he is a fine, honest, good-natured old buck. But I can wind him
round my finger like a pack thread. But as for the stern, keen-eyed Marion,
I dread him."

The truth is, Marion wished his officers to be gentlemen.
And whenever he saw one of them acting below that character,
he would generously attempt his reformation. And few men, perhaps,
ever knew better how to manage truants from duty.

To a coarse, conceited chap, like our lieutenant, Marion gave no quarter,
but checked him at once, but still in a way that was quite gentlemanly,
and calculated to overawe. He kept him at arms' length --
took no freedoms with him -- nor allowed any -- and when visited on business,
he would receive and treat him with a formality sufficient to let him see
that all was not right.

The effect of such management evinced the correctness of Marion's judgment.
The young lieutenant became remarkably polite, and also attentive to duty.
In short, no subaltern behaved better. And this very happy change
in his manners, was soon succeeded by as pleasing a change in the sentiments
of all around him. The officers of the regiment grew fond of him --
Marion spoke of him with pleasure, as an excellent soldier --
and he of Marion, as his best friend.

This is sufficient to show the truth of the remark made by Aristotle --
"that there is no art so difficult and godlike as that of managing men
to their own happiness and glory."