the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hey　are　condemned　to　the　House　of　Correction。　　Had　this　been　their　employment　instead　of　being　seated　on　the　seat　of　judgment　twenty　years　ago；　I　might　have　been　more　fortunate。　　It　is　a　remarkable　circumstance　that　I　should　so　continually　have　been　despoiled　by　unjust　judges。　　Who　would　have　had　the　temerity　to　affirm　that　their　evil　deeds　should　bring　them　to　attend　on　the　city　scavenger？　　I　indeed　knew　them　but　too　well；　and　fearlessly　spoke　what　I　knew。　　It　was　my　misfortune　that　I　was　acquainted　with　their　malpractices　sooner　than　gracious　Sovereign。

Let　the　scene　close　on　my　litigations　at　Aix…la…Chapelle　and　Vienna。　May　God　preserve　every　honest　man　from　the　like！　　They　have　swallowed　up　my　property；　and　that　of　my　wife。　　Enough！



CHAPTER　VIII。



From　the　year　1774　to　1777；　I　journeyed　through　England　and　France。　I　was　intimate　with　Dr。　Franklin；　the　American　Minister；　and　with　the　Counts　St。　Germain　and　de　Vergennes；　who　made　me　proposals　to　go　to　America；　but　I　was　prevented　by　my　affection　for　my　wife　and　children。

My　friend　the　Landgrave　of　Hesse…Cassel；　who　had　been　Governor　of　Magdeburg　during　my　imprisonment；　offered　me　a　commission　among　the　troops　going　to　America；　but　I　answered〃Gracious　prince；　my　heart　beats　in　the　cause　of　freedom　only；　I　will　never　assist　in　enslaving　men。　　Were　I　at　the　head　of　your　brave　grenadiers。　　I　should　revolt　to　the　Americans。〃

During　1775　I　continued　at　Aix…la…Chapelle　my　essays；　entitled；　〃The　Friend　of　Men。〃　　My　writings　had　made　some　impression；　the　people　began　to　read；　the　monks　were　ridiculed；　but　my　partisans　increased；　and　their　leader　got　himself　cudgelled。

They　did　not　now　mention　my　name　publicly；　but　catechised　their　penitents　at　confession。　　During　this　year　people　came　to　me　from　Cologne；　Bonn；　and　Dusseldorf；　to　speak　with　me　privately。　　When　I　inquired　their　business；　they　told　me　their　clergy　had　informed　them　I　was　propagating　a　new　religion；　in　which　every　man　must　sign　himself　to　the　devil；　who　then　would　supply　them　with　money。　　They　were　willing　to　become　converts　to　my　faith；　would　Beelzebub　but　give　them　money；　and　revenge　them　on　their　priests。　　〃My　good　friends；〃　answered　I；　〃your　teachers　have　deceived　you；　I　know　of　no　devils　but　themselves。　　Were　it　true　that　I　was　founding　a　new　religion；　the　converts　to　whom　the　devil　would　supply　money；　your　priests；　would　be　the　first　of　my　apostles；　and　the　most　catholic。　I　am　an　honest；　moral　man；　as　a　Christian　ought　to　be。　　Go　home；　in　God's　name；　and　do　your　duty。〃

I　forgot　to　mention　that　the　recorder　of　the　sheriff's　court　at　Aix…　la…Chapelle；　who　is　called　Baron　Geyer；　had　associated　himself　in　1778　with　a　Jew　convert；　and　that　this　noble　company　swindled　a　Dutch　merchant　out　of　eighty　thousand　florins；　by　assuming　the　arms　of　Elector　Palatine；　and　producing　forged　receipts　and　contracts。　Geyer　was　taken　in　Amsterdam；　and　would　have　been　hanged；　but；　by　the　aid　of　a　servant；　he　escaped。　　He　returned　to　Aix…la…Chapelle；　where　he　enjoys　his　office。　　Three　years　ago　he　robbed　the　town…　chamber。　　His　wife　was；　at　that　time；　generis　communis；　and　procured　him　friends　at　court。　　The　assertions　of　this　gentleman　found　greater　credit　at　Vienna　than　those　of　the　injured　Trenck！　　Oh；　shame！　　Oh；　world！　world！

My　wine　trade　was　so　successful　that　I　had　correspondents　and　stores　in　London；　Paris；　Brussels；　Hamburg；　and　the　Hague；　and　had　gained　forty　thousand　florins。　　One　unfortunate　day　destroyed　all　my　hopes　in　the　success　of　this　traffic。

In　London　I　was　defrauded　of　eighteen　hundred　guineas　by　a　swindler。　The　fault　was　my　brother…in…law's；　who　parted　with　the　wine　before　he　had　received　the　money。　　When　I　had　been　wronged；　and　asked　my　friends'　assistance；　I　was　only　laughed　at；　as　if　they　were　happy　that　an　Englishman　had　the　wit　to　cheat　a　German。

Finding　myself　defrauded；　I　hastened　to　Sir　John　Fielding。　　He　told　me　he　knew　I　had　been　swindled；　and　that　his　friendship　would　make　him　active　in　my　behalf；　that　he　also　knew　the　houses　where　my　wine　was　deposited；　and　that　a　party　of　his　runners　should　go　with　me；　sufficiently　strong　for　its　recovery。　　I　was　little　aware　that　he　had；　at　that　time；　two　hundred　bottles　of　my　best　Tokay　in　his　cellar。　　His　pretended　kindness　was　a　snare；　he　was　in　partnership　with　robbers；　only　the　stupid　among　whom　he　hanged；　and　preserved　the　most　adroit　for　the　promotion　of　trade。

He　sent　a　constable　and　six　of　his　runners　with　me；　commanding　them　to　act　under　my　orders。　　By　good　fortune　I　had　a　violent　headache；　and　sent　my　brother…in…law；　who　spoke　better　English　than　I。　　Him　they　brought　to　the　house　of　a　Jew；　and　told　him；　〃Your　wine；　sir；　is　here　concealed。〃　　Though　it　was　broad　day；　the　door　was　locked；　that　he　might　be　induced　to　act　illegally。　　The　constable　desired　him　to　break　the　door　open；　which　he　did；　the　Jews　came　running；　and　asked〃What　do　you　want；　gentlemen？〃〃I　want　my　wine；〃　answered　my　brother。〃Take　what　is　your　own；〃　replied　a　Jew；　〃but　beware　of　touching　my　property。　　I　have　bought　the　wine。〃

My　brother　attended　the　constable　and　runners　into　a　cellar；　and　found　a　great　part　of　my　wine。　　He　wrote　to　Sir　John　Fielding　that　he　had　found　the　wine；　and　desired　to　know　how　to　act。　　Fielding　answered：　　〃It　must　be　taken　by　the　owner。〃　　My　brother　accordingly　sent　me　the　wine。

Next　day　came　a　constable　with　a　warrant；　saying；　〃He　wanted　to　speak　with　my　brother；　and　that　he　was　to　go　to　Sir　John　Fielding。〃　When　he　was　in　the　street；　he　told　him〃Sir；　you　are　my　prisoner。〃

I　went　to　Sir　John　Fielding；　and　asked　him　what　it　meant。　　This　justice　answered　that　my　brother　had　been　accused　of　felony。　　The　Jews　and　swindlers　had　sworn　the　wine　was　a　legal　purchase。　　If　I　had　not　been　paid；　or　was　ignorant　of　the　English　laws；　that　was　my　fault。　　Six　swindlers　had　sworn　the　wine　was　paid　for；　which　circumstance　he　had　not　known；　or　he　should　not　have　granted　me　a　warrant。　　My　brother　had　also　broken　open　the　doors；　and　forcibly　taken　away　wine　which　was　not　his　own。　　They　made　oath　of　this；　and　he　was　charged　with　burglary　and　robbery。

He　desired　me　to　give　bail　in　a　thousand　guineas　for　my　brother　for　his　appearance　in　the　Court　of　King's　Bench；　otherwise　his　trial　would　immediately　come　on；　and　in　a　few　days　he　would　be　hanged。

I　hastened　to　a　lawyer；　who　confirmed　what　had　been　told　me；　advised　me　to　give　bail；　and　he　would　then　defend　my　cause。　　I　applied　to　Lord　Mansfield；　and　received　the　same　answer。　　I　told　my　story　to　all　my　friends；　who　laughed　at　me　for　attempting　to　trade　in　London　without　understanding　the　laws。　　My　friend　Lord　Grosvenor　said；　〃Send　more　wine　to　London；　and　we　will　pay　you　so　well　that　you　will　soon　recover　your　loss。〃

I　went　to　my　wine…merchants；　who　had　a　stock　of　mine　worth　upwards　of　a　thousand　guineas。　　They　gave　bail　for　my　brother；　and　he　was　released。

Fielding；　in　the　interim；　sent　his　runners　to　my　house；　took　back　the　wine；　and　restored　it　to　the　Jews。　　They　threatened　to　prosecute　me　as　a　receiver　of　stolen　goods。　　I　fled　from　London　to　Paris；　where　I　sold　off　my　stock　at　half…price；　honoured　my　bills；　and　so　ended　my　merchandise。

My　brother　returned　to　London　in　November；　to　defend　his　cause　in　the　Court　of　King's　Bench；　but　the　swindlers　had　disappeared；　and　the　lawyer　required　a　hundred　pounds　to　proceed。　　The　conclusion　was　that　my　brother　returned　with　seventy　pounds　less　in　his　pocket；　spent　as　travelling　expenses；　and　the　stock　in　the　hands　of　my　wine…　merchants　was　detained　on　pretence　of　paying　the　bail。　　They　brought　me　an　apothecary's　bill；　and　all　was　lost。

The　Swedish　General　Sprengporten　came　to　Aix…la…Chapelle　in　1776。　He　had　planned　and　carried　into　execution　the　revolution　so　favourable　to　the　King；　but　had　left　Sweden　in　discontent；　and　came　to　take　the　waters　with　a　rooted　hypochondria。

He　was　the　most　dangerous　man　in　Sweden；　and　had　told　the　King　himself；　after　the　revolution；　in　the　presence　of　his　guards；　〃While　Sprengporten　can　hold　a　sword；　the　King　has　nothing　to　command。〃

It　was　feared　he　would　go　to　Russia；　and　Prince　Charles　wrote　to　me　in　the　name　of　the　monarch；　desiring　I　would　exert　myself　to　persuade　him　to　return　to　Sweden。　　He　was　a　man　of　pride；　which　rendered　him　either　a　fool　or　a　madman。　　He　despised　everything　that　was　not　Swedish。

The　Prussian　Minister；　Count　Hertzberg；　the　same　year　came　to　Aix…　la…Chapelle。　　I　enjoyed　his　society　for　three　months；　and　accompanied　this　great　man。　　To　his　liberality　am　I　indebted　that　I　can　return　to　my　country　with　honour。

The　time　I　had　to　spare　was　not　spent　in　idleness；　I　attacked；　in　my　weekly　writings；　those　sharpers　who　attend　at　Aix…la…Chapelle　and　Spa　to　plunder　both　inhabitants　and　visitants；　under　the　connivance　of　the　magistracy；　nor　are　there　wanting　foreign　noblemen　who　become　the　associates　of　these　pests　of　society。　　The　publication　of　such　truths　endangered　my　life　from　the　desperadoes；　who；　when　detected；　had　nothing　more　to　lose。　　How　powerful　is　an　innocent　life；　nothing　can　more　fully　prove　than　that　I　still　exist；　in　despite　of　all　the　attempts　of　wicked　monks　and　despicable　sharpers。

Though　my　life　was　much　disturbed；　yet　I　do　not　repent　of　my　manner　of　acting；　many　a　youth；　many　a　brave　man；　have　I　detained　from　the　gaming…table；　and　pointed　out　to　them　the　most　notorious　sharpers。

This　was　so　injurious　to　Spa；　that　the　Bishop　of　Liege　himself；　who　enjoys　a　tax　on　all　their　winnings；　and　therefore　protects　such　villains；　offered　me　an　annual　pension　of　five　hundred　guineas　if　I　would　not　come　to　Spa；　or　three　per　cent。　on　the　winnings；　would　I　but　associate　myself　with　Colonel　N…t；　and　raise　recruits　for　the　gaming…table。　　My　answer　may　easily　be　imagined；　yet　for　this　was　I　threatened　to　be　excommunicated　by　the　Holy　Catholic　Church！

I　and　my　family　passed　sixteen　summers　in　Spa。　　My　house　became　the　rendezvous　of　the　most　respectable　part　of　the　company；　and　I　was　known　to　some　of　the　most　respectable　characters　in　Europe。

A　contest　arose　between　the　town　of　Aix…la…Chapelle　and　Baron　Blankart；　the　master　of　the　hounds　to　the　Elector　Palatine：　　it　originated　in　a　dispute　concerning　precedence　between　the　before…　mentioned　wife　of　the　Recorder　Geyer　and　the　sister　of　the　Burgomaster　of　Aix…la…Chapelle；　Kahr；　who　governed　that　town　with　despotism。

This　quarrel　was　detrimental　to　the　town　and　to　the　Elector　Palatine；　but　profitable　to　Kahr；　whose　office　it　was　to　protect　the　rights　of　the　town；　and　those　persons　who　defended　the　claims　of　the　Elector；　the　latter　kept　a　faro　bank；　the　plunder　of　which　had　enriched　the　town；　and　the　former　Kahr；　under　pretence　of　defending　their　cause；　embezzled　the　money　of　the　people；　so　that　both　parties　endeavoured　with　all　their　power　to　prolong　the　litigation。

It　vexed　me　to　see　their　proceedings。　　Those　who　suffered　on　each　side　were　deceived；　and　I　conceived　the　project　of　exposing　the　truth。　　For　this　purpose　I　journeyed　to　the　court　at　Mannheim；　related　the　facts　to　the　Elector；　produced　a　plan　of　accommodation；　which　he　approved；　and　obtained　power　to　act　as　arbitrator。　　The　Minister　of　the　Elector；　Bekkers；　pretended　to　approve　my　zeal；　conducted　me　to　an　auberge；　made　me　dine　at　his　house；　and　said　a　commission　was　made