"At first he laughed in my face, then he grew angry. You know, of course, that Nissew will become a sergeant-major later on, and the captain indicated by his behaviour that I was already jealous of my successor. Now I had no reason to feel this, because von Nissew must first be a sergeant and corporal before he can relieve me of my duties. I told the captain this, but he still thought I was jealous because he protected him, and he warned me to treat Nissew fairly and not to be continually looking after him. Well, then, I kept silent; only once did I speak, and then I called the captain's attention to a red mark, one could still see the box on the ear the man had received. Of course the man belonged to Nissew's company."
"Did the captain summon the non-commissioned officer?"
"I do not think so, sir; he only asked me whether I had never in my life given a man a box on the ears. Well, of course, I couldn't swear that I hadn't, and so the captain said he thought I ought not to complain so much against Nissew when I myself had committed the same fault."
George was thoughtful. "Tell me, sergeant-major, do you think the captain knew anything about the way von Nissew treated his men?"
"No, I don't think he did exactly, sir, for Nissew was always very cautious. He seldom struck men in the face, there were no visible marks of his ill-treatment to be seen, and I cannot understand how he so far lost his self-control to-day as to strike Petersen in this manner. No, the captain certainly knew nothing about these things, but still I have often wondered that he allowed von Nissew to have so much authority over the men. Whoever was given a punishment or anything similar had to report it to von Nissew. I once complained about this to the captain, for you see I am the sergeant-major and I could not allow anyone to encroach upon my duties without taking notice of it, it looked as if I were not trusted. But the captain said I ought not to make myself ridiculous. I knew perfectly well he had every confidence in me, I had quite enough to do, and simply to lighten my duties and to relieve me of some of them he had made this arrangement. When I said to the captain there were still the sergeant and the corporal he signified that I must really leave to him the choice of whatever non-commissioned officer he thought most suitable as my deputy; this depended on the individual and had nothing to do with rank."
"That is quite right, but it has always been a puzzle to me why the captain so specially favoured von Nissew."
"Not to me, sir. I have known the captain for years; he is a good-hearted man, but very easily managed if anyone knows how to get round him. And Nissew understood this better than anyone else; he is always dancing attendance on him, and running after him like a good dog. I am only wondering what on earth the captain will say when he returns from furlough and hears of this affair."
"We must not let the captain wait for news as long as that; he told me to telegraph to him if anything important happened in the company during his absence. I had quite forgotten that. Please write a telegram immediately: 'Have had Non-Commissioned Officer von Nissew placed under arrest pending investigation on account of repeated ill-treatment of subordinates.'"
The sergeant-major wrote the telegram and George himself took it to the telegraph office.