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The old count rose once more, glanced at a note lying beside his

plate, and proposed a toast, "To the health of the hero of our

last campaign, Prince Peter Ivanovich Bagration!" and again his

blue eyes grew moist. "Hurrah!" cried the three hundred voices

again, but instead of the band a choir began singing a cantata

composed by Paul Ivanovich Kutuzov:

Russians! O'er all barriers on! Courage conquest guarantees; Have

we not Bagration? He brings foemen to their knees,... etc.

As soon as the singing was over, another and another toast was

proposed and Count Ilya Rostov became more and more moved, more

glass was smashed, and the shouting grew louder. They drank to

Bekleshev, Narýshkin, Uvarov, Dolgorukov, Apraksin, Valuev, to

the committee, to all the club members and to all the club

guests, and finally to Count Ilya Rostov separately, as the

organizer of the banquet. At that toast, the count took out his

handkerchief and, covering his face, wept outright.

CHAPTER IV