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The Tsar addressed the officers also: "I thank you all,

gentlemen, I thank you with my whole heart." To Rostov every word

sounded like a voice from heaven. How gladly would he have died

at once for his Tsar!

"You have earned the St. George's standards and will be worthy of

them."

"Oh, to die, to die for him," thought Rostov.

The Tsar said something more which Rostov did not hear, and the

soldiers, straining their lungs, shouted "Hurrah!"

Rostov too, bending over his saddle, shouted "Hurrah!" with all

his might, feeling that he would like to injure himself by that

shout, if only to express his rapture fully.

The Tsar stopped a few minutes in front of the hussars as if

undecided.

"How can the Emperor be undecided?" thought Rostov, but then even

this indecision appeared to him majestic and enchanting, like

everything else the Tsar did.