the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第20章

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　a　superior　rank　in　the　scale　of　beings；　though；　in　reality；　their　minds　are　of　the　lowest；　the　meanest　class。

Happy　the　state　whose　prince　is　impressed　with　a　sense　that　the　people　are　not　his　property；　but　he　the　property　of　the　people！　　A　prince　beloved　by　his　people　will　ever　render　a　nation　more　happy　those　he　whose　only　wish　is　to　inspire　fear。

The　pleasure　I　received　at　Berlin　was　great　indeed。　　When　I　went　to　court；　the　citizens　crowded　to　see　me；　and　when　anyone　among　them　said；　〃That　is　Trenck；〃　the　rest　would　cry；　〃Welcome　once　more　to　your　country；〃　while　many　would　reach　me　their　hands；　with　the　tears　standing　in　their　eyes。　　Frequent　were　the　scenes　I　experienced　of　this　kind。　　No　malefactor　would　have　been　so　received。　　It　was　the　reward　of　innocence；　this　reward　was　bestowed　throughout　the　Prussian　territories。

Oh　world；　ill…judging　world；　deceived　by　show！　　Dost　thou　not　blindly　follow　the　opinion　of　the　prince；　be　he　severe；　arbitrary；　or　just？　　Thy　censure　and　thy　praise　equally　originate　in　common　report。　　In　Magdeburg　I　lay；　chained　to　the　wall；　ten　years；　sighing　in　wretchedness；　every　calamity　of　hunger；　cold；　nakedness；　and　contempt。　　And　wherefore？　　Because　the　King；　deceived　by　slanderers；　pronounced　me　worthy　of　punishment。　　Because　a　wise　King　mistook　me；　and　treated　me　with　barbarity。　　Because　a　prudent　King　knew　he　had　done　wrong；　yet　would　not　have　it　so　supposed。　　So　was　his　heart　turned　to　stone；　nay；　opposed　by　manly　fortitude；　was　enraged　to　cruelty。　　Most　men　were　convinced　I　was　an　innocent　sufferer；　〃Yet　did　they　all　cry　out　the　more；　saying；　let　him　be　crucified！〃　　My　relations　were　ashamed　to　hear　my　name。　　My　sister　was　barbarously　treated　because　she　assisted　me　in　my　misfortunes。　　No　man　durst　avow　himself　my　friend；　durst　own　I　merited　compassion；　or；　much　less；　that　the　infallible　King　had　erred。　　I　was　the　most　despised；　forlorn　man　on　earth；　and　when　thus　put　on　the　rack；　had　I　there　expired；　my　epitaph　would　have　been；　〃Here　lies　the　traitor；　Trenck。〃

Frederic　is　dead；　and　the　scene　is　changed；　another　monarch　has　ascended　the　throne；　and　the　grub　has　changed　to　a　beautiful　butterfly！　　The　witnesses　to　all　I　have　asserted　are　still　living；　loudly　now　proclaim　the　truth；　and　embrace　me　with　heart…felt　affection。

Does　the　worth　of　a　man　depend　upon　his　actions？　his　reward　or　punishment　upon　his　virtue？　　In　arbitrary　states；　certainly　not。　They　depend　on　the　breath　of　a　king！　　Frederic　was　the　most　penetrating　prince　of　his　age；　but　the　most　obstinate　also。　　A　vice　dreadful　to　those　whom　he　selected　as　victims；　who　must　be　sacrificed　to　the　promoting　of　his　arbitrary　views。

How　many　perished；　the　sin　offerings　of　Frederic's　obstinate　self…　will；　whose　orphan　children　now　cry　to　God　for　vengeance！　　The　dead；　alas！　cannot　plead。　　Trial　began　and　ended　with　execution。　　The　few　wordsIT　IS　THE　KING'S　COMMANDwere　words　of　horror　to　the　poor　condemned　wretch　denied　to　plead　his　innocence！　　Yet　what　is　the　Ukase　（Imperial　order）　in　Russia；　Tel　est　notre　bon　plaisir　（Such　is　our　pleasure）　in　France；　or　the　Allergnadigste　Hofresolution　（The　all…gracious　sentence　of　the　court）；　pronounced　with　the　sweet　tone　of　a　Vienna　matron？　　In　what　do　these　differ　from　the　arbitrary　order　of　a　military　despot？

Every　prayer　of　man　should　be　consecrated　to　man's　general　good；　for　him　to　obtain　freedom　and　universal　justice！　　Together　should　we　cry　with　one　voice；　and；　if　unable　to　shackle　arbitrary　power；　still　should　we　endeavour　to　show　how　dangerous　it　is！　　The　priests　of　liberty　should　offer　up　their　thanks　to　the　monarch　who　declares　〃the　word　of　power〃　a　nullity；　and　〃the　sentence〃　of　justice　omnipotent。

Who　can　name　the　court　in　Europe　where　Louis；　Peter；　or　Frederic；　each　and　all　surnamed　The　Great；　have　not　been；　and　are　not；　imitated　as　models　of　perfection？。　　Lettres…de…cachet；　the　knout；　and　cabinet…orders；　superseding　all　right；　are　become　law！

No　reasoning；　says　the　corporal　to　the　poor　grenadier；　whom　he　canes！No　reasoning！　exclaim　judges；　the　court　has　decided。No　reasoning；　rash　and　pertinacious　Trenck；　will　the　prudent　reader　echo。　　Throw　thy　pen　in　the　fire；　and　expose　not　thyself　to　become　the　martyr　of　a　state　inquisition。

My　fate　is；　and　must　remain；　critical　and　undecided。　　I　have　six…　and…thirty　years　been　in　the　service　of　Austria；　unrewarded；　and　beholding　the　repeated　and　generous　efforts　I　made　effectually　to　serve　that　state；　unnoticed。　　The　Emperor　Joseph　supposes　me　old；　that　the　fruit　is　wasted；　and　that　the　husk　only　remains。　　It　is　also　supposed　I　should　not　be　satisfied　with　a　little。　　To　continue　to　oppress　him　who　has　once　been　oppressed；　and　who　possess　qualities　that　may　make　injustice　manifest；　is　the　policy　of　states。　My　journey　to　Berlin　has　given　the　slanderer　further　opportunity　of　painting　me　as　a　suspicious　character：　　I　smile　at　the　ineffectual　attempt。

I　appeared　in　the　Imperial　uniform　and　belied　such　insinuations。　　To　this　purpose　it　was　written　to　court；　in　November；　when　I　went　into　Hungary；　〃The　motions　of　Trenck　ought　to　be　observed　in　Hungary。〃　Ye　poor　malicious　blood…suckers　of　the　virtuous！　　Ye　shall　not　be　able　to　hurt　a　hair　of　my　head。　　Ye　cannot　injure　the　man　who　has　sixty　years　lived　in　honour。　　I　will　not；　in　my　old　age；　bring　upon　myself　the　reproach　of　inconstancy；　treachery；　or　desire　of　revenge。　I　will　betray　no　political　secrets：　　I　wish　not　to　injure　those　by　whom　I　have　been　injured。Such　acts　I　will　never　commit。　　I　never　yet　descended　to　the　office　of　spy；　nor　will　I　die　a　rewarded　villain。

Yes；　I　appeared　in　Berlin　among　the　upright　and　the　just。　　Instead　of　being　its　supposed　enemy；　I　was　declared　an　honour　to　my　country。　I　appeared　in　the　Imperial　uniform　and　fulfilled　the　duties　of　my　station：　　and　now　must　the　Prussian　Trenck　return　to　Austria；　there　to　perform　a　father's　duty。

Yet　more　of　what　happened　in　Berlin。

Some　days　after　I　had　been　presented　to　the　King；　I　entreated　a　private　audience；　and　on　the　12th　of　February　received　the　following　letter：…

〃In　answer　to　your　letter　of　the　8th　of　this　month；　I　inform　you　that；　if　you　will　come　to　me　to…morrow；　at　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　to　speak　with　you；　meantime；　I　pray　God　to　take　you　into　his　holy　keeping。

〃FREDERIC　WILLIAM。

〃Berlin；　Feb。　12；　1787。〃

〃P。S。After　signing　the　above；　I　find　it　more　convenient　to　appoint　to…morrow；　at　nine　in　the　morning；　about　which　time　you　will　come　into　the　apartment　named　the　Marmor　Kammer　（marble　chamber）。〃


The　anxiety　with　which　I　expected　this　wished…for　interview　may　well　be　conceived。　　I　found　the　Prussian　Titus　alone；　and　he　continued　in　conversation　with　me　more　than　an　hour。

How　kind　was　the　monarch！　　How　great！　　How　nobly　did　he　console　me　for　the　past！　　How　entirely　did　his　assurance　of　favour　overpower　my　whole　soul！　　He　had　read　the　history　of　my　life。　　When　prince　of　Prussia；　he　had　been　an　eyewitness；　in　Magdeburg；　of　my　martyrdom；　and　my　attempts　to　escape。　　His　Majesty　parted　from　me　with　tokens　of　esteem　and　condescension。My　eyes　bade　adieu；　but　my　heart　remained　in　the　marble　chamber；　in　company　with　a　prince　capable　of　sensations　so　dignified；　and　my　wishes　for　his　welfare　are　eternal。

I　have　since　travelled　through　the　greater　part　of　the　Prussian　states。　　Where　is　the　country　in　which　the　people　are　all　satisfied？　Many　complained　of　hard　times；　or　industry　unrewarded。　　My　answer　was：…

〃Friends；　kneel　with　the　rising　sun；　and　thank　the　God　of　heaven　that　you　are　Prussians。　　I　have　seen　and　known　much　of　this　world；　and　I　assure　you；　you　are　among　the　happiest　people　of　Europe。　Causes　of　complaint　everywhere　exist；　but　you　have　a　king；　neither　obstinate；　ambitious；　covetous；　nor　cruel：　　his　will　is　that　his　people　should　have　cause　of　content；　and　should　he　err　by　chance；　his　heart　is　not　to　blame　if　the　subject　suffers。〃

Prussia　is　neither　wanting　in　able　nor　learned　men。　　The　warmth　of　patriots　glows　in　their　veins。　　Everything　remains　with　equal　stability；　as　under　the　reign　of　Frederic；　and　should　the　thunder　burst；　the　ready　conductors　will　render　the　shock　ineffectual。

Hertzberg　still　labours　in　the　cabinet；　still　thinks；　writes；　and　acts　as　he　has　done　for　years。　　The　king　is　desirous　that　justice　shall　be　done　to　his　subjects；　and　will　punish；　perhaps；　with　more　severity；　whenever　he　finds　himself　deceived；　than　from　the　goodness　of　his　disposition；　might　be　supposed。　　The　treasury　is　full；　the　army　continues　the　same；　and　there　is　little　reason　to　doubt　but　that　industry；　population；　and　wealth　will　increase。　　None　but　the　vile　and　the　wicked　would　leave　the　kingdom；　while　the　oppressed　and　best　subjects　of　other　states　would　fly　from　their　native　country；　certain　of　finding　encouragement　and　security　in　Prussia。

The　personal　qualities　of　Fredric　William　merit　description。　　He　is　tall　and　handsome；　his　mien　is　majestic；　and　his　accomplishments　of　mind　and　body　would　procure　him　the　love　of　men；　were　he　not　a　king。　He　is　affable　without　deceit；　friendly　and　kind　in　conversation；　and　stately　when　stateliness　is　necessary。　　He　is　bountiful；　but　not　profuse；　he　knows　that　without　economy　the　Prussian　must　sink。　　He　is　not　tormented　by　the　spirit　of　conquest；　he　wishes　harm　to　no　nation；　yet　he　will　certainly　not　suffer　other　nations　to　make　encroachments；　nor　will　he　be　terrified　by　menaces。

The　wise　Frederic；　when　living；　though　himself　learned；　and　a　lover　of　the　sciences；　never　encouraged　them　in　his　kingdom。　　Germany；　under　his　reign；　might　have　forgotten　her　language：　　he　preferred　the　literature　of　France。　　Konigsberg；　once　the　seminary　of　the　North；　contains；　at　present；　few　professors；　or　students；　the　former　are　fallen　into　disrepute；　and　are　ill　paid；　the　latter　repair　to　Leipsic　and　Gottingen。　　We　have　every　reason　to　suppose　the　present　monarch；　though　no　studious　man　himself；　will　encourage　the　academies　of　the　literati；　that　men　learned　in　jurisprudence　and　the　sciences　may　not　be　wanting：　　which　want　is　the　more　to　be　apprehended　as　the　nobility　must；　without　exception；　serve　in　the　army；　so　that　learning　has　but　few　adherents；　and　these　are　deprived　of　the　means　of　improvement。

Frederic　William　is　also　too　much　the　friend　of　men　to　suffer　them　to　pine　in　prisons。　　He　abhors　the　barbarity　with　which　the　soldiers　are　beaten：　　his　officers　will　not　be　fettered　hand　and　foot；　slavish　subordination　will　be　banished；　and　the　noble　in　heart　will　be　the　noble　of　the　land。　　May　he；　in　his　people；　find　perfect　content！　　May　his　people　be　ever　worthy　of　such　a　prince！　　Long　may　he　reign；　and　may　his　ministers　be　ever　enlightened　and　honourable　men！

He　sent　for　me　a　second　time；　conversed　much　with　me；　and　confirmed　those　ideas　which　my　first　interview　had　inspired。

On　the　11th　of　March　I　presented　my　son　at　another　audience；　whom　I　intended　for　the　Prussian　service。　　The　King　bestowed　a　commission　on　him　in　the　Posadowsky　dragoons；　at　my　request。

I　saw　him　at　the　review　at　Velau；　and　his　superior　officers　formed　great　expectations　from　his　zeal。　　Time　will　discover　whether　he　who　is　in　the　Austrian；　or　this　in　the　Prussian　service；　will　first　obtain　the　rewards　due　to　their　father。　　Should　they　both　remain　unnoticed；　I