roger bevins iii Boy and father must interact.
hans vollman This interaction must enlighten the boy; must permit or encourage him to go.
roger bevins iii Or all was lost.
the reverend everly thomas Why do you delay? Mr. Vollman said to the boy.
roger bevins iii The lad drew a deep breath, prepared, it seemed, to enter, finally, and be instructed.
hans vollman
LXVIII.
Only, then: bad luck.
roger bevins iii
A lantern-light appeared in the darkness.
hans vollman
Mr. Manders.
The nightwatchman.
roger bevins iii
Who approached looking as he always looks when among us: timorous, somewhat bemused by his own timorousness, eager to return to the guardhouse.
the reverend everly thomas
We were fond of Manders, who kept his courage up on these rounds by calling out to us congenially, assuring us that things “out there” were as they had been; i.e., eating, loving, brawling, births, binges, grudges, all still proceeded apace. Some nights he would mention his children— roger bevins iii
Philip, Mary, Jack.
hans vollman
And tell us how they were doing.
roger bevins iii
We appreciated these reports rather more than might be expected, given the facetious spirit in which they were delivered.
hans vollman
As he came tonight, he called for a “Mr. Lincoln,” now and then amending that form of address to “Mr. President.”
the reverend everly thomas
Though we were fond of Manders— hans vollman
His timing was terrible.
the reverend everly thomas
Awful.
roger bevins iii
The worst.
hans vollman
He calls for my father, said the boy, who still stood weakly against the doorside wall.
Your father is President? the Reverend inquired wryly.
He is, the boy said.
Of? the Reverend asked.
The United States, the boy said.
It is true, I said to the Reverend. He is President. Much time has passed. There is a state called Minnesota.
We are at war, said Mr. Vollman. At war with ourselves. The cannons are greatly improved.
Soldiers bivouac within the Capitol, I said.
We saw it all, said Mr. Vollman.
When we were there within him, I said.
roger bevins iii
Mr. Manders stepped through the doorway, lantern blazing in that confined space.
hans vollman
What had been dark was now brightly lit; we could discern the nicks and divots in the stone walls and the wrinkles in Mr. Lincoln’s coat.
roger bevins iii
The pale sunken features of the lad’s sick-form.
hans vollman
As it lay there within the— the reverend everly thomas
Sick-box.
hans vollman
Ah, Manders said. Here you are. Sir.
Yes, Mr. Lincoln said.
Terribly sorry to intrude, Manders said. I thought—I thought you might require a light. For the walk back.
Getting rather lengthily to his feet, Mr. Lincoln shook Manders’s hand.
roger bevins iii
Seeming ill at ease.
hans vollman
Embarrassed, perhaps, to be found here.
the reverend everly thomas
Kneeling in front of his son’s sick-box.
hans vollman
Open sick-box.
the reverend everly thomas
Mr. Manders’s eyes involuntarily drifted past Mr. Lincoln, to the contents.
hans vollman
Mr. Lincoln inquired as to how, without his light, Mr. Manders would find his way back. Mr. Manders said that, though he preferred the light, being somewhat squeamish, still, he knew this place like the back of his hand. Mr. Lincoln offered that, if Mr. Manders would give him just a moment more, they might return together. Mr. Manders acceded, and stepped outside.
roger bevins iii
A catastrophe.
the reverend everly thomas
They had not interacted at all.
hans vollman
Nothing had yet occurred, that might benefit the boy.
roger bevins iii
Still the lad did not come forward.
hans vollman
But only continued to lean against the wall, frozen by fear.
the reverend everly thomas
But then we saw that it was not fear at all.
The wall behind him had liquefied, and tendrils had come forth, and four or five now encircled his waist: a hideous crawling belt, holding him fast.
roger bevins iii
We needed time, to get him free.
hans vollman
Must somehow delay the gentleman’s departure.
the reverend everly thomas
I looked at Mr. Bevins.
He looked at me.
hans vollman
We saw what must be done.
roger bevins iii
We had the power. To persuade.
hans vollman
Had done it, even within the hour.
roger bevins iii
Mr. Bevins was younger, possessed of multiple (very strong) arms; whereas I, naked and constantly interfered with by my massive disability, was not well-suited to the strenuous labor that would be required to free the lad.
So in I went, into Mr. Lincoln, alone.
hans vollman
LXIX.