the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第1章
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The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck … Volume 2
by Baron Trenck
Translator: Thomas Holcroft
INTRODUCTION。
Thomas Holcroft; the translator of these Memoirs of Baron Trenck; was the author of about thirty plays; among which one; The Road to Ruin; produced in 1792; has kept its place upon the stage。 He was born in December; 1745; the son of a shoemaker who did also a little business in horse…dealing。 After early struggles; during which he contrived to learn French; German; and Italian; Holcroft contributed to a newspaper; turned actor; and wrote plays; which appeared between the years 1791 and 1806。 He produced also four novels; the first in 1780; the last in 1807。 He was three times married; and lost his first wife in 1790。 In 1794; his sympathy with ideals of the French revolutionists caused him to be involved with Hardy; Horne Tooke; and Thelwall; in a charge of high treason; but when these were acquitted; Holcroft and eight others were discharged without trial。
Holcroft earned also by translation。 He translated; besides these Memoirs of Baron Trenck; Mirabeau's Secret History of the Court of Berlin; Les Veillees du Chateau of Madame de Genlis; and the posthumous works of Frederick II。; King of Prussia; in thirteen volumes。
The Memoirs of Baron Trenck were first published at Berlin as his Merkwurdige Lebensbeschreibung; in three volumes octavo; in 1786 and 1787。 They were first translated into French by Baron Bock (Metz; 1787); more fully by Letourneur (Paris; 1788); and again by himself (Strasbourg; 1788); with considerable additions。 Holcroft translated from the French versions。
H。M。
THE LIFE OF BARON TRENCK。
CHAPTER I。
Blessed shade of a beloved sister! The sacrifice of my adverse and dreadful fate! Thee could I never avenge! Thee could the blood of Weingarten never appease! No asylum; however sacred; should have secured him; had he not sought that last of asylums for human wickedness and human woesthe grave! To thee do I dedicate these few pages; a tribute of thankfulness; and; if future rewards there are; may the brightest of these rewards be thine。 For us; and not for ours; may rewards be expected from monarchs who; in apathy; have beheld our mortal sufferings。 Rest; noble soul; murdered though thou wert by the enemies of thy brother。 Again my blood boils; again my tears roll down my cheeks; when I remember thee; thy sufferings in my cause; and thy untimely end! I knew it not; I sought to thank thee; I found thee in the grave; I would have made retribution to thy children; but unjust; iron…hearted princes had deprived me of the power。 Can the virtuous heart conceive affliction more cruel? My own ills I would have endured with magnanimity; but thine are wrongs I have neither the power to forget nor heal。
Enough of this。 …
The worthy Emperor; Francis I。; shed tears when I afterwards had the honour of relating to him in person my past miseries; I beheld them flow; and gratitude threw me at his feet。 His emotion was so great that he tore himself away。 I left the palace with all the enthusiasm of soul which such a scene must inspire。
He probably would have done more than pitied me; but his death soon followed。 I relate this incident to convince posterity that Francis I。 possessed a heart worthy an emperor; worthy a man。 In the knowledge I have had of monarchs he stands alone。 Frederic and Theresa both died without doing me justice; I am now too old; too proud; have too much apathy; to expect it from their successors。 Petition I will not; knowing my rights; and justice from courts of law; however evident my claims; were in these courts vain indeed to expect。 Lawyers and advocates I know but too well; and an army to support my rights I have not。
What heart that can feel but will pardon me these digressions! At the exact and simple recital of facts like these; the whole man must be roused; and the philosopher himself shudder。
Once more:… I heard nothing of what had happened for some days; at length; however; it was the honest Gelfhardt's turn to mount guard; but the ports being doubled; and two additional grenadiers placed before my door; explanation was exceedingly difficult。 He; however; in spite of precaution; found means to inform me of what had happened to his two unfortunate comrades。
The King came to a review at Magdeburg; when he visited Star…Fort; and commanded a new cell to be immediately made; prescribing himself the kind of irons by which I was to be secured。 The honest Gelfhardt heard the officer say this cell was meant for me; and gave me notice of it; but assured me it could not be ready in less than a month。 I therefore determined; as soon as possible; to complete my breach in the wall; and escape without the aid of any one。 The thing was possible; for I had twisted the hair of my mattress into a rope; which I meant to tie to a cannon; and descend the rampart; after which I might endeavour to swim across the Elbe; gain the Saxon frontiers; and thus safely escape。
On the 26th of May I had determined to break into the next casemate; but when I came to work at the bricks; I found them so hard and strongly cemented that I was obliged to defer the labour till the following day。 I left off; weary and spent; at daybreak; and should any one enter my dungeon; they must infallibly discover the breach。 How dreadful is the destiny by which; through life; I have been persecuted; and which has continually plunged me headlong into calamity; when I imagined happiness was at hand!
The 27th of May was a cruel day in the history of my life。 My cell in the Star…Fort had been finished sooner than Gelfhardt had supposed; and at night; when I was preparing to fly; I heard a carriage stop before my prison。 O God! what was my terror; what were the horrors of this moment of despair! The locks and bolts resounded; the doors flew open; and the last of my poor remaining resources was to conceal my knife。 The town…major; the major of the day; and a captain entered; I saw them by the light of their two lanterns。 The only words they spoke were; 〃Dress yourself;〃 which was immediately done。 I still wore the uniform of the regiment of Cordova。 Irons were given me; which I was obliged myself to fasten on my wrists and ankles; the town…major tied a bandage over my eyes; and; taking me under the arm; they thus conducted me to the carriage。 It was necessary to pass through the city to arrive at the Star…Fort; all was silent; except the noise of the escort; but when we entered Magdeburg I heard the people running; who were crowding together to obtain a sight of me。 Their curiosity was raised by the report that I was going to be beheaded。 That I was executed on this occasion in the Star…Fort; after having been conducted blindfold through the city; has since been both affirmed and written; and the officers had then orders to propagate this error that the world might remain in utter ignorance concerning me。 I; indeed; knew otherwise; though I affected not to have this knowledge; and; as I was not gagged; I behaved as if I expected death; reproached my conductors in language that even made them shudder; and painted their King in his true colours; as one who; unheard; had condemned an innocent subject by a despotic exertion of power。
My fortitude was admired; at the moment when it was supposed I thought myself leading to execution。 No one replied; but their sighs intimated their compassion; certain it is; few Prussians willingly execute such commands。 The carriage at length stopped; and I was brought into my new cell。 The bandage was taken from my eyes。 The dungeon was lighted by a few torches。 God of heaven! what were my feelings when I beheld the whole floor covered with chains; a fire…pan; and two grim men standing with their smiths' hammers!
* * * * * *
To work went these engines of despotism! Enormous chains were fixed to my ankle at one end; and at the other to a ring which was incorporated in the wall。 This ring was three feet from the ground; and only allowed me to move about two or three feet to the right and left。 They next riveted another huge iron ring; of a hand's breadth; round my naked body; to which hung a ch