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

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！


ravagancies。

Count　Alton　spoke　of　me　and　my　hard　destiny　to　the　Countess　Parr；　mistress　of　the　ceremonies　to　the　Empress…Queen。　　The　late　Emperor　entered　the　chamber；　and　asked　whether　I　ever　had　any　lucid　intervals。　　〃May　it　please　your　Majesty；〃　answered　Alton；　〃he　has　been　seven　weeks　in　my　barracks；　and　I　never　met　a　more　reasonable　man。　　There　is　mystery　in　this　affair；　or　he　could　not　be　treated　as　a　madman。　　That　he　is　not　so　in　anywise　I　pledge　my　honour。〃

The　next　day　the　Emperor　sent　Count　Thurn；　grand…master　of　the　Archduke　Leopold；　to　speak　to　me。　　In　him　I　found　an　enlightened　philosopher；　and　a　lover　of　his　country。　　To　him　I　related　how　I　had　twice　been　betrayed；　twice　sold　at　Vienna；　during　my　imprisonment；　to　him　showed　that　my　administrators　had　acted　in　this　vile　manner　that　I　might　be　imprisoned　for　life；　and　they　remain　in　possession　of　my　effects。　　We　conversed　for　two　hours；　during　which　many　things　were　said　that　prudence　will　not　permit　me　to　repeat。　　I　gained　his　confidence；　and　he　continued　my　friend　till　death。　　He　promised　me　protection；　and　procured　me　an　audience　of　the　Emperor。

I　spoke　with　freedom；　the　audience　lasted　an　hour。　　At　length　the　Emperor　retired　into　the　next　apartment。　　I　saw　the　tears　drop　from　his　eyes。　　I　fell　at　his　feet；　and　wished　for　the　presence　of　a　Rubens　or　Apelles；　to　preserve　a　scene　so　honourable　to　the　memory　of　the　monarch；　and　paint　the　sensations　of　an　innocent　man；　imploring　the　protection　of　a　compassionate　prince。　　The　Emperor　tore　himself　from　me；　and　I　departed　with　sensations　such　as　only　those　can　know　who；　themselves　being　virtuous；　have　met　with　wicked　men。　　I　returned　to　the　barracks　with　joy；　and　an　order　the　next　day　came　for　my　release。　　I　went　with　Count　Alton　to　the　Countess　Parr；　and　by　her　mediation　I　obtained　an　audience　with　the　Empress。

I　cannot　describe　how　much　she　pitied　my　sufferings　and　admired　my　fortitude。　　She　told　me　she　was　informed　of　the　artifices　practised　against　me　in　Vienna；　she　required　me　to　forgive　my　enemies；　and　pass　all　the　accounts　of　my　administrators。　　〃Do　not　complain　of　anything；〃　said　she；　〃but　act　as　I　desireI　know　allyou　shall　be　recompensed　by　me；　you　deserve　reward　and　repose；　and　these　you　shall　enjoy。〃

I　must　either　sign　whatever　was　given　to　sign；　or　be　sent　to　a　madhouse。　　I　received　orders　to　accompany　M。　Pistrich　to　Counsellor　Ziegler；　thither　I　went；　and　the　next　day　was　obliged　to　sign；　in　their　presence；　the　following　conditions：…

FirstThat　I　acknowledged　the　will　of　Trenck　to　be　valid。

SecondlyThat　I　renounced　all　claim　to　the　Sclavonian　estates；　relying　alone　on　her　Majesty's　favour。

ThirdlyThat　I　solemnly　acquitted　my　accountants　and　curators。　And；

LastlyThat　I　would　not　continue　in　Vienna。

This　I　must　sign；　or　languish　in　prison。

How　did　my　blood　boil　while　I　signed！　　This　confidence　I　had　in　myself　assured　me　I　could　obtain　employment　in　any　country　of　Europe；　by　the　labours　of　my　mind；　and　the　recital　of　all　my　woes。　At　that　time　I　had　no　children；　I　little　regretted　what　I　had　lost；　or　the　poor　portion　that　remained。

I　determined　to　avoid　Austria　eternally。　　My　pride　would　never　suffer　me；　by　insidious　arts；　to　approach　the　throne。　　I　knew　no　such　mode　of　soliciting　for　justice；　hence　I　was　not　a　match　for　my　enemies；　hence　my　misfortunes。　　Appeals　to　justice　were　represented　as　the　splenetic　effusions　of　a　man　never　to　be　satisfied。　　My　too　sensitive　heart　was　corroded　by　the　treatment　I　met　at　Vienna。　　I；　who　with　so　much　fortitude　had　suffered　so　much　in　the　cause　of　Vienna；　I；　on　whom　the　eyes　of　Germany　were　fixed；　to　behold　what　should　be　the　reward　of　these　sufferings；　I　was　again；　in　this　country；　kept　a　prisoner；　and　delivered　to　those　by　whom　I　had　been　plundered　as　a　man　insane！

Before　my　intended　departure　to　seek　my　fortune；　I　fell　ill；　and　sickness　almost　brought　me　to　the　grave。　　The　Empress；　in　her　great　clemency；　sent　one　of　her　physicians　and　a　friar　to　my　assistance；　both　of　whom　I　was　obliged　to　pay。

At　this　time　I　refused　a　major's　commission；　for　which　I　was　obliged　to　pay　the　fees。　　Being　excluded　from　actual　service；　to　me　the　title　was　of　little　value；　my　rank　in　the　army　had　been　equal　ten　years　before　in　other　service。　　The　following　words；　inserted　in　my　commission；　are　not　unworthy　of　remark：…　〃Her　Majesty；　in　consequence　of　my　fidelity　for　her　service；　demonstrated　during　a　long　imprisonment；　my　endowments　and　virtues；　had　been　graciously　pleased　to　grant　me；　in　the　Imperial　service；　the　rank　of　major。〃　The　rank　of　major！From　this　preamble　who　would　not　have　expected　either　the　rank　of　general；　or　the　restoration　of　my　great　Sclavonian　estates？　　I　had　been　fifteen　years　a　captain　of　cavalry；　and　then　was　I　made　an　invalid　major　three…and…twenty　years　ago；　and　an　invalid　major　I　still　remain！　　Let　all　that　has　been　related　be　called　to　mind；　the　manner　in　which　I　had　been　pillaged　and　betrayed；　let　Vienna；　Dantzic；　and　Magdeburg　he　remembered；　and　be　this　my　promotion　remembered　also！　　Let　it　be　known　that　the　commission　of　major　might　be　bought　for　a　few　thousand　florins！　Thirty　thousand　florins　only　of　the　money　I　had　been　robbed　of　would　have　purchased　a　colonel's　commission。　　I　should　then　have　been　a　companion　for　generals。

During　the　thirty…six　years　that　I　have　been　in　the　service　of　Austria；　I　never　had　any　man　of　rank；　any　great　general；　my　enemy；　except　Count　Grassalkowitz；　and　he　was　only　my　enemy　because　he　had　conceived　a　friendship　for　my　estates。

My　character　was　never　calumniated；　nor　did　any　worthy　man　ever　speak　of　me　but　with　respect。　　Who　were；　who　are；　my　enemies？　Jesuits；　monks；　unprincipled　advocates；　wishing　to　become　my　curators；　referendaries；　who　died　despicable；　or　now　live　in　houses　of　correction。　　Such　as　live；　live　in　dread　of　a　similar　end；　for　the　Emperor　Joseph　is　able　to　discover　the　truth。　　Alas！　the　truth　is　discovered　so　late；　age　has　now　nearly　rendered　me　an　invalid。　Men　with　hearts　so　base　ought；　indeed；　to　become　the　scavengers　of　society；　that；　terrified　by　their　example；　succeeding　judges　may　not　rack　the　heart　of　an　honest　man；　seize　on　the　possessions　of　the　orphan　and　the　widow；　and　expel　virtue　out　of　Austria。

I　attended　the　levee　of　Prince　Kaunitz。　　Not　personally　known　to　him；　he　viewed　in　me　a　crawling　insect。　　I　thought　somewhat　more　proudly；　my　actions　were　upright；　and　so　should　my　body　be。　　I　quitted　the　apartment；　and　was　congratulated　by　the　mercenary　Swiss　porter　on　my　good　fortune　of　having　obtained　an　audience！

I　applied　to　the　field…marshal；　from　whom　I　received　this　answer　〃If　you　cannot　purchase；　my　dear　Trenck；　it　will　be　impossible　to　admit　you　into　service；　besides；　you　are　too　old　to　learn　our　manoeuvres。〃　　I　was　then　thirty…seven。　　I　briefly　replied；　〃Your　excellency　mistakes　my　character。　　I　did　not　come　to　Vienna　to　serve　as　an　invalid　major。　　My　curators　have　taken　good　care　I　should　have　no　money　to　purchase；　but　had　I　millions；　I　would　never　obtain　rank　in　the　army　by　that　mode。〃　　I　quitted　the　room　with　a　shrug。　　The　next　day　I　addressed　a　memorial　to　the　Empress。　　I　did　not　re…demand　my　Sclavonian　estates；　I　only　petitioned。

FirstThat　those　who　had　carried　off　quintals　of　silver　and　gold　from　the　premises；　and　had　rendered　no　account　to　me　or　the　treasury；　should　refund　at　least　a　part。

SecondlyThat　they　should　be　obliged　to　return　the　thirty…six　thousand　florins　taken　from　my　inheritance；　and　applied　to　a　hospital。

ThirdlyThat　the　thirty…six　thousand　florins　might　be　repaid；　which　Count　Grassalkowitz　had　deducted　from　the　allodial　estates；　for　three　thousand　six　hundred　pandours　who　had　fallen　in　the　service　of　the　Empress；　I　not　being　bound　to　pay　for　the　lives　of　men　who　had　died　in　defence　of　the　Empress。

FourthlyI　required　that　fifteen　thousand　florins；　which　had　been　deducted　from　my　capital；　and　applied　to　the　Bohemian　fortifications；　should　likewise　be　restored；　together　with　the　fifteen　thousand　which　had　been　unduly　paid　to　the　regiment　of　Trenck。

FifthlyI　reclaimed　the　twelve　thousand　florins　which　I　had　been　robbed　of　at　Dantzic　by　the　treachery　of　the　Imperial　Resident；　Abramson；　and　public　satisfaction　from　the　magistracy　of　Dantzic；　who　had　delivered　me　up；　so　contrary　to　the　laws　of　nations；　to　the　Prussian　power。

I　likewise　claimed　the　interest　of　six　per　cent；　for　seventy…six　thousand　florins；　detained　by　the　Hungarian　Chamber；　which　amounted　to　twenty　thousand　florins；　I　having　been　allowed　five　per　cent。；　and　at　last　four。

I　insisted　on　the　restoration　of　my　Sclavonian　estates；　and　a　proper　allowance　for　improvements；　which　the　very　sentence　of　the　court　had　granted；　and　which　amounted　to　eighty　thousand　florins。

I　petitioned　for　an　arbitrator；　I　solicited　justice　concerning　rights；　but　received　no　answer　to　this　and　a　hundred　other　petitions！

I　must　here　speak　of　transactions　during　my　imprisonment。　　I　had　bought　a　house　in　Vienna　in　the　year　1750；　the　price　was　sixteen　thousand　florins；　thirteen　thousand　of　which　I　had　paid　by　instalments。　　The　receipts　were　among　my　writings；　these　writings；　with　my　other　effects；　were　taken　from　me　at　Dantzic；　in　the　year　1754；　nor　have　I；　to　this　hour；　been　able　to　learn　more　than　that　my　writings　were　sent　to　the　administrators　of　my　affairs　at　Vienna。　With　respect　to　my　houses　and　property　in　Dantzic；　in　what　manner　these　were　disposed　of　no　one　could　or　would　say。

After　being　released　at　Magdeburg；　I　inquired　concerning　my　house；　but　no　longer　found　it　mine。　　Those　who　had　got　possession　of　my　writings　must　have　restored　the　acquittances　to　the　seller；　consequently　he　could　re…demand　the　whole　sum。　　My　house　was　in　other　hands；　and　I　was　brought　in　debtor　six　thousand　florins　for　interest　and　costs　of　suit。　　Thus　were　house　and　money　gone。　　Whom　can　I　accuse？

Again；　I　had　maintained；　at　my　own　expense　Lieutenant　Schroeder；　who　had　deserted　from　Glatz；　and　for　whom　I　obtained　a　captain's　commission　in　the　guard　of　Prince　Esterhazy；　at　Eisenstadt。　　His　misconduct　caused　him　to　be　cashiered。　　In　my　administrator's　accounts　I　found　the　following

〃To　Captain　Schroeder；　for　capital；　interest；　and　costs　of　suit；　sixteen　hundred　florins。〃

It　was　certain　I　was　not　a　p