14 (i) : Sergius describes his cavalry charge as "unprofessional" referring to the opinion of the military establishment of his daring cavalry charge against the Serbian cannon battery at the battle of Slivnitza. While to Sergius he was daring and patriotic, taking his life (and those of his troops) in his hands in order to secure the Bulgarian victory. His gamble brought victory to the Bulgarians. But the military establishment on all sides (Bulgarian, Serbian, Swiss and Russian at least) considered the attack as suicidal. They do not trust Sergius judgement and have refused to crown him with high rank in the army, preferring instead to promote the more conventional (though unsuccessful) commanders.
(ii) : "He" refers to the Swiss mercenary who had fought on the Serbian side during the war. Besides the other information we get of this man in this extract, we have been told that he was responsible for some part of the negotiations on behalf of the Serbian side with the Bulgarians following the peace treaty signed at Pirot. He was smart in working out a deal which was very favourable to the Serbian side and very unequal for the Bulgarian side - he had exploited Sergius and Paul Petkoff's naive sense of fairness. We will later find out that he was 'The Man' who took refuge in Raina's bedroom and that his name is Bluntschli.
(iii) : Sergius is being sarcastic hen he calls him "a thorough soldier". Sergius has been critical of the military establishment and Paul Petkoff has agreed with him partly noting that "soldiering has to be a trade like any other trade." The Swiss was a thorough soldier according to Sergius "a commercial traveller in uniform" - having exploited Sergius and Paul's naive sense that he would play fairly in negotiating the terms of an exchange of prisoners with them. In this passage he also notes that that the Swiss was "a thorough soldier" by running away like all the other professional soldiers - wishing to draw a contrast to himself who put his life on the line for his country.
(iv) : According to Sergius, the Swiss soldier had been in the regiment that Sergius attacked and on being defeated he had run away. While fleeing he came upon a house and climbed up the waterpipe to the room of a young Bulgarian lady to escape being killed by the Bulgarian soldiers who were following him closely. The Swiss mercenary was given refuge by the young lady who's room he entered - the young lady being charmed by his smooth manner. The young lady informed her mother of the soldiers presence in her room after about an hour. The lady's mother was equally taken up by the soldiers manners. Later they disguised the soldier in the coat of the master of the house who was away fighting the war.
(v) : We know that the lady and her mother are Raina and Catherine. However, it seems that Sergius and Paul Petkoff do not suspect this. Later, in act 3 they will find out the truth.
(vi) : Dramatic irony refers to a situation when a character says something the truth of which he / she is unaware of. Here, while Sergius does not seem to realise that the ladies referred to are Raina and Catherine who are there before and who are squirming while the story is being told. In guilt an wishing to deflect focus on themselves they first ask question to make sure that the Swiss soldier and 'The Man' whom they had given could be the same person. When they are left without any doubt of the true identity of the man, they claim to be greatly offended by the telling of such a "coarse" story.
(ii) : "He" refers to the Swiss mercenary who had fought on the Serbian side during the war. Besides the other information we get of this man in this extract, we have been told that he was responsible for some part of the negotiations on behalf of the Serbian side with the Bulgarians following the peace treaty signed at Pirot. He was smart in working out a deal which was very favourable to the Serbian side and very unequal for the Bulgarian side - he had exploited Sergius and Paul Petkoff's naive sense of fairness. We will later find out that he was 'The Man' who took refuge in Raina's bedroom and that his name is Bluntschli.
(iii) : Sergius is being sarcastic hen he calls him "a thorough soldier". Sergius has been critical of the military establishment and Paul Petkoff has agreed with him partly noting that "soldiering has to be a trade like any other trade." The Swiss was a thorough soldier according to Sergius "a commercial traveller in uniform" - having exploited Sergius and Paul's naive sense that he would play fairly in negotiating the terms of an exchange of prisoners with them. In this passage he also notes that that the Swiss was "a thorough soldier" by running away like all the other professional soldiers - wishing to draw a contrast to himself who put his life on the line for his country.
(iv) : According to Sergius, the Swiss soldier had been in the regiment that Sergius attacked and on being defeated he had run away. While fleeing he came upon a house and climbed up the waterpipe to the room of a young Bulgarian lady to escape being killed by the Bulgarian soldiers who were following him closely. The Swiss mercenary was given refuge by the young lady who's room he entered - the young lady being charmed by his smooth manner. The young lady informed her mother of the soldiers presence in her room after about an hour. The lady's mother was equally taken up by the soldiers manners. Later they disguised the soldier in the coat of the master of the house who was away fighting the war.
(v) : We know that the lady and her mother are Raina and Catherine. However, it seems that Sergius and Paul Petkoff do not suspect this. Later, in act 3 they will find out the truth.
(vi) : Dramatic irony refers to a situation when a character says something the truth of which he / she is unaware of. Here, while Sergius does not seem to realise that the ladies referred to are Raina and Catherine who are there before and who are squirming while the story is being told. In guilt an wishing to deflect focus on themselves they first ask question to make sure that the Swiss soldier and 'The Man' whom they had given could be the same person. When they are left without any doubt of the true identity of the man, they claim to be greatly offended by the telling of such a "coarse" story.
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