Mr. Smith Goes To Washington Page #46

He turns away again, to get control of himself, Saunders

watching him.

SAUNDERS:

(after a pause)

What are you going to do?

JEFFERSON:

I--I don't know. I--I'm afraid they've

got me licked.

She takes the resignation from her pocket.

SAUNDERS:

Jeff--Paine asked me to give you

this--your resignation--he wrote it

out--

He takes it from her incredulously and begins to read.

SAUNDERS:

(as she watches him--

quietly)

It might save some of the pieces,

Jeff. It would leave a doubt about

the whole thing--about you. Might

blow over, this way.

JEFFERSON:

(avidly--finishes

reading)

Yeah. I see. Well--that's about the

only thing to do. Don't you think?

SAUNDERS:

(non-committally)

Well, I guess it's a chance.

JEFFERSON:

Yeah. I guess--sometimes--Senator

Paine must be right. Sometimes you--

you got to compromise a little--

(Breaking off)

And if you say so too, Saunders--if

*you* think that's the thing to do--

SAUNDERS:

(snatching the paper

out of his hand)

I *don't* think that's the thing to

do! No! I think what you ought to do

is--*fight*!

(She tears up the

paper)

JEFFERSON:

Wait--

SAUNDERS:

What you *have* to do is fight!

JEFFERSON:

But--I've done everything I--

SAUNDERS:

I don't care *what* you've done!

Don't quit. Don't grab a measly chance

like this to save a few pieces--other

men could--but not you. As long as

you lived, you'd remember you ran

out and threw this country of yours

to the jackals--!

JEFFERSON:

(burying his head--

hopelessly)

Oh--Saunders--

SAUNDERS:

Jeff--listen--remember the day you

got here?--what you said about Mr.

Lincoln?--that he was sitting up

there--watching--waiting for someone

to come along? Well--that was *you*.

Someone with a little plain, decent,

uncompromising *rightness*--to root

out the Taylors--yeah, and really

light up that dome for once. This

country could use some of that--so

could the whole drunken, cockeyed

world right now--a *lot* of it! And

when the right man comes along--no

matter *what* the odds--he can't

*ever* quit! A little fellow called

David walked out with only a sling-

shot--but he had the *truth* on his

side--

JEFFERSON:

(still hopelessly)

Saunders--if there was *any* way--

SAUNDERS:

We'll *find* one! Only throw

compromise out of the window--stick

to Jeff Smith, the man who first

came to this town--get up and *fight*--

and we'll find *some* way. I don't

know where we'll wind up--but the

flag'll be flying--!

Jeff has been coming to life. Now he suddenly leaps to his

feet!

JEFFERSON:

Yay!

SAUNDERS:

(getting up, too)

Hurray!

JEFFERSON:

Where do we go from here?

SAUNDERS:

To a hard night's work, son. Come

on!

(She seizes his hand

and pulls him down

the steps)

The scene dissolves to the SENATE CHAMBER, as the PRESIDENT

pounds the gavel.

PRESIDENT:

The Clerk will call the roll.

The clerk's voice begins to call the names--and the voices

of Senators answer. The President looks out to JEFFERSON'S

EMPTY DESK. Then PAINE is seen, also looking at Jeff's desk--

as Paine answers to his own name.

In the packed VISITOR'S GALLERY, as the roll is heard, an

OLD LADY, who is knitting, and an OLD MAN look down.

OLD MAN:

Nope. Not here. They never show up

to face the music.

OLD LADY:

Too bad. Might've been a little

excitement.

TAYLOR and MCGANN are seen smiling down with satisfaction.

MCGANN:

Well--wasn't in his room last night.

Ten to one he's on a train--headin'

home to Ma.

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