Hoarse cries told of an advance.
He turned away amazed and angry.

He felt that he had been wronged.
He had fled, he told himself, because annihilation approached.

He had done a good part in saving himself, who was a little piece of the army.
He had considered the time, he said, to be one in which it was the duty of every little piece to rescue itself if possible.

Later the officers could fit the little pieces together again, and make a battle front.

If none of the little pieces were wise enough to save themselves from the flurry of death at such a time, why, then, where would be the army?
It was all plain that he had proceeded according to very correct and commendable rules.