing already, Forbes?" "I guess you could say that in a way, Miss Ashton." " What I proposed was" " Forbes has invited me to the races." "To see his stallion win." "How exciting." "I just love stallions." "They're so wild and violent and powerful." "Then you'd love Cannonade." "I rode him over today." "He's in your stable." "Forbes, do take me to see him right this minute." "I want to see him up close." "I want to touch him." "I suppose I could." "Miss Brett?" "No, thank you, Forbes." "I'll wait and see him at the races." "You and Ashton go." "Let's hurry, Forbes." "I want to see that stallion." "Maybe I'll ride him." "In that dress?" "I suppose I could take it off." "Very dense in that swamp of politics." "You're lucky to get away from that crowd with both your temper and honor intact." "For the most part, I'm a lover, not a fighter." "It's a party." "Good evening, Ashton." "Why is your cousin so cold to me?" "Determined to get burned, are you?" "If I can't take Ashton away from James Huntoon, I don't deserve her." "You're missing something that would be a lot better for you." "Brett." "She's a darling." "And she's capable of loving." "That's a faculty Lady Ashton does not possess." "One in 10,000, Billy." "I know her." "Will you excuse me?" "Evening, ma'am." "Thank you, Lord." "Amen." "Stop it!" "Frighten you, missy?" "Fright?" "No." "Excuse me." "I'm sorry." "There's no reason to apologize." "It's absolutely fine and I'm all right." "You're..." "Grady." "Coachman for Mr. Huntoon." "Grady." "I see." "I'm Virgilia, Grady." "Hazard." "I am Virgilia Hazard." "It's been my pleasure, ma'am." "Forbes." "You love me, Forbes?" "Yes, I think I do." "You are such a man, Forbes." "More than I dreamed of." "Even if I decide I have to marry James for the power and all..." "I will still want you." "Billy!" "You." "It was all your fault." " Ready?" " Yes." "It's been so nice being with you these last few days, Billy." "I feel the same way." "I'm beginning to wish I'd never have to leave." "Can you believe that?" "I do like you, Brett." "I do." "Billy." "Brett." "Damn you." "For what?" "For knowing what you are?" "You don't care for Brett." "You're just trying to punish me because you don't understand." "Ashton, I understand what I saw." "Do you?" "Then you know that he's more of a man than you'll ever be." "You had your chance, Billy." "You just weren't man enough to take it." "You deserve Brett." "You're babies, both of you." "Miss Gili, we best ride on home now." "A storm is coming on." "No, Cuffey, I don't want to go home." "This is exciting." "Mr. Orry, he'd be mad with me if you got wet and caught a cold." "I can handle Mr. Orry." "Have you worked for him long?" "Yes, ma'am." "Him and his daddy, Mr. Tillet, before him." "Are you happy... being a slave to people no better than yourself?" "They're only human, Cuffey, as you are." "I don't like it, but I gots to do what I'm told." "But why?" "We're all equal, Cuffey." "Men and women, black and white." "Nobody's any better or any worse than anyone else." "Miss, we gots to go home." "This rain's fixing to come down heavy." "Do you want to escape, Cuffey?" "Do you want to run away North?" "Because if you do, I'll help you today." "Go on, miss, don't talk like that." "All I wants to do is get you on home safe and sound." "That's all I wants to do." "All right." "I'll race you." "What happened?" "Wheel's gone busted." "Mr. Huntoon and his party took the horses and rode off for home." "Cuffey, how far is Mont Royal?" "Couple hours, miss." "Bit more in this storm." "You ride on." "Tell Mr. George that I'm safe... and I'm staying here in this coach until the rain stops." "I don't want to do that, miss." "Supposing he blames me for leaving you?" "He won't." "Just tell him I was tired of getting wet and couldn't go any further." "I sent you to tell them I was all right." "Go on now." "I'll be all right." "Hello, Grady." "You remember." "Come inside with me." "I want to talk to you." "What you wants to talk to a slave about?" "You have pride, Grady." "You don't seem like a slave." "I want to be your friend." "There ain't no white lady in Carolina friend to a man like me." "I'm from the North... and we hate slavery." "I belong to an organization that helps escaped slaves start new lives... as free men." "Free?" "I thinks on it all the time." "But the risk?" "It's worth it, Grady." "It is." "At any risk." "You're saying you wants to help me?" "And I'll do anything to prove you can trust me." "That I accept you as an equal." "You wants to lay with me, don't you?" "Because I'm something different." "Don't flatter yourself." "You knows what they'd do to me?" "Just for... touching you?" "I won't let them punish you, Grady." "Never." "I don't believe in never." "About a mile down off the track... there's this old barn." "They won't be coming back for you till morning." "Won't they wonder why we didn't just stay here?" "No, ma'am." "Doors done busted." "Water be coming in the coach." "But Cuffey, he'll remember." "He won't say nothing." "He knows me." "You sure... you wants this?" "Yes." "I ain't doing this just for you... 'cause you wants it." "I do it 'cause I wants it, too." "Grady, where's Miss Virgilia?" " Inside." "She be fine, sir." " Thank God." "I guess you couldn't stay with the carriage the way it was." "No, sir, but I knew you'd be coming." "Know you'd find us here." "Virgilia!" "Are you all right?" "Thank heavens you're safe." "Safe, yes." "And hungry." "George, you certainly took your time getting here." "Yes, Grady is a good nigger." "He's just the boy to have at your back in a time of need." "I simply cannot thank you enough for him, Mr. Huntoon." "I assure you... he made a distressing situation into almost a pleasure." "I've never understood what people have against a good personal servant myself." "I find it no different than any other amenity." "And a slave is more loyal than a hireling." "Grady, I could care for you." "I almost believes that." "It's true." "I swear it." "Did you talk to the man from Charleston?" "Steamer puts out tomorrow night for Philadelphia." "He can stow me away on it... for more money than all I'm worth." "Here." "This is all the money that I have." "Will it be enough?" " That's more than..." " Never mind." "You'll need it." "Can you read this?" "I taught myself." ""1221 State Street." "Philadelphia."" "It's a safe house run by friends." "Quakers." "Go quickly, and I'll be with you soon." "Take that away, Rachel." "Patricia, strawberries would suit me just fine." "Aren't you feeling well this morning, Ashton?" "Since the Hazards have come to visit, I've all but lost my appetite." "Would you care to explain yourself, sister?" "Why, brother Orry, I meant no offense." "It's just that with the excitement and all I have no interest in food." "James, welcome." "Join us, please." "This is not a social call, sir." "Are you aware that one of my slaves has run off?" "We did hear Grady was missing." "As much as I hate to say it, sir, I find it more than a coincidence... that a slave who never showed the slightest sign of dissatisfaction... should run off while you're entertaining visitors from up North!" "Just what are you suggesting, Huntoon?" "I am not suggesting, sir, I'll say it straight out." "Did you help my slave escape, Miss Hazard?" "Just a minute, Mr. Huntoon!" "You are addressing my sister." "Yes, I am, sir!" "Please be kind enough to let her answer." "Virgilia, I suggest that you and I retire upstairs." "I think that's an excellent idea." "No." "Mr. Huntoon has come here for an answer." "I'm afraid he won't leave until he gets one." "Then tell him that it's not true." "If one of his prisoners escaped, Stanley... then I wish that man all the luck in the world." "That's not an answer, Miss Hazard!" "Nor do you deserve one... until you give us reason for your suspicion." "A good reason." "On the night of the storm... this lady spent the entire night in the sole company of my nigger Grady." "Something no Southern white woman would ever admit to doing." "Even though she did claim that he was guarding her." "Are you calling my sister a liar?" "James, tell them." "Are you?" " Ashton, I..." " Then I'll do it." "The other night when James was here..." "Virgilia was with Grady in the cotton dock." "I saw them." "Ashton, sit down." "Daughter, this is one time..." "I think you'd better speak up." "What were the two of you doing in the cotton dock, Virgilia?" "Were you showing him the path to freedom road?" "And what else did you show him?" "Did you bed with him... to show your sympathy for his unfortunate situation?" "I'd expect that of an abolitionist whore!" "You pompous windbag!" "Billy!" "Leave my house, James, now." "Not until he gets an answer." "I did help Grady escape, Mr. Huntoon." "I knew it." "Virgilia." "You see him as a nigger!" "And I see him as a man who deserves to be free!" "One day, you'll all understand what's about to happen here." "And when you do, God help you." "That woman conspired to rob me." "And her brother assaulted me." "I demand satisfaction!" " My seconds will call." " There will be no dueling!" " Why not?" "I'll kill that custard-faced" " Billy, that's enough!" "James, come on, before he does kill you." "I knew that sister of yours would do something as unspeakably vile as this." "It is no fault of mine." "George, I'm so sorry." "I want to apologize." "Good God, it is too late for that now." "There's no greater crime down here than stealing another man's slave." "That's what your sister did by helping Grady escape." "Yes, but you know Virgilia." "She..." "When that fool Huntoon gets the word around... there will be hell to pay, George." "You'd all...better be leaving for Charleston." "Today." "We'll be gone within the hour." "Safe journey." "Don't you worry about Billy." "We'll keep an eye on him for you." "Mr. Hazard, sir." "You've already taken advantage of my brother's hospitality." "Don't think you can take advantage of my sister's." "Orry, you know that I regret any trouble that's been caused." " I never intended" " George..." "I think it best we don't visit each other for a while." "At least until my neighbors forget about what happened." "I doubt that your neighbors will ever understand or forget, Orry." "Virgilia was wrong in her methods... but she was doing what she thought was right." "Good-bye, Orry." "George, I..." "Good-bye." "Uncle John." "I knew he was feeling poorly, Miss Madeline... but he wouldn't let me do nothing for him." "He wouldn't even let me send for you till now." "The doctor, he say your daddy is dying." "Miss Madeline, your daddy is dying." "Take hold of yourself." "I'm going upstairs now." "You be wanting me to come with you?" "No, Maum Sally." "You stay there with Uncle John." "Laurette." "No, Papa." "It's me, Madeline." "You look so much like your mother." "Hush, now." "Save your strength for getting better." "My sweet Madeline." "We both know..." "I am not going to get better." "Papa." "We had a beautiful marriage, your mother and I." "I wanted a marriage like that for you." "But I know now..." "I did you a terrible wrong." "You did what you thought was right for me." "I took Orry's letters... so that you would agree to marry Justin." "I know." "And I forgave you a long time ago for that." "There is something else I have to tell you." " Don't try and talk anymore." " About your mother." "Laurette made me swear I will never tell you." "Your mother's skin was fair like yours." "But Laurette's grandmother... your great-grandmother... was a negress." "A slave." "If my mother didn't want you to tell me... why are you breaking your promise and telling me now?" "To protect you." "I don't want you hurt... if the wrong people ever find out the truth... and use it against you." "Papa, who else knows?" "Papa." "I love you." "He's with your mother now, child." "Nothing more you can do." "You knew about my mother." "Why didn't you tell me?" "It was the way your folk wanted it." "When you was little... it made me worry." "What would happen if someone found out?" "But no one ever did." "And now, we know." "You and me, and that's all." "Justin, if he ever found..." "If he found out, you know what he'd do?" "Plantation owner marrying a nigger." "That's the way he will think of you, child." "You best remember that, or he will kill you." "Grady, you'd be doing a great service." "I guarantee that nothing is as potent... in persuading the public to the evils of slavery... as the testimony of a man who has endured it." "I don't know, Mr. Still." "It's dangerous." "What if some slave catcher from Carolina got wind of it?" "I understand your concern, but only you can answer that question." "We're not interested." "You don't want the truth." "You want some watered-down version of it." "The Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society... wants the strongest possible condemnation of slavery." "All we ask is that there be no appeal for violent uprisings in the South." "That kind of talk frightens many people... whites and free blacks... that would otherwise support our cause." "And, if I may be quite blunt... cost us a lot of money they would otherwise donate." "Out of which, of course, you get paid." "My husband and I will not prostitute ourselves... for a few pieces of silver." "Please, listen to this." "I strongly believe that both of you can be of use to the abolition." "Everyone in our society does not agree with me." "It's taken a great deal of time to convince everyone... to extend this invitation." "And I doubt that it will be repeated." "Your beliefs are considered among some to be extreme." "At least we live by our beliefs, Mr. Still." "Look at you, Mr. Still." "Dressed so fine." "Hobnobbing with those whites who dabble at politics." "Makes it easier to forget how it really is for your own kind." "Why, you're no more a free man than I am." "Can I ask you... did you read this?" "Of course, everyone in the society has read it." "And you still believe that talking and making speeches... going to get rid of what's described in Uncle Tom's Cabin?" "The whippings?" "The cruelties?" "Mrs. Stowe's book and our speeches will bring attention to these matters." "And that's the way the society wants it." "Then slavery will never be abolished by the likes of you." "It must die bathed in fire and blood." "When other Northerners read this book, they'll think so, too." "No, none of them." "Look, any move towards violence will only lead to prolonged suffering... to increasing acts of repressions that..." "I'm afraid I'm wasting my time." "Yes, sir." "You is." "I pray that your way does not prevail." "Get out." "The cold is cutting through me like a knife." "Would you put some more wood in the oven, Virgilia?" "There isn't any more wood." "When the fire dies, we'll just crawl under the blankets again." "It's not fit for pigs." "Grady, it's not your fault that you lost the job at the docks." "There are hundreds of men out of work right now." "You bought me my freedom... and this is what I..." "Why in God's name did you ever marry me?" "Because I love you." "You're the only man I ever wanted." "We share the same fight." "We're at war, you and I." "Not with each other, but with the rest... of them outside these walls." "Men like Still... don't seem to know there is a war." "Still and his kind surrendered a long time ago." "But there are others... who share our beliefs... our kind of abolition." "After your people are freed... after we punish the South for all they've done... then we will deal with Still and his people... every man and woman who opposed us in our struggle." " Hello, Orry." " Brett." "Anything wrong?" "Orry, some mail came today." "And you didn't get a letter from Bill." "Brett, you know they run cadets ragged at the Point." "He and Charles don't even have time to breathe, much less write." "I did get a letter from Billy." " Then what..." " This came, too." "It was sent to the whole family." "There was no card or letter." " Just a postmark from Philadelphia." " We don't know anyone there." "Billy wrote that his sister was living there." "With Grady." "This is trash." "I'm gonna burn it." "I read some of it." "It scared me." "This woman wrote horrible things about us." "What if people up North believe them?" "Brett, this book was written by a Northerner." "She based it on reports from abolitionists and escaped slaves." "She never even bothered to come down here... and find out if any of it was true." "George and Constance and Billy... they know that we're not like that." "Don't they?" "Of course they do." "They understand." "But, Orry, you didn't understand." "What?" "When Virgilia helped Grady leave." "Go home, Brett." "They all look so young, don't they, Orry?" "It wasn't that long ago when you and I marched on that field." "Now it's Charles and Billy." "Best friends, just like we were." "Isn't he handsome?" "They all are, especially that one." " I meant Billy." " I know who you meant." "I don't understand what you see in that boy... when there are so many men available." "Billy is the man for me." "Then I suppose you have to settle for whomever comes along... not being possessed with the same adventurous spirit as myself." "And I'm sure you're betrothed just adores that side of your nature." "James Huntoon?" "That sod." "There's only one thing about him I find attractive." "He has a brilliant future in politics." "And politics, my dear sister, is where the power is." "But you do love him, don't you?" "Don't be ridiculous." "I couldn't possibly love just one man." "Think how disappointed the rest of them would be." "Ready, two!" " Battalion!" " Company!" "For the good of the service!" " Dismissed!" " Huzzah!" " Things really haven't changed that much." " Not at all." " Hello, George." " Congratulations, Billy." " Thank you." " We couldn't be more proud of you." "Constance, thank you for coming." " Congratulations on your assignment." " Thank you." "I'd like you all to meet Miles Woodward." "Second Lieutenant, classmate, and friend." " Miles." " Orry Main." "You're being sent on assignment so soon, son." "We thought we'd at least have you at home for a while." "I've been assigned to staff duty at the Engineer Corps in Washington." " Is that safe?" " Yes." "It's the best assignment Billy could have been given." "And one of the safest." "The Engineers aren't even allowed to carry weapons." "That's right." "The Army's leaving the fighting to men like Charles." " You two won't be serving together." " No, I'm afraid not." "The army's sending me about as far away as they can." "To Texas." " The Second Cavalry." " That's right." "Texas?" "That's the end of the earth." "Nothing down there except heat, dust, and Red Indians." "Texans and Spaniards in the best minor regiment in the Army." "Robert E. Lee's in command of the Second." "He must've liked the way you sat horse." "Better than how I stood in class." "In fact, if it weren't for Billy, I wouldn't have gotten through it." "I do hear Lee thinks Texas is beautiful." "He keeps a garden and a pet rattlesnake." "I think I'll do the same." "Ladies, George and I will now show you where we used to live." " Yes, by all means." " A pleasure to meet you." "Good-bye, ma'am." "I always thought you were a little crazy." "But I guess that's why I like you so much." "And here I thought it was because I'm Billy Hazard's best friend." "An unpleasant association... that I won't hold against you." "I'm truly grateful, cousin." "I got all your letters." "I must have read each one at least a dozen times." "Writing kept me from missing you too much." "Why, Billy Hazard." "Aren't you even going to say hello to me?" "Hello, Ashton." "That's not much of a proper greeting." "Here." "Brett honey, what are you getting all excited about?" "Billy's like a brother to me." "There's no harm in kissing one's relations, is there?" "Brett." "You're not going to run away from me again, are you?" "As far as I can get." "That'll never be far enough, sweet Billy." "You're a wonderful dancer." "I'll have to brush up on my dancing for the next ball." "How about here?" "I love you, Brett, so much." "I love you, too." "But am I the girl you really want..." " or is Ashton?" " Brett, it's you." "It's you!" "I can't imagine what it'd be like not to love you." "Would you do me the honor... of becoming my wife?" "Yes." " What is this old place anyway?" " It's the chemistry lab." "You said you wanted to go someplace private." "It certainly is that." "What is that smell?" "Yankee perfume?" "That's the brimstone." "We mix gunpowder here." " How exciting." " It will be." "I promise." "You Yankee boys are all alike... thinking y'all got something special." "Something we Southern gals ain't never seen before." "Whenever we buy new slaves... the overseer strips them naked... to make sure they're healthy." "I used to hide in the barn and watch... especially when we bought male slaves." "You like it, don't you?" "Now that all depends on the man." "I haven't had any complaints so far." "If you're as good as you taste..." "I'll give you a little souvenir for a night to remember." "All the little girls want a souvenir of West Point." "So that's what all the little girls want." "This little girl wants more." "Promotion's very slow" "So we'll sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, oh!" "Benny Havens, oh!" "We'll sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, oh!" "May the army be augmented promotion be less slow" "May our country in her hour of need be ready for the foe" "May we find a soldier's resting-place beneath a soldier's blow" "And place enough beside our graves" "Just like the old days, isn't it?" "Only this time, we don't have to worry about getting caught." " George..." " I've missed you, old friend." "Two years is a long time." "And don't you tell me how busy you've been at the mill." " I know that what Virgilia and Grady" " George." "I feel... that I let you down in that." "What Virgilia did was wrong." "But it wasn't your fault." "I should've told you that then or written you." "It's important that you're telling me now." "When we were at the Point together, you told me in order to remain friends... we couldn't talk about our differences." "We've got to talk about them." "As much as we can." "I think a wedding might help our two families." " Whose?" " I know they're a little young." "Billy asked me to talk to you about Brett." "He wants to court her and he'd like your approval." "I can't give it." "Not now, anyway." "Why not?" "Billy's a fine young man with a good head on his shoulders." "You don't need to point out Billy's attributes." "There is no one I'd rather see my sister married to." "They're on Flirtation Walk right now with my blessing." "Then I don't understand your reluctance to a possible marriage." "Secession talk is starting up all over again." "When Carolina failed for the second time in '52..." "I thought it was over, but it isn't." "Thanks to the abolitionists and Uncle Tom's Cabin... the North now believes that the South is full of Simon Legrees." "We are not gonna be left with any choice, George." "You said so yourself." "Now I believe it, too." "But Secession talk didn't stop me from becoming partners with you." "And I don't see why it should stop Brett and Billy." "Think about it, George." "A Southern girl being married to a Northern officer." "What would their life be like?" "I've always hoped... that the North and South could find a way to solve their differences." "And seeing that out there today, watching that parade... made me think that they could." "You know that I am basically in favor of the marriage." "But I just need a little more time to be sure." "Here's to friendship, Orry." "Here's to it." "How you feeling now, honey?" "Good... but I could be better." "I'm a little tired right now... but I do have some friends... who'd be mighty grateful to keep you occupied for a while." "These other boys, are they like you?" "Amateurs, but willing to learn." "What I meant was, are they friends of Billy Hazard?" "I guess so." "You just make sure that they are... 'cause his friends are the only ones I want." "Including you." " She was really something, wasn't she?" " That hellcat nearly killed me." "I got scratch marks on my back to prove it." " She's got her collection of gold buttons." " Right." " Whoa." "Take care, Woodward." " Evening, Main." "Better learn to watch that flank at all times." "Could prove to be your downfall in battle." "That all depends upon who's sneaking up behind me... whether they're an enemy or a friend." "Just consider yourself lucky this time, friend." "We better get back to quarters." "Before you go, I'd like to ask you a question." "Have any of you seen my cousin Ashton tonight?" " I've been sent to find her." " No, sir, not since the parade." "What about you, Woodward?" "You were her escort at the dance." "Where is she?" "Right where I left her." "She said she wanted to be alone for a while." "Did something happen?" "Is she all right?" " What have you done to her?" " Nothing she didn't want done." "Go ahead, Main, but that won't change a thing." "It won't change what happened, nor what she is." "I'm warning both of you!" "If you tell a soul about what you've done tonight, I'll find you." "And God help you when I do." "Are you back so soon?" "I didn't think you had any more buttons to give me." "What are you doing here?" "Orry sent me to find you." "And so you have." "How clever of you." "Your friends made it easy for me." "It seems they left quite a trail." "I'm so ashamed!" "I believed them to be gentlemen, men of honor... and they took advantage of my innocence." "I begged them not to tell you." "I knew what you'd do if you found out." "You must swear to me you won't seek revenge." "I couldn't bear the thought of you dying in a duel to protect my lost honor." "Finish getting dressed." "You know me better than anyone, cousin Charles." "And you want me." "I know you do." "Don't shame our family any more than you already have." "I don't give a damn about the family." "But you do, don't you, Charles?" "That's why you'll keep my little..." "Our little secret." "Because if the truth were known... it would destroy dear brother Orry, humiliate Mother... and ruin any chance of marriage between Brett and Billy Hazard." "The family would survive despite your indiscretions." "Shall we take the risk?" "Give these to Billy Hazard." "I made sure his friends gave me tokens of their esteem." "I'm only sorry he doesn't have any more friends." "Why are you so sad today?" "I've been having dreams about my father." "You must miss him very much." "Yes, I do." "But these dreams are nightmares about things he told me before he died." "And they frighten me." "What?" "Tell me." "I've wanted to for a long time." "You know my mother died when I was born." "And I never knew anything about her family." "My father told me they quarreled with her over marrying him." "But that wasn't true." "The truth is... her grandmother, my great-grandmother... came here from Africa on a slave ship." "So to most people my skin might as well be coal black." "Look at me." "I am not most people." "I'm the man who loves you, remember?" "The same way that your father must have loved your mother." "Is that what frightened you?" "That I wouldn't understand?" "Partly." "I love you." "But the real nightmare is Justin finding out." "That he's trying to kill me." "You can't go on this way." "I'm going to take you away from here for good." " We've argued this before." " You had never told me this before." "You're right." "If Justin ever found out, he would kill you." "You can't leave Mont Royal." "It's not as important to me as your life." "Don't you understand?" "You mean more to me... than anything else in the world." "All right, I'll go with you." " You mean..." " When?" "We have to get some things together." "Three days from now." "You meet me here." "And you tell no one, not even Maum Sally." " I have to." " No." "No one." "I have to." "I won't go without her." "All right." "You can tell her, but absolutely no one else." " What is it?" " Where will we go?" "North." "It's our only choice." "I didn't know anyone else to turn to or trust." "I can't go to Orry, or Mother, or Brett." "There's no one but you." "You'll help me, Madeline, won't you?" "I can't until you tell me what's happened." "A few months ago, I placed my trust... and love into the hands of a young man." "Now I find myself in serious trouble all because of one night's... indiscretion." "I see." "I've been just about out of my wits with worry." "You know I'm supposed to marry James Huntoon this spring." "Does he know you're carrying his child?" "No." "He's not the father." "It was a boy I hardly knew." "I met him at West Point on graduation night." "I was overcome with emotion." "I don't even know where he's been sent." "I know it was sinful, but must I be punished?" "I have my whole life." "I don't want to lose the only man I'll ever love." "I do love James so very much." "Am I to understand that you don't want the child?" "I can't have it." "It's impossible." "Don't you see?" "Madeline..." "I know we've never really had a chance to become very close... even though I have felt a real kinship to you." "And everyone speaks so well of you... especially my brother." "That's why I dared to come and beg you for help." "Can't you give me the name of someone I can turn to?" "I know there are people in the Low Country... that'll help a girl in trouble." "Please, Madeline." "I will help you, Ashton." "I can't condone what you're willing to do... but I don't believe it's right to ruin so many lives... because of one night of passion." "There's a woman, Aunt Belle Nin." "She lives in the marshes." "She said I could call on her if I ever needed her help." "But you can't go there alone, it wouldn't be safe." "I'll go with you." "Bless you, Madeline." "You are..." "It'll have to be done tomorrow." "No one must ever know, for both our sakes." "Do you understand?" "There must be something you can give her." "She's in such pain." "It will pass." "Let her be now." "Follow me." "Maum Sally, you stay with Ashton." "I'll be just downstairs." "I want you to know I'm doing this for you, not her." "That girl mistreats her people." "There's an evil streak running through her blood." "I know." "But I couldn't refuse." "She had no one else to help her." "Don't make it a habit of risking your hide for her kind." "She'll just turn against you... even despise you for knowing her dark secret." "I don't believe that." "Never let her know... you have a secret or two of your own." "You're talking crazy, Aunt Belle." "You best be warned." "Get away from me!" "Grab a bottle of corn and pour about half of it down her throat." "Get away from me!" "Let go of me!" "And you, missy, shut up and lay still, or I'm sending you back out... into the swamp to have your bastard, like it or not." "Ashton, drink this." "It'll be over soon, I promise." "Drink it." "Master be mighty glad you're home, mistress." "He's been frightfully worried about you, he has." "Seeing you've been gone for so long." "Thank you, Clinton." "He knows something, don't he?" "No, he don't know nothing except how to use a whip." "I'm sorry I'm late." "Clinton said you were worried." "Did you have a nice trip to Charleston, my dear?" "Yes." "You said you wanted to shop." "What did you buy?" "Nothing, I'm afraid." "I didn't see anything I liked." "Nothing?" "Hope you at least had a nice luncheon with your friends from New Orleans... in a hotel?" "Yes." "Which hotel?" "The Imperial." "Remember?" "I told you." "Yes, so you did, my dear... which is why I spent the day there... from 11:00 this morning until 4:30 this afternoon." "Your friends from New Orleans never appeared... at The Imperial dining room and neither did you." "Where have you been all day?" "Who's the man you've been meeting?" " You're hurting me." " Or was there more than one?" "You're always running off helping the slaves, you tell me." "You been sleeping around the whole county?" "I went to Charleston with Maum Sally." "You'll tell me the truth if I have to beat it out of you." "Don't you hurt her." "What did you say?" "It ain't right, your beating on Miss Madeline." "She ain't done nothing wrong!" "Justin, no!" "It's me you want to hurt, not her." "You're right for once." "Maum Sally, go." "Please go!" "No!" "Damn you!" "Come on!" "Justin, no." "Please, no!" "I'll ask you just one more time." " Where were you, and who were you with?" " I didn't betray you." "I asked you where you were." "I had a private errand to attend to." "There was nothing more than that." "Stop your lying!" "I want an answer." "I gave you one." "I didn't betray you." " I could beat it out of you." " No!" "But I won't." "You're supposed to be a lady... and whipping is only for slaves." "So I'll wait till you're ready." "But you are gonna stay here in this room... until you tell me the truth." "Days, weeks, months." "It's up to you to decide." "No, Justin." "Don't leave me in here." "You can rot in here for all I care." "Justin, don't leave me in here!" "Oh, God." "Mistress, these are sorry days, your being like this." "Don't be concerned for me." "You'll only suffer for it." "How's Maum Sally?" "She hasn't been to see me." "Mr. Justin, he won't let her." "He keeping a close watch on her." "Mr. Orry Main and his mama... they come asking about you, and a lot of other folks, too... but the master, he say you don't want to see nobody." "I understand." "Leah, could you bring me... some more water, it's for washing." "Mr. Justin, he say that's all you to get." " Thank you." " I'll be seeing you tomorrow, mistress." " Miss Madeline." " Maum Sally." "I've come to get you out, child." "I told you I'd kill you." "Your free nigger won't help you now, slut!" "Mr. Justin, please!" "No, no, please." "Maum Sally, I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "I'm glad to see you in such a lively mood today." "You must be feeling better." "There's nothing wrong with me, thank you very much." "I just had a touch of the marsh fever." "But I'm feeling fine now." "Just fine." "Well enough to go riding today with Forbes LaMotte." "Why, your wedding is only a few weeks away." "I'd have thought you'd be spending all your time with James." "After all, he is the man you're marrying." "Just because I'm honoring him with the privilege of marrying into our family... doesn't mean I'll spend my last days of freedom in his boring company." "You make marriage sound like a jail sentence." "It won't be that way for Billy and me." "Billy Hazard is no different than the rest of them." "You silly fool." "You believe in all those lies he writes in his letters... about how he loves you and wants to marry you?" "Why, he said those very words to me, once upon a time." "You hate Billy because he wants me now, instead of you." "Brett." "That's not true." "I'm trying to protect you." "You're my sister, after all." "Then try to understand that I love Billy... and that we are going to be married soon." "Of course you are." "And we'll have a big family and a dozen children." "That's 12 more than I'll be breeding." "You just make sure that he marries you... first." "If you can hear me, Mrs. LaMotte, I want you to know I'm here to help you." "You're safe." "Your husband's here." "He's terribly worried." "I'll do all I can, but you must do everything I ask." "Yes." "You must force yourself to eat." "I've tried everything I could to persuade her, Doctor, but she refuses." "Don't you, dear?" "I will try to eat... something... if the doctor tells me to." "Good." "Now, you must follow my regimen to the letter." "Plenty of rest, hot tea, some solid food when you're feeling up to it." "But more importantly... you must drink some of my celery tonic every day without fail." "You'll see to it that she gets her medicine?" "I'll spoon-feed it to her myself." " And this room must be aired out." " Certainly." "In her delirium, she wouldn't let anyone in here to clean it for her." "You'll recover, my dear." "I can't believe it." "She's practically starved herself." "After a week, your wife will be accustomed to the celery tonic." "Then you may substitute the other formulation." "The one containing the laudanum?" "Yes, from your description of her behavior before the mental collapse..." "I consider the treatment entirely necessary." "I wish there was some other way." "But I just can't think of anything else to calm her nerves." "I'm afraid of what she might do to herself if I'm not here to watch out for her." "Of course." "You understand there will be symptoms." "Fatigue, signs of early aging." "All of which can be accountable to natural causes." "The stress and strain of normal living." "Mrs. LaMotte need never know she's taken the laudanum." "One more question, Doctor." "How long can this treatment be continued?" "Indefinitely." "But I'm afraid that after a while she won't be able to function without it." "Thank you, Doctor." "Good day, Doctor." "Madeline." "Orry, how nice to see you again." "What's wrong with you?" "Did you change your mind about leaving?" "I've waited at the chapel for you every day." "I know it's dangerous to come here, but I had to see that you were all right." "Meet me tomorrow." "I have to know what's wrong." "I'm sorry." "It's too difficult." "Justin, I've come about the invitation to Ashton's wedding." "It's next week, and we hadn't gotten your reply yet, so..." "My apologies." "I've been hoping that Madeline will be well enough to attend." "Is there anything I can do?" "No." "She's under a doctor's care." "He says it's nothing serious." "Just a weakness in the blood." "One of those mysterious ailments that women are heir to." "I think you should go back into the house now, my dear." "You've been out here long enough." "We hope you'll both be at the wedding." "It's Sunday after next, remember." "We'll surely try." "Madeline, say goodbye to Orry." "Goodbye, Orry." "Ladies and gentlemen, maintain your posture, please." "1,001, 1,002, 1,003... 1,004, 1,005." "Thank you." "Would you lovely ladies excuse me for just a second?" "Madeline." "I'm glad you came." "I beg your pardon?" "Why have you shut me out?" "I wish you'd tell me what I've done." "Have you seen my husband anywhere?" "I must find him." "Talk to me." "Let me help you." "There's no need." "Then let me see you again." "Just once." "No." "That's impossible." "Madeline, I will not give up." "Please leave me alone." "Of course, James expressed to me his interest in politics." "But to be called upon to help guide the Secessionist Movement..." "I just had no idea I'd be marrying such a powerful and influential man." "As his wife, I hope I can only live up to such an honor." "You'd make a mighty fine first lady of the Republic of South Carolina." "Do you agree, Brett?" "Of course." "That's what you want." "James' happiness is what I want." "If we can get the rest of the Southern states to secede... who knows, James?" "You may be elected President of something a lot bigger." "First thing I'd do is put an end to those damn Northern abolitionists." "Like that Hazard woman." "Perhaps you have forgotten that the Hazard family are our friends." "I'm afraid I neglected to tell you... that Brett's keeping company with Virgilia's brother Billy." "We plan to be married." "Well then, please accept my apology... and my deepest regret." "Isn't it the most beautiful little ring you ever saw?" "And when the sun shines, it's just..." "I swear I've never seen anything so beautiful." "Forbes, I thought you'd left." "And without saying goodbye to me." "I'm here to pay you my final respects... and to escort you over to your husband." "James seems unable to escape the attention of his political allies." "May I?" "I wonder if your husband would be gracious enough... to let me escort you to your bedroom... that is, if you felt a sudden headache coming on real suddenly." "It would be rude of me to desert our guests." "You once said that if you married James, you'd still want me." "Does that hold true?" "I never say anything I don't mean, Forbes." "There's something I want in return." " Anything." " It involves my sister and Billy Hazard." "That sure is a crime." "Brett wanting to marry that Yankee when she can have me." "I might have married Billy if it weren't for little sister." "And the fact that he caught you and me in the cotton dock." "He never said anything about that, did he?" "No, but it doesn't mean he won't." "James would divorce me quicker than a snake's smile if he found out." "And kill you." "There's a way we can get rid of him, and not have anything to worry about... if you help me." "What is going on in that devilish mind of yours?" "You'll find out another time." "I refuse to talk business on my wedding day." "No." "Are you all right?" "Must you talk about it?" "I'm so embarrassed." "There's nothing to be ashamed of." "This being your first time and all, it's only natural." "I had no idea it would be so discomfiting." "You'll learn to enjoy lovemaking, I promise." "You're not disappointed by my lack of experience, are you?" "On the contrary, I wouldn't have had it any other way." "I saved myself for you, James." "But you'll have to learn to be gentle with me... and let me grow accustomed to my duty as your wife." "A little patience and understanding is all I ask for." "I'll try to make it easier on you." "There's no rush now, James." "We have plenty of time for that." "We have our whole lives ahead of us, James." "Yes, of course." "But we won't have to wait that long, will we?" "Our whole lives, James, dear." "Remember that, now." "You go to sleep." "Go on!" "Good night." "It's as if I weren't even married." "Having to move back here while James is off having a gay time in New Orleans." "If James thought that I'd stay cooped up in that miserable, empty house of his... with no one to talk to but house slaves, he was sadly mistaken." " Orry, take me to New Orleans." " What?" "Out of the question." "Why?" "I want to spend some time with my husband." "We didn't even have a proper honeymoon." "The Secessionist Movement is obviously of greater importance to James." "It's important to both of us." "I happen to share his views!" "Then you should realize the danger of what your husband is advocating... for South Carolina and the rest of the states." "He's stoking a fire that will burn out of control." "Maybe a raging fire's just what we need to get people like you to join our fight." "What is it going to take to make you understand... that we need Northern industry to survive?" "A separation of states will only mean the South's downfall." "What about slavery?" "Are you willing to do away with it?" "I hardly think so." "It wouldn't look right." "You out there in the fields, side by side with Mama and Brett." "You're right." "You do belong with your husband." "Then you're going to take me to New Orleans?" "No." "You'll just have to have to wait for him at his plantation, not this one." "Let us not forget, my friends... we fought the revolution against tyranny to found this nation!" "Will we let the Federal Government dictate to the state of South Carolina?" "No!" "Will we let it dictate to any sovereign state?" "No!" "No, my friends, because states have rights!" "Rights to which we are guaranteed by the constitution of the United States!" "If the Federal Government doesn't see fit to recognize those rights..." "I say we form our own country!" "Wish that I was in the land of cotton Old times there are not forgotten" "Look away!" "Look away, Dixie Land!" "In Dixie Land, where I was born in Early on one frosty morning" "Look away!" "Look away, Dixie Land!" "I wish I was in Dixie!" "Hooray!" "In Dixie Land I'll take my stand to live and die in Dixie!" "Away down South in Dixie!" "Your speech tonight was an unqualified success, James." "The crowd rose to their feet so many times, I lost count." "I consider myself extremely fortunate to have heard you express your views." "Our views, so eloquently." "Thank you, Maj. Bent." "I'm glad you share our sentiments, and not those of Jefferson Davis." "Many of us in the military abhor Davis' cowardly policies." "I will give him credit for his past heroism." "Past is right." "Now all he wants is peace." "As if there can be such a thing." "If the Union is dissolved... and a new Southern nation falls under Davis' leadership..." "I'll have no place in either army." "As a Southerner, I could never bear arms against my homeland." "But I could not support Jefferson Davis." "That would be a great loss to the South, Maj. Bent." "So we must make sure that Mr. Davis is never in a position... to cost us the services of men like you." "Good evening, gentlemen." "I hope I haven't kept you waiting." " Your ladies are worth it, Madam Conti." " I like to think so." "Otille will be available in half an hour or so." "Perhaps one of the other girls." "Otille is the only one worth waiting for... as far as I'm concerned." "These gentlemen are my guests this evening, Madam Conti." "Gentlemen, make your selection." "You'll excuse me, gentlemen, but Mary Lou is so new in the field... she doesn't know how to fend for herself." "And that's not good for my business." "You are a generous man, sir." "A man in my position likes to take care of his friends." "Is this Orry Main?" "Yes." "Do you know him?" "Very well." "We were at West Point together." "Later, he served under me in the Mexican War." "In fact, he was decorated for bravery under my command at Churubusco." "I take it this your wedding picture, Mr. Huntoon?" "I'm proud to say so." "My lovely wife there is Orry Main's sister." "She's beautiful, indeed." "You're a lucky man." "Who is this lady?" "I recall seeing her before." "Madeline LaMotte, a close friend of the family." "That's peculiar." "I don't recognize the name." "Only the face is familiar." "Such beauty would be hard to forget." "It'll come to me in time." "I'll remember that face." "For now, sir, my congratulations on your beautiful bride." "Thank you, Major." " Will it be Suzanne again?" " Yes." "Thank you, ma'am." "Since I must wait for Otille, ma'am... let's share a bottle of champagne in your office." "I have a sudden desire to see that room again." "Paul, bring the finest bottle of champagne." "You've always admired that painting, Major." "Yes, I have." "Didn't you once tell me she used to work for you?" "She was even more beautiful than Otille." "And more expensive." "To you, ma'am." "Your love of beauty is exceeded only by your love of money." "How true." "Whatever became of the woman?" "She died quite a while ago." "She was very special to me." "I was lonely when she left." "But she loved him." "There was nothing I could do." "Who was it that she loved?" "A customer... with slightly less exotic tastes than yours." "Why are you so curious?" "Because the woman in that portrait... reminds me... of someone that I once loved and lost." "You and I share a most painful memory." "Please... tell me about her." "His name was Nicholas Fabray." "He was respected." "Very wealthy man." "When Laurette told me he'd asked her to marry him..." "I couldn't help but laugh." "I told her he didn't have to marry her to sleep with her." "He'd already paid for that privilege." "But did they marry?" "Yes." "They had a child, a little girl." "The birth was very hard." "She died soon after." "What happened to the child?" "Fabray left town soon after Laurette died." "Took their daughter." "It was the best thing." "Too many people knew what her mother was." "You mean, what she had been." "Was." "A one-quarter Negress." "A quadroon." "Then the child has nigger blood in it." "Laurette was never that to me." "It is indeed a tragic story, madam." "A sorry ending to the woman who inspired that beautiful painting." "Do you know where the child is today?" "She must be a woman now." "I only hope she's kept her secret." " If it ever got out..." " Certainly, it's safe with me, ma'am." "I assure you of that." "I'm sure Otille's ready for you now." "Billy's only got a short leave." "You don't suppose we could miss each other, do you?" "No, I don't, Brett." "We haven't even gotten to Belvedere yet." "We won't see Billy till we catch a train to Philadelphia on our way back." " I guess I'm a little anxious." " No!" "I do know how you feel." "I can hardly wait to give George his first share of the profits from the mill." "It'll be wonderful to see George and Constance again." " Yes, it will." " Thank you for letting me come along." "It is more pleasant with a traveling companion... as you so astutely pointed out back home." "Train's due in the station in five minutes, folks." "Excuse me, sir." "We'll change trains when we arrive, and we have a lot of luggage." "Could you possibly find a baggage man for us in the depot?" "Couldn't say." "Maybe you should've brought some of your slaves to help you out." "I asked you a civil question." "I'll call the car porter." "What is wrong with these people?" "We've run into nothing but his kind since we started this trip." "Is it me?" "Am I doing something wrong?" "You're speaking with a Southern accent." "We are in Maryland." "We haven't even left the South." "There are a lot of people here more Yankee than Southern." "Everything is changed since we visited the Hazards." "I can feel it." "We're not welcome here anymore." "And you still want to marry Billy?" "Just as much as you want to remain friends with George." "I want that, yes." "But can I have it?" "$80,000?" "I can't believe it, Orry." "I can't wait until Stanley hears about this." "He told me that mill would be a cataclysmic disaster." " Sort of like that train ride North." " Will you relax?" "You ran into some ignorant people on the train." "You know we're not all like that." "Some of us are." "Which reminds me, my sister's here." " Virgilia's home?" " Temporarily." "She only comes home when she needs to." "For money." "Thank you." "And supplies for the cause." "She looks like hell." "Is she still living in Philadelphia?" "You mean, is she still married to Grady?" "I think so, although she hasn't seen fit to tell us." "It must be very difficult for you." "It was terrible for my mother." "I don't think she'll ever get over Virgilia marrying a Negro." "You?" "What about you?" "I could accept Virgilia's marriage... if I understood her reasons for doing it." "Enough of that." "How's Charles?" "Is he still down in Texas, fighting Indians?" "No." "Past history." "He has now crossed the Rio Grande... and is chasing some Mexican bandit named Cortina." "Thank God there's one person in our two families... that knows who he's fighting and why." "Excuse me, darling." "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I need a man's opinion." " Do you like it?" " It's beautiful." "I should say, you have never looked more lovely." "Thank you, Orry." "George bought it for me." "It's from Paris." "I'm going to wear it at the night of the first charity ball at Lehigh Station." "A Charles Worth original." "Now, you don't think it's a bit too Irish, do you?" "It's beautiful." "It looks absolutely lovely on you, dear." "Thank you." "I mean, I know it's a bit too grand for the occasion... raising funds for a new schoolhouse, but I don't care." "George bought it for me, and you know I love it." "Virgilia, I warn you." "Just this once, keep your dreadful opinions to yourself." " Get out of my way!" " You'll only upset them!" "Virgilia, what a surprise." "Hello, Brett." "Hello, Orry." "I hadn't heard you were visiting." "No wonder." "I'm the best-kept secret in this family." "Do you know that George tried to lock me away in the attic?" "But I managed to escape." "I found this tiny window and crawled out." "Virgilia, please!" "You'll all be happy to hear I'm leaving in the morning for Chambersburg." "That's right." "To help in the work of the great John Brown." " Have you heard of him?" " Who hasn't?" "He and his five sons butchered slavery settlers in Kansas." " He's nothing but a murderer." " I expected you'd say something like that." "To slander anybody who dares to do something about slavery." "You should never have allowed her to stay." "You promised me." "Is planning massacres the way you're going to help him?" "John Brown's the new messiah." "And one day he'll lead your slaves in a great revolution." "Any man who stands in our way will die in blood and fire." "And you'll be the first!" "We're leaving now." "Come on, Brett." "No, Orry." "Wait, please." "You are my flesh and blood, but this time you've gone too far." "Now, I want you out of this house!" "No, Mother!" "Let them go!" "They won't listen to the truth." "That's one thing too much for a Southerner to bear!" "The truth?" "You don't even know the meaning of the word." "I'm sick and tired of taking the blame... for every wrong that's ever been done in the South!" "And I will not stand here to be lied to by some, filthy, twisted..." " Orry, that's enough." " Crazy woman!" "You and your black-breeding farms." "Where do you get such fantasies?" "From yellow-back novels?" "Does just thinking about it arouse you?" "Is that why you married Grady?" "To find out for yourself?" "I told you to stop it." "You are an evil man." "And evil sees evil in everything." "But you and your kind are finished." "I warned you this day would come, and it's here!" "Shut up, and get back to your nigger husband where you belong!" "I think that apologies are in order." "This time, I will not accept them." "This time, you'll offer one to all of us." "You are taking her part in this?" "I take issue with her words and her ways... but my sister's on the right side." "Then we have nothing more to say to each other." "You're right." "We haven't." "Kindly have our luggage delivered to the Manor House Hotel." "We'll be leaving for home in the morning." "Come on, Brett." "If I didn't know better, I could swear he deliberately provoked Virgilia... in order to embarrass our family." "Not another word, Isabel!" "Not one more word!" "I don't believe he did that." "How could he leave and not apologize for what he said?" "You both should have apologized, as well as Virgilia... especially Virgilia." "You're the one who insists we let her in when she comes scratching at the door." "I feel so sorry for her, George." "None of her family seems able to accept her marriage." "Are you sure it's a marriage, and not just a political statement?" "I think she really loves Grady... like you love me." "I want to believe in that." "I know it's easier to blame Virgilia for everything... but it doesn't change the difference between Orry's and my beliefs." "Come here, darling." "Orry Main is the best friend you have." "You've both jeopardized that friendship... by quarreling over what's wrong in this country." "And you know, it hasn't solved a thing." "I know that." "But my feelings are just as strong as his." "I'm not advocating Virgilia's or John Brown's methods... but I don't believe that a man should be held in bondage... simply because his skin is black." "Now, how can I oppose... everything that Orry stands for... and still be his friend?" " I love you." " I love you, too." "Wish me luck." "Orry..." "I want to thank you for letting Brett see me." "I know it wasn't something you found easy to do." "She told you about what happened at Belvedere?" "That's between you and my brother, not Brett and me." " No, Billy, I disagree." " We want to be married." "You can't withhold your consent because of what happened with George." "No, of course not." "But I was and still am unsure about your marriage... for the very reasons your brother and I disagreed on." "You expect us to wait until the problems of this country are solved?" "That might be a very wise decision." "And what if we decide to go ahead and get married... without your permission?" "I don't believe my sister will go against the wishes of her family." "But, of course, you're free to ask her." "Thank you." "I intend to do just that." "Excuse me." "Come on." "It's all right." "We'll work it out somehow." " I'll write to you." " All right." "Goodbye." "Board!" "All aboard, please." "Let's go." "Virgilia, what are you doing here?" " I'm going back where I belong, Billy." " What?" "All aboard!" "It's my life." "I should be the one to decide, not you." "Now you're talking like Ashton." "If you intend to defy me, you tell me straight out." "No, I won't do that." "At least not while there's still a chance you might change your mind." "Make sure everybody gets off the train at the second car!" "Just stay where you are." "Ladies and gentlemen, you'll have to get off the train." "Where are we?" "We've been detoured." "We're at Harper's Ferry, miss." "Now, please hurry." "They've already shot one man." "Come on." "Step lively, now." "We're gonna make you slavers dance to a different tune." "We're here to free the slaves in Virginia." "I demand to know why we're being held like this." "One more move, and you won't be traveling on, slaver." "Put down your gun." "We have no quarrel with these people." " I take it you are the leader here, sir." " I am, sir." "And I advise you to use a more respectful tone... when speaking to me and my men." "You have the honor of addressing Capt. Smith..." "Commander-in-Chief of the provisional government of the United States." "These are members of my staff." "You talk as though we're at war, sir." "We most certainly are at war." "My men and I came all the way from Kansas... to make sure justice prevails... and to ensure the freedom of Negroes in the state." " What will you do to us?" " We mean you no harm." "But the militia must be convinced of our purpose... to free the slaves of this state." "When they call for a truce... then we'll negotiate for your release." "But I warn you... if one move is made against me and my men... we shoot to kill." " All right, slavers, into the station house." " You heard the man." " Move on, ladies." " Step lively, now." "He's magnificent, isn't he?" " Virgilia." " I was taking your advice, Mr. Main." "I was going back to my nigger husband... but Grady found me first, along with his brave soldiers." "Don't you see you're in terrible danger here?" "Stay where you are." "We've got orders to shoot anyone who gives us trouble." "And surely you can guess who issued those orders, Mr. Main." "He may call himself Capt. Smith, but we know who he is, don't we?" "We once talked about the man who would save this country... and I am so happy you have finally met the great John Brown." "Grady, you have to get her away from here." "Don't you know what's gonna happen?" "Listen to me!" "I don't wanna hear nothing from you!" "So go on with the others... before I kill you." "Put the gun down, Grady... and get Virgilia out of here." "I don't take orders... from trash like you." "Not anymore!" "Thousands more, slaves... just like I was, are gonna join us here." "The Captain says so." "Anybody try to stop us... their blood will run in the streets." "That's right, blood is going to run." "Grady, don't you see?" "You can't win." "The blood will be yours!" "Then, white man, I'll have yours first!" " No!" " Grady, no!" "Leave him be." " Priam." " Yes, Mr. Orry." "You never expected to see me again, did you?" "Priam." "I belonged to his daddy." "But Mr. Orry here let me go free." "If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead these 10 years." "You are with us now!" "You're a free man." "You don't owe him anything." "Freedom up North just wasn't what I thought it would be." "Most folks don't treat Negroes no better." "I've come to the Captain 'cause I have nowhere to go." "I just got so sick and tired of running and hiding." "I was just ready to fight like a man, and die like one." "Captain!" "I heard the militia's on its way." "Some of the townsfolk got guns, too." "Get these people back on the train." "We're moving out." " What about hostages?" " We'll take them out of the town." "Move!" "We don't have much time." "All right, get those people back on the train." " Let's hurry now." " Move!" "Unhand me." "You've got to get back on the train." "There's no place for you." " No, I'm not leaving you." " It's too dangerous." "I love you!" "I want to be with you." "Virgilia, don't!" "You've got to let me go." " Get them logs out of there." " We haven't got much time." " Come on, let's go!" " Quick, to the town!" "Do a little work." "Get up there." "Grady!" "Priam!" "You better make tracks." "The militia should be almost here." "You heard that." "You gotta hide." "I'll be back for you later." " No, I'll stay with you and fight." " Virgilia, please." "Please, man, you've got to!" "There's some of them renegades." "Ready, aim, fire." "Second squad, advance!" "Ready, aim, fire!" "First squad, advance!" "I'll show you I can fight!" "Ready, aim, fire!" "Second squad, advance!" "At least..." "I was a free man for a time." "No, Grady, you're not going to die." "Always remember..." "I love you." "No!" "Murderers!" "You're all murderers!" " Come on." " Don't you touch my husband!" "I'll see you rot in hell first!" "You think he's dead, don't you?" "He's not dead." "He's free." " Come on, missy, let's go." " Come along, ma'am." "They never should've hung him." "'Cause while he lived, he was a lunatic." "Now they've turned him into a martyr." "Emerson's even calling him a saint." "I've had nightmares thinking about that night at Harper's Ferry." "And yet, bad as it seemed..." "I feel sorry for those men." "Sorry?" "Brett, don't you understand where he got the support for his raid?" "From Northern abolitionists." "They gave him money to arm slaves." "The Marines found hundreds of guns in his farmhouse where he stayed." "Weapons for the slaves he thought would join him?" "Yes." "The South will stand for a lot of things... but not for Yankees giving Negroes guns to murder white men." "Now even the Southerners... who don't own slaves will go against the North." "You're talking about a war... between us... and people that we love." "I'm afraid there may be no way to stop it now." "How stupid!" "John Brown's body lies a- moldering in the grave" "But his soul goes marching on" "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" "His soul goes marching on" "He's gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord" "His soul goes marching on" "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" "Come on, let's go!" "Hello, Virgilia." "Congressman Greene?" "It's been a long time since that night you made a speech in Philadelphia." "What do you want here?" "I've come to take you out." "All the arrangements have been made." "I don't understand." " You're free to go, my dear." " No." "No." "There was an insurrection at Harper's Ferry." "I want to stand trial for my part in it." "As far as the world is concerned, you had no part." "That isn't true." "Your enemies are not going to give you the platform of a trial." "They realize now... that it was a fatal error to condemn and execute John Brown." "Virgilia, please." "They hear those voices outside the window, too." "They don't want another martyr right now, especially not a woman." "Virgilia." "You can't help the cause, or yourself... by staying here." "Come with me." "Please." "How did you know where to find me?" "You never knew me by the name I use now." "I admit, you made it difficult." "I'd heard, some time ago, that you'd taken residence... with a former slave named Grady... that you'd helped him escape from South Carolina." "And then I lost track of you." "Most people did." "Then I read an account of the raid on Harper's Ferry." "The name Garrison Grady appeared on a list of the dead." "I wasn't sure if it was the same Grady." "That first name is very unusual for a Negro." "He took his name from Garrison, the great Boston abolitionist." "That thought occurred, so I made some inquiries." "I asked about the woman who was questioned... but not held in Virginia." "And then I heard that a Mrs. Grady... was being held here in Washington, incommunicado." "And that's when I found you at the asylum." "They put me in there so everyone would think I was crazy." "And are you?" "What do you think?" "I assumed you used the name Mrs. Grady to spare your family embarrassment." "My family?" "Those hypocrites?" "No, my dear congressman." "Please... call me Sam." "If you prefer Sam." "I didn't want my family to know where I was." "Not to spare them embarrassment... but to keep them... especially my brother George, from interfering." "I wanted my day in court." "I understand that." "But the reason for calling myself Mrs... is because that's what I am... and I'm proud of it." "Do you mean to say that you actually married... that is to say... you and Grady took legal vows?" "We loved each other." "He was a good, good man." "I'm sure he was." "And he died in a good cause, a noble cause." "His death will be avenged." "Many people in the North are already demanding it... for all the heroes of Harper's Ferry." "I'm not one of those." "So why did you bother to get me out?" "My dear Virgilia... you may remember that some years ago I expressed my... interest in you." "I do." "When I gave my first speech, you were kind enough to compliment me on it." "I complimented you on more than your speech... if you recall." "And I recall reminding you of your marital status." "Has that changed?" "No." "I'm as married as I ever was." "But I'm not asking you to forget that." "I'm glad you're not." "Sam, I may never get over Grady's death." "But if I ever do think about another man..." "I would have to think about another marriage." "Don't make your terms too hard and fast, my dear." "Meaning what?" "Meaning I've lost some value, or bargaining position, by marrying Grady?" "You know it's not that." "No, I mean that the man you should be with... ought to be a man who can best serve... your needs." "He may prove to be married." "He may even prove to be me." "I never asked you for your help, sir." "But someday you might." "And I will be in a position to help you." "I'm rapidly becoming one of the most powerful men in Congress... and I generally get what I want." "I understand." "I'm grateful for the help you gave me tonight." "Please don't bother to get up." "I prefer to leave on my own power." "And if I do ever need your help again..." "I thank you for telling me your terms in advance." "Put Abe in the White House!" " Abe's our man!" " Abraham Lincoln for president!" "Vote for Lincoln!" "You're thinking about Orry again, aren't you?" "You know, George, I just can't believe the two of you." "Grown men, best friends... and every time you argue, neither of you can bring yourself to make it up." "George, the longer you wait, the harder it'll become." "I know that, Constance." "Seeing this has made me think of Mexico again." "My God, were we ever that young?" "Look at this one, smiling." "Somebody tell me what he's got to smile about?" "He knows that Lincoln's going to be elected." "And if he is, the next marching that boy does will be off to war." "But you want Lincoln to be President, don't you?" "I'm all for a Republican victory... but if he wins the election, we lose the South." "They've made that very clear." "But we're against the South." "We've helped hundreds of slaves escape." "Yes, but everything that I do is opposed to what Orry stands for." "That's what makes it so hard for me to go to him." "And if we go to war, what's wrong between us will never be made right." "Orry will be my enemy." "War is killing, Constance, killing your enemies." "We shouldn't be thinking about killing." "You and I should be thinking about life, especially today." "I got some very good news from Dr. McLain today." "I was afraid to tell you." "We've had so many disappointments." "But this time, it's true?" "We're going to have a baby in the spring." "I love you." "And I love you." "And that is what is going to get us all through this." "After we do that, we must continue to remind people... that Gerritt Smith was a supporter of John Brown." "Do you think that's wise, Mrs. Grady?" "I just meant that committing himself to an asylum after..." "It was because he was afraid he might be assassinated by a Southern slaver." "Don't you believe that Mr. Smith will defeat that Illinois hypocrite?" "Of course we do, Mrs. Grady." "Lincoln must be defeated." " And Gerritt Smith is the man to do it." " Lincoln is a coward!" "He wants to allow slavery to continue where it already exists!" "That is against everything that Grady died for." "I know, Mrs. Grady." "But Gerritt Smith won't forget it." "I won't let anyone forget." "We will finish what we began at Harper's Ferry." " Where have you been?" " I'm only a few minutes late." "Where's my tonic?" "Give it to me." "I'm supposed to measure it out." "Where's Maum Sally?" "She wouldn't have kept me waiting." "I need her." "Maum Sally?" "She died, Miss Madeline." "Don't you remember?" "Good for them." "Our boys are leaving West Point right and left." "How long before the war?" "What's your guess?" "No more than a year." "I'm planning to raise a personal regiment... which I intend to offer to..." "Evening, dear." " Would you care for some refreshment?" " No, thank you." "I don't care for any." "Still a handsome woman." "A bit pale for my taste." "But the change in her disposition is remarkable." "She seems so much calmer the last year or so." "Yes." "I'm a fortunate man." "Now tell me, what is the news?" "What are they saying in Charleston?" "What do you want?" "I thought the house had fallen down." "Just give it time, Brett." ""A house divided..." ""cannot stand."" "Neither can I." "Didn't I tell you to stay out of here?" "Orry, you can't avoid me forever." "You know what I want to talk to you about." "I don't want to talk about Billy Hazard... or any Hazard." "The entire subject is distasteful to me." " And therefore closed." " No!" "I have been waiting for a time when you would be sober... and sympathetic, the kind of brother you used to be." "Now I'm not sure if that will ever happen." "And I can't wait any longer!" "I've had a letter from Billy." "He's coming here to Charleston." "What?" "He's been assigned to Fort Moultrie." "He'll report to Sullivan's Island in November." " We can be married any time after that." " I forbid it." "I want peace in this family, and I want your approval... but now, I'm not even sure that it matters!" "You explain that." "I don't think you're qualified to make my decisions anymore!" "Or even your own." "George Hazard was the only real friend you ever had." "And ever since you quarreled with him, you've been mad at the world." "You shut yourself off, you drink alone, you never smile!" "I'm sorry for you, but I'm not gonna let you ruin my life, too!" "Then you intend to marry Billy Hazard... and forget about your family?" "Family?" "Mother's on my side." "And Charles is still Billy's best friend, even if he is off in Texas." "It's your blessing that I want." "If Lincoln is elected, we will soon be going to war with the Yankees!" "All of the Yankees!" "If you want to marry one now, you are a fool!" "I'd rather be a fool than what you are!" "Somebody who doesn't care!" "I do care." "Then why can't you understand what we feel?" "Is it because you've never let yourself be human enough to fall in love?" "Whether I love... or whether I do not love... is none of your concern." "I pity you." "You're afraid to let a woman mean something to you." "Brett, I'm sorry." "Maybe you are... but it doesn't matter." "It doesn't matter at all." "Mr. Orry." "Miss Brett, she's gone." "She's gone to Charleston." " Charleston?" "In the middle of the night?" " Yes, sir." "Miss Brett, she took four trunks... and Cuffey to drive her." " Was she going to a hotel?" " No, sir." "She said she'd be with Miss Ashton." "I mean, Mrs. Huntoon." "Miss Brett said she don't know when she's coming back." "Jed, clean this up and get the windows open." "Buy a cockade for your bonnet." "Cockade here, sir, for your bonnet or lapel!" "There's the gorilla the Yankees want to put in the White House!" "Save your Southern way of life." "Buy a cockade for your bonnet or lapel." "Here he is." "Here's gorilla Abe!" "Good, you're up." "I am now." "Isn't this the sweetest hat you ever saw?" "You see this here?" "This is what makes it a Secession bonnet." "Isn't it sweet?" "It's lovely, Ashton, except for the name." "I'm on my way out now, but I'll have coffee sent up for you." "It's way past noon." "I won't be back for supper." "I guess we can talk tonight, then." "About Billy and the wedding." "Why, yes, I think we should." "Now, honey... you're welcome to stay here as long as you like... as far as I'm concerned, but..." "It's a good thing James is in Columbia organizing a Secession convention." "Why's that?" "So we have time to make up a story." "We can't tell James that you came here just to marry Billy Hazard." "I think the last time they saw each other..." "Billy knocked James down and called him a custard-faced son of a..." "Something or other." "I'm sorry, Ashton." "Maybe I shouldn't have come to you." "You hush now." "James is an old custard face." "But don't you fret." "I'll handle him, and brother Orry, too." "Dear Ashton." "We'll think of some way to make Billy feel welcome... in spite of what some folks here say about the Yankee vermin at Fort Moultrie." "Billy and I know what we face... in both parts of the country." "But we love each other, so we're not going to let it matter." "It's your life, little sister." "It's not just mine." "We hope our marriage is gonna bring our families together again." "Ashton... you don't still care for Billy, do you?" "Fie!" "That was just a silly little infatuation." "I have the marriage I need to get where I'm going." "And we'll soon have you married, too." "But right now I've got to run." "I have never seen Charleston so full of excitement." "I declare, I can hardly stand it myself." "It was all I could do not to slap her silly face." "Imagine thinking of marrying that Yankee." "But, of course, I pretended to sympathize." "You did?" "Naturally, so that I can have them both where I want them... when the time comes." "Time for what?" "For getting even!" "Forbes LaMotte, you haven't forgotten?" "You promised that you'd help me get even... with Brett and Billy Hazard." "Now, you know that's the only reason why I come here." "The only reason?" "Maybe not the only reason." "You are a wonderful lover, Forbes." "Not like James." "Even if I wanted to sleep with James... he's either too busy, or too tired, or too far away." "I think he puts all he's got into politics." "Honey..." "James Huntoon doesn't know what he's got." "Or if he does, he doesn't know what to do with it." "Let's not talk about him... or Brett, or that Yankee, either." "Now, don't get previous." "I want to know what you're prepared to do." "Can't you tell, darling?" "I mean, about stopping Brett from marrying Billy Hazard." "And from that Yankee telling James about you and me in the cotton dock." "I've got no objection about killing Hazard." "Or any other Yankee, for that matter." "But if he's posted to that Yankee fort... and that baboon Lincoln's elected, there's going to be a war... and the Yankees in the harbor will be the first ones to die." "So what's the worry?" "I don't like leaving something so personal for some old war to take care of." "Of course, I could let him marry her, and then kill him." "Then I'd have a wealthy widow... and I'd be rich, no matter how the war turns out." "Even after she passed you over for him?" "Don't you have any pride, Forbes?" "I guess not." "I'll leave the pride... and the thinking up to you." "Just tell me what you want, and I'll do it... like always." "And if the Yankees want to elect Lincoln..." "I say to hell with them!" "We can govern ourselves in the South better than some backwoods rail-splitter." "The Yankees want to free our slaves." "Let them come down here and try, by God!" "We'll give them a Southern welcome they won't ever forget." " Lt. Hazard?" " At your service." "Lt. Mead, this is Lt. Snyder." "We're here to provide you safe conduct to Fort Moultrie." "It's beginning to feel like we're on foreign soil." "There are safer tours of duty for Northern officers these days." "I didn't think it would be this bad." "This is what Secession really means, my friends." "That we get to keep what's ours." "Our honor, our pride... and our slaves!" "We want our slaves!" "Let the Yankees come down here!" "If Abe Lincoln don't like it... tell him to go back to Africa, where he came from!" "They're ready to fight, and Lincoln's not elected yet." " We're to hold the fort, no matter what." " We'd better get back." "I was wondering if I might take a short leave to visit my fiancée?" "She's staying very near here, on east battery." "I was actually on my way there, since I arrived early." "Your fiancée is in Charleston?" " Yes, sir." " Then you should send her home at once." " This is her home." " She's a Southern girl?" "Yes, she is." "And we're to be married the first chance we get." "That's another problem, Lieutenant." "As for seeing your fiancée now, I'm afraid that's out of the question." "I declare, I wish I could go out exactly like this." "Ashton, I've just had the most wonderful news." "I beg your pardon." "Goodness, little sister... you act as though people were born with clothes on." "Ashton, I've had a message from Billy." "He got here three days ago." "He hasn't bothered to get in touch till now?" "Not very gallant." "I'm sure that he had good reason." "But that doesn't matter." "What's important is that he's at Fort Moultrie... and he'll be here in Charleston this afternoon." "My, how grand!" " Oh, botheration." " What's the matter?" "It's just that I didn't prepare James for Billy." "Don't worry." "I'll meet Billy outside." "James won't even have to know he's here." "Of course, you know, I'd love to see him, too... but I have one of my silly old meetings." "And I'm sure you two lovebirds would rather be alone anyways." "So you give Billy my special love, you hear?" "I will." "And I'll fix it for next time with James." "Now, you listen here, little sister." "You be extra careful on those streets today." "Both of you." "It's Election Day, and this town is just bound to go crazy." "Especially if those stupid Yanks put that illiterate in the White House." "Brett, honey, I didn't mean that Billy was a stupid Yank." "I know you didn't." "And thank you." "We will be careful." "The Union is dead!" "Get back up North where you belong, blue belly." "I missed you." "I wrote to Charles weeks ago." "But I still haven't received an answer, if he sent one." "I'm sure Charles was delighted that you asked him to be your best man." "Unless he's begun to think I'm another no-good Yankee." "He's your friend, Billy." "He'd never think that." "I know." "Even if he chooses to fight for the South." "I'd miss him very much if he did choose that." "Very much." "You're thinking about Orry, aren't you?" "I love him, Billy." "I really don't want to hurt him." "I was furious the night I left... and I said a lot of things that I'm sorry for now." "So we're back to waiting for his permission?" "No." "Just hoping for his approval." "My family means as much to me as yours does to you." "I know." "And it means more to Orry than you can imagine." "We can't wait for your brother to get his life in order." "We've got our own lives to think about." "I don't know when I'm going to get leave, but when I do..." "I want us to get married right away, understand?" "You sound so angry, Billy." "I love you, Brett, but we've waited long enough." " St. Michael's church bells." " It must be the last election returns." "I'd like to see what's going on." "Would you feel uneasy walking outside with a Yankee officer?" "Not uneasy." "Proud." "All right." "Listen, Billy." "It's The Marseillaise." "The song from the French Revolution." "Are they crazy?" "It's the American Revolution, Yank, of 1860." "Cannon fire." "It's the cadets at the citadel." "It's just a salute." "Excuse me." "They don't seem to be friendly." "Excuse me." " Stay with me." " Hello, Yank." "Stay behind me, Brett." "Just stay back, all right?" "You ain't going to risk firing into this crowd." "Don't try me." "Look, I never ran from a fight in my life." "Come on!" "Run!" "Stay back!" "Get him!" "Come on." "I can't believe those Yankees elected Lincoln." "He wasn't on the ballot in 10 of the Southern states." "Secession is a matter of Southern honor." "You're damn right." "We must secede now." "Brett went right off to sleep." "She always was a scaredy-cat." "I'd never get the vapors over something like that." "Maybe she learned her lesson... showing herself on the street with a Yankee." " I'd say she asked for it." " I couldn't agree with you more." "But right now I want to hear all about the special convention." "It's about to happen: secession." "What I've been working toward for so long." "And not just South Carolina." "When we secede, six other states are about to follow." "Freedom, a new government, and I'll be at the top." "So will you." "You're going to spill my champagne." "It's expensive." "Who cares?" "Soon you'll be able to bathe in it if you like." "Miss Ashton?" "A gentleman wants to meet you at the front door." "Who is it?" "I don't know, ma'am." "He said he got to talk to you about a job." "All right." "It's probably my dressmaker's husband." "I won't be more than a moment, James dear." "Then I want you to tell me everything about today." "I told you to come tomorrow." "I want my money for going after the Yank." "My husband is home." "Come back tomorrow." "I can't help it if he got away, missy." "Pulled a gun, he did." "Somebody could've got killed." "Now, I still got to pay my boys." "You didn't kill him, and you still expect to be paid?" "Now." "You said $20 in gold." "You can't be too careful these days." "Much obliged, missy." " Ashton, who is it?" " No one important, dear." "Just someone wanting something for nothing." "God above." "Is it really you, George?" "Get the cinders out of my hair and wash my face... and maybe we'll both be sure." "Jed, get Mr. Hazard's bags up to the guest bedroom." "And make sure Semiramis turns down the bed." "Why didn't you let me know you were coming?" "'Cause I didn't want you to tell me not to." "I know I haven't written... but I've been extremely busy with the harvest, and all this political turmoil." "When I got off the train in Charleston, it reminded me of Mexico." "Only I felt more welcome there." " How are things up North?" " Just the way they are down here." "There are some people up North... who can't wait for South Carolina to secede, so we can all go to war." "But war fever's not why I came down here." "Why then?" "To try and save our friendship." "Now, hear me out, Orry." "I thought about apologizing in writing... but that's never been good enough for me, so I'm here to say it face to face." "I'm sorry." "Please don't let a fanatic like my sister, or the ones down here... kill our feelings for each other." " Have you heard from Virgilia?" " No, not since that night." "That's another matter." "I shouldn't have taken her part." "I lost my temper." "So did I." "Now you've put me to shame, George." "God, I'm glad you came." "Now I can apologize." "I have missed you, George." " That's grand, George, congratulations." " Thank you." "I always knew you'd be a wonderful father." " Next March, if all goes well." " Of course it will." "I think so." "Constance is an amazing woman." "My brother Stanley and his Isabel, on the other hand... are enough to try the patience of a saint." "It's a waste of time to talk about them." "You haven't told me anything about yourself." "Not much to say." "What about Madeline?" "Haven't you been able to see her?" "Madeline is not the same woman, George." "She's always distant now... and often ill, from what I hear." "No one I know has seen her for months." "I'm sorry." "I shouldn't have brought it up." "There's nothing anyone can do but change the subject." "We've talked about everybody else." "Now, what about Billy and Brett?" "What about them?" "They want to get married here." "Mont Royal." "What about this war fever, George?" "Can't you see what they would be up against if it happened?" "Sure." "I know the obstacles." "So do they." "But they're young." "They're in love." "They'll make it through." "Orry, you know what it's like not to be able to marry the person that you love." "Yes, I do." "All right, George." "I still have my doubts." "But I will give Brett my permission to marry Billy." "That's great." "Why don't we go to Charleston together... so we can tell them both at the same time?" " You mean it?" "You're here to say yes?" " Thank you." "I'm just sorry it took me so long." "Orry, thank you." "Thank you for your help." " I'm sorry about our quarrel." " Hush." "It's all forgotten." "I can't wait to tell Ashton." " Yes." "Where is our sister?" " She went to see James." "Institute Hall?" "To watch him speechify with the other secessionists." "I'm sorry." "I shouldn't spoil today." "Nothing could spoil today." "Nothing at all." "I'd like to propose a toast." " To your undying happiness." " Cheers." " Mead." " Hazard." "I've come from Maj. Anderson." " The garrison has been placed on alert." " What?" "They're expecting violence if secession is announced." "You should know, sir." "You're obviously a Southerner." "Lt. Mead, this is my future brother-in-law, Mr. Orry Main... and my fiancée, Miss Brett Main." "I believe you know my brother, George Hazard." "You're to proceed with me at once back to the Fort." "But he has leave." "All leaves are canceled, miss." "I'll wait for you outside." "Lieutenant." "When will I see you again?" "I don't know." "Bye." " I love you, Billy." " Take care of yourself." "Goodbye." "Well, I guess they've done it." "Secession." "You want to go outside, George... and watch the South celebrate its own funeral?" "Wait, I'm going with you." "Brett, it might be dangerous." "I have a right, Orry." "It's my country, too." "Secession." "We've done it, and I was there!" ""The Union existing between South Carolina..." ""and other states of United States, is hereby dissolved! "" "You would do better to congratulate your sister, Ashton." "She and Billy are to be married." "Can't celebrate that and Secession at the same time." "Then damn the Union, and damn your union!" "Shut up!" "You fools don't know what you've done... to yourselves, your children, to all of us!" "Southern rights!" "Southern rights!" "Forbes." "Madam Huntoon." " Forbes, you're drunk as a skunk." " Not yet, but I intend to be." "Now listen, Billy and Brett are going to be married." "Orry finally gave his consent." " When will this happen?" " We'll know soon enough." "The question is, what are we going to do about it?" "I think we should go to bed and discuss it." "Well, come along then." " Have you seen Ashton?" " She's around somewhere." "Is our celebration to your taste, Mr. Hazard?" "What do you think, Huntoon?" "George and I fought for the Union." "You people have just torn it apart." "We have declared our freedom to the world." "Of course we'll have to protect it." "No foreign power can maintain bases here." "That means all federal property, including the Fort... will have to be surrendered immediately." "Our commissioners will settle that before President Buchanan leaves office." " What if old Buck doesn't see it that way?" " Then we'll deal with it our way." "And if I were you, sir, I'd keep my mouth shut in Charleston." "Your Yankee accent is more offensive than ever." "Brett dear, what do you think?" "This will be the Hazard branch of the family when you and Billy are married." "If we are ever married." "It's been almost two months since Orry gave his consent." "I haven't seen Billy once, not even on Christmas." "Your brother said that Billy's garrison left Fort Moultrie over Christmas... and moved to Fort Sumter." "They had to slip out secretly, Mother, in the dead of night." "They burned Fort Moultrie's gun carriages before they left." "The people of Charleston were furious." "Now they want to starve them out of Fort Sumter." "Perhaps they'll just let them leave the harbor and sail back up North." "Orry says that Billy's commander, Maj. Anderson... swears to hold Fort Sumter at any cost... even though every gun in Charleston seems to be aimed right at them." "Brett, try not to lose faith." "President Davis doesn't want war." "He just wants the Confederacy to be left alone." " And maybe we will be." " I am trying, Mother." "But I've almost given up hope of ever marrying Billy." "I just pray that he'll be sent to some safer place." "Even if it is far away from me." "I'm worried about your cousin Charles, too." "Now that Texas has seceded..." "I wonder, will he remain loyal to the Union... or will his blood call him home?" "All officers and enlisted men loyal to the North... prepare to move out in 10 minutes." "Have you bedroll?" " I just can't believe it's come to this." " Neither can I." "I'm supposed to lead the Union contingent to the Gulf." "Suddenly we're on different sides because some politicians say we are." "Well, I'm not choosing any side." "I'm staying right here." "Makes no sense, does it?" "We've shed blood together, eaten the same rotten food together." "We've been closer than brothers." "Now I'm supposed to look at you and see an enemy." "I can't do that." "Take care of yourself, Charlie." "You, too." "Or I'll have your hide, soldier." " I'll walk you out." " Better let me go first." "Half the men have already decided the other half is capable of anything." "Move out, Yank." "Good riddance, you blue bellies." "We don't need you Yankees." "Corporal, I'll never forget your saving my scalp... when the Comanche had other ideas." "I'm grateful." "Whatever else changes, that won't." "Too bad, ain't it?" "Because now I'm thinking I should've let them have it." "I'm sorry you feel that way." "Because any man who stays ain't fit to wear the Army blue." "What was that, Corporal?" "I said, if you stay, you're a yellow traitor." "Don't let him get away with that." "No one calls me a traitor, Corporal." "Dismount." "Go to hell." "Let them fight it out." "Get that damn Yankee." "Pick him up and take him with you." "And I'll kill the next man who calls me a traitor." " What's that you're writing, sir?" " My resignation." "There's no regular Army officer here left to accept it." "I'll just leave it here." "I'm headed home." "What made you change your mind, Lt. Main?" "I don't know." "Never been much for reasons." "I'm just a hell raiser and a horse soldier." "But I think the South's got enough philosophers." "Maybe they're going to need someone like me." " Sir." " Lieutenant." "Those are dispatches for Gen. Scott." "I want you to carry them." "To Washington, sir?" "I expect you'll be glad to get off this island for a change." "I wouldn't want to be gone, sir, in the event of hostility." "There will be no hostilities that we initiate." "I refuse to go down in history as the man who fired the first shot." "I'm advising Gen. Scott, that in my estimation, we'll need 20,000 men... to penetrate the harbor defenses and reinforce this garrison." "You'll be carrying that, and other confidential papers." " Sir, I'll leave at once." " I wish that you could." "First Capt. Hart will have to obtain clearance from the Governor." "I understand." "If he does get clearance, you'll leave at dusk tomorrow." "Pack everything, Lieutenant." "You won't be coming back." "You're being transferred to Washington, permanently." "But, sir, I..." "Sir, I'm engaged to be married, sir, to a local girl." "I think we're all aware of that, Lieutenant." "How long would it take?" "Is she nearby?" "Near enough, sir, if I could get a message to her." "Hart might get one delivered, if you write it now." " Sir, does this mean that I" " You're on leave till tomorrow night." "What you do in the meantime is your business, Lieutenant." "But by 9:00 tomorrow, you will be on a northbound train... married or single." "Yes, sir." "Maj. Anderson, sir." "I'm going to enjoy putting a bullet between Billy Hazard's eyes." "I surely believe you will." " Do you have the pistols?" " Yes." "But be careful how you load them." "We wouldn't want too much powder in one of them, would we?" "Preston, let me refresh your drink." "Thank you, sir." "What time is Hazard planning to marry the Main girl?" "Noon, according to Ashton." "They knew better than to invite us, huh?" "A Southern girl marrying Yankee trash." "Don't matter." "We'll get to go to the Yankee's funeral." "Ashton will send us another message... as soon as she finds out what time their train leaves." " Then we'll meet them halfway." " Good." "And after that, there'll be one less Yankee to fight." "Drink up, gentlemen." "We have plenty of time for another round." ""Whom God hath joined together..." ""let no man put asunder."" "Thank you." "My very best wishes, Brett." "I think you know I mean it." "Charles, you make a great wedding present." " Thought you were still in Texas." " Thank God I'm not." " You and Brett." "What did I tell you?" " Thank you." "I want to think this marriage will keep our families together... no matter what happens." "So do I." "Billy, congratulations." "Too bad George couldn't be here to see you." " You make the most beautiful bride." " It's the dress." "It made me feel beautiful when I wore it." "It almost broke my heart when Ashton wanted hers made." "Well, I'm glad." "That way, you were able to give it to me." "Brett, honey." "You were so sweet to invite me to your wedding." "Especially after the awful way I behaved in Charleston." "You were very wrong, Ashton." "Very wrong." "I'm afraid I had a little touch of the Secession fever that night." "But James and I just insist on coming to the flag stop seeing you two off." "Thank you, Ashton, but it's not necessary." "You hush now." "We wouldn't have it any other way." "What time does your train leave?" "4:30, Mr. Forbes." "I waited around back for Miss Ashton, just like you told me." "She said, "Train going to leave by 4:30."" "You did just fine, Clarence." "Now go get yourself some hot corn bread." "Thank you, sir." " You earned it." " Thank you." "4:30." "We'd best get started." " Wouldn't want to miss them." " Good luck to you boys, now." "You're performing a public service." "A fine comeuppance for those Yankee-loving Mains, too." "Madeline?" "What were you doing, my dear?" "You were listening, weren't you?" "I didn't mean to, Justin." "I misunderstood." "You're not sending your nephew... to murder anyone, are you?" "Madeline, you're sick." "You should be in your room." " You need more of your medicine." " No." "I said, go to your room." " No, I'm going." " You're not going anywhere." " Let me pass." " You're not leaving this house." "What are you staring at?" "Get back into the kitchen, or I'll skin your hide!" "I'll kill you for that!" "Elijah!" "Mr. LaMotte's been hurt." "Help him." "Go!" " Now, we'll see you at the flag stop." " We'll see you there." "Be happy, my darling." "You can write to us, care of the War Department, Washington." "Bye." "Take care, everybody." "All right." "Thank you, Homer." "Goodbye, everybody." "To Mr. and Mrs. William Hazard." "Oh, my God!" "Lieutenant, horsemen coming." "Pull up." "You hear me, boy?" "Pull up." "Pull up." "Had to pay our respects." "Ma'am." "You remember my friend, Preston Smith?" "And you, sir, must be the groom." "Lt. Hazard." "I'm Forbes LaMotte." "We've never met officially... but I've had the pleasure of your wife." "Knowing her, that is, before you did." "Lieutenant, we best be getting on." "Don't want to miss that train." "Boy, you're not going anywhere until I give you leave." "Homer, drive on." "You touch those reins, boy, and there's going to be blood all over this road." " Forbes, you're a fool." " I declare, sweet." "I still have a fondness for you, even if you do talk like a Charleston whore." "LaMotte, you trash." "Get off that horse." "Get off!" "Do you hear what I think I heard?" " Did this Yankee pig meat insult me?" " That's right." "I do believe he did." "In that case..." "I demand satisfaction." "Billy, don't." "It's what they came for." "In that case, I'll be happy to oblige them." "Billy, please don't." "You ignorant darky, his second stands over there." "Ready, gentlemen?" "Turn and fire on the count of 10." "One, two, three... four, five, six... seven, eight... nine..." "Billy, wait!" "Interfering son of a..." "No!" "You picked the wrong man for that." "Are you all right?" " Jackasses gave you a short load." " What?" "That's why the ball only carried half way." "Madeline got to Mont Royal and told us how they plotted this whole thing." "Thank you, Cousin Charles." "We'd better get you to the train station fast." "Before Preston Smith rouses the whole countryside." "Ashton, I still can't understand why we drove halfway to Columbia." " I thought we were seeing Brett off." " Don't be tiresome, James." "I just didn't feel like waiting at some godforsaken flag stop." "Because you thought Billy and Brett would never get there, didn't you, Ashton?" "I don't know what you mean." "Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, but Billy and Brett were on that train... in spite of everything you did to prevent it." "Now, look here, Orry, what's this all about?" "That is what your wife is going to tell me." "You're hurting me!" "I swear, you look just like an old thundercloud." "It was your idea, wasn't it?" "A nice legal way for Forbes to murder Billy." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Ashton, you can't lie your way out of this one." "You're frightening me." "What if Mother heard you talk to me like that?" "Stop it!" "It won't work!" "Madeline heard Forbes get the message from you about what time the train left." "You think I'll lower myself to deny the ravings of some sick-headed woman?" "You shut your mouth, or I will!" "Whether you deny it or not, it doesn't matter." "You plotted with Forbes." "Who told you that?" "Not Forbes?" "Forbes can't tell anybody anything." "He's dead, Ashton!" "Thanks to your scheming." "Dead?" "It was all your fault!" "You and that Yankee scum you call your friends!" "I'm sorry that we didn't succeed, because they all deserved to die!" "You get out of here... and you take your husband with you." "You're no longer part of this family!" "Gladly, but you remember this:" "My husband is part of the new government." "And he'll make sure it knows how to deal with traitors." "I don't know what happened to her." "I do." "It's happening all over the country." "Bad apples taking over the barrel, Orry." "I'm so ill." "You'll be better here." "We'll take good care of you." "And you'll never go back to him." "No, never." "I feel so weak." "What was he giving you?" "A tonic." "He got it from his doctor." "It was some kind of drug." "So you'll probably feel a lot worse before you're better." "But I'll be with you all the time." "That's all that matters." "Don't dismount till you tell me what you want." "I want my wife, and you're standing in my way." "I wouldn't do that." "What do you want, Smith?" "You ask me that after that Yankee murdered my friend Forbes?" "Killed, after accepting a challenge to a duel." "The rest of you stay where you are." "You may dismount, Justin." "My cousin Orry would like to speak to you alone." "I've given Madeline sanctuary here at Mont Royal." "Sanctuary?" "From her own husband?" "You haven't been one." "You've beaten her, locked her up, drugged her... treated her worse than an animal or a slave." "And you treat them worse than any man I know." " Now, you listen to me, Main" " No, you listen!" "If you ever try to take Madeline back, you'll have to kill me first." "If you ever set foot on my property again, I will take it that you've come for that... and I'll kill you on sight." "What will Justin do?" "Nothing, if he wants to live." "I told you, you're safe at Mont Royal." "You're going to get a divorce on grounds of physical cruelty... and then we're going to be married." "I almost believe it." "It's as true as my love for you." ""In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen..." ""and not in mine..." ""is the momentous issue of civil war." ""The Government will not assail you." ""You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors." ""You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government..." ""while I shall have the most solemn one to 'preserve..." ""protect, and defend it."'" "I'm honored that you took my advice... and left your pledge to recapture all the federal forts... out of your inaugural address, Mr. President." "You were right, Mr. Seward... in not wanting to alienate the Southern unionists." "We can have no peace without them." "Are you sure, sir, that we cannot offer more concessions to the South?" "They have their Fugitive Slave law, do they not?" "I have pledged I will not interfere... with states where slavery presently exists." "Now, what more can you want?" "They perceive your vow to keep slavery out of the new territories... as an economic threat, Mr. President." "They fear it will not allow for Southern expansion." "I believe... it's time the South learned to compromise, also." "I intend to be President of all the United States." "He looked at us." "I'm glad we came here instead of going to the Capitol to hear his speech." " Yes." " I think I'd rather just see him." "There he is." " Don't you think he's impressive?" " Impressive?" "The man is incompetent." "Jefferson Davis is his only equal in that respect." "But that's to our advantage." "You said "to our advantage."" "To our advantage how?" "Neither the North nor the South is prepared for war... though they do nothing but threaten it." "The war, when it comes, will go on and on." "Neither side will know how to fight it, or how to end it." "The longer it lasts, the better it is... for those of us who serve no side but our own." "You're counting on a blockade of Southern ports?" "Very good, Burdetta." "If there's one thing I learned in the Army... there's nothing like a good war for making money." "What if there is no blockade?" "Madam, you are talking to a military genius!" "A blockade of Southern ports is inevitable." "Then your investment will make you richer than your late husband ever did." "Sometimes I think you love his money more than you love me." "Well, I do love his money." "And I don't remember extending the emotion to include you." "You must love me." "I could hardly mistake avarice for passion." "My dear, dear Burdetta... if you didn't have the cash to invest in my ship..." "I'd be in bed with someone else who did." "You're such a devil." "I wonder how wise I am to travel South with you." "Well, once I've shed my uniform, you would be unwise to trust me... down there alone, with your late husbands money." "You just suit yourself." "I do have friends who will be very happy to see me again in the South." "And I have enemies... who will be surprised." "It's only a matter of time before George is recommissioned." "I understand Lincoln is looking for West Point officers especially." "I don't suppose George is looking forward to that." "But I am, and you should be, too." "George is a fool not to make all the money he can from this war." "He said that would be profiteering, Isabel." "Who cares what it's called... as long as it gives us the cash and the power to get Hazard Iron back?" "As soon as George leaves for the Army, we'll take control again." "And we'll see where that leaves your brother and his Irish slut." " Careful." " I am." "It's infernal that I have to leave so early, especially now." "You can't help it." "Those government orders must be stretching the foundry to the limit." "You're right." "You'd think that Hazard Iron was the North's only manufacturer... of cannons, shell casings, and mortar." "It's a pity Mr. Lincoln's speech didn't clear the air." "There wasn't much of a chance of that." "Now that he's been inaugurated, it looks like war's more likely." "Now listen, if anything happens, you let me know right away." "Dr. McLain said it would only be a couple of days." "You worry about the foundry, me lad." "We'll be fine." "Good morning." "Goodbye." "Sweet Jesus." "Virgilia!" "We'll be needing someone else to help get Miss Virgilia up to her room." "No!" "She can go to a hotel... or she can go to a hospital... or she can go to hell." "But she cannot stay here." "Do you think she would have come here if she had anywhere else to go?" "And whose fault is that, Constance?" "No matter what she does, you welcome her back with open arms... in spite of the rest of us, in spite of the way George may feel about it." "It's George I'm thinking of." "This poor creature is her own worst enemy." "I see terrible tragedy for her." "And I'll tell you, I will not have George blaming himself when that happens." "Now she's got the Irish gift of prophesy." " We will not allow" " Be quiet, Isabel!" "Virgilia's my sister, too." "But she's your responsibility while she's in this house." "Fine." "Mama." "What is it, darling?" "You've hardly said a word all day." "I have to go away for a while." "But I've spoken to Charles." "He's going to postpone his enlistment... so he can stay with you while I'm gone." " To protect me from Justin?" " I don't trust him." "But he won't dare try anything with Charles around." "Where are you going?" "North." "I have to see George about our partnership." "North?" "But if the war starts, Pennsylvania will be enemy territory." "I know." "But our new government ordered all our mills to start producing war materials." "And George didn't invest money in a mill to have it used against him." "I know you want to repay George... but where will you get the money?" "I've mortgaged Mont Royal." "What?" "I got Mother's permission." "She agrees with me, it's a matter of family pride." "Southern pride." "Your pride." "And I love you for it." "We are Southerners, and we still have honor... and nothing will take it from us." "So this is what $500,000 looks like." "Kind of a shabby thing to carry it in, though." "Exactly." "The less attention it attracts, the better." "Orry, this trip is too dangerous." "I still say you should let me go, and you stay here with Madeline." "No, I owe George Hazard a lot more than money." "It's my debt, I'll pay it." "There's another reason, isn't there?" "I want to see him again." "It may be the last time I ever will." "Battery, load!" "Ready, sir." "In, battery." "Feed." "Feed." "Point." "Steady." "Fire!" "Attention to orders." "April 12, 1861." "At 4:30 a.m., on this date... the United States garrison at Fort Sumter was fired upon." "It is now under bombardment... by artillery of the Confederate States in rebellion." "Our nation has been attacked without provocation... and we are now at war." "May God preserve and protect... the United States of America." "Amen." "Nothing to worry about, folks." "Just a freight train accidentally derailed." "We'll have the track cleared shortly, and we'll be on our way." "How about old Beau, just going to blast those Yankees right out of Fort Sumter?" "It ain't going to be easy though." "Beauregard's a good general, but Maj. Anderson's stubborn." "Sumter's fallen!" "Just came over the telegraph, Sumter's fallen." "You don't look pleased, sir." "Are you a Northern sympathizer?" "My deepest sympathy is for the South, sir." "Can't you write any faster?" "That's telling them, Abe!" " Excuse me, sir." " I beg your pardon." "What was that, mister?" "I need to get through." "I have a train to catch." "We've got ourselves a Southern gent." "What you got in the bag, Reb?" "I advise you to let me pass." "Back off." "Excuse me, sir." "My husband and I are from South Carolina." "I made this for him." "It shows your support for the Union." "You can buy a real one when you get where you're going." "Why, thank you, ma'am, but you really think we need that kind of deception?" "You wear it, for your own safety." "Thank you." "Good day." "I don't know how you got through, but it's great to see you." " We're both so delighted, Orry." " Thank you, Constance." "We've got a lot to catch up on." "Well, you two start without me." "I'll be right back." "We got your letter about Madeline." "I can't tell you how happy the two of us are that you're both finally together." "I never thought it would happen, it's like a miracle." "She..." "She's home again?" "Yes." "She's sick and destitute... and Constance didn't have the heart to turn her out." "I thought I'd show you the best news of all." "Oh, no." "Here she is." "She's beautiful." "You must be so proud." "You might say George was proud when she was born." "Every male citizen of Lehigh Station got a cigar... and that even includes Thaddeus Hunter, who's only six months old." " What's her name?" " Hope." "Don't ask stupid questions." "Just get to Murphy's Saloon as fast as you can, and say what I told you." " Yes, ma'am." " Hurry up." "This is why you risked your life?" "To bring me money?" "What do you mean?" "It's your money." "It belongs to you not the Montgomery government." "You didn't invest it in the South to have it confiscated." "You invested it because of me." "I don't know what to say." "I never expected that." "But then again, knowing you, maybe I should have." "There's not a lot of honor between people these days." "You're a crazy fool, but you've got more than your share." "We hear you're a Southern sympathizer." "They're here to take you!" "And I sent for them." " In the name of God, why?" " Because he's a traitor." "He's a Southern traitor." "He and his kind murdered Grady." "The militia killed Grady." "Justice will be done!" "I hope they kill you!" " Give him to us!" " Send him out, Hazard!" "You'd better give him to us, Hazard!" "There's a local freight train, eastbound at 11:00." "I think it would be best." " I'll be on it." "I won't endanger your family." " Virgilia's already done that." " I'll slip out the back." " Like hell you will." "They're probably back there anyway." "You leave this to me." "You people get back up to your rooms, and stay there, please!" " Back in battle." " Follow me." "Lynch him!" "Let's Iynch him!" "Come on, then, it's an old Army rule." "Man who gives the order leads the charge." "Give him up, Hazard, he's a Southerner." "This man is no traitor." "We were in the same class at West Point." "He served under General Scott in Mexico, at my side." "Now, I know most of you." "You're my neighbors." "But the first man who moves against my friend is the first man to die!" "You back there, you put that gun away!" "We can take him." "Take him yourself." "It ain't worth getting killed over." "Hazard wouldn't protect a Southern traitor." " That was close." " We're not out of the woods yet." "I'll feel a lot better once you're on that train." "God go with you, Orry, until we're all together again." "I hope we will be." "I know we will be." " Be careful, please." " Of course." "I'm going now, before George gets back." "I'm sorry it had to come to this, Virgilia." "It's the last time, Constance." " I'll never step foot in this house again." " Don't say that." "This is your house much more than it is mine, Virgilia." "You were born here." "But what you did tonight was very wrong." "Orry's our friend, he had a right to feel safe in this house." "I have no tolerance of my enemies... even when they come in the shape of a friend." "I know that." "And more's the pity." "Virgilia, I know you've had a hard time since Grady died." "Perhaps you've had a difficult time balancing things out in your mind." "I'll say this for you, Constance." "You tried." "Time and again, you tried to keep me in this family." "And I thank you for that." "But it didn't work, and it never will." "Don't say that, they're your blood." "Surely someday..." "No, what's in my blood isn't in theirs." "Do you know that I look at my brothers and my mother... and I can't believe that I was ever a part of this family." "They don't know me at all." "They don't care about my cause, or my struggle." "Yes, they'll pay it lip service." "But they won't sacrifice anything for it." "They will not endure cruelty or hardship." "I'm afraid those things are coming, for all of us on both sides." "Let them come!" "Freedom has to be born in blood and fire!" "And only they can wash away my sin." "I have sinned." "I married a man with black skin." "That's my sin in the eyes of the world." "But, Constance, do you know what my real guilt is?" "That my love for Grady destroyed him." "And I'll never forgive myself for that." "You're not well yet." "Where will you go?" "Washington, where the power is... where there are men committed to my cause." "Men with the power to strike, and the power to punish." "That is God's power, Virgilia." ""Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."" "How will you live?" "I have means." "Goodbye, Constance." "I believe these are your things, Virgilia." "Now take them and go!" "What are you going to do if the South offers you a commission?" "They already have." "A brigadier with their new War Department." "I guess a bad leg is no handicap at that rank." " But I'm with Madeline now." " Thank God for that." "I just hope I don't have to leave Mont Royal." "Until she is divorced and we're married, I can't let her stay there alone." "I suppose you'll be going to Washington with Constance and the baby?" "They've offered me a spot on the general staff." "And I've got to give them an answer, which I don't have yet." "But Stanley can run the foundry." "And Lincoln wants all the academy men he can find." "So does Jeff Davis." "You know, years ago..." "John Calhoun said that West Point men would lead great armies." "He never thought they'd be leading them against each other." "Well, if we have to meet like that..." "I'd rather we never met again." "Do you remember this?" "Our $10 bet that I would graduate from West Point." "That's right." "Maybe it brought us some luck back then." "Why don't we keep each half... and put it back together when the war is over?" "When the war is over." "Can you see anything we could have done to stop all this?" "I don't know." "I think we had a chance somewhere along the line... and we missed it." "Or threw it away." "What are we stopping for?" "I'm George Hazard, of Hazard Iron." "I make those cannons." "Where you headed?" "Washington." "President Lincoln thinks the Rebs will attack the capital." "Why did you stop us?" "Special passenger." "This man's on official business for the War Department." " Plenty of room in that one." " Much obliged." "Orry, just a minute." "You might as well wear the real thing."