"Why, soasnottolaywastethecountrywewereabandoningtotheenemy," saidPrinceAndrewwithvenomousirony."Itisverysound: onecan', ," criedPrinceAndrewinashrillvoicethatseemedtoescapehiminvoluntarily: "hecouldnotunderstandthatthere, forthefirsttime, wewerefightingforRussiansoil, andthattherewasaspiritinthemensuchasIhadneverseenbefore, thatwehadheldtheFrenchfortwodays, , , hetriedtodothebesthecould, hethoughtouteverything, , ?...Well, sayyourfatherhasaGermanvalet, andheisasplendidvaletandsatisfiesyourfather'srequirementsbetterthanyoucould, thenit''llsendthevaletawayandattendtoyourfatherwithyourownunpracticed, awkwardhands, , aforeignercouldserveherandbeasplendidminister; ! Theyslanderhimasatraitor, andtheonlyresultwillbethatafterwards, ashamedoftheirfalseaccusations, theywillmakehimoutaheroorageniusinsteadofatraitor, ."
"Andtheysayhe'saskillfulcommander," rejoinedPierre.
"Idon'tunderstandwhatismeantby 'askillfulcommander,'" repliedPrinceAndrewironically.
"Askillfulcommander?" repliedPierre."Why, onewhoforeseesallcontingencies...andforeseestheadversary'sintentions."
"Butthat'simpossible," saidPrinceAndrewasifitwereamattersettledlongago.
Pierrelookedathiminsurprise.
"Andyettheysaythatwarislikeagameofchess?" heremarked.
