Lincoln in the Bardo

Willie is buried on February 25, 1862. A historian notes that those around him hoped that the president would soon reassume his enormous responsibility. A guard at the White House records his concerns: The night of the funeral, the president has still not returned at two in the morning. The guard considers waking up Mrs. Lincoln but decides against it due to her fragile emotional state. Cemetery records show that Manders, the groundskeeper, leaves to find President Lincoln.

Willie’s death destroys the psychologically frail Mrs. Lincoln. She can’t leave her bed for days, and is even unable to attend the funeral services.

The Reverend Everly Thomas stays with Willie at the white house, his feelings hurt by Hans and Roger’s impulsive journey. The Reverend notices that Willie’s time is running out. Other ghosts gather to watch, as fascinated by Willie’s deterioration as they had been by Elise’s. The Reverend points these ghosts out to Willie and asks him if he really believes that staying in a place with people like that seems good to him. Willie counters that the Reverend is there too, a point the Reverend dismisses as irrelevant.