the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第24章

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nger　circumspect；　and；　when　under　the　dominion　of　anger；　cruel　even　to　fury；　irreconcilable；　artful；　fertile　in　invention；　and　ever　intent　on　great　projects。　　When　youth　and　beauty　inspired　love；　he　then　became　supple；　insinuating；　amiable；　gentle；　respectful；　yet；　ever　excited　by　pride；　each　conquest　gave　but　new　desires　of　adding　another　slave　over　whom　he　might　domineer；　and；　whenever　he　encountered　resistance；　he　then　even　ceased　to　be　avaricious。　　A　prudent　and　intelligent　woman；　turning　this　part　of　his　character　to　advantage；　might　have　formed　this　man　to　virtue；　probity；　and　the　love　of　the　human　race：　　but；　from　his　infancy；　his　will　had　never　suffered　restraint；　and　he　thought　nothing　impossible。　　As　a　soldier；　he　was　bold　even　to　temerity；　capable　of　the　most　hazardous　enterprise；　and　laughing　at　the　danger　he　provoked。　　His　projects　were　the　more　elevated　because　the　acquirement　of　renown　was　the　intent　of　all　his　actions。　　In　council　he　was　dangerous；　everything　must　be　conceded　to　his　views。　　To　him　the　means　by　which　his　end　was　to　be　obtained　were　indifferent。

The　Croats　at　this　time　were　undisciplined；　prone　to　rapine；　thirsting　for　human　blood；　and　only　taught　obedience　by　violence；　these　had　been　the　companions　of　his　infancy：　　these　he　undertook　to　subject；　by　servitude　and　fear；　to　military　subordination；　and　from　banditti　to　make　them　soldiers。

With　respect　to　his　exterior；　Nature　had　been　prodigal　of　her　favours。　　His　height　was　six　feet　three　inches；　and　the　symmetry　of　his　limbs　was　exact；　his　form　was　upright；　his　countenance　agreeable；　yet　masculine；　and　his　strength　almost　incredible。　　He　could　sever　the　head　from　the　body　of　the　largest　ox　with　one　stroke　of　his　sabre；　and　was　so　adroit　at　this　Turkish　practice；　that　he　at　length　could　behead　men　in　the　manner　boys　do　nettles。　　In　the　latter　years　of　his　life；　his　aspect　had　become　terrible；　for；　during　the　Bavarian　war；　he　had　been　scorched　by　the　explosion　of　a　powder…barrel；　and　ever　after　his　face　remained　scarred　and　impregnated　with　black　spots。　　In　company　he　rendered　himself　exceedingly　agreeable；　spoke　seven　languages　fluently；　was　jocular；　possessed　wit；　and　in　serious　conversation；　understanding；　had　learned　music；　sung　with　taste；　and　had　a　good　voice；　so　that　he　might　have　been　well　paid　as　an　actor；　had　that　been　his　fate。　　He　could　even；　when　so　disposed；　become　gentle　and　complaisant。

His　look　told　the　man　of　observation　that　he　was　cunning　and　choleric；　and　his　wrath　was　terrible。　　He　was　ever　suspicious；　because　he　judged　others　by　himself。　　Self…interest　and　avarice　constituted　his　ruling　passion；　and；　whenever　he　had　an　opportunity　of　increasing　his　wealth；　he　disregarded　the　duties　of　religion；　the　ties　of　honour；　and　human　pity。　　In　the　thirty…first　year　of　his　age；　when　he　was　possessed　of　nearly　two　millions；　he　did　not　expend　a　florin　per　day。

As　he　and　his　pandours　always　led　the　van；　and　as　he　thence　had　an　opportunity　to　ravage　the　enemy's　country；　at　the　head　of　troops　addicted　to　rapine；　we　must　not　wonder　that　Bavaria；　Silesia；　and　Alsatia　were　so　plundered。　　He　alone　purchased　the　booty　from　his　troops　at　a　low　price；　and　this　he　sent　by　water　to　his　own　estates。　If　any　one　of　his　officers　had　made　a　rich　capture；　Trenck　instantly　became　his　enemy。　　He　was　sent　on　every　dangerous　expedition　till　he　fell；　and　the　colonel　became　his　universal　heir；　for　Trenck　appropriated　all　he　could　to　himself。　　He　was　reputed　to　be　a　man　most　expert　in　military　science；　an　excellent　engineer；　and　to　possess　an　exact　eye　in　estimating　heights　and　distances。　　In　all　enterprises　he　was　first；　inured　to　fatigue；　his　iron　body　could　support　it　without　inconvenience。　　Nothing　escaped　his　vigilance；　all　was　turned　to　account；　and　what　valour　could　not　accomplish；　cunning　supplied。　　His　pride　suffered　him　not　to　incur　an　obligation；　and　thus　he　was　unthankful；　his　actions　all　centred　in　self；　and　as　he　was　remarkably　fortunate　in　whatever　he　undertook；　he　ascribed　even　that；　which　accident　gave；　to　foresight　and　genius。

Yet　was　he　ever；　as　an　officer；　a　most　useful　and　inestimable　man　to　the　state。　　His　respect　for　his　sovereign；　and　his　zeal　in　her　service；　were　unbounded；　whenever　her　glory　was　at　stake；　he　devoted　himself　her　victim。　　This　I　assert　to　be　truth：　　I　knew　him　well。　Of　little　consequence　is　it　to　me；　whether　the　historians　of　Maria　Theresa　have；　or　have　not；　misrepresented　his　talents　and　the　fame　he　deserved。

The　life　of　Trenck　I　write　for　the　following　reasons。　　He　had　the　honour　first　to　form；　and　command；　regular　troops；　raised　in　Sclavonia。　　The　soldiers　acquired　glory　under　their　leader；　and　sustained　the　tottering　power　of　Austria：　　they　made　libations　of　their　blood　in　its　defence；　as　did　Trenck；　in　various　battles。　　He　served　like　a　brave　warrior；　with　zeal；　loyalty；　and　effect。　　The　vile　persecutions　of　his　enemies　at　Vienna；　with　whom　he　refused　to　share　the　plunder　he　had　made；　lost　him　honour；　liberty；　and　not　only　the　personal　property　he　had　acquired；　but　likewise　the　family　patrimony　in　Hungary。　　He　died　like　a　malefactor；　illegally　sentenced　to　imprisonment；　and　knaves　have　affirmed；　and　fools　have　believed；　and　believe　still；　he　took　the　King　of　Prussia　prisoner；　and　that　he　granted　him　freedom　in　consequence　of　a　bribe。　　So　have　the　loyal　Hungarians　been　led　to　suppose　that　an　Hungarian　had　really　been　a　traitor。

By　my　writings；　I　wish　to　prove　to　this　noble　nation　on　the　contrary；　that　Trenck；　for　his　loyalty　deserved　compassion；　esteem；　and　honour　in　his　country。　　This　I　have　already　done　in　the　former　part　of　my　history。　　The　dead　Trenck　can　speak　no　more；　but　it　is　the　duty　of　the　living　ever　to　speak　in　defence　of　right。

Trenck　wrote　his　own　history　while　he　was　confined　in　the　arsenal　at　Vienna；　and；　in　the　last　two　sheets　he　openly　related　the　manner　in　which　he　had　been　treated　by　the　council　of　war；　of　which　Count　Loewenwalde；　his　greatest　enemy；　was　president。　　The　count；　however；　found　supporters　too　powerful；　and　these　sheets　were　torn　from　the　book　and　publicly　burnt　at　Vienna。　　Defence　after　this　became　impossible：　　he　groaned　under　the　grip　of　his　adversaries。

I　have　given　a　literal　copy　of　these　sheets　in　the　first　part　of　this　history；　and　I　again　repeat　I　am　able　to　prove　the　truth　of　what　is　there　asserted；　by　the　acts；　proceedings；　and　judicial　registers　which　are　in　my　possession。　　He　was　confined　in　the　Spielberg；　because　much　was　to　be　dreaded　from　an　injured　man；　whom　they　knew　capable　of　the　most　desperate　enterprises。　　He　died　defenceless；　the　sacrifice　of　iniquity　and　unjust　judges。　　He　died；　and　his　honour　remained　unprotected。　　I　am　by　duty　his　defender：　although　he　expired　my　personal　enemy；　the　author　of　nearly　all　the　ills　I　have　suffered。　　I　came　to　the　knowledge　of　his　persecutors　too　late　for　the　unfortunate　Trenck。　　And　who　are　those　who　have　divided　his　spoilswho　slew　him　that　they　might　fatten　themselves？　Your　titles　have　been　paid　for　from　the　coffers　of　Trenck！　　Yet　neither　can　your　cabals；　your　wealthy　protectors；　your　own　riches；　nor　your　credit　at　court；　deprive　me　of　the　right　of　vindicating　his　fame。

I　have　boldly　written；　have　openly　shown；　that　Trenck　was　pillaged　by　you；　that　he　served　the　house　of　Austria　as　a　worthy　man；　with　zeal；　not　in　court…martials　and　committees　of　inquiry；　but　fighting　for　his　country；　sharing　the　soldier's　glory；　falling　the　victim　of　envy　and　power；　falling　by　the　hands　of　those　who　are　unworthy　of　judging　merit。　　He　take　the　King　of　Prussia！　　They　might　as　well　say　he　took　the　Emperor　of　Morocco。

Yes；　he　is　dead。　　But　should　any　man　dare　affirm　that　the　Hungarian　or　the　Prussian　Trenck　were　capable　of　treason；　that　either　of　them　merited　punishment　for　having　betrayed　their　country；　he　will　not　have　long　to　seek　before　he　will　be　informed　that　he　has　done　us　both　injustice。　　After　this　preface；　I　shall　continue　my　narrative　on　the　plan　I　proposed。　　Trenck；　the　father；　was　a　miser；　yet　a　well…meaning　man。　　Trenck　the　son；　was　a　youthful　soldier；　who　stood　in　need　of　money　to　indulge　his　pleasures。　　Many　curious　pranks　he　played；　when　an　ensign　in　I　know　not　what　regiment　of　foot。　　He　went　to　one　of　the　collectors　of　his　father's　rents；　and　demanded　money；　the　collector　refused　to　give　him　any；　and　Trenck　clove　his　skull　with　his　sabre。　　A　prosecution　was　entered　against　him；　but；　war　breaking　out　in　1756；　between　the　Russians　and　the　Turks；　he　raised　a　squadron　of　hussars；　and　went　with　it　into　the　Russian　service；　contrary　to　the　will　of　his　father。

In　this　war　he　distinguished　himself　highly；　and　acquired　the　protection　of　Field…marshal　Munich。　　He　was　so　successful　as　a　leader　against　the　Tartars；　that　he　became　very　famous　in　the　army；　and　at　the　end　of　the　campaign；　was　appointed　major。

It　happened　that　flying　parties　of　Turks　approached　his　regiment　when　on　march；　and　Trenck　seeing　a　favourable　moment　for　attacking　them；　went　to　Colonel　Rumin；　desiring　the　regiment　might　be　led　to　the　charge；　and　that　they　might　profit　by　so　fair　an　opportunity。　The　colonel　answered；　〃I　have　no　such　orders。〃　　Trenck　then　demanded　permission　to　charge　the　Turks　only　with　his　own　squadron；　but　this　was　refused。　　He　became　furious；　for　he　had　never　been　acquainted　with　contradiction　or　subordination；　and　cried　aloud　to　the　soldiers；　〃If　there　be　one　brave　man　among　you；　let　him　follow　me。〃　About　two　hundred　stepped　from　the　ranks；　he　put　himself　at　their　head；　routed　the　enemy；　made　a　horrible　carnage；　and　returned　intoxicated　with　joy；　accompanied　by　prisoners；　and　loaded　with　dissevered　heads。　　Once　more　arrived　in　presence　of　the　regiment；　he　attacked　the　colonel；　treated　him　like　the　rankest　coward；　called　him　opprobrious　names；　without　the　other　daring　to　make　the　least　resistance。　　The　adventure；　however；　became　known；　Trenck　was　arrested；　and　ordered　to　be　tried。　　His　judges　condemned　him　to　be　shot；　and　the　day　was　appointed；　but　the　evening　before　execution；　Field…marshal　Munich　passed　near　the　tent　in　which　he　was　confined；　Trenck　saw　him；　came　forward；　and　said；　〃Certainly　your　excellency　will　not　suffer　a　foreign　cavalier　to　die　an　ignominious　death　because　he　has　chastised　a　cowardly　Russian！　　If　I　must　die；　at　least　give　me　permission　to　saddle　my　horse；　and　with　my　sabre　in　my　hand；　let　me　fall　surrounded　by　the　enemy。〃

The　Tartars　happened　to　be　at　this　time　harassing　the　advanced　posts；　the　Field…marshal　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　was　silent。　Trenck；　not　discouraged；　added；　〃I　will　undertake　to　bring　your　excellency　three　heads　or　lose　my　own。　　Will　you；　if　I　do；　be　pleased　to　grant　me　my　pardon？〃　　The　Field…marshal　replied；　〃Yes。〃　The　horse　of　Trenck　was　brought：　　he　galloped　to　the　enemy；　and　returned　within　four　heads　knotted　to　the　horse's　mane；　himself　only　slightly　wounded　in　the　shoulder。　　Munich　immediately　appointed　him　major　in　another　regiment。　　Various　and　almost　incredible　were　his　feats：　　among　others；　a　Tartar　ran　him　through　the　belly　with　his　lance：　　Trenck　grasped　the　projecting　end　with　his　hands；　exerted　his　prodigious　strength；　broke　the　lance；　set　spurs　to　his　horse；　and　happily　escaped。　　Of　this　wound；　dreadful　as　it　was；　he　was　soon　cured。　　I　myself　have　seen　the　two　scars；　and　can