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Table of Contents | Printable Version When Mr. Brady returns with a guilty and confused-looking Rachel, Mrs. Brady tells him the news that Mr. Drummond has been hired to defend Mr. Cates. Brady turns pale at the news, but hypocritically tells the crowd that it should welcome Mr. Drummond into town. He states that "if the enemy sends its Goliath into battle, it magnifies our cause." Everyone is pleased with Brady's bravado. Brady has emptied his full plate and goes for dessert. He tells his worried wife that he has to build up his strength for the coming battle in the courtroom. He then proudly toasts himself with his lemonade. After finishing his lunch, Brady takes his wife to go and find the Mansion House, which is to be their residence during their stay in Hillsboro. As the picnic breaks up, Hornbeck watches Rachel. He finally goes up to her and offers to give her advice. When she tries to leave, he calls her back and tells her that she needs to read an article he has written about Bert's case. Rachel agrees and finds that she is impressed with the article. She wishes it could be printed in Hillsboro, but he says the local paper will not run it. During their conversation, Hornbeck has been eating an apple. When he offers Rachel a bite of it, he teasingly tells her that he is not a serpent trying to tempt her. He adds that there are no trees of knowledge in Hillsboro, only trees of ignorance. Rachel is surprised at Hornbeck's attitude and finds it hard to believe that he supports Cates, almost as if the prisoner were a hero. With humor, Hornbeck tells her he is "the friend of enemies, and the enemy of friends." Rachel reveals that she feels Cates has many enemies. She believes that the prisoner must be wrong if such a great man as Mr. Brady is against him. Hornbeck says that Brady is not considered to be great anymore. People now judge him as old-fashioned, unpopular, and out-of-date. Hornbeck explains to Rachel that Brady is not really coming to town for Cates, but for himself; he wants to be in the limelight in order to try and regain some of his lost support.
It is sunset, and the scene shifts back to downtown. The storekeeper is discussing the heat with Mrs. McClain when Mr. Drummond appears. The young Melinda, seen in the beginning of the scene, thinks that Drummond is the devil and runs from him. Hornbeck, however, greets him warmly and humorously. The newspaperman says to the famous attorney, "Hello, Devil. Welcome to Hell." Table of Contents | Printable Version |