entative
of the whole species of decorative officers; and in the end it will be
little enough use if one of them is brought to book for once in a way.
Directly a more lenient officer is in command the whole thing will
begin over again. And just consider the prospect, my dear boy; if this
slack, unenthusiastic crew increases in number, what will happen then?
Now and then, perhaps, one of them gains a little sense by the time he
is promoted to captain. With the greater number the chances are that
during the ten or more years that they are subalterns, utter
superficiality will have become their rule in life; from which, despite
responsibility, they are unable to break loose, and according to which,
therefore, they act. Then, when they are found to be good for nothing,
they are either retired, and eat the unearned bread of pensioners
(unearned, of course, only in such cases as theirs), or, if they
have a cousin or great-uncle anywhere, who can put in a good word for
them, or if they belong to the best families, or if they are very
religious--why, then God Almighty intervenes, and the scandal waxes
still grosser; for the useless captains become staff-officers."

Reimers tried to reply, but Guentz waived off his objection with an
impatient gesture, and continued: "As to the young officer of whom we
are speaking, the disinclination which he manifests for the actual
duties of his profession is a fact, and, unfortunately distinctly
typical. I assure you that most of our lieutenants look at their life
and work from the point of view of mere schoolboys. They lounge about,
do just the duty they are positively obliged to do, laugh in their
sleeves if they get rowed, and swear at every short hour demanded by
the service. Nothing but continuous lazing! Then in the end, every one
who has not been arrested for some piece of sheer stupidity is made
captain,--of course always supposing he has not been positively
dishonest, or done something criminal."

Reimers interrupted him: "Come, you know, the thing's not quite so
simple as all that!"

But Guentz replied: "Oh yes, it is! To master the elementary formulae
according to which the service is regulated, sufficiently to satisfy
the mere requirements of inspection--that is child's play. And yet on
that the superior has to found his judgment! But to work them out so
thoroughly that one has them at one's finger-ends at any moment and on
every emergency (for that alone can prove their effici