the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第21章

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an　service；　will　first　obtain　the　rewards　due　to　their　father。　　Should　they　both　remain　unnoticed；　I　will　bestow　him　on　the　Grand　Turk；　rather　than　on　European　courts；　whence　equity　to　me　and　mine　is　banished。

To　Austria　I　owe　no　thanks；　all　that　could　be　taken　from　me　was　taken。　　I　was　a　captain　before　I　entered　those　territories；　and；　after　six…and…thirty　years'　service；　I　find　myself　in　the　rank　of　invalid　major。　　The　proof　of　all　I　have　asserted；　and　of　how　little　I　am　indebted　to　this　state　is　most　incontestable；　since　the　history　of　my　life　is　allowed　by　the　royal　censor　to　be　publicly　sold　in　Vienna。

It　is　remarkable　that　one　only　of　all　the　eight　officers；　with　whom　I　served；　in　the　body　guard；　in　1745；　is　dead。　　Lieutenant…colonel　Count　Blumenthal　lives　in　Berlin；　Pannewitz　is　commander　of　the　Knights　of　Malta：　　both　gave　me　a　friendly　reception。　　Wagnitz　is　lieutenant…general　in　the　service　of　Hesse…Cassel；　he　was　my　tent　comrade；　and　was　acquainted　with　all　that　happened。　　Kalkreuter　and　Grethusen　live　on　their　estates；　and　Jaschinsky　is　now　alive　at　Konigsberg；　but　superannuated；　and　tortured　by　sickness；　and　remorse。　　He；　instead　of　punishment；　has　forty　years　enjoyed　a　pension　of　a　thousand　rix…dollars。　　I　have　seen　my　lands　confiscated；　of　the　income　of　which　I　have　been　forty…two　years　deprived；　and　never　yet　received　retribution。

Time　must　decide；　the　king　is　generous；　and　I　have　too　much　pride　to　become　a　beggar。　　The　name　of　Trenck　shall　be　found　in　the　history　of　the　acts　of　Frederic。　　A　tyrant　himself；　he　was　the　slave　of　his　passions；　and　even　did　not　think　an　inquiry　into　my　innocence　worth　the　trouble。　　To　be　ashamed　of　doing　right；　because　he　has　done　wrong；　or　to　persist　in　error；　that　fools；　and　fools　only；　can　think　him　infallible；　is　a　dreadful　principle　in　a　ruler。

Since　I　have　been　at　Berlin；　and　was　received　there　with　so　many　testimonies　of　friendship；　the　newspapers　of　Germany　have　published　various　articles　concerning　me；　intending　to　contribute　to　my　honour　or　ease。　　They　said　my　eldest　daughter　is　appointed　the　governess　of　the　young　Princess。　　This　has　been　the　joke　of　some　witty　correspondent；　for　my　eldest　daughter　is　but　fifteen；　and　stands　in　need　of　a　governess　herself。　　Perhaps　they　may　suppose　me　mean　enough　to　circulate　falsehood。

I　daily　receive　letters　from　all　parts　of　Germany；　wherein　the　sensations　of　the　feeling　heart　are　evident。　　Among　these　letters　was　one　which　I　received　from　Bahrdt；　Professor　at　Halle；　dated　April　10；　1787　wherein　he　says；　〃Receive；　noble　German；　the　thanks　of　one　who；　like　you；　has　encountered　difficulties；　yet；　far　inferior　to　those　you　have　encountered。　　You；　with　gigantic　strength；　have　met　a　host　of　foes；　and　conquered。　　The　pests　of　men　attacked　me　also。　　From　town　to　town；　from　land　to　land；　I　was　pursued　by　priestcraft　and　persecution；　yet　I　acquired　fame。　　I　fled　for　refuge　and　repose　to　the　states　of　Frederic；　but　found　them　not。　I　have　eight　years　laboured　under　affliction　with　perseverance；　but　have　found　no　reward。　　By　industry　have　I　made　myself　what　I　am；　by　ministerial　favour；　never。　　Worn　out　and　weak；　the　history　of　your　life；　worthy　sir；　fell　into　my　hands；　and　poured　balsam　into　my　wounds。　　There　I　saw　sufferings　immeasurably　greater；　there；　indeed；　beheld　fortitude　most　worthy　of　admiration。　　Compared　to　you；　of　what　could　I　complain？　　Receive；　noble　German；　my　warmest　thanks；　while　I　live　they　shall　flow。　　And　should　you　find　a　fortunate　moment；　in　the　presence　of　your　King；　speak　of　me　as　one　consigned　to　poverty；　as　one　whose　talents　are　buried　in　oblivion。　　Say　to　him'Mighty　King！　stretch　forth　thy　hand；　and　dry　up　his　tears。'　　I　know　the　nobleness　of　your　mind；　and　doubt　not　your　good　wishes。〃

To　the　Professor's　letter　I　returned　the　following　answer：…


〃I　was　affected；　sir；　by　your　letter。　　I　never　yet　was　unmoved；　when　the　pen　was　obedient　to　the　dictates　of　the　heart。　　I　feel　for　your　situation；　and　if　my　example　can　teach　wisdom　even　to　the　wise；　I　have　cause　to　triumph。　　This　is　the　sweetest　of　rewards。　　At　Berlin　I　have　received　much　honour；　but　little　more。　　Men　are　deaf　to　him　who　confides　only　in　his　right。　　What　have　I　gained？　　Shadowy　fame　for　myself；　and　the　vapour　of　hope　for　my　heirs！

〃Truth　and　Trenck；　my　good　friend；　flourish　not　in　courts。　　You　complain　of　priestcraft。　　He　who　would　disturb　their　covetousness；　he　who　speaks　against　the　false　opinions　they　scatter；　considers　not　priests；　and　their　aim；　which　is　to　dazzle　the　stupid　and　stupefy　the　wise。　　Deprecate　their　wrath！　avoid　their　poisoned　shafts；　or　they　will　infect　tiny　peace：　　will　blast　thy　honour。　　And　wherefore　should　we　incur　this　danger。　　To　cure　ignorance　of　error　is　impossible。　　Let　us　then　silently　steal　to　our　graves；　and　thus　small　we　escape　the　breath　of　envy。　　He　who　should　enjoy　all　even　thought　could　grasp；　should　yet　have　but　little。　　Having　acquired　this　knowledge；　the　passions　of　the　soul　are　lulled　to　apathy。　　I　behold　error；　and　I　laugh；　do　thou；　my　friend；　laugh　also。　　If　that　can　comfort　us；　men　will　do　our　memory　justicewhen　we　are　dead！　Fame　plants　her　laurels　over　the　grave；　and　there　they　flourish　best。

〃BARON　TRENCK

〃Schangulach；　near　Konigsberg；　April　30th；　1787。〃

〃P。SI　have　spoken；　worthy　Professor；　the　feelings　of　my　heart；　in　answer　to　your　kind　panegyric。　　You　will　but　do　me　justice；　when　you　believe　I　think　and　act　as　I　write　with　respect　to　my　influence　at　court；　it　is　as　insignificant　at　Berlin　as　at　Vienna　or　at　Constantinople〃


Among　the　various　letters　I　have　received；　as　it　may　answer　a　good　purpose；　I　hope　the　reader　will　not　think　the　insertion　of　the　following　improper。

In　a　letter　from　an　unknown　correspondent；　who　desired　me　to　speak　for　this　person　at　Berlin；　eight　others　were　enclosed。　　They　came　from　the　above　person　in　distress；　to　this　correspondent：　　and　I　was　requested　to　let　them　appear　in　the　Berlin　Journal。　　I　selected　two　of　them；　and　here　present　them　to　the　world；　as　it　can　do　me　injury；　while　they　describe　an　unhappy　victim　of　an　extraordinary　kind：　　and　may　perhaps　obtain　him　some　relief。

Should　this　hope　be　verified；　I　am　acquainted　with　him　who　wishes　to　remain　concealed；　can　introduce　him　to　the　knowledge　of　such　as　might　wish　to　interfere　in　his　behalf。　　Should　they　not；　the　reader　will　still　find　them　well…written　and　affecting　letters；　such　as　may　inspire　compassion。　　The　following　is　the　first　of　those　I　selected。


LETTER　I

〃Neuland；　Feb　12th；　1787。

〃I　thought　I　had　so　satisfactorily　answered　you　by　my　last；　that　you　would　have　left　me　in　peaceful　possession　of　my　sorrows！　but　your　remarks；　entreaties；　and　remonstrances；　succeed　each　other　with　such　rapidity；　that　I　am　induced　to　renew　the　contest。　　Cowardice；　I　believe；　you　are　convinced；　is　not　a　native　in　my　heart；　and　should　I　now　yield；　you　might　suppose　that　age　and　the　miseries　I　have　suffered；　had　weakened　my　powers　of　mind　as　well　as　body；　and　that　I　ought　to　have　been　classed　among　the　unhappy　multitudes　whose　sufferings　have　sunk　them　to　despondency。

〃Baron　Trenck；　that　man　of　many　woes；　once　so　despised；　but　who　now　is　held　in　admiration；　where　he　was　before　so　much　the　object　of　hatred；　who　now　speaks　so　loudly　in　his　own　defence；　where；　formerly；　the　man　who　had　but　whispered　his　name　would　have　lived　suspected；　Baron　Trenck　you　propose　as　an　example　of　salvation　for　me。　　You　are　wrong。　　Have　you　considered　how　dissimilar　our　past　lives　have　been；　how　different；　too；　are　our　circumstances？　　Or；　omitting　these；　have　you　considered　to　whom　you　would　have　me　appeal？

〃In　1767；　I　became　acquainted；　in　Vienna；　with　this　sufferer　of　fortitude；　this　agreeable　companion。　　We　are　taught　that　a　noble　aspect　bespeaks　a　corresponding　mind；　this　I　believe　him　to　possess。　But　what　expectations　can　I　form　from　Baron　Trenck？

〃I　will　briefly　answer　the　questions　you　have　put。　　Baron　Trenck　was　a　man　born　to　inherit　great　estates；　this　and　the　fire　of　his　youth；　fanned　by　flattering　hopes　from　his　famous　kinsman；　rendered　him　too　haughty　to　his　King；　and　this　alone　was　the　origin　of　all　his　future　sufferings。　　I；　on　the　contrary；　though　the　son　of　a　Silesian　nobleman　of　property；　did　not　inherit　so　much　as　the　pay　of　a　common　soldier；　the　family　having　been　robbed　by　the　hand　of　power；　after　being　accused　by　wickedness　under　the　mask　of　virtue。　　You　know　my　father's　fate；　the　esteem　in　which　he　was　held　by　the　Empress　Theresa；　and　that　a　pretended　miracle　was　the　occasion　of　his　fall。　Suddenly　was　he　plunged　from　the　height　to　which　industry；　talents；　and　virtue　had　raised　him；　to　the　depth　of　poverty。　　At　length；　at　the　beginning　of　the　seven　years'　war；　one　of　the　King　of　Prussia's　subjects　represented　him　to　the　Austrian　court　as　a　dangerous　correspondent　of　Marshal　Schwerin's。　　Then　at　sixty　years　of　age；　my　father　was　seized　at　Jagerndorf；　and　imprisoned　in　the　fortress　of　Gratz；　in　Styria。　　He　had　an　allowance　just　sufficient　to　keep　him　alive　in　his　dungeon；　but；　for　the　space　of　seven　years；　never　beheld　the　sun　rise　or　set。　　I　was　a　boy　when　this　happened；　however；　I　was　not　heard。　　I　only　received　some　pecuniary　relief　from　the　Empress；　with　permission　to　shed　my　blood　in　her　defence。　In　this　situation　we　first　vowed　eternal　friendship；　but　from　this　I　soon　was　snatched　by　my　father's　enemies。　　What　the　Empress　had　bestowed；　her　ministers　tore　from　me。　　I　was　seized　at　midnight；　and　was　brought；　in　company　with　two　other　officers；　to　the　fortress　of　Gratz。　　Here　I　remained　immured　six　years。　　My　true　name　was　concealed；　and　another　given　me。

〃Peace　being　restored；　Trenck；　I；　and　my　father　were　released；　but　the　mode　of　our　release　was　very　different。　　The　first　obtained　his　freedom　at　the　intercession　of　Theresa；　she；　too；　afforded　him　a　provision。　　We；　on　the　contrary；　according　to　the　amnesty；　stipulated　in　the　treaty　of　peace；　were　led　from　our　dungeons　as　state　prisoners；　without　inquiry　concerning　the　verity　or　falsehood　of　our　crimes。　　Extreme　poverty；　wretchedness；　and　misery；　were　our　reward　for　the　sufferings　we　had　endured。

〃Not　only　was　my　health　destroyed；　but　my　jawbone　was　lost；　eaten　away　by　the　scurvy。　　I　laid　before　Frederic　the　Great　the　proofs　of　the　calamities　I　had　undergone；　and　the　dismal　state　to　which　I　was　reduced；　by　his　foe；　and　for　his　sake；　entreated　bread　to　preserve　me　and　my　father　from　starving；　but　his　ear　was　deaf　to　my　prayer；　his　heart　insensible　to　my　sighs。

〃Providence；　however；　raised　me　up　a　saviour；Count　Gellhorn　was　the　man。　　After　the　taking　of　Breslau；　he　had　been　also　sent　a　state　prisoner　to　Gratz。　　During　his　imprisonment；　he　had　heard　the　report　of　my　sufferings　and　my　innocence。　　No　sooner　did　he　learn　I　was　released；　than　he　became　my　benefactor；　my　friend；　and　restored　me　to　the　converse　of　men；　to　which　I　had　so　long　been　dead。

〃I　defer　the　continuance　of　my　narrative　to　the　next　post。　　The　remembrance　of　past　woes　inflict　new　ones。　　I　am　eternally。〃


LETTER　II。


〃February　24；　1787。

〃Dear　Friend；After　an　interval　of　silence；　remembering　my　promise；　I　again　continue　my　story。

〃My　personal　sufferings　have　not　been　less　than　those　of　Trenck。　His；　I　am　acquainted　with　only　from　the　inaccurate　relations　I　have　heard：