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"They can't have wanted to kill me." But at the same time, his

left arm felt as heavy as if a seventy-pound weight were tied to

it. He could run no more. The Frenchman also stopped and took

aim. Rostov closed his eyes and stooped down. One bullet and then

another whistled past him. He mustered his last remaining

strength, took hold of his left hand with his right, and reached

the bushes. Behind these were some Russian sharpshooters.

CHAPTER XX

The infantry regiments that had been caught unawares in the

outskirts of the wood ran out of it, the different companies

getting mixed, and retreated as a disorderly crowd. One soldier,

in his fear, uttered the senseless cry, "Cut off!" that is so

terrible in battle, and that word infected the whole crowd with a

feeling of panic.

"Surrounded! Cut off? We're lost!" shouted the fugitives.