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

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



It　was　feared　he　would　go　to　Russia；　and　Prince　Charles　wrote　to　me　in　the　name　of　the　monarch；　desiring　I　would　exert　myself　to　persuade　him　to　return　to　Sweden。　　He　was　a　man　of　pride；　which　rendered　him　either　a　fool　or　a　madman。　　He　despised　everything　that　was　not　Swedish。

The　Prussian　Minister；　Count　Hertzberg；　the　same　year　came　to　Aix…　la…Chapelle。　　I　enjoyed　his　society　for　three　months；　and　accompanied　this　great　man。　　To　his　liberality　am　I　indebted　that　I　can　return　to　my　country　with　honour。

The　time　I　had　to　spare　was　not　spent　in　idleness；　I　attacked；　in　my　weekly　writings；　those　sharpers　who　attend　at　Aix…la…Chapelle　and　Spa　to　plunder　both　inhabitants　and　visitants；　under　the　connivance　of　the　magistracy；　nor　are　there　wanting　foreign　noblemen　who　become　the　associates　of　these　pests　of　society。　　The　publication　of　such　truths　endangered　my　life　from　the　desperadoes；　who；　when　detected；　had　nothing　more　to　lose。　　How　powerful　is　an　innocent　life；　nothing　can　more　fully　prove　than　that　I　still　exist；　in　despite　of　all　the　attempts　of　wicked　monks　and　despicable　sharpers。

Though　my　life　was　much　disturbed；　yet　I　do　not　repent　of　my　manner　of　acting；　many　a　youth；　many　a　brave　man；　have　I　detained　from　the　gaming…table；　and　pointed　out　to　them　the　most　notorious　sharpers。

This　was　so　injurious　to　Spa；　that　the　Bishop　of　Liege　himself；　who　enjoys　a　tax　on　all　their　winnings；　and　therefore　protects　such　villains；　offered　me　an　annual　pension　of　five　hundred　guineas　if　I　would　not　come　to　Spa；　or　three　per　cent。　on　the　winnings；　would　I　but　associate　myself　with　Colonel　N…t；　and　raise　recruits　for　the　gaming…table。　　My　answer　may　easily　be　imagined；　yet　for　this　was　I　threatened　to　be　excommunicated　by　the　Holy　Catholic　Church！

I　and　my　family　passed　sixteen　summers　in　Spa。　　My　house　became　the　rendezvous　of　the　most　respectable　part　of　the　company；　and　I　was　known　to　some　of　the　most　respectable　characters　in　Europe。

A　contest　arose　between　the　town　of　Aix…la…Chapelle　and　Baron　Blankart；　the　master　of　the　hounds　to　the　Elector　Palatine：　　it　originated　in　a　dispute　concerning　precedence　between　the　before…　mentioned　wife　of　the　Recorder　Geyer　and　the　sister　of　the　Burgomaster　of　Aix…la…Chapelle；　Kahr；　who　governed　that　town　with　despotism。

This　quarrel　was　detrimental　to　the　town　and　to　the　Elector　Palatine；　but　profitable　to　Kahr；　whose　office　it　was　to　protect　the　rights　of　the　town；　and　those　persons　who　defended　the　claims　of　the　Elector；　the　latter　kept　a　faro　bank；　the　plunder　of　which　had　enriched　the　town；　and　the　former　Kahr；　under　pretence　of　defending　their　cause；　embezzled　the　money　of　the　people；　so　that　both　parties　endeavoured　with　all　their　power　to　prolong　the　litigation。

It　vexed　me　to　see　their　proceedings。　　Those　who　suffered　on　each　side　were　deceived；　and　I　conceived　the　project　of　exposing　the　truth。　　For　this　purpose　I　journeyed　to　the　court　at　Mannheim；　related　the　facts　to　the　Elector；　produced　a　plan　of　accommodation；　which　he　approved；　and　obtained　power　to　act　as　arbitrator。　　The　Minister　of　the　Elector；　Bekkers；　pretended　to　approve　my　zeal；　conducted　me　to　an　auberge；　made　me　dine　at　his　house；　and　said　a　commission　was　made　out　for　my　son；　and　forwarded　to　Aix…la…　Chapellewhich　was　false；　the　moment　he　quitted　me　he　sent　to　Aix…　la…Chapelle　to　frustrate　the　attempt　he　pretended　to　applaud。　　He　was　himself　in　league　with　the　parties。　　In　fine；　this　silly　interference　brought　me　only　trouble；　expense；　and　chagrin。　　I　made　five　journeys　to　Mannheim；　till　I　became　so　dissatisfied　that　I　determined　to　quit　Aix…la…Chapelle；　and　purchase　an　estate　in　Austria。

The　Bavarian　contest　was　at　this　time　in　agitation；　my　own　affairs　brought　me　to　Paris；　and　here　I　learned　intelligence　of　great　consequence；　this　I　communicated　to　the　Grand　Duke　of　Florence；　on　my　return　to　Vienna。　　The　Duke　departed　to　join　the　army　in　Bohemia；　and　I　again　wrote　to　him；　and　thought　it　my　duty　to　send　a　courier。　The　Duke　showed　my　letter　to　the　Emperor；　but　I　remained　unnoticed。

I　did　not　think　myself　safe　in　foreign　countries　during　this　time　of　war；　and　purchased　the　lordship　of　Zwerbach；　with　appurtenances；　which；　with　the　expenses；　cost　me　sixty　thousand　florins。

To　conclude　this　purchase；　I　was　obliged　to　solicit　the　referendary；　Zetto；　and　his　friend　whom　he　had　appointed　as　my　curator；　for　my　new　estate　was　likewise　made　a　fidei　commissum；　as　my　referendaries　and　curators　would　not　let　me　escape　contribution。　　The　six　thousand　florins　of　which　they　emptied　my　purse　would　have　done　my　family　much　service。

In　May；　1780；　I　went　to　Aix…la…Chapelle；　where　my　wife's　mother　died　in　July；　and　in　September　my　wife；　myself；　and　family；　all　came　to　Vienna。

My　wife　solicited　the　mistress　of　the　ceremonies　to　obtain　an　audience。　　Her　request　was　granted；　and　she　gained　the　favour　of　the　Empress。　　Her　kindness　was　beyond　expression：　　she　introduced　my　wife　to　the　Archduchess；　and　commanded　her　mistress　of　the　ceremonies　to　present　her　everywhere。　　〃You　were　unwilling；〃　said　she；　〃to　accompany　your　husband　into　my　country；　but　I　hope　to　convince　you　that　you　may　live　happier　in　Austria　than　at　Aix…la…　Chapelle。〃

She　next　day　sent　me　her　decree；　assuring　me　of　a　pension　of　four　hundred　florins。

My　wife　petitioned　the　Empress　to　grant　me　an　audience：　　her　request　was　complied　with：　　and　the　Empress　said　to　me：　　〃This　is　the　third　time　in　which　I　would　have　made　your　fortune；　had　you　been　so　disposed。〃　　She　desired　to　see　my　children；　and　spoke　of　my　writings。　　〃How　much　good　might　you　do；〃　said　she；　〃would　you　but　write　in　the　cause　of　religion！〃

We　departed　for　Zwerbach；　where　we　lived　contentedly；　but　when　we　were　preparing　to　return　to　Vienna；　and　solicited　the　restitution　of　part　of　my　lost　fortune；　during　this　favour　of　the　court；　Theresa　died；　and　all　my　hopes　were　overcast。

I　forgot　to　relate　that　the　Archduchess；　Maria　Anna；　desired　me　to　translate　a　religious　work；　written　in　French　by　the　Abbe　Baudrand；　into　German。　　I　replied　I　would　obey　Her　Majesty's　commands。　　I　began　my　work；　took　passages　from　Baudrand；　but　inserted　more　of　my　own。　　The　first　volume　was　finished　in　six　weeks；　the　Empress　thought　it　admirable。　　The　second　soon　followed；　and　I　presented　this　myself。

She　asked　me　if　it　equalled　the　first；　I　answered；　I　hoped　it　would　be　found　more　excellent。　　〃No；〃　said　she；　〃I　never　in　my　life　read　a　better　book：〃　and　added；　〃she　wondered　how　I　could　write　so　well　and　so　quickly。〃　　I　promised　another　volume　within　a　month。　　Before　the　third　was　ready；　Theresa　died。　　She　gave　orders　on　her　death…bed　to　have　the　writings　of　Baron　Trenck　read　to　her；　and　though　her　confessor　well　knew　the　injustice　that　had　been　done　me；　yet　in　her　last　moments　he　kept　silence；　though　he　had　given　me　his　sacred　promise　to　speak　in　my　behalf。

After　her　death　the　censor　commanded　that　I　should　print　what　I　have　stated　in　the　preface　to　that　third　volume；　and　this　was　my　only　satisfaction。

For　one…and…thirty　years　had　I　been　soliciting　my　rights；　which　I　never　could　obtain；　because　the　Empress　was　deceived　by　wicked　men；　and　believed　me　a　heretic。　　In　the　thirty…second；　my　wife　had　the　good　fortune　to　convince　her　this　was　false；　she　had　determined　to　make　me　restitution；　just　at　this　moment　she　died。

The　pension　granted　my　wife　by　the　Empress　in　consequence　of　my　misfortunes　and　our　numerous　family；　we　only　enjoyed　nine　months。

Of　this　she　was　deprived　by　the　new　monarch。　　He　perhaps　knew　nothing　of　the　affair；　as　I　never　solicited。　　Yet　much　has　it　grieved　me。　　Perhaps　I　may　find　relief　when　the　sighs　wrung　from　me　shall　reach　the　heart　of　the　father　of　his　people　in　this　my　last　writing。　　At　present；　nothing　for　me　remains　but　to　live　unknown　in　Zwerbach。

The　Emperor　thought　proper　to　collect　the　moneys　bestowed　on　hospitals　into　one　fund。　　The　system　was　a　wise　one。　　My　cousin　Trenck　had　bequeathed　thirty…six　thousand　florins　to　a　hospital　for　the　poor　of　Bavaria。　　This　act　he　had　no　right　to　do；　having　deducted　the　sum　from　the　family　estate。　　I　petitioned　the　Emperor　that　these　thirty…six　thousand　florins　might　be　restored　to　me　and　my　children；　who　were　the　people　who