2nd Sol. No, hear him not, he means to cozen you.
Fred'rick will do you right
(Endeavouring to stir up a noise and confusion amongst them.)
Bas. What cursed fiend art thou, cast out from hell
To spirit up rebellion? damned villain!
(Seizes upon 2d soldier, drags him out from the ranks, and wrests his arms from him; then takes a pistol from his side, and holds it to his head.)
For if thou utt'rest but a single word,
A cough, or hem, to cross me in my speech,
I'll send thy cursed spirit from the earth,
To bellow with the damn'd!
(The soldiers keep a dead silence—after a pause, Basil resumes his speech.)
You say that I am to the Emp'ror pledg'd
To lead you foremost in all desp'rate service,
For now you call it not the path of glory;
And if in this I have offended you,
I do indeed repent me of the crime.
But new from battles, where my native troops
So bravely fought; I felt me proud at heart,
And boasted of you, boasted foolishly.
I said fair glory's palm ye would not yield
To e'er the bravest legion train'd to arms.
I swore the meanest man of all my troops
