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"My God, how happy I should be if he ordered me to leap into the

fire this instant!" thought Rostov.

When the review was over, the newly arrived officers, and also

Kutuzov's, collected in groups and began to talk about the

awards, about the Austrians and their uniforms, about their

lines, about Bonaparte, and how badly the latter would fare now,

especially if the Essen corps arrived and Prussia took our side.

But the talk in every group was chiefly about the Emperor

Alexander. His every word and movement was described with

ecstasy.

They all had but one wish: to advance as soon as possible against

the enemy under the Emperor's command. Commanded by the Emperor

himself they could not fail to vanquish anyone, be it whom it

might: so thought Rostov and most of the officers after the

review.

All were then more confident of victory than the winning of two

battles would have made them.

CHAPTER IX