BRADY

(Almost inarticulate)

I—Please—!

DRUMMOND

(With increasing tempo, closing in)

Is that the way of things? God tells Brady what is good! To be against Brady is to be against God!

(More laughter.)

BRADY

(Confused)

No, no! Each man is a free agent—

DRUMMOND

Then what is Bertram Cates doing in the Hillsboro jail? (Some applause) Suppose Mr. Cates had enough influence and lung power to railroad through the State Legislature a law that only Darwin should be taught in the schools!

BRADY

Ridiculous, ridiculous! There is only one great Truth in the world—

DRUMMOND

The Gospel according to Brady! God speaks to Brady, and Brady tells the world! Brady, Brady, Brady, Almighty!

(DRUMMOND bows grandly. The crowd laughs.)

BRADY

The Lord is my strength—

DRUMMOND

What if a lesser human being—a Cates, or a Darwin—has the audacity to think that God might whisper to him? That an un-Brady thought might still be holy? Must men go to prison because they are at odds with the self-appointed prophet? (BRADY is now trembling so that it is impossible for him to speak. He rises, towering above his tormentor—rather like a clumsy, lumbering bear that is baited by an agile dog) Extend the Testaments! Let us have a Book of Brady! We shall hex the Pentateuch, and slip you in neatly between Numbers and Deuteronomy!

(At this, there is another burst of laughter. BRADY is almost in a frenzy.)

BRADY

(Reaching for a sympathetic ear, trying to find the loyal audience which has slipped away from him)

My friends—Your Honor—My Followers—Ladies and Gentlemen—

DRUMMOND

The witness is excused.

BRADY

(Unheeding)

All of you know what I stand for! What I believe! I believe, I believe in the truth of the Book of Genesis! (Beginning to chant) Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First Samuel, Second Samuel, First Kings, Second Kings—

DRUMMOND

Your Honor, this completes the testimony. The witness is excused!

BRADY

(Pounding the air with his fists)

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah—

(There is confusion in the court. The JUDGE raps.)

JUDGE

You are excused, Colonel Brady—

BRADY

Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah—

(BRADY beats his clenched fists in the air with every name. There is a rising counterpoint of reaction from the spectators. Gavel.)

JUDGE

(Over the confusion)

Court is adjourned until ten o’clock tomorrow morning!

(Gavel. The spectators begin to mill about. A number of them, reporters and curiosity seekers, cluster around DRUMMOND. DAVENPORT follows the JUDGE out.)

DAVENPORT

Your Honor, I want to speak to you about striking all of this from the record.

(They go out.)

BRADY

(Still erect on the witness stand)

Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi…

(His voice trails off. He sinks, limp and exhausted into the witness chair. MRS. BRADY looks at her husband, worried and distraught. She looks at DRUMMOND with helpless anger. DRUMMOND moves out of the courtroom, and most of the crowd goes with him; Reporters cluster tight about DRUMMOND, pads and pencils hard at work. BRADY sits, ignored, on the witness chair. MEEKER takes CATES back to the jail. MRS. BRADY goes to her husband, who still sits on the raised witness chair.)