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"Where am I? Oh yes, in the skirmishing line... pass and

watchword-shaft, Olmutz. What a nuisance that our squadron will

be in reserve tomorrow," he thought. "I'll ask leave to go to the

front, this may be my only chance of seeing the Emperor. It won't

be long now before I am off duty. I'll take another turn and when

I get back I'll go to the general and ask him." He readjusted

himself in the saddle and touched up his horse to ride once more

round his hussars. It seemed to him that it was getting lighter.

To the left he saw a sloping descent lit up, and facing it a

black knoll that seemed as steep as a wall. On this knoll there

was a white patch that Rostov could not at all make out: was it a

glade in the wood lit up by the moon, or some unmelted snow, or

some white houses? He even thought something moved on that white

spot. "I expect it's snow... that spot... a spot-une tache," he

thought. "There now... it's not a tache... Natasha... sister,

black eyes... Na... tasha...