The Hour of Truth : Plot

 

The Hour of Truth: Plot

Robert Baldwin is an honest family man, and the secretary of a powerful banker named John Gresham.

Mr. Gresham and Mr. Baldwin were friends for thirty-five years. The Bank owned by Mr. Gresham wrecks, due his own misappropriation of its funds.

Though, he did not aim to cheat his depositors, as the diverted fund does not come back in time, the bank collapses.

He is charged with fraud and forgery. Before the opening of the play, Mr. Gresham sends for Mr. Baldwin.

Mr. Baldwin is the only witness in the case against Mr. Gresham, and the trial is to take place the very next day.

Robert Baldwin’s wife, Martha, his son John and Evie, his daughter are waiting anxiously for his return, when the play opens.

They are anxious to know why Mr. Gresham, implicated in the case has asked to see Mr. Baldwin.

All the three have strong faith in Mr. Baldwin’s honesty, and know that he would not give into any temptation, set forth by Mr. Gresham.

John is in fact very upset with John Gresham for his treatment of his father.

He believes that Mr. Gresham has been exploiting his father, and underpaying him all these years.

He hopes that Mr. Gresham would get a deserving punishment in the court for his crimes.

He wants his father to strongly testify against Mr. Gresham in the court.

It has begun to rain when Mr. Robert Baldwin returns.

Martha asks her husband why Mr. Gresham had asked for a meeting with him.

Initially he is unwilling to disclose the details but later tells them that Mr. Gresham had promised him a hundred thousand dollars just to say “I don’t remember” when the court asks questions on important details.

The family members are stunned by this disclosure. Till now they wanted Mr. Gresham to be punished.

Now their sense of honour and decency changes all of a sudden.

Selfishness, greed and dishonesty come to the forefront.

Now they think that Mr. Gresham may be allowed to let go.

 Mr. Baldwin had not told the story behind the wreck of the bank to anyone else. Even to his family.

He would not tell it to the news reporters and there was a cloud of suspicion over his reputation.

His own family members had suspected that he knew about Mr. Gresham’s illegal activities from the beginning.

He did not think that it necessary to clear his name. He would tell the truth only in the court.

Mr. Gresham had told Baldwin that the hundred thousand dollars was not a bribe but a compensation for what he actually should have paid him.

John now thinks that it is right to accept the money. He claims that Mr. Gresham has done nothing wrong to the depositors, since they would not lose a penny.

He does not want Gresham to be punished, as his name would too be tarnished. Mr. Gresham was John’s godfather and Mr. Baldwin had given his own son, the name of his friend.

Even, his wife Martha, whom he thought would stand with him, turns dishonest.

He is shocked at the dishonesty shown by his own family members. The mask of honesty is torn down and they all stand naked before TRUTH.

He tells them that he has only a few more years to live and that he would go to his grave clean.

He cannot do anything wrong, if he knows that to be wrong.

Doing anything dishonest is extremely painful to him.

When Mr. Baldwin tells them that, he had declined Mr. Gresham’s proposal, they are disappointed.

He also tells them that Mr. Gresham, who knew Mr. Baldwin too well, showed no surprise at all when he declined the money.

Mr. Gresham knew that nothing, any amount of money, can lure him away from his honest life.

The fact that Mr. Gresham showed no surprise itself is taken by Mr. Baldwin as a reward.

However, Mr. Baldwin is disappointed by the greed and dishonesty shown by his family members.

He wants them at least to be honest with themselves.

Robert Baldwin’s honesty and integrity, is finally rewarded with the arrival of Mr. Marshall, the president of the Third National Bank, which controls all the private banks.

Mr. Marshall had visited Mr. John Gresham, and he had told Mr. Marshall about his attempt to bribe Mr. Baldwin.

Mr. Gresham knew that, it is better to confess his crime, rather than going to trial, with Mr. Baldwin testifying against him.

He knew, he stood no chance, if Mr. Baldwin tell the truth in the court. So, he confessed his crime.

Mr. Marshall rewards Mr. Baldwin, by offering him a job in the Third National Bank.

Ultimately honesty prevails, and is rewarded.