the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第15章

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my　being　set　free。　　The　affair　happened　as　follows；　as　I　received　it　from　Prince　Henry；　Prince　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick；　and　the　Minister；　Count　Hertzberg：…　General　Reidt　had　received　my　ten　thousand　florins　full　six　months；　and　seemed　to　remember　me　no　more。　　One　gala　day；　on　the　21st　of　December；　the　King　happened　to　be　in　good　humour；　and　Her　Majesty　the　Queen；　the　Princess　Amelia；　and　the　present　monarch；　said　to　the　Imperial　Minister；　〃This　is　a　fit　opportunity　for　you　to　speak　in　behalf　of　Trenck。〃　　He　accordingly　waited　his　time；　did　speak；　and　the　King　replied；　〃Yes。〃

The　joy　of　the　whole　company　appeared　so　great　that　Frederic　THE　GREAT　was　offended！

Other　circumstances　which　contributed　to　promote　this　affair；　the　reader　will　collect　from　my　history。　　That　there　were　persons　in　Vienna　who　desired　to　detain　me　in　prison　is　indubitable；　from　their　proceedings　after　my　return。　　My　friends　in　Berlin　and　my　money　were　my　deliverers。

Walking　round　Vienna；　having　recovered　from　my　sickness；　the　broad　expanse　of　heaven　inspired　a　consciousness　of　freedom　and　pleasure　indescribable。　　I　heard　the　song　of　the　lark。　　My　heart　palpitated；　my　pulse　quickened；　for　I　recollected　I　was　not　in　chains。　〃Happen；〃　said　I；　〃what　may；　my　will　and　heart　are　free。〃

An　incident　happened　which　furthered　my　project　of　getting　away　from　Austria。　　Marshal　Laudohn　was　going　to　Aix…la…Chapelle　to　take　the　waters。　　He　went　to　take　his　leave　of　the　Countess　Parr；　I　was　present　the　Empress　entered　the　chamber；　and　the　conversation　turning　upon　Laudohn's　journey；　she　said　to　me；　〃The　baths　are　necessary　to　the　re…establishment　of　your　health；　Trenck。〃　　I　was　ready；　and　followed　him　in　two　days；　where　we　remained　about　three　months。

The　mode　of　life　at　Aix…la…Chapelle　and　Spa　pleased　me；　where　men　of　all　nations　meet；　and　where　princes　mingle　with　persons　of　all　ranks。　　One　day　here　procured　me　more　pleasure　than　a　whole　life　in　Vienna。

I　had　scarcely　remained　a　month　before　the　Countess　Parr　wrote　to　me　that　the　Empress　had　provided　for　me；　and　would　make　my　fortune　as　soon　as　I　returned　to　Vienna。　　I　tried　to　discover　in　what　it　consisted；　but　in　vain。　　The　death　of　the　Emperor　Francis　at　Innsbruck　occasioned　the　return　of　General　Laudohn；　and　I　followed　him；　on　foot；　to　Vienna。

By　means　of　the　Countess　Parr　I　obtained　an　audience。　　The　Empress　said　to　me；　〃I　will　prove　to　you；　Trenck；　that　I　keep　my　word。　　I　have　insured　your　fortune；　I　will　give　you　a　rich　and　prudent　wife。〃　I　replied；　〃Most　gracious　Sovereign；　I　cannot　determine　to　marry；　and；　if　I　could；　my　choice　is　already　made　at　Aix…la…Chapelle。〃　〃How！　are　you　married；　then？〃〃Not　yet；　please　your　Majesty。〃〃Are　you　promised？〃

〃Yes。〃〃Well；　well；　no　matter　for　that；　I　will　take　care　of　that　affair；　I　am　determined　on　marrying　you　to　the　rich　widow　of　M…；　and　she　approves　my　choice。　　She　is　a　good；　kind　woman；　and　has　fifty　thousand　florins　a　year。　　You　are　in　want　of　such　a　wife。〃

I　was　thunderstruck。　　This　bride　was　a　canting　hypocrite　of　sixty…　three；　covetous；　and　a　termagant。　　I　answered；　〃I　must　speak　the　truth　to　your　Majesty；　I　could　not　consent　did　she　possess　the　treasures　of　the　whole　earth。　　I　have　made　my　choice；　which；　as　an　honest　man；　I　must　not　break。〃　　The　Empress　said；　〃Your　unhappiness　is　your　own　work。　　Act　as　you　think　proper；　I　have　done。〃　　Here　my　audience　ended。　　I　was　not　actually　affianced　at　that　time　to　my　present　wife；　but　love　had　determined　my　choice。

Marshal　Laudohn　promoted　the　match。　　He　was　acquainted　with　my　heart　and　the　warmth　of　my　passion；　and　perceived　that　I　could　not　conquer　the　desire　of　vengeance　on　men　by　whom　I　had　been　so　cruelly　treated。　　He　and　Professor　Gellert　advised　me　to　take　this　mode　of　calming　passions　that　often　inspired　projects　too　vast；　and　that　I　should　fly　the　company　of　the　great。　　This　counsel　was　seconded　by　my　own　wishes。　　I　returned　to　Aix…la…Chapelle　in　December；　1766；　and　married　the　youngest　daughter　of　the　former　Burgomaster　De　Broe。　　He　was　dead；　he　had　lived　on　his　own　estate　in　Brussels；　where　my　wife　was　born　and　educated。　　My　wife's　mother　was　sister　to　the　Vice…　Chancellor　of　Dusseldorf；　Baron　Robert；　Lord　of　Roland。　　My　wife　was　with　me　in　most　parts　of　Europe。　　She　was　then　young；　handsome；　worthy；　and　virtuous；　has　borne　me　eleven　children；　all　of　whom　she　has　nursed　herself；　eight　of　them　are　still　living　and　have　been　properly　educated。　　Twenty…two　years　she　has　borne　a　part　of　all　my　sufferings；　and　well　deserves　reward。

During　my　abode　in　Vienna　I　made　one　effort　more。　　I　sought　an　audience　with　the　present　Emperor　Joseph；　related　all　that　had　happened　to　me；　and　remarked　such　defects　as　I　had　observed　in　the　regulations　of　the　country。　　He　heard　me；　and　commanded　me　to　commit　my　thoughts　to　writing。　　My　memorial　was　graciously　received。　　I　also　gave　a　full　account　of　what　had　happened　to　me　in　various　countries；　which　prudence　has　occasioned　me　to　express　more　cautiously　in　these　pages。　　My　memorial　produced　no　effect；　and　I　hastened　back　to　Aix…la…Chapelle。



CHAPTER　VII。



For　some　years　I　lived　in　peace；　my　house　was　the　rendezvous　of　the　first　people；　who　came　to　take　the　waters。　　I　began　to　be　more　known　among　the　very　first　and　best　people。　　I　visited　Professor　Gellert　at　Leipzig；　and　asked　his　advice　concerning　what　branch　of　literature　he　thought　it　was　probable　I　might　succeed　in。　　He　most　approved　my　fables　and　tales；　and　blamed　the　excessive　freedom　with　which　I　spoke　in　political　writings。　　I　neglected　his　advice；　and　many　of　the　ensuing　calamities　were　the　consequence。

I　received　orders　to　correspond　with　His　Majesty's　private　secretary；　Baron　Roder；　suffice　it　to　say；　my　attempts　to　serve　my　country　were　frustrated；　I　saw　defects　too　clearly；　spoke　my　thoughts　too　frankly；　and　wanted　sufficient　humility　ever　to　obtain　favour。

In　the　year　1767　I　wrote　〃The　Macedonian　Hero；〃　which　became　famous　throughout　all　Germany。　　The　poem　did　me　honour；　but　entailed　new　persecutions；　yet　I　never　could　repent：　　I　have　had　the　honour　of　presenting　it　to　five　reigning　princes；　by　none　of　whom　it　has　been　burnt。　　The　Empress　alone　was　highly　enraged。　　I　had　spoken　as　Nathan　did　to　David；　and　the　Jesuits　now　openly　became　my　enemies。

The　following　trick　was　played　me　in　1768。　　A　friend　in　Brussels　was　commissioned　to　receive　my　pay；　from　whom　I　learnt　an　interdict　had　been　laid　upon　it　by　the　court　called　Hofkriegsrath；　in　Vienna；　in　which　I　was　condemned　to　pay　seven　hundred　florins　to　one　Bussy；　with　fourteen　years'　interest。

Bussy　was　a　known　swindler。　　I　therefore　journeyed；　post…haste；　to　Vienna。　　No　hearing；　no　satisfactory　account　was　to　be　obtained。　The　answer　was；　〃Sentence　is　passed；　therefore　all　attempts　are　too　late。〃

I　applied　to　the　Emperor　Joseph；　pledged　my　head　to　prove　the　falsification　of　this　note；　and　entreated　a　revision　of　the　cause。　My　request　was　granted　and　my　attorney；　Weyhrauch；　was　an　upright　man。　　When　he　requested　a　day　of　revision　to　be　appointed；　he　was　threatened　to　be　committed　by　the　referendary。　　Zetto；　should　he　interfere　and　defend　the　affairs　of　Trenck。　　He　answered　firmly；　〃His　defence　is　my　business：　　I　know　my　cause　to　be　good。〃

Four　months　did　I　continue　in　Vienna　before　the　day　was　appointed　to　revise　this　cause。　　It　now　appeared　there　were　erasures　and　holes　through　the　paper　in　three　places；　all　in　court　were　convinced　the　claim　ought　to　be　annulled；　and　the　claimant　punished。　　Zetto　ordered　the　parties　to　withdraw；　and　then　so　managed　that　the　judges　resolved　that　the　case　must　be　laid　before　the　court　with　formal　and　written　proofs。

This　gave　time　for　new　knavery；　I　was　obliged　to　return　to　Aix…la…　Chapelle；　and　four　years　elapsed　before　this　affair　was　decided。　Two　priests；　in　the　interim；　took　false　oaths　that　they　had　seen　me　receive　money。　　At　length；　however；　I　proved　that　the　note　was　dated　a　year　after　I　had　been　imprisoned　at　Magdeburg。　　Further；　my　attorney　proved　the　writs　of　the　court　had　been　falsified。　　Zetto；　referendary；　and　Bussy；　were　the　forgers；　but　I　happened　to　be　too　active；　and　my　attorney　too　honest；　to　lose　this　case。　　I　was　obliged　to　make　three　very　expensive　journeys　from　Aix…la…Chapelle　to　Vienna；　lest　judgement　should　go　by　default。　　Sentence　at　last　was　pronounced。　　I　gained　my　cause；　and　the　note　was　declared　a　forgery；　but　the　costs；　amounting　to　three　thousand　five　hundred　florins；　I　was　obliged　to　pay；　for　Bussy　could　not：　　nor　was　he　punished；　though　driven　from　Vienna　for　his　villainous　acts。　　Zetto；　however；　still　continued　for　eleven　years　my　persecutor；　till　he　was　deprived　of　his　office；　and　condemned　to　the　House　of　Correction。

My　knowledge　of　the　world　increased　at　Aix…la…Chapelle；　where　men　of　all　characters　met。　　In　the　morning　I　conversed　with　a　lord　in　opposition；　in　the　afternoon　with　an　orator　of　the　King's　party；　and　in　the　evening　with　an　honest　man　of　no　party。　　I　sent　Hungarian　wine　into　England；　France；　Holland；　and　the　Empire。　　This　occasioned　me　to　undertake　long　journeys；　and　as　my　increased　acquaintance　gave　me　opportunities　of　receiving　foreigners　with　politeness　an　my　own　house；　I　was　also　well　received　wherever　I　went。

The　income　I　should　have　had　from　Vienna　was　engulfed　by　law…suits；　attorneys；　and　the　journeys　I　undertook；　having　been　thrice　cited　to　appear；　in　person；　before　the　Hofkriegsrath。　　No　hope　remained。　　I　was　described　as　a　dangerous　malcontent；　who　had　deserted　his　native　land。　　I　nevertheless　remained　an　honest　man；　one　who　could　provide　for　his　necessities　without　the　favour　of　courts；　one　whose　acquaintance　was　esteemed。　　In　Vienna　alone　was　I　unsought；　unemployed；　and　obscure。

One　day　an　accident　happened　which　made　me　renowned　as　a　magician；　as　one　who　had　power　over　fogs　and　clouds。

I　had　a　quarrel　with　the　Palatine　President；　Baron　Blankart；　concerning　a　hunting　district。　　I　wrote　to　him　that　he　should　repair　to　the　spot　in　dispute；　whither　I　would　attend　with　sword　and　pistol；　hoping　he　would　there　give　me　satisfaction　for　the　affront　I　had　received。　　Thither　I　went；　with　two　huntsmen　and　two　friends；　but　instead　of　the　baron　I　found　two　hundred　armed　peasants　assembled。

I　sent　one　of　my　huntsmen　to　the　army　of　the　enemy；　informing　them　that；　if　they　did　not　retreat；　I　should　fire。　　The　day　was　fine；　but　a　thick　and　impenetrable　fog　arose。　　My　huntsman　returned；　with　intelligence　that；　having　delivered　his　message　just　as　the　fog　came　on；　these　heroes　had　all　run　away　with　fright。

I　advanced；　fired　my　piece；　as　did　my　followers；　and　marched　to　the　mansion　of　my　adversary；　where　my　hunting…horn　was　blown　in　triumph　in　his　courtyard。　　The　runaway　peasants　fired；　but　the　fog　prevented　their　taking　aim。

I　returned　home；　where　many　false　reports　had　preceded　me。　　My　wife　expected　I　should　be　brought　home　dead；　however；　not　the　least　mischief　had　happened。

It　soon　was　propagated　through　the　country　that　I　had　raised　a　fog　to　render　myself　invisible；　and　that　the　truth　of　this　could　be　justified　by　two　hundred　witnesses。　　All　the　monks　of　Aix…la…　Chapelle；　Juliers；　and　Cologne；　preached　concerning　me；　reviled　me；　and　warned　the　people　to　beware　of　the　arch…magician　and　Lutheran；　Trenck。

On　a　future　occasion；　this　belief　I