an
hour. PERFECTLY ready, sir.

BURGOYNE (blandly). So am I. (Several officers come in and take their
seats. One of them sits at the end of the table furthest from the door,
and acts throughout as clerk to the court, making notes of the
proceedings. The uniforms are those of the 9th, 20th, 21st, 24th, 47th,
53rd, and 62nd British Infantry. One officer is a Major General of the
Royal Artillery. There are also German officers of the Hessian Rifles,
and of German dragoon and Brunswicker regiments.) Oh, good morning,
gentlemen. Sorry to disturb you, I am sure. Very good of you to spare
us a few moments.

SWINDON. Will you preside, sir?

BURGOYNE (becoming additionally, polished, lofty, sarcastic and urbane
now that he is in public). No, sir: I feel my own deficiencies too
keenly to presume so far. If you will kindly allow me, I will sit at
the feet of Gamaliel. (He takes the chair at the end of the table next
the door, and motions Swindon to the chair of state, waiting for him to
be seated before sitting himself.)

SWINDON (greatly annoyed). As you please, sir. I am only trying to do
my duty under excessively trying circumstances. (He takes his place in
the chair of state.)

Burgoyne, relaxing his studied demeanor for the moment, sits down and
begins to read the report with knitted brows and careworn looks,
reflecting on his desperate situation and Swindon's uselessness.
Richard is brought in. Judith walks beside him. Two soldiers precede
and two follow him, with the sergeant in command. They cross the room
to the wall opposite the door; but when Richard has just passed before
the chair of state the sergeant stops him with a touch on the arm, and
posts himself behind him, at his elbow. Judith stands timidly at the
wall. The four soldiers place themselves in a squad near her.

BURGOYNE (looking up and seeing Judith). Who is that woman?

SERGEANT. Prisoner's wife, sir.

SWINDON (nervously). She begged me to allow her to be present; and I
thought--

BURGOYNE (completing the sentence for him ironically). You thought it
would be a pleasure for her. Quite so, quite so. (Blandly) Give the
lady a chair; and make her thoroughly comfortable.

The sergeant fetches a chair and places it near Richard.

JUDITH. Thank you, sir. (She sits down after an awe-stricken curtsy to
Burgoyne, which he acknowledges by a dignified bend of his head.)

SWINDON (to Richard, sharply). Your name, sir?

RICHARD (affable, but obstinate).