Place me where fiercest raves the battle's roar,
But bid me not in parley to confront
Those men, whose every eye-glance, every word
Mean scorn and sneers cast on my loyalty.
Santa Anna.
Is that thy whole objection? Why, meseems,
Thy own confession puts thee in the wrong.
Bradburn.
No, no, Your Excellency! 't is only hard
To reap contempt, where praise should be our harvest.
Santa Anna.
A wrongful charge is like an arrow's shaft
That lacks the head; it cannot harm or wound.
Hence, if nought else thou keepest back from me,
I see no reason, why not overrule
Thy weak remonstrance and insist upon
What was my first and well-considered plan.
Therefore list well to my instructions now.
Which thou must neither change nor overstep.
First thou wilt, in the name of Mexico,
Demand an unconditional surrender.
When that has been rejected, offer next
Imprisonment until the end of war
To all save the commander, William Travis,
To whom as fair inducement of surrender
Thou wilt hold out my fine estate, La Paz,
