“Nations move less by morality than interest,” Doctor Michaeloff said calmly.  “Russia wants a way to the sea—­the Turks cut her off to the south, and the Swedes from the Baltic.  She is smothered between them, and when she saw her chance, she took it.  That is not good morality.  I admit that it is the excuse of the poor man who robs the rich, but it is human nature, and nations act, in the long run, a good deal like individuals.”

“But you have not told me yet, doctor,” Charlie said, turning the conversation, “whether the proposal for an exchange was accepted.”

“The general had no power to accept it, Carstairs.  It had to be referred to the czar himself.”

“I wish his majesty could see me, then,” Charlie laughed.  “He would see that I am but a lad, and that my release would not greatly strengthen the Swedish army.”

“But then the czar may be of opinion that none of his officers, who allowed themselves to be captured by a handful of men at Narva, would be of any use to him,” Doctor Michaeloff laughed.

“That may, doubtless, be said of a good many among them,” Charlie said, “but, individually, none of the captains could be blamed for the mess they made of it.”

“Perhaps not, but if all the men had been panic stricken, there were officers enough to have gathered together and cut their way through the Swedes.”

“No doubt there were; but you must remember, Doctor Michaeloff, that an officer’s place is with his company, and that it is his duty to think of his men, before thinking of himself.  Supposing all the officers of the left wing, as you say, had gathered together and cut their way out, the czar would have had a right to blame them for the capture of the whole of the men.  How could they tell that, at daybreak, the general would not have given orders for the left wing to attack the Swedes?  They were strong enough still to have eaten us up, had they made the effort, and had the czar been there in person, I will warrant he would have tried it.”

“That he would,” Doctor Michaeloff said warmly.  “You are right there, young sir.  The czar may not be a soldier, but at least he is a man, which is more than can be said for the officer who ordered sixty thousand men to lay down their arms to eight thousand.”

“I am sure of that,” Charlie said.  “A man who would do as he has done, leave his kingdom, and work like a common man in dockyards, to learn how to build ships, and who rules his people as he does, must be a great man.  I don’t suppose he would do for us in England, because a king has no real power with us, and Peter would never put up with being thwarted in all his plans by parliament, as William is.  But for a country like Russia, he is wonderful.  Of course, our company being composed of Scotchmen and Englishmen, we have no prejudices against him.  We think him wrong for entering upon this war against Sweden, but we all consider him a wonderful fellow, just the sort of fellow one would be proud to serve under, if we did not serve under Charles of Sweden.