INT. THE HOUSE CHAMBER AND BALCONY - AFTERNOON

The Clerk continues.

THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE Mr. Walter H. Washburn.

WALTER H. WASHBURN Votes no.

THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE And Mr. George Yeaman, how say you?

Yeaman doesn't respond. The silence this causes lengthens, till representatives begin to look to see what's happened. Yeaman sits, staring ahead, not responding. Thaddeus Stevens, sensing something's happening, looks in Yeaman's direction. Yeaman, still staring ahead, mumbles something, but it's inaudible.

THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE (CONT'D) Sorry Mr. Yeaman, I didn't hear you VOTE -

           GEORGE YEAMAN

(rising to his feet) I said aye, Mr. McPherson. AYE!!!

Great surprise, loud cheers and angry shouts.

           FERNANDO WOOD

TRAITOR! TRAITOR!

Yeaman looks ready to fa# INT. To the consternation of the Democrats, a mob of gleeful Republicans rushes across the aisle that separates the two parties; they surround Yeaman, shaking his hand, slapping him on the back. Colfax bangs the gavel.

           SCHUYLER COLFAX

Order!

Pendleton is speechless. Litton turns to Ashley, both astonished; Ashley turns to Stevens, who watches, sharp, observant, giving nothing away.

Mary updates her tally: "8 TO WIN"

SCHUYLER COLFAX (CONT'D) Order in the chamber!

Yeaman collapses back into his seat. The room quiets.

SCHUYLER COLFAX (CONT'D) Mr. MacPherson, you may proceed.

THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE Mr. Clay R. Hawkins of Ohio.

Hawkins seems to have been startled out of a reverie. Sick with fear, he looks up at the sound of his name. He can't speak. Wood and Pendleton watch this, deeply alarmed. Hawkins snaps out of it.

           CLAY HAWKINS

Goddamn it, I'm voting yes. 110.

A huge reaction to this. LeClerk gapes at Hawkins.

CLAY HAWKINS (CONT'D) (right at Pendleton and Wood!) I don't care, shoot me dead! You shoot me dead I, I am voting yes!

THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE Mr. Edwin F. LeClerk.

LeClerk, seated next to Hawkins and transfixed by his courage, turns dazedly to McPherson.

           EDWIN LECLERK

No. (then, standing abruptly:) Oh to hell with it, shoot me dead too. Yes!

The noise gets wilder. Pendleton fixes LeClerk and Hawkins with a murderous look.

EDWIN LECLERK (CONT'D) I mean, abstention. Abstention.

Disgust briefly flashing across his face, McPherson crosses out and changes LeClerk's vote to an abstention. The cheering and booing degenerates to intense argument about what this means for the vote count.

In the balcony, Bilbo looks at Hawkins, well-pleased.

THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE Mr. Alexander Coffroth.

Coffroth looks towards Stevens, who doesn't look at him.

           ALEXANDER COFFROTH

(proud of himself and happy about the reward HE'LL GET:) I. Vote. Yes.

Applause. Stevens still doesn't look at Coffroth, but, tickled, he grins and nods.