Old officers know that only salaks and fools are justified. The real military responds to any, even the most unfair reproach of the chief, “yes”, “so sure”, “blame”.
During the Crimean War, the old Field Marshal Paskevich (a war hero from 1812; Nicholas I, who served under his leadership in his youth, called him his "father-commandor" all his life) came somehow to observe the crossing of Russian troops across the Danube. According to the law of wickedness, in front of the eye of the Field Marshal sank one of the pontons of the bridge led across the river. Well, when will the iron be drowned, if not when the boss appears! The old man’s mood did not improve.
And here turned under his hand captain of the fleet Greve, commandered to the Danube army. The man was smart and calm, he had nothing to do with the crossing, but in the head of the field marshal, naturally, the bridge, the water and the naval officer merged together. Paskevitch began to speak to Greve for a bad transit. The captain coldly agreed with all of the commander-in-chief's remarks, repeating after him, "Really bad, your light. Absolutely rightly, your light is disregard, inexcusable omission, and so on.” From each such response, the Field Marshal became more and more angry, and finally, finally falling into anger, shouted:
Who are you!
- The passers, your light, - calmly replied Greve.
The reassured Field Marshal returned on his own, taking with him the "passenger", whom he invited to lunch.