the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第15章

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he　quantity　of　sand　the　false　opening　could　contain。　　They　supposed　this　strange　attempt　having　failed；　it　would　be　my　last；　and　Bruckhausen　grew　negligent。

The　governor　and　sub…governor　both　visited　me　after　some　weeks；　but　far　from　imitating　the　brutality　of　Borck；　the　Landgrave　spoke　to　me　with　mildness；　promised　me　his　interest　to　regain　my　freedom；　when　peace　should　be　concluded；　told　me　I　had　more　friends　than　I　supposed；　and　assured　me　I　had　not　been　forgotten　by　the　Court　at　Vienna。

He　promised　me　every　alleviation；　and　I　gave　him　my　word　I　would　no　more　attempt　to　escape　while　he　remained　governor。　　My　manner　enforced　conviction　and　he　ordered　my　neck…collar　to　be　taken　off；　my　window　to　be　unclosed；　my　doors　to　be　left　open　two　hours　every　day；　a　stove　to　be　put　in　my　dungeon；　finer　linen　for　my　shirts；　and　paper　to　amuse　myself　by　writing　my　thoughts。　　The　sheets　were　to　be　numbered　when　given；　and　then　returned；　by　the　town…major；　that　I　might　not　abuse　this　liberty。

Ink　was　not　allowed　me；　I　therefore　pricked　my　fingers；　suffered　the　blood　to　trickle　into　a　pot；　by　these　means　I　procured　a　substitute　for　ink；　both　to　write　and　draw。

I　now　engraved　my　cups；　and　versified。　　I　had　opportunity　to　display　my　abilities　to　awaken　compassion。　　My　emulation　was　increased　by　knowing　that　my　works　were　seen　at　Courts；　that　the　Princess　Amelia　and　the　Queen　herself　testified　their　satisfaction。　　I　had　subjects　to　engrave　from　sent　me；　and　the　wretch　whom　the　King　intended　to　bury　alive；　whose　name　no　man　was　to　mention；　never　was　more　famous　than　while　he　vented　his　groans　in　his　dungeon。　　My　writings　produced　their　effect；　and　really　regained　my　freedom。　　To　my　cultivation　of　the　sciences　and　presence　of　mind　I　am　indebted　for　all；　these　all　the　power　of　Frederic　could　not　deprive　me　of。　　Yes！　This　liberty　I　procured；　though　he　answered　all　petitions　in　my　behalf〃He　is　a　dangerous　man：　　and　so　long　as　I　live　he　shall　never　see　the　light！〃　　Yet　have　I　seen　it　during　his　life：　　after　his　death　I　have　seen　it　without　revenging　myself；　otherwise　than　by　proving　my　virtue　to　a　monarch　who　oppressed　because　he　knew　me　not；　because　be　would　not　recall　the　hasty　sentence　of　anger；　or　own　he　might　be　mistaken。　　He　died　convinced　of　my　integrity；　yet　without　affording　me　retribution！　　Man　is　formed　by　misfortune；　virtue　is　active　in　adversity。　　It　is　indifferent　to　me　that　the　companions　of　my　youth　have　their　ears　gratified；　delighted　with　the　titles　of　General！　　Field…Marshal　I　have　learned　to　live　without　such　additions；　I　am　known　in　my　works。

I　returned　to　my　dungeon。　　Here；　after　my　last　conference　with　the　Landgrave；　I　waited　my　fate　with　a　mind　more　at　ease　than　that　of　a　prince　in　a　palace。　　The　newspapers　they　brought　me　bespoke　approaching　peace；　on　which　my　dependence　was　placed；　and　I　passed　eighteen　months　calmly；　and　without　further　attempt　to　escape。

The　father　of　the　Landgrave　died；　and　Magdeburg　now　lost　its　governor。　　The　worthy　Reichmann；　however；　testified　for　me　all　compassion　and　esteem；　I　had　books；　and　my　time　was　employed。　Imprisonment　and　chains　to　me　were　become　habitual；　and　freedom　in　hope　approached。

About　this　time　I　wrote　the　poems；　〃The　Macedonian　Hero；〃　〃The　Dream　Realised；〃　and　some　fables。　　The　best　of　my　poems　are　now　lost　to　me。　　The　mind's　sensibility　when　the　body　is　imprisoned　is　strongly　roused；　nor　can　all　the　aids　of　the　library　equal　this　advantage。　Perhaps　I　may　recover　some　in　Berlin；　if　so；　the　world　may　learn　what　my　thoughts　then　were。　　When　I　was　at　liberty；　I　had　none　but　such　as　I　remembered；　and　these　I　committed　to　writing。　　On　my　first　visit　to　the　Landgrave　of　Hesse…Cassel　I　received　a　volume　of　them　written　in　my　own　blood；　but　there　were　eight　of　these　which　I　shall　never　regain。

The　death　of　Elizabeth；　the　deposing　of　Peter　III。；　and　the　accession　of　Catherine　II。　produced　peace。　　On　the　receipt　of　this　intelligence　I　tried　to　provide　for　all　contingencies。　　The　worthy　Captain　K…　had　opened　me　a　correspondence　with　Vienna：　　I　was　assured　of　support；　but　was　assured　the　administrators　and　those　who　possessed　my　estates　would　throw　every　impediment　in　the　way　of　freedom。　　I　tried　to　persuade　another　officer　to　aid　my　escape；　but　in　vain。

I　therefore　opened　my　old　hole；　and　my　friends　assisted　me　to　disembarrass　myself　of　sand。　　My　money　melted　away；　but　they　provided　me　with　tools；　gunpowder；　and　a　good　sword。　　I　had　remained　so　long　quiet　that　my　flooring　was　not　examined。

My　intent　was　to　wait　the　peace；　and　should　I　continue　in　chains；　then　would　I　have　my　subterranean　passage　to　the　rampart　ready　for　escape。　　For　my　further　security；　an　old　lieutenant　had　purchased　a　house　in　the　suburbs；　where　I　might　lie　concealed。　　Gummern；　in　Saxony；　is　two　miles　from　Magdeburg；　here　a　friend；　with　two　good　horses；　was　to　wait　a　year；　to　ride　on　the　glacis　of　Klosterbergen　on　the　first　and　fifteenth　of　each　month；　and　at　a　given　signal　to　hasten　to　my　assistance。

My　passage　had　to　be　ready　in　case　of　emergency；　I　removed　the　upper　planking；　broke　up　the　two　beds；　cut　the　boards　into　chips；　and　burnt　them　in　my　stove。　　By　this　I　obtained　so　much　additional　room　as　to　proceed　half　way　with　my　mine。　　Linen　again　was　brought　me；　sand…bags　made；　and　thus　I　successfully　proceeded　to　all　but　the　last　operation。　　Everything　was　so　well　concealed　that　I　had　nothing　to　fear　from　inspection；　especially　as　the　new　come　garrison　could　not　know　what　was　the　original　length　of　the　planks。

I　must　here　relate　a　dreadful　accident；　which　I　cannot　remember　without　shuddering；　and　the　terror　of　which　has　often　haunted　my　very　dreams。

While　mining　under　the　rampart；　as　I　was　carrying　out　the　sand…bag；　I　struck　my　foot　against　a　stone　which　fell　down　and　closed　up　the　passage。

What　was　my　horror　to　find　myself　buried　alive！　　After　a　short　reflection；　I　began　to　work　the　sand　away　from　the　side；　that　I　might　turn　round。　　There　were　some　feet　of　empty　space；　into　which　I　threw　the　sand　as　I　worked　it　away；　but　the　small　quantity　of　air　soon　made　it　so　foul　that　I　a　thousand　times　wished　myself　dead；　and　made　several　attempts　to　strangle　myself。　　Thirst　almost　deprived　me　of　my　senses；　but　as　often　as　I　put　my　mouth　to　the　sand　I　inhaled　fresh　air。　　My　sufferings　were　incredible；　and　I　imagine　I　passed　eight　hours　in　this　situation。　　My　spirits　fainted；　again　I　recovered　and　began　to　labour；　but　the　earth　was　as　high　as　my　chin；　and　I　had　no　more　space　where　I　might　throw　the　sand。　　I　made　a　more　desperate　effort；　drew　my　body　into　a　ball；　and　turned　round；　I　now　faced　the　stone；　there　being　an　opening　at　the　top；　I　respired　fresher　air。　　I　rooted　away　the　sand　under　the　stone；　and　let　it　sink　so　that　I　might　creep　over；　at　length　I　once　more　arrived　in　my　dungeon！

The　morning　was　advanced；　I　sat　down　so　exhausted　that　I　supposed　it　was　impossible　I　had　strength　to　conceal　my　hole。　　After　half　an　hour's　rest；　my　fortitude　returned：　　again　I　went　to　work；　and　scarcely　had　I　ended　before　my　visitors　approached。

They　found　me　pale：　　I　complained　of　headache；　and　continued　some　days　affected　by　the　fatigue　I　had　sustained。　　After　a　time　strength　returned；　but　perhaps　of　all　my　nights　of　horror　this　was　the　most　horrible。　　I　repeatedly　dreamt　I　was　buried　in　the　centre　of　the　earth；　and　now；　though　three　and　twenty　years　are　elapsed；　my　sleep　is　still　haunted　by　this　vision。

After　this　accident；　when　I　worked　in　my　cavity；　I　hung　a　knife　round　my　neck；　that　if　I　should　be　enclosed　I　might　shorten　my　miseries。　　Over　the　stone　that　had　fallen　several　others　hung　tottering；　under　which　I　was　obliged　to　creep。　　Nothing；　however；　could　deter　me　from　trying　to　obtain　my　liberty。

When　my　passage　was　ready；　I　wrote　letters　to　my　friends　at　Vienna；　and　also　a　memorial　to　my　Sovereign。　　When　the　militia　left　Magdeburg　and　the　regulars　returned；　I　took　leave　of　my　friends　who　had　behaved　so　benevolently。　　Several　weeks　elapsed　before　they　departed　and　I　learnt　that　General　Reidt　was　appointed　ambassador　from　Vienna　to　Berlin。

I　had　seen　the　world；　I　knew　this　General　was　not　averse　to　a　bribe：　I　wrote　him　a　letter；　conjuring　him　to　act　with　ardour　in　my　behalf。　I　enclosed　a　draf