Sergeant Musgrave's Dance Chapter Summary & Analysis - Act 3, Scene 2 Summary

Act 3, Scene 2 Summary

Attercliffe and Musgrave are in prison. Attercliffe tries to get Musgrave to talk, saying that he wishes he'd never become a soldier. Musgrave remains silent. Mrs. Hitchcock comes with a mug of port, saying that she can only stay for a moment. Musgrave refuses the drink, and Mrs. Hitchcock gives it to Attercliffe. As Attercliffe drinks, Musgrave talks to himself about the logic of his plan, wondering how it could fail. Mrs. Hitchcock angrily explains that he got his logic wrong, saying that the town had gotten life right even though there were difficulties, but then Musgrave came in and tried to destroy that life by bringing in a different kind of war. Attercliffe comments that "you can't cure the pox by further whoring." Musgrave says that's not the truth, repeating over and over that God was with him. He mutters a disbelieving comment about how the Bargee and the...
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