But not under modern conditions

An interesting passage from Saki's The Westminster Alice:

"You see," [said the White Knight,] "I had read a book by some one to prove that warfare under modern conditions was impossible. You may imagine how disturbing that was to a man of my profession. Many men would have thrown up the whole thing and gone home. But I grappled with the situation. You will never guess what I did."

Alice pondered. "You went to war, of course——"

"Yes; but not under modern conditions.