A wizard he is!-and a sorcerer Saul!-
Holofernes!-a Jehu!-denying, we know,
Like St. Peter, his Master and Lord below;
And hence must he quail when the cock doth crow-
BOTH YAGERS.
Now, parson, prepare; for thy doom is nigh.
CAPUCHIN.
A fox more cunning than Herod, I trow-
TRUMPETER and both YAGERS (pressing against him).
Silence, again,-if thou wouldst not die!
CROATS (interfering.)
Stick to it, father; we'll shield you, ne'er fear;
The close of your preachment now let's hear.
CAPUCHIN (still louder).
A Nebuchadnezzar in towering pride!
And a vile and heretic sinner beside!
He calls himself rightly the stone of a wall;
For faith! he's a stumbling-stone to us all.
And ne'er can the emperor have peace indeed,
Till of Friedland himself the land is freed.
[During the last passages which he pronounces in an elevated
voice, he has been gradually retreating, the Croats keeping
the other soldiers off.
SCENE IX.
The above, without the Capuchin.
FIRST YAGER (to the Sergeant).
But, tell us, what meant he about chanticleer;
Whose crowing the general dares to hear?
No doubt it was uttered in spite and scorn.
SERGEANT.
Listen-'Tis not so untrue as it appears;
For Friedland was rather mysteriously born,
And is 'specially troubled with ticklish ears;
He can never suffer the mew of a cat;
And when the cock crows he starts thereat.
FIRST YAGER.
He's one and the same with the lion in that.
SERGEANT.
Mouse-still must all around him creep,
Strict watch in this the sentinels keep,
For he ponders on matters most grave and deep.
[Voices in the tent. A tumult.
Seize the rascal! Lay on! lay on!
PEASANT'S VOICE.
Help!-mercy-help!
OTHERS.
Peace! peace! begone!
FIRST YAGER.
Deuce take me, but yonder the swords are out!
SECOND YAGER.
Then I must be off, and see what 'tis about.
[Yagers enter the tent.
SUTLER-WOMAN (comes forward).
A scandalous villain!-a scurvy thief!
TRUMPETER.
Good hostess, the cause of this clamorous grief?
SUTLER-WOMAN.
A cut-purse! a scoundrel! the-villain I call.
That the like in my tent should ever befall!
I'm disgraced and undone with the officers all.
SERGEANT.
Well, coz, what is it?
SUTLER-WOMAN.
Why, what should it be?
But a peasant they've taken just now with me-
A rogue with false dice, to favor his play.
TRUMPETER.
See I they're bringing the boor and his son this way.
SCENE X.
Soldiers dragging in the peasant, bound.
