the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第12章

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I　soon　felt　the　effects　of　the　loss　of　my　bed；　and　was　a　second　time　attacked　by　a　violent　fever；　which　would　this　time　certainly　have　consumed　me　had　not　the　officers；　unknown　to　the　governor；　treated　me　with　all　possible　compassion。　　Bruckhausen　alone　continued　my　enemy；　and　the　slave　of　his　orders；　on　his　day　of　examination　rules　and　commands　in　all　their　rigour　were　observed；　nor　durst　I　free　myself　from　my　irons；　till　I　had　for　some　weeks　remarked　those　parts　on　which　he　invariably　fixed　his　attention。　　I　then　cut　through　the　link；　and　closed　up　the　vacancy　with　bread。　　My　hands　I　could　always　draw　out；　especially　after　illness　had　consumed　the　flesh　off　my　bones。　　Half　a　year　had　elapsed　before　I　had　recovered　sufficient　strength　to　undertake；　anew；　labours　like　the　past。

Necessity　at　length　taught　me　the　means　of　driving　Bruckhausen　from　my　dungeon；　and　of　inducing　him　to　commit　his　office　to　another。　　I　learnt　his　olfactory　nerves　were　somewhat　delicate；　and　whenever　I　heard　the　doors　unbar；　I　took　care　to　make　a　stir　in　my　night…table。　This　made　him　give　back；　and　at　length　he　would　come　no　farther　than　the　door。　　Such　are　the　hard　expedients　of　a　poor　unhappy　prisoner！

One　day　he　came；　bloated　with　pride；　just　after　a　courier　had　brought　the　news　of　victory；　and　spoke　of　the　Austrians；　and　the　august　person　of　the　Empress…Queen　with　so　much　virulence；　that；　at　last；　enraged　almost　to　madness；　I　snatched　the　sword　of　an　officer　from　its　sheath；　and　should　certainly　have　ended　him；　had　he　not　made　a　hasty　retreat。　　From　that　day　forward　he　durst　no　more　come　without　guards　to　examine　the　dungeon。　　Two　men　always　preceded　him；　with　their　bayonets　fixed；　and　their　pieces　presented；　behind　whom　he　stood　at　the　door。　　This　was　another　fortunate　incident；　as　I　dreaded　only　his　examination。

The　following　anecdote　will　afford　a　specimen　of　this　man's　understanding。　　While　digging　in　the　earth　I　found　a　cannon…ball；　and　laid　it　in　the　middle　of　my　prison。　　When　he　came　to　examine　〃What　in　the　name　of　God　is　that？〃　said　he。　　〃It　is　a　part　of　the　ammunition；〃　answered　I；　〃that　my　Familiar　brings　me。　　The　cannon　will　be　here　anon；　and　you　will　then　see　fine　sport！〃　　He　was　astonished；　told　this　to　others；　nor　could　conceive　such　a　ball　might　by　any　natural　means　enter　my　prison。

I　wrote　a　satire　on　him；　when　the　late　Landgrave　of　Hesse…Cassel　was　governor　of　Magdeburg；　and　I　had　permission　to　write　as　will　hereafter　appear：　　the　Land…grave　gave　it　to　him　to　read　himself；　and　so　gross　was　his　conception；　that　though　his　own　phraseology　was　introduced；　part　of　his　history　and　his　character　painted；　yet　he　did　not　perceive　the　jest；　but　laughed　heartily　with　the　hearers。　The　Landgrave　was　highly　diverted；　and　after　I　obtained　my　freedom；　restored　me　the　manuscript　written　in　my　own　blood。

About　the　time　that　my　last　attempt　at　escaping　failed；　General　Krusemarck　came　to　my　prison；　whom　I　had　formerly　lived　with　in　habits　of　intimacy；　when　cornet　of　the　body　guard。　　Without　testifying　friendship；　esteem；　or　compassion；　he　asked；　among　other　things；　in　an　authoritative　tone；　how　I　could　employ　my　time　to　prevent　tediousness？　　I　answered　in　as　haughty　a　mood　as　he　interrogated：　　for　never　could　misfortune　bend　my　mind。　　I　told　him；　〃I　always　could　find　sources　of　entertainment　in　my　own　thoughts；　and　that；　as　for　my　dreams；　I　imagined　they　would　at　least　be　as　peaceful　and　pleasant　as　those　of　my　oppressors。〃　　〃Had　you　in　time；〃　replied　he；　〃curbed　this　fervour　of　yours；　had　you　asked　pardon　of　the　King；　perhaps　you　would　have　been　in　very　different　circumstances；　but　he　who　has　committed　an　offence　in　which　he　obstinately　persists；　endeavouring　only　to　obtain　freedom　by　seducing　men　from　their　duty；　deserves　no　better　fate。〃

Justly　was　my　anger　roused！　　〃Sir；〃　answered　I；　〃you　are　a　general　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　I　am　an　Austrian　captain。　　My　royal　mistress　will　protect；　perhaps　deliver　me；　or；　at　least；　revenge　my　death；　I　have　a　conscience　void　of　reproach。　　You；　yourself；　well　know　I　have　not　deserved　these　chains。　　I　place　my　hope　in　time；　and　the　justness　of　my　cause；　calumniated　and　condemned；　as　I　have　been；　without　legal　sentence　or　hearing。　　In　such　a　situation；　the　philosopher　will　always　be　able　to　brave　and　despise　the　tyrant。〃

He　departed　with　threats；　and　his　last　words　were；　〃The　bird　shall　soon　be　taught　to　sing　another　tune。〃　　The　effects　of　this　courteous　visit　were　soon　felt。　　An　order　came　that　I　should　be　prevented　sleeping；　and　that　the　sentinels　should　call；　and　wake　me　every　quarter　of　an　hour；　which　dreadful　order　was　immediately　executed。

This　was　indeed　a　punishment　intolerable　to　nature！　　Yet　did　custom　at　length　teach　me　to　answer　in　my　sleep。　　Four　years　did　this　unheard　of　cruelty　continue！　　The　noble　Landgrave　of　Hesse…Cassel　at　length　put　an　end　to　it　a　year　before　I　was　released　from　my　dungeon；　and　once　again；　in　mercy；　suffered　me　to　sleep　in　peace。

Under　this　new　affliction；　I　wrote　an　Elegy　which　may　be　found　in　the　second　volume　of　my　works；　a　few　lines　of　which　I　shall　cite。


Wake　me；　ye　guards；　for　hark；　the　quarter　strikes！　Sport　with　my　woes；　laugh　loud　at　my　miseries　Hearken　if　you　hear　my　chains　clank！　　Knock！　　Beat！　Of　an　inexorable　tyrant　be　ye　Th'　inexorable　instruments！　　Wake　me；　ye　slaves；　Ye　do　but　as　you're　bade。　　Soon　shall　he　lie　Sleepless；　or　dreaming；　the　spectres　of　conscience　Behold　and　shriek；　who　me　deprives　of　rest。

Wake　me：　　Again　the　quarter　strikes！　　Call　loud　Rip　up　all　my　bleeding　wounds；　and　shrink　not！　Yet　think　'tis　I　that　answer；　God　that　hears！　To　every　wretch　in　chains　sleep　is　permitted：　I；　I　alone；　am　robb'd　of　this　last　refuge　Of　sinking　nature！　　Hark！　　Again　they　thunder！　Again　they　iterate　yells　of　Trenck　and　death。

Peace　to　thy　anger；　peace；　thou　suffering　heart！　Nor　indignant　beat；　adding　tenfold　pangs　to　pain。

Ye　burthened　limbs；　arise　from　momentary　Slumbers！　　Shake　your　chains！　　Murmur　not；　but　rise！　And　ye！　　Watch…dogs　of　Power！　let　loose　your　rage：　Fear　not；　for　I　am　helpless；　unprotected。　And　yet；　not　soThe　noble　mind；　within　Itself；　resources　finds　innumerable。

Thou；　Oh　God；　thought'st　good　me　t'　imprison　thus：　Thou；　Oh　God；　in　Thy　good　time；　wilt　me　deliver。

Wake　me　then；　nor　fear！　　My　soul　slumbers　not。　And　who　can　say　but　those　who　fetter　me；　May；　ere　to…morrow；　groan　themselves　in　fetters！　Wake　me！　　For　lo！　their　sleep's　less　sweet　than　mine。

Call！　　Call！　　From　night　to　morn；　from　twilight　to　dawn；　Incessant！　　Yea；　in　God's　name；　Call！　　Call！　　Call！　Amen！　　Amen！　　Thy　will；　Oh　God；　be　done！　Yet　surely　Thou　at　length　shalt　hear　my　sighs！　Shalt　burst　my　prison　doors！　　Shalt　shew　me　fair　Creation！　　Yea；　the　very　heav'n　of　heav'ns！


With　whom　these　orders　originated；　unexampled　in　the　history　even　of　tyranny；　I　shall　not　venture　to　say。　　The　major；　who　was　my　friend；　advised　me　to　persist　in　not　answering。　　I　followed　his　advice；　and　it　produced　this　good　effect　that　we　mutually　forced　each　other　to　a　capitulation：　　they　restored　me　my　bed；　and　I　was　obliged　to　reply。

Immediately　after　this　regulation；　the　sub…governor；　General　Borck；　my　bitter　enemy；　became　insane；　was　dispossessed　of　his　post；　and　Lieutenant…General　Reichmann；　the　benevolent　friend　of　humanity；　was　made　sub…governor。

About　the　same　time　the　Court　fled　from　Berlin；　and　the　Queen；　the　Prince　of　Prussia；　the　Princess　Amelia；　and　the　Margrave　Henry；　chose　Magdeburg　for　their　residence。　　Bruckhausen　grew　more　polite；　probably　perceiving　I　was　not　wholly　deserted；　and　that　it　was　yet　possible　I　might　obtain　my　freedom。　　The　cruel　are　usually　cowards；　and　there　is　reason　to　suppose　Bruckhausen　was　actuated　by　his　fears　to　treat　me　with　greater　respect。

The　worthy　new　governor　had　not　indeed　the　power　to　lighten　my　chains；　or　alter　the　general　regulations；　what　he　could；　he　did。　　If　he　did　not　command；　he　connived　at　the　doors　being　occasionally　at　first；　and　at　length；　daily；　kept　open　some　hours；　to　admit　daylight　and　fresh　air。　　After　a　time；　they　were　open　the　whole　day；　and　only　closed　by　the　officers　when　they　returned　from　their　visit　to　Walrabe。

Having　light；　I　began　to　carve；　with　a　nail；　on　the　pewter　cup　in　which　I　drank