3 (i) : The "work" which Major Paul Petkoff is talking about in this extract is not any work which he has been doing. In fact most of the work had been done by Bluntschli. That work had consisted ofr deciding the best manner in which three cavalry regiments could be sent to Philippopolis - the main difficult in so doing being t have adequate forage for the horses on the way. Paul and Sergius had found the task beyond their capacities and had requested Bluntschli who had unexpectedly come to the house to help them. Bluntschli worked with a "quick, sure, businesslike" manner - studying a couple of maps which were in front of him and writing orders. Sergius is also "supposed to be also at work", but he is gnawing the feather of a pen which he used to sign the orders Bluntschli had written out.
(ii) : The work had actually been done by Bluntschli. Since Paul and Sergius didn't know how to get the the three cavalry regiments to Philippopolis and provide them with adequate fodder, they had invited Bluntschli to study the maps and write out the necessary orders to complete the operation. Bluntschli had, thus, really done nearly all the all the work.
Sergius had only to sign the orders.
Paul Petkoff was sitting comfortably with a newspaper and a hookah within easy reach and only very politely asking if he could help with the work, knowing that there was nothing for him to do or nothing which he could do !
To complete the work, Sergius was asked by Bluntschli to give the orders to the dispatch riders with a warning to them not to delay at all.
Bluntschli requests Paul to ensure that Sergius spoke to the dispatch riders in the right manner - a job on which Paul asks his wife to accompany him, feeling that her presence would give the riders the correct message.
(iii) : Bluntschli asks Sergius to meet the soldiers who are to take the orders which have just been prepared and to ensure that they leave without delay - keeping in mind that Bluntschli had mentioned the time by which they should hand the orders at their various locations. He tells Sergius to warn them of dire consequences if they did not deliver the orders on time.
Bluntschli asks Major Paul to ensure that Sergius spoke to the dispatch riders in the manner in which his directives would be followed - to see that Sergius "talks to hem properly".
(iv) : Sergius had "stiffened indignantly" when he had heard Bluntschli's threat to the dispatch riders that they would have the "skin taken off their backs", i.e. they would be punished severely if they did not do the job in time. Sergius says that if any of those soldiers were offended bythe threat and had the boldness of character to "spit in his face" Sergius would buy that man's discharge from the army and in addition give that man a pension. It means that Sergius would reward the man for standing up to the bullying tactics of his superiors.
This tells us that Sergius either respects people's dignity and that he does not subscribe to officers theatening their subordinates, or if he has said what he had in jest, he hints that he would strive to do the job he had been given by Bluntschli as perfectly as possible and that his tone would be so severe that no would dare take his orders lightly.
(v) : Bluntschli asks Major Petkoff to check that Sergius talks properly to the soldiers who would deliver the orders which have just been written out. Bluntschli was not so sure that Sergius would use the right tone - he might not be convincing enough so that they do they do their work in time or he might upset them with an over officious tone. He made this request to Major Petkoff to ensure that the dispatch riders got the right message and in the right tone.
(ii) : The work had actually been done by Bluntschli. Since Paul and Sergius didn't know how to get the the three cavalry regiments to Philippopolis and provide them with adequate fodder, they had invited Bluntschli to study the maps and write out the necessary orders to complete the operation. Bluntschli had, thus, really done nearly all the all the work.
Sergius had only to sign the orders.
Paul Petkoff was sitting comfortably with a newspaper and a hookah within easy reach and only very politely asking if he could help with the work, knowing that there was nothing for him to do or nothing which he could do !
To complete the work, Sergius was asked by Bluntschli to give the orders to the dispatch riders with a warning to them not to delay at all.
Bluntschli requests Paul to ensure that Sergius spoke to the dispatch riders in the right manner - a job on which Paul asks his wife to accompany him, feeling that her presence would give the riders the correct message.
(iii) : Bluntschli asks Sergius to meet the soldiers who are to take the orders which have just been prepared and to ensure that they leave without delay - keeping in mind that Bluntschli had mentioned the time by which they should hand the orders at their various locations. He tells Sergius to warn them of dire consequences if they did not deliver the orders on time.
Bluntschli asks Major Paul to ensure that Sergius spoke to the dispatch riders in the manner in which his directives would be followed - to see that Sergius "talks to hem properly".
(iv) : Sergius had "stiffened indignantly" when he had heard Bluntschli's threat to the dispatch riders that they would have the "skin taken off their backs", i.e. they would be punished severely if they did not do the job in time. Sergius says that if any of those soldiers were offended bythe threat and had the boldness of character to "spit in his face" Sergius would buy that man's discharge from the army and in addition give that man a pension. It means that Sergius would reward the man for standing up to the bullying tactics of his superiors.
This tells us that Sergius either respects people's dignity and that he does not subscribe to officers theatening their subordinates, or if he has said what he had in jest, he hints that he would strive to do the job he had been given by Bluntschli as perfectly as possible and that his tone would be so severe that no would dare take his orders lightly.
(v) : Bluntschli asks Major Petkoff to check that Sergius talks properly to the soldiers who would deliver the orders which have just been written out. Bluntschli was not so sure that Sergius would use the right tone - he might not be convincing enough so that they do they do their work in time or he might upset them with an over officious tone. He made this request to Major Petkoff to ensure that the dispatch riders got the right message and in the right tone.
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