the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第13章

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man　of　my　rank　and　expectations　ever　endured　what　I　did；　ever　was　treated　as　I　have　been　treated！



CHAPTER　VI。



Peace　had　been　concluded　nine　months。　　I　was　forgotten。　　At　last；　when　I　supposed　all　hope　lost；　the　25th　of　December；　and　the　day　of　freedom；　came。　　At　the　hour　of　parade；　Count　Schlieben；　lieutenant　of　the　guards；　brought　orders　for　my　release！

The　sub…governor　supposed　me　weaker　in　intellect　than　I　was；　and　would　not　too　suddenly　tell　me　these　tidings。　　He　knew　not　the　presence　of　mind；　the　fortitude；　which　the　dangers　I　had　seen　had　made　habitual。

My　doors　for　the　LAST　TIME　resounded！　　Several　people　entered；　their　countenances　were　cheerful；　and　the　sub…governor　at　their　head　at　length　said；　〃This　time；　my　dear　Trenck；　I　am　the　messenger　of　good　news。　　Prince　Ferdinand　has　prevailed　on　the　King　to　let　your　irons　be　taken　off。〃　　Accordingly；　to　work　went　the　smith。　　〃You　shall　also；〃　continued　he；　〃have　a　better　apartment。〃　　〃I　am　free；　then；〃　said　I。　　〃Speak！　fear　not！　　I　can　moderate　my　transports。〃

〃Then　you　are　free！〃　was　the　reply。

The　sub…governor　first　embraced　me；　and　afterwards　his　attendants。

He　asked　me　what　clothes　I　would　wish。　　I　answered；　the　uniform　of　my　regiment。　　The　tailor　took　my　measure。　　Reichmann　told　him　it　must　be　made　by　the　morning。　　The　man　excused　himself　because　it　was　Christmas　Eve。　　〃So；　then；　this　gentleman　must　remain　in　his　dungeon　because　it　is　holiday　with　you。〃　　The　tailor　promised　to　be　ready。

I　was　taken　to　the　guard…room；　congratulations　were　universal；　and　the　town…major　administered　the　oath　customary　to　all　state　prisoners。

1st。　　That　I　should　avenge　myself　on　no　man。

2nd。　　That　I　should　neither　enter　the　Prussian　nor　Saxon　states。

3rd。　　That　I　should　never　relate　by　speech　or　in　writing　what　had　happened　to　me。

4th。　　And　that；　so　long　as　the　King　lived；　I　should　neither　serve　in　a　civil　nor　military　capacity。

Count　Schlieben　delivered　me　a　letter　from　the　imperial　minister；　General　Reidt；　to　the　following　purport：…　That　he　rejoiced　at　having　found　an　opportunity　of　obtaining　my　liberty　from　the　King；　and　that　I　must　obey　the　requisitions　of　Count　Schlieben；　whose　orders　were　to　accompany　me　to　Prague。

〃Yes；　dear　Trenck；〃　said　Schlieben；　〃I　am　to　conduct　you　through　Dresden　to　Prague；　with　orders　not　to　suffer　you　to　speak　to　any　one　on　the　road。　　I　have　received　three　hundred　ducats；　to　defray　the　expenses　of　travelling。　　As　all　things　cannot　be　prepared　today；　the；　sub…governor　has　determined　we　shall　depart　to…morrow　night。〃

I　acquiesced；　and　Count　Schlieben　remained　with　me；　the　others　returned　to　town；　and　I　dined　with　the　major　and　officers　on　guard；　with　General　Walrabe　in　his　prison。

Once　at　liberty；　I　walked　about　the　fortifications；　to　collect　the　money　I　had　concealed　in　my　dungeon。　　To　every　man　on　guard　I　gave　a　ducat；　to　the　sentinels；　each　three；　and　ten　ducats　to　be　divided　among　the　relief…guard。　　I　sent　the　officer　on　guard　a　present　from　Prague；　and　the　remainder　of　my　money　I　bestowed　on　the　widow　of　the　worthy　Gelfhardt。　　He　was　no　more；　and　she　had　entrusted　the　thousand　florins　to　a　young　soldier；　who；　spending　them　too　freely；　was　suspected；　betrayed　her；　and　she　passed　two　years　in　prison。　Gelfhardt　never　received　any　punishment；　he　was　in　the　field。　　Had　he　left　any　children；　I　should　have　provided　for　them。　　To　the　widow　of　the　man　who　hung　himself　before　my　prison　door；　in　the　year　1756；　I　gave　thirty　ducats；　lent　me　by　Schlieben。

The　night　was　riotous；　the　guard　made　merry；　and　I　passed　most　of　it　in　their　company。　　I　was　visited　by　all　the　generals　of　the　garrison　on　Christmas　morning；　for　I　was　not　allowed　to　enter　the　town。　　I　dressed；　viewed　myself　in　the　glass；　and　found　pleasure；　but　the　tumult　of　my　passions；　the　congratulations　I　received；　and　the　vivacity　round　me；　prevented　my　remembering　incidents　minutely。

Yet　how　wonderful　an　alteration　in　the　countenances　of　those　by　whom　I　had　been　guarded！　　I　was　treated　with　friendship；　attention；　and　flattery。　　And　why？　　Because　these　fetters　had　dropped　off　which　I　had　never　justly　borne。

Evening　came；　and　with　it　Count　Schlieben；　a　waggon；　and　four　post…　horses。　　After　an　affecting　farewell；　we　departed。　　I　shed　tears　at　leaving　Magdeburg。　　It　seems　strange　that　I　lived　here　ten　years；　yet　never　saw　the　town。

The　duration　of　my　imprisonment　at　Magdeburg　was　nearly　ten　years；　and　with　the　term　of　my　imprisonment　at　Glatz；　the　time　is　eleven　years。　　Thus　was　I　robbed　of　time；　my　body　weakened；　my　health　impaired；　so　that　in　my　decline　of　life；　a　second　time；　I　suffer　the　gloom　and　chains　of　the　dungeon　at　Magdeburg。

The　reader　would　now　hope　that　my　calamities　were　at　an　end；　yet；　upon　my　honour；　I　would　prefer　the　suffering　of　the　Star　Fort　to　those　I　have　since　endured　in　Austria；　especially　while　Krugel　and　Zetto　were　my　referendaries　and　curators。

At　this　moment　I　am　obliged　to　be　guarded　in　my　expressions。　　I　have　put　my　enemies　to　shame；　but　the　hope　of　justice　or　reward　is　vain。　No　rewards　are　bestowed　on　him　who；　with　the　consciousness　of　integrity；　demands；　and　does　not　deplore。　　The　facts　I　shall　relate　will　seem　incredible；　yet　I　have；　in　my　own　hands；　the　vouchers　of　their　veracity。

〃If　my　right　hand　is　guilty　of　writing　untruths　in　this　book；　may　the　executioner　sever　it　from　my　body；　and；　in　the　memory　of　posterity；　may　I　live　a　villain！〃

I　will　proceed　with　my　history。

On　the　2nd　of　January　I　arrived；　with　Count　Schlieben；　at　Prague；　the　same　day　he　delivered　me　to　the　governor；　the　Duke　of　Deuxponts。　He　received　me　with　kindness；　we　dined　with　him　two　days；　and　all　Prague　were　anxious　to　see　a　man　who　had　surmounted　ten　years　of　suffering　so　unheard　of　as　mine。　　Here　I　received　three　thousand　florins；　and　paid　General　Reidt　his　three　hundred　ducats；　which　he　had　advanced　Count　Schlieben；　for　my　journey；　the　repayment　of　which　he　demanded　in　his　letter；　although　he　had　received　ten　thousand　florins。　　The　expense　of　returning　I　also　paid　to　Schlieben；　made　him　a　present；　and　provided　myself　with　some　necessaries。　　After　remaining　a　few　days　at　Prague；　a　courier　arrived　from　Vienna；　to　whom　I　was　obliged　to　pay　forty　florins；　with　an　order　from　government　to　bring　me　from　Prague　to　Vienna。　　My　sword　was　demanded；　Captain　Count　Wela；　and　two　inferior　officers；　entered　the　carriage；　which　I　was　obliged　to　purchase；　in　company　with　me；　and　brought　me　to　Vienna。　　I　took　up　a　thousand　florins　more；　in　Prague；　to　defray　these　expenses；　and　was　obliged；　in　Vienna；　to　pay　the　captain　fifty　ducats　for　travelling　charges　back。

I　was　brought　back　like　a　criminal；　was　sent　as　a　prisoner　to　the　barracks；　there　kept　in　the　chamber　of　Lieutenant　Blonket；　with　orders　that　I　should　be　suffered　to　write　to　no　one；　speak　to　no　one；　without　a　ticket　from　the　counsellors　Kempt　or　Huttner。

Thus　I　remained　six　weeks；　at　length；　the　colonel　of　the　regiment　of　Poniatowsky；　the　present　field…marshal；　Count　Alton；　spoke　to　me。　　I　related　what　I　supposed　were　the　reasons　of　my　being　kept　a　prisoner　in　Vienna；　and　to　the　exertions　of　this　man　am　I　indebted　that　the　intentions　of　my　enemies　were　frustrated；　which　were　to　have　me　imprisoned　as　insane　in　the　fortress　of　Glatz。　　Had　they　once　removed　me　from　Vienna；　I　should　certainly　have　pined　away　my　life　in　a　madhouse。　　Yet　I　could　never　obtain　justice　against　these　men。　The　Empress　was　persuaded　that　my　brain　was　affected；　and　that　I　uttered　threats　against　the　King　of　Prussia。　　The　election　of　a　king　of　the　Romans　was　then　in　agitation；　and　the　court　was　apprehensive　lest　I　should　offend　the　Prussian　envoy。　　General　Reidt　had　been　obliged　to　promise　Frederic　that　I　should　not　appear　in　Vienna；　and　that　they　should　hold　a　wary　eye　over　me。　　The　Empress…Queen　felt　compassion　for　my　supposed　disease；　and　asked　if　no　assistance　could　be　afforded　me；　to　which　they　answered；　I　had　several　times　let　blood；　but　that　I　still　was　a　dangerous　man。　　They　added；　that　I　had　squandered　four　thousand　florins　in　six　days　at　Prague；　that　it　would　be　proper　to　appoint　guardians　to　impede　such　extravagancies。

Count　Alton　spoke　of　me　and　my　hard　destiny　to　the　Countess　Parr；　mistress　of　the　ceremonies　to　the　Empress…Queen。　　The　late　Emperor　entered　the　chamber；　and　asked　whether　I　ever　had　any　lucid　intervals。　　〃May　it　please　your　Majesty；〃　answered　Alton；　〃he　has　been　seven　weeks　in　my　barracks；　and　I　never　met　a　more　reasonable　man。　　There　is　mystery　in　this　affair；　or　he　could　not　be　treated　as　a　madman。　　That　he　is　not　so　in　anywise　I　pledge　my　honour。〃

The　next　day　the　Emperor　sent　Count　Thurn；　grand…master　of　the　Archduke　Leopold；　to　speak　to　me。　　In　him　I　found　an　enlightened　philosopher；　and　a　lover　of　his　country。　　To　him　I　related　how　I　had　twice　been　betrayed；　twice　sold　at　Vienna；　during　my　imprisonment；　to　him　showed　that　my　administrators　had　acted　in　this　vile　manner　that　I　might　be　imprisoned　for　life；　and　they　remain　in　possession　of　my　effects。　　We　conversed　for　two　hours；　during　which　many　things　were　said　that　prudence　will　not　permit　me　to　repeat。　　I　gained　his　confidence；　and　he　continued　my　friend　till　death。　　He　promised　me　protection；　and　procured　me　an　audience　of　the　Emperor。

I　spoke　with　freedom；　the　audience　lasted　an　hour。　　At　length　the　Emperor　retired　into　the　next　apartment。　　I　saw　the　tears　drop　from　his　eyes。　　I　fell　at　his　feet；　and　wished　for　the　presence　of　a　Rubens　or　Apelles；　to　preserve　a　scene　so　honourable　to　the　memory　of　the　monarch；　and　paint　the　sensations　of　an　innocent　man；　imploring　the　protection　of　a　compassionate　prince。　　The　Emperor　tore　himself　from　me；　and　I　departed　with　sensations　such　as　only　those　can　know　who；　themselves　being　virtuous；　have　met　with　wicked　men。　　I　returned　to　the　barracks　with　joy；　and　an　order　the　next　day　came　for　my　release。　　I　went　with　Count　Alton　to　the　Countess　Parr；　and　by　her　mediation　I　obtained　an　audience　with　the　Empress。

I　cannot　describe　how　much　she　pitied　my　sufferings　and　admired　my　fortitude。　　She　told　me　she　was　informed　of　the　artifices　practised　against　me　in　Vienna；　she　required　me　to　forgive　my　enemies；　and　pass　all　the　accounts　of　my　administrators。　　〃Do　not　complain　of　anything；〃　said　she；　〃but　act　as　I　desireI　know　allyou　shall　be　recompensed　by　me；　you　deserve　reward　and　repose；　and　these　you　shall　enjoy。〃

I　must　either　sign　whatever　was　given　to　sign；　or　be　sent　to　a　madhouse。　　I　received　orders　to　accompany　M。　Pistrich　to　Counsellor　Ziegler；　thither　I　went；　and　the　next　day　was　obliged　to　sign；　in　their　presence；　the　following　conditions：…

FirstThat　I　acknowledged　the　will　of　Trenck　to　be　valid。

SecondlyThat　I　renounced　all　claim　to　the　Sclavonian　estates；　relying　alone　on　her　Majesty's　favour。

ThirdlyThat　I　solemnly　acquitted　my　accountants　and　curators。　And；

LastlyThat　I　would　not　continue　in　Vienna。

This　I　must　sign；　or　languish　in　prison。

How　did　my　blood　boil　while　I　signed！　　This　confidence　I　had　in　myself　assured　me　I　could　obtain　employment　in　any　country　of　Europe；　by　the　labours　of　my　mind；　and　the　recital　of　all　my　woes。　At　that　time　I　had　no　children；　I　little　regretted　what　I　had　lost；　or　the　poor　portion　that　remained。

I　determined　to　avoid　Austria　ete