ng way.

BURGOYNE (imperturbable). Suppose I resign my command to you, what will
you do?

SWINDON. I will undertake to do what we have marched south from Boston
to do, and what General Howe has marched north from New York to do:
effect a junction at Albany and wipe out the rebel army with our united
forces.

BURGOYNE (enigmatically). And will you wipe out our enemies in London,
too?

SWINDON. In London! What enemies?

BURGOYNE (forcibly). Jobbery and snobbery, incompetence and Red Tape.
(He holds up the dispatch and adds, with despair in his face and voice)
I have just learnt, sir, that General Howe is still in New York.

SWINDON (thunderstruck). Good God! He has disobeyed orders!

BURGOYNE (with sardonic calm). He has received no orders, sir. Some
gentleman in London forgot to dispatch them: he was leaving town for
his holiday, I believe. To avoid upsetting his arrangements, England
will lose her American colonies; and in a few days you and I will be at
Saratoga with 5,000 men to face 16,000 rebels in an impregnable
position.

SWINDON (appalled). Impossible!

BURGOYNE (coldly). I beg your pardon!

SWINDON. I can't believe it! What will History say?

BURGOYNE. History, sir, will tell lies, as usual. Come: we must send
the safe-conduct. (He goes out.)

SWINDON (following distractedly). My God, my God! We shall be wiped out.

As noon approaches there is excitement in the market place. The gallows
which hangs there permanently for the terror of evildoers, with such
minor advertizers and examples of crime as the pillory, the whipping
post, and the stocks, has a new rope attached, with the noose hitched
up to one of the uprights, out of reach of the boys. Its ladder, too,
has been brought out and placed in position by the town beadle, who
stands by to guard it from unauthorized climbing. The Websterbridge
townsfolk are present in force, and in high spirits; for the news has
spread that it is the devil's disciple and not the minister that the
Continentals (so they call Burgoyne's forces) are about to hang:
consequently the execution can be enjoyed without any misgiving as to
its righteousness, or to the cowardice of allowing it to take place
without a struggle. There is even some fear of a disappointment as
midday approaches and the arrival of the beadle with the ladder remains
the only sign of preparation. But at last reassuring shouts of Here
they come: Here they are, are heard; and a company of soldiers wi