clever; that was his first win.

TUMULTY. Who, Governor?

EX-PRES. (_with a dry laugh_). The man who told me he was on my side.
The reason?--a kindly means of saving faces for those whom he and I were
going to "persuade"--of making the "climb-down" easier for them! That
seemed a helpful, charitable sort of reason, didn't it? One it would have
been hard to refuse. I didn't; so the doors were shut to cover defeat and
disappointment over the secret treaties. Then they had me: three against
one! And their weight told--quite apart from mere argument; for each had
behind him the popular voice (and when one lost it--you may remember--
another came, and took his place). But against me the popular voice had
shut its mouth: I, too, was an electioneer--a defeated one. Of my lease of
power then, less than a year remained. After the Senate elections I was
nothing. In Paris they knew it: and I could see in their eyes that they
were glad. Yes, _he_ was glad, too.

(_As he speaks, his head sinks in depression. There is a pause._)

TUMULTY (_in his best sick-bed manner_). Governor, don't you think
that you'd better rest now?

EX-PRES. (_ignoring the remark_). And so the old secret diplomacy,
balancing for power, with war as the only sure end of it, came back to
life; and I--pledged to its secrecies with the rest--I had to stay dumb. I
was a drowning man, then, Tumulty--clutching at straws, till I became an
adept at it. There, perhaps, as you say, I did do "wonders"--of a kind:
all I could, anyway. That was my plight, while there in Paris we held high
court, and banqueted, and drank healths from dead men's skulls. Did nobody
guess--outside--what was going on? I gave one signal that I thought was
plain enough, when I sent for the _George Washington_ to bring me
home again. But, though I listened for it then, there seemed no response.
People were so busy, you say, holding their breath; and _that_ I
couldn't hear.

TUMULTY (_zealous, in a pause, to show his interest_). Well,
Governor, well?

EX-PRES. And then, rather than let me so go and spoil the general effect
(the one power still left to me!), they began to make concessions--
concessions which, I see now, didn't amount to much; and so they persuaded
me, and I stayed on, and signed my failure with the rest.

TUMULTY (_for a diversion pointing to the covered cup_).
Pardon me, Governor, you must obey orders, you know. They are not mine.

EX-PRES. (_taking up the cup with a dry s