Act II, scene 1

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Mother, Mother, my heart is all gratitude to you. It was you who did not allow me to join His Majesty’s Navy when I was quite young — hardly fourteen. I need not tell you, Mother, that your son and loyalty are inseparable. And who gave me this most precious sense of loyalty? You, Mother, only you. As a result, I am able to dedicate myself completely to the cause of American independence.

MARY WASHINGTON: My son, you think and feel that you and loyalty are inseparable. But another name for my son George is modesty. You are your country’s top-ranking general. You and you alone are America’s supreme need and divine choice to lead your country to victory! You will seat your country on the throne of victory and place the victory-crown upon its head.

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Mother, your son loves only one thing on earth.

MARY WASHINGTON: What is that, my son?

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Peace. Peace in our country, peace in Great Britain, peace throughout the world.

MARY WASHINGTON: My son, although you are only twenty-seven, your country has chosen you as its supreme hero to command all the military forces of the colonies. George, you have two other names: loyalty and modesty. But did you know that I also have another name?

GEORGE WASHINGTON: What is it, Mother?

MARY WASHINGTON: Pride, my son, pride in you. You are at once my pride and your country’s pride unparalleled.

GEORGE WASHINGTON: My countrymen think that I am a patriot to the core. Alas, I do not dare to tell them that although I like patriotism, I love peace. My heart is being ruthlessly tormented by the mere thought of breaking with our mother country so violently. True, I definitely want freedom, but I want this freedom in a peaceful way.

MARY WASHINGTON: Son, that is not to be. No, you will have to fight against Great Britain, for that is the only way. I believe this is a God-ordained war. It is you who have to offer your country the smile of victory, freedom-dawn. Hunger, you and your soldiers will brave. Cold, you and your soldiers will brave. Countless dear ones you and your soldiers will lose. Frequent defeats you are fated to suffer. But there will come a time when victory’s sun will shine on the life and soul of America. And that sun will bless you, embrace you and treasure you.

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Mother, you think too highly of me.

MARY WASHINGTON: Son, it is not a matter of thinking. I see the truth; I tell the truth. You know that your mother has always been a perfect stranger to falsehood.

GEORGE WASHINGTON: I don’t deny that you and sincerity are bosom friends, But your prophetic words frighten me far beyond your imagination.

MARY WASHINGTON: I do not care for imagination. You must not think that what I am saying is a mere figment of my imagination. This is not imagination, but my glowing realisation. Yours is the inevitable victory. You will be the father of this country. As your mother, I wish to bless you, my son. As your future daughter, I would like to be blessed by you.

(Mary comes over to him.)

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Mother, (dropping down on his knees), I need your blessing to win this war. You are still my mother. Let victory dawn; then, future daughter, I shall dare to bless you. (Mary blesses him.) Mother, you are very kind.

MARY WASHINGTON: Son, you are very great, and good, too.

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Mother, who is my source, whose vision is in me? Who is the confidence-power in me? You and you alone! And whose blessing light shall carry me to victory’s golden shore? Yours and yours alone!