Supposing all the officers of the left wing, as you say, had gathered together and cut their way out, the czar would have had a right to blame them for the capture of the whole of the men.

How could they tell that, at daybreak, the general would not have given orders for the left wing to attack the Swedes?
They were strong enough still to have eaten us up, had they made the effort, and had the czar been there in person, I will warrant he would have tried it." "That he would," Doctor Michaeloff said warmly.

"You are right there, young sir.

The czar may not be a soldier, but at least he is a man, which is more than can be said for the officer who ordered sixty thousand men to lay down their arms to eight thousand." "I am sure of that," Charlie said.

"A man who would do as he has done, leave his kingdom, and work like a common man in dockyards, to learn how to build ships, and who rules his people as he does, must be a great man.