He places the proclamation in front of him.
"Shall be thenceforward and forever free."
Gentlemen, I pray for your support.
He signs it.
THE MINISTERS rise. SEWARD, WELLES, and BLAIR shake LINCOLN'S hand and go out. STANTON and CHASE bow to him, and follow. HOOK, the last to rise, moves away, making no sign.
Lincoln: Hook.
Hook: Yes, Mr. President.
Lincoln: Hook, one cannot help hearing things.
Hook: I beg your pardon?
Lincoln: Hook, there's a way some people have, when a man says a disagreeable thing, of asking him to repeat it, hoping to embarrass him. It's often effective. But I'm not easily embarrassed. I said one cannot help hearing things.