Prince Andrew winced and, clutching his head, went out and sat down on a sofa in the next room.

He still had all the letters in his hand.

Opening them mechanically he began reading.

The old prince, now and then using abbreviations, wrote in his large elongated hand on blue paper as follows: Have just this moment received by special messenger very joyful news--if it's not false.

Bennigsen seems to have obtained a complete victory over Buonaparte at Eylau.