A sad state of affairs was disclosed; the whole company was called as witnesses, and the officers likewise. The two lieutenants, Baron von Masemann as well as George, said on oath that they had had no idea of this ill-treatment, that no complaint had reached their ears, and that they had never seen or heard anything suspicious when patrolling the rooms. The examination of Captain von Warnow revealed another side of the matter. He was obliged to admit that what the sergeant-major said was true. He confessed that on different occasions his attention had been drawn to von Nissew, but he had taken no notice of these warnings. As a reason for this, he could merely allege that von Nissew had seemed to him a very kindly man, and that he would never have credited him with such brutal behaviour. Further than this he had nothing to say in excuse. "Did you not know, Captain von Warnow, that it was your duty to find out whether the complaints made against the non-commissioned officer were true or not?" asked the judge-advocate who conducted the investigation. Captain von Warnow stood up proudly. "I believe that I have done my duty in every respect. I have continually warned my officers to treat the men properly." The judge-advocate entered this statement on the protocol, then he said: "Non-Commissioned Officer von Nissew alleges as an excuse for his conduct that you, sir, told him to deal individually with all the weaklings and the blockheads, as he expresses it. He regarded this as permission to give the men extra drills, and he alleges that it was simply his military zeal and the feeling of responsibility for the trust reposed in him which led him into striking the men. May I ask why you entrusted so young a non-commissioned officer with so much authority over the men? In my opinion, sir, you thus gave the non-commissioned officer opportunity and occasion to ill-treat the men." "That is merely your opinion, sir. I chose the non-commissioned officer who seemed to me most suitable in every respect for this individual training, if I may so express it." "Did it ever strike you von Nissew's men very frequently limped or marched badly? Did you never inquire what was the matter, and did you never try to find out whether these accidents of which they spoke really did happen? Just now, when there are so many cases of ill-treatment, you ought certainly to have inquired into the meaning of these injuries. It must have seemed to you very curious that these accidents were of frequent occurrence among von Nissew's men." Captain von Warnow had listened to the judge-advocate with astonishment, now he said: "It almost seems to me as if you want to make me indirectly responsible for the whole affair. I must defend myself energetically against such an idea."