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: