Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #44

SAUNDERS:

(whirling away from

window)

I've told you ten times--if I had

anything they couldn't bat down in a

second, don't you suppose I'd've

been up in that hearing yelling

murder! Sure--he was cooked the night

I sounded off like a fool and spilled

the whole works!

DIZ:

Then--in the name of kindness to

dumb animals--we can't let him walk

into that Senate tomorrow and take a

terrible punch in a nose! A couple

of us went up there--told him all he

could do was beat it--resign--clear

out. But--he's in a daze--he's been

hit by a ton of bricks. Just says,

"I haven't done anything. Why should

I resign?" He might *listen* to *you*--

SAUNDERS:

Why me?

DIZ:

Come on--don't pull that. You know

you'd give your right--. What are

you staying away from him for?

SAUNDERS:

You don't think he'd want *me* within

fifty miles, do you?--after the

exhibition he saw me give! Did you

see his *face*--?

DIZ:

All I know is--he said to me tonight--

"What does your wife think?" My wife.

Thinks we're married--

SAUNDERS:

Well, then, that's great! And that's

a great place to leave it! It's no

use *my* barging into this now and--

A knock on the door stops her.

SAUNDERS:

(calling)

Yes!

The door is opened by Paine. He looks from Saunders to Diz--

then back to Saunders. Diz glares at Paine with pretty bold

contempt.

PAINE:

I--wanted to see you, Saunders--

Diz grabs up his hat angrily.

DIZ:

Go ahead.

(Bitterly--as he passes

Paine)

Well, we certainly hunted that bad

Ranger down, didn't we? Good work,

*Senator*!

And Diz slams out. Paine and Saunders stare at each other an

instant. Then:

SAUNDERS:

(with brutal coldness)

What do you want, Senator?

PAINE:

Saunders--it's going to go pretty

bad for Jeff tomorrow. There's only

one thing that can be done for him

now--

(Taking a folded paper

from his pocket)

I--I've written his resignation. He

resigns under protest--denying all

charges. No one will ever be sure if

he was guilty or not. It leaves him

with at least a shred of honor. The

other way--branded openly in the

Senate--expelled--he'll never live

it down. Rather a simple compromise

than utter ruin. In a year--the whole

thing might be forgotten--

SAUNDERS:

What are you driving at? You want

*me* to get him to sign that?

PAINE:

Yes--

SAUNDERS:

Why don't you do it yourself?

PAINE:

He's lost complete faith in me--

SAUNDERS:

Well--me, too!

PAINE:

But--you love him, don't you,

Saunders?

SAUNDERS:

What are you talking about? What

difference--?

PAINE:

Do you?

SAUNDERS:

All right--*yes*! And what does that

make me to him? *Nothing*! I've got

to go about my own business--and

forget it!

PAINE:

I thought I could, too.

(With mocking lightness

for an instant)

*My* business--this fine future! I

have no future I *care* about, if

this boy is broken! I--I can't sleep.

The only important thing in my life

now is to save what I can for him. I

want him to get a start again--I'll

see that he's taken care of as long

as he lives--!

(Then)

Saunders--whether you ever mean

anything to him or not--

SAUNDERS:

*Me! Me*! I *still* don't see why I

should--! If you love him so much,

why don't you go to him yourself and--

? Or better still--get up in that

Senate and *fight* for him!

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