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"Where is the Emperor? Where is Kutuzov?" Rostov kept asking

everyone he could stop, but got no answer from anyone.

At last seizing a soldier by his collar he forced him to answer.

"Eh, brother! They've all bolted long ago!" said the soldier,

laughing for some reason and shaking himself free.

Having left that soldier who was evidently drunk, Rostov stopped

the horse of a batman or groom of some important personage and

began to question him. The man announced that the Tsar had been

driven in a carriage at full speed about an hour before along

that very road and that he was dangerously wounded.

"It can't be!" said Rostov. "It must have been someone else."