28 (i) : Raina calls the visitor who has just called to the Petkoff home "The Chocolate Cream Soldier". To Raina, who had known him since their "midnight adventure" he is 'the man' to whom she had given refuge in her room and to whom she had given the last of her chocolate creams. To catherine, who also knows him from that same incident and whom she had unsuccessfully tried to hurry away from the house before her husband and Sergius saw him, he is the 'The Man' - the Swiss mercenary fighting in the Serbian army, whose presence her daughter had revealed to her and whom she had disguised in her husband's coat and sent off. To Paul and Sergius he is the Swiss, who tricked them into signing a deal they came the worse out for and who had told them an interesting story of two Bulgarian women who had given refuge to him.
Raina's exclamation tells us that she is at best a very spontaneous person. At worst she is an immature young girl who says what she feels without considering the situation or the consequences.
(ii) : Raina had let 'the cat out of the bag' with referring to Bluntschli as the "chocolate cream soldier". By doing so she indicated that she was familiar with him and her words drew an immediate and confused reaction from Sergius to Petkoff who looked to his wife for some enlightenment. Caught in that predicament, Catherine, as Shaw notes, shows great "Commanding presence of mind" and saves day. Catherine seems to admonish her daughter for making an offensive comment in the presence of guests. Raina plays ball and responds explaining her misguided exclamation on entering.
(iii) : Raina has landed herself and her mother in an embarrassing situation where Sergius and Petkoff seem to want an explanation as to why Raina seems to have some knowledge of the gust and why she should address him as a "chocolate cream soldier". Raina, taking the cue from her mother explains her exclamation by making up a story. Raina informs those present that her exclamation "Oh ! the chocolate cream soldier !" was only an expression of disappointment at Nicola having destroyed a beautiful decoration she had made for an ice pudding when he put a pile of plates on it.
(iv) : Nicola is totally confused when he is blamed for destroying decoration for the ice pudding. Since he had been blamed for wrongfully bringing Bluntschli to the garden rather than to Paul who was in the library and then for bringing Bluntschli's bag to the garden, the third accusation completely shook his confidence and he dropped the bag from his hands almost on Paul's toes. Later Nicola is asked about this and maintains his respect to his mistress merely saying "You heard Miss Raina say that I did" and "I am sure that Miss Raina is incapable of saying anything that is not true". He thus does not let down his mistresses and keeps their confidences. He thus, shows himself a faithful servant.
(v) : Bluntschli knows that Raina is addressing him as "the chocolate cream soldier" as she had called him that when he had gobbled up the last few chocolate creams which she had and when he told her that, like all experienced soldiers, he didn't carry ammunition to war but chocolates.
However, Bluntschli knows that Raina has made a faux pas (an embarrassing remark) and though he bowed in return to Raina's bow to him, he is relieved that Raina was able to concoct a story which was plausible enough to discourage Sergius and Paul Petkoff from making any further inquiry into the "chocolate cream soldier" comment. If she had not been able to come up with an immediate explanation it might have been relieved that Raina knew him and that he was given refuge by none other than Raina and Catherine.
Raina's exclamation tells us that she is at best a very spontaneous person. At worst she is an immature young girl who says what she feels without considering the situation or the consequences.
(ii) : Raina had let 'the cat out of the bag' with referring to Bluntschli as the "chocolate cream soldier". By doing so she indicated that she was familiar with him and her words drew an immediate and confused reaction from Sergius to Petkoff who looked to his wife for some enlightenment. Caught in that predicament, Catherine, as Shaw notes, shows great "Commanding presence of mind" and saves day. Catherine seems to admonish her daughter for making an offensive comment in the presence of guests. Raina plays ball and responds explaining her misguided exclamation on entering.
(iii) : Raina has landed herself and her mother in an embarrassing situation where Sergius and Petkoff seem to want an explanation as to why Raina seems to have some knowledge of the gust and why she should address him as a "chocolate cream soldier". Raina, taking the cue from her mother explains her exclamation by making up a story. Raina informs those present that her exclamation "Oh ! the chocolate cream soldier !" was only an expression of disappointment at Nicola having destroyed a beautiful decoration she had made for an ice pudding when he put a pile of plates on it.
(iv) : Nicola is totally confused when he is blamed for destroying decoration for the ice pudding. Since he had been blamed for wrongfully bringing Bluntschli to the garden rather than to Paul who was in the library and then for bringing Bluntschli's bag to the garden, the third accusation completely shook his confidence and he dropped the bag from his hands almost on Paul's toes. Later Nicola is asked about this and maintains his respect to his mistress merely saying "You heard Miss Raina say that I did" and "I am sure that Miss Raina is incapable of saying anything that is not true". He thus does not let down his mistresses and keeps their confidences. He thus, shows himself a faithful servant.
(v) : Bluntschli knows that Raina is addressing him as "the chocolate cream soldier" as she had called him that when he had gobbled up the last few chocolate creams which she had and when he told her that, like all experienced soldiers, he didn't carry ammunition to war but chocolates.
However, Bluntschli knows that Raina has made a faux pas (an embarrassing remark) and though he bowed in return to Raina's bow to him, he is relieved that Raina was able to concoct a story which was plausible enough to discourage Sergius and Paul Petkoff from making any further inquiry into the "chocolate cream soldier" comment. If she had not been able to come up with an immediate explanation it might have been relieved that Raina knew him and that he was given refuge by none other than Raina and Catherine.
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