the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第3章

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t。　　When　they　opened　my　dungeon　next　day　they　found　me　in　a　truly　pitiable　situation；　wondered　at　my　appetite；　brought　me　another　loaf；　I　refused　to　accept　it；　believing　I　nevermore　should　have　occasion　for　bread；　they；　however；　left　me　one；　gave　me　water；　shrugged　up　their　shoulders；　wished　me　farewell；　as；　according　to　all　appearance；　they　never　expected　to　find　me　alive；　and　shut　all　the　doors；　without　asking　whether　I　wished　or　needed　further　assistance。

Three　days　had　passed　before　I　could　again　eat　a　morsel　of　bread；　and　my　mind；　brave　in　health；　now　in　a　sick　body　became　pusillanimous；　so　that　I　determined　on　death。　　The　irons；　everywhere　round　my　body；　and　their　weight；　were　insupportable；　nor　could　I　imagine　it　was　possible　I　should　habituate　myself　to　them；　or　endure　them　long　enough　to　expect　deliverance。　　Peace　was　a　very　distant　prospect。　　The　King　had　commanded　that　such　a　prison　should　be　built　as　should　exclude　all　necessity　of　a　sentinel；　in　order　that　I　might　not　converse　with　and　seduce　them　from　what　is　called　their　duty：　and；　in　the　first　days　of　despair；　deliverance　appeared　impossible；　and　the　fetters；　the　war；　the　pain　I　felt；　the　place；　the　length　of　time；　each　circumstance　seemed　equally　impossible　to　support。　　A　thousand　reasons　convinced　me　it　was　necessary　to　end　my　sufferings。　I　shall　not　enter　into　theological　disputes：　　let　those　who　blame　me　imagine　themselves　in　my　situation；　or　rather　let　them　first　actually　endure　my　miseries；　and　then　let　them　reason。　　I　had　often　braved　death　in　prosperity；　and　at　this　moment　it　seemed　a　blessing。

Full　of　these　meditations；　every　minute's　patience　appeared　absurdity；　and　resolution　meanness　of　soul；　yet　I　wished　my　mind　should　be　satisfied　that　reason；　and　not　rashness；　had　induced　the　act。　　I　therefore　determined；　that　I　might　examine　the　question　coolly；　to　wait　a　week　longer；　and　die　on　the　fourth　of　July。　　In　the　meantime　I　revolved　in　my　mind　what　possible　means　there　were　of　escape；　not　fearing；　naked　and　chained；　to　rush　and　expire　on　the　bayonets　of　my　enemies。

The　next　day　I　observed；　as　the　four　doors　were　opened；　that　they　were　only　of　wood；　therefore　questioned　whether　I　might　not　even　cut　off　the　locks　with　the　knife　that　I　had　so　fortunately　concealed：　and　should　this　and　every　other　means　fail；　then　would　be　the　time　to　die。　　I　likewise　determined　to　make　an　attempt　to　free　myself　of　my　chains。　　I　happily　forced　my　right　hand　through　the　handcuff；　though　the　blood　trickled　from　my　nails。　　My　attempts　on　the　left　were　long　ineffectual；　but　by　rubbing　with　a　brick；　which　I　got　from　my　seat；　on　the　rivet　that　had　been　negligently　closed；　I　effected　this　also。

The　chain　was　fastened　to　the　run　round　my　body　by　a　hook；　one　end　of　which　was　not　inserted　in　the　rim；　therefore；　by　setting　my　foot　against　the　wall；　I　had　strength　enough　so　far　to　bend　this　hook　back；　and　open　it；　as　to　force　out　the　link　of　the　chain。　　The　remaining　difficulty　was　the　chain　that　attached　my　foot　to　the　wall：　　the　links　of　this　I　took；　doubled；　twisted；　and　wrenched；　till　at　length；　nature　having　bestowed　on　me　great　strength；　I　made　a　desperate　effort；　sprang　forcibly　up；　and　two　links　at　once　flew　off。

Fortunate；　indeed；　did　I　think　myself：　　I　hastened　to　the　door；　groped　in　the　dark　to　find　the　clinkings　of　the　nails　by　which　the　lock　was　fastened；　and　discovered　no　very　large　piece　of　wood　need　be　cut。　　Immediately　I　went　to　work　with　my　knife；　and　cut　through　the　oak　door　to　find　its　thickness；　which　proved　to　be　only　one　inch；　therefore　it　was　possible　to　open　all　the　four　doors　in　four…　and…twenty　hours。

Again　hope　revived　in　my　heart。　　To　prevent　detection　I　hastened　to　put　on　my　chains；　but；　O　God！　what　difficulties　had　I　to　surmount！　After　much　groping　about；　I　at　length　found　the　link　that　had　flown　off；　this　I　hid：　　it　being　my　good　fortune　hitherto　to　escape　examination；　as　the　possibility　of　ridding　myself　of　such　chains　was　in　nowise　suspected。　　The　separated　iron　links　I　tied　together　with　my　hair　ribbon；　but　when　I　again　endeavoured　to　force　my　hand　into　the　ring；　it　was　so　swelled　that　every　effort　was　fruitless。　　The　whole　might　was　employed　upon　the　rivet；　but　all　labour　was　in　vain。

Noon　was　the　hour　of　visitation；　and　necessity　and　danger　again　obliged　me　to　attempt　forcing　my　hand　in；　which　at　length；　after　excruciating　torture；　I　effected。　　My　visitors　came；　and　everything　had　the　appearance　of　order。　　I　found　it；　however；　impossible　to　force　out　my　right　hand　while　it　continued　swelled。

I　therefore　remained　quiet　till　the　day　fixed；　and　on　the　determined　fourth　of　July；　immediately　as　my　visitors　had　closed　the　doors　upon　me；　I　disencumbered　myself　of　my　irons；　took　my　knife；　and　began　my　Herculean　labour　on　the　door。　　The　first　of　the　double　doors　that　opened　inwards　was　conquered　in　less　than　an　hour；　the　other　was　a　very　different　task。　　The　lock　was　soon　cut　round；　but　it　opened　outwards；　there　was　therefore　no　other　means　left　but　to　cut　the　whole　door　away　above　the　bar。

Incessant　and　incredible　labour　made　this　possible；　though　it　was　the　more　difficult　as　everything　was　to　be　done　by　feeling；　I　being　totally　in　the　dark；　the　sweat　dropped；　or　rather　flowed；　from　my　body；　my　fingers　were　clotted　in　my　own　blood；　and　my　lacerated　hands　were　one　continued　wound。

Daylight　appeared：　　I　clambered　over　the　door　that　was　half　cut　away；　and　got　up　to　the　window　in　the　space　or　cell　that　was　between　the　double　doors；　as　before　described。　　Here　I　saw　my　dungeon　was　in　the　ditch　of　the　first　rampart：　　before　me　I　beheld　the　road　from　the　rampart；　the　guard　but　fifty　paces　distant；　and　the　high　palisades　that　were　in　the　ditch；　and　must　be　scaled　before　I　could　reach　the　rampart。　　Hope　grew　stronger；　my　efforts　were　redoubled。　The　first　of　the　next　double　doors　was　attacked；　which　likewise　opened　inward；　and　was　soon　conquered。　　The　sun　set　before　I　had　ended　this；　and　the　fourth　was　to　be　cut　away　as　the　second　had　been。　　My　strength　failed；　both　my　hands　were　raw；　I　rested　awhile；　began　again；　and　had　made　a　cut　of　a　foot　long；　when　my　knife　snapped；　and　the　broken　blade　dropped　to　the　ground！

God　of　Omnipotence！　what　was　I　at　this　moment？　　Was　there；　God　of　Mercies！　was　there　ever　creature　of　Thine　more　justified　than　I　in　despair？　　The　moon　shone　very　clear；　I　cast　a　wild　and　distracted　look　up　to　heaven；　fell　on　my　knees；　and　in　the　agony　of　my　soul　sought　comfort：　　but　no　comfort　could　be　found；　nor　religion　nor　philosophy　had　any　to　give。　　I　cursed　not　Providence；　I　feared　not　annihilation；　I　dared　not　Almighty　vengeance；　God　the　Creator　was　the　disposer　of　my　fate；　and　if　He　heaped　afflictions　upon　me　He　had　not　given　me　strength　to　support；　His　justice　would　not　therefore　punish　me。　　To　Him；　the　Judge　of　the　quick　and　dead；　I　committed　my　soul；　seized　the　broken　knife；　gashed　through　the　veins　of　my　left　arm　and　foot；　sat　myself　tranquilly　down；　and　saw　the　blood　flow。　Nature；　overpowered　fainted；　and　I　know　not　how　long　I　remained；　slumbering；　in　this　state。　　Suddenly　I　heard　my　own　name；　awoke；　and　again　heard　the　words；　〃Baron　Trenck！〃　　My　answer　was；　〃Who　calls？〃　And　who　indeed　was　itwho　but　my　honest　grenadier　Gelfhardtmy　former　faithful　friend　in　the　citadel！　　The　good；　the　kind　fellow　had　got　upon　the　rampart；　that　he　might　comfort　me。

〃How　do　you　do？〃　said　Gelfhardt。　　〃Weltering　in　my　blood；〃　answered　I；　〃to…morrow　you　will　find　me　dead。〃〃Why　should　you　die？〃　replied　he。　　〃It　is　much　easier　for　you　to　escape　here　than　from　the　citadel！　　Here　is　no　sentinel；　and　I　shall　soon　find　means　to　provide　you　with　tools；　if　you　can　only　break　out；　leave　the　rest　to　me。　　As　often　as　I　am　on　guard；　I　will　seek　opportunity　to　speak　to　you。　　In　the　whole　Star…Fort；　there　are　but　two　sentinels：　　the　one　at　the　entrance；　and　the　other　at　the　guard…house。　　Do　not　despair；　God　will　succour　you；　trust　to　me。〃　　The　good　man's　kindness　and　discourse　revived　my　hopes：　　I　saw　the　possibility　of　an　escape。　　A　secret　joy　diffused　itself　through　my　soul。　　I　immediately　tore　my　shirt；　bound　up　my　wounds；　and　waited　the　approach　of　day；　and　the　sun　soon　after　shone　through　the　window；　to　me；　with　unaccustomed　brightness。

Let　the