the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第16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！



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

It　was　certain　I　was　not　a　penny　indebted　to　this　person；　I　had　no　redress；　having　been　obliged　to　pass　and　sign　all　their　accounts。

I；　four　years　afterwards；　obtained　information　concerning　this　affair：　　I　met　Schroeder；　knew　him；　and　inquired　whether　he　had　received　these　sixteen　hundred　florins。　　He　answered　in　the　affirmative。　　〃No　one　believed　you　would　ever　more　see　the　light。　　I　knew　you　would　serve　me；　and　that　you　would　relieve　my　necessities。　I　went　and　spoke　to　Dr。　Berger；　he　agreed　we　should　halve　the　sum；　and　his　contrivance　was；　I　should　make　oath　I　had　lent　you　a　thousand　florins；　without　having　received　your　note。　　The　money　was　paid　me　by　M。　Frauenberger；　to　whom　I　agreed　to　send　a　present　of　Tokay；　for　Madam　Huttner。〃

This　was　the　manner　in　which　my　curators　took　care　of　my　property！　Many　instances　I　could　produce；　but　I　am　too　much　agitated　by　the　recollection。　　I　must　speak　a　word　concerning　who　and　what　my　curators　were。

The　Court　Counsellor；　Kempf；　was　my　administrator；　and　Counsellor　Huttner　my　referendary。　　The　substitute　of　Kempf　was　Frauenberger；　who；　being　obliged　to　act　as　a　clerk　at　Prague　during　the　war；　appointed　one　Krebs　as　a　sub…substitute；　whether　M。　Krebs　had　also　a　sub…substitute　is　more　than　I　am　able　to　say。

Dr。　Bertracker　was　fidei　commiss…curator；　though　there　was　no　fidei　commissum　existing。　　Dr。　Berger；　as　Fidei　Commiss…Advocate；　was　superintendent；　and　to　them　all　salaries　were　to　be　paid。

Let　us　see　what　was　the　business　this　company　had　to　transact。　　I　had　seventy…six　thousand　florins　in　the　Hungarian　Chamber；　the　interest　of　which　was　to　be　yearly　received；　and　added　to　the　capital：　　this　was　their　employment；　and　was　certainly　so　trifling　that　any　man　would　have　performed　it　gratis。　　The　war　made　money　scarce；　and　the　discounting　of　bills　with　my　ducats　was　a　profitable　trade　to　my　curators。　　Had　it　been　honestly　employed；　I　should　have　found　my　capital　increased；　after　my　imprisonment；　full　sixty　thousand　florins。　　Instead　of　these　I　received　three　thousand　florins　at　Prague；　and　found　my　capital　diminished　seven　thousand　florins。

Frauenberger　and　Berger　died　rich；　and　I　must　be　confined　as　a　madman；　lest　this　deputy　should　have　been　proved　a　rogue。　　This　is　the　clue　to　the　acquittal　I　was　obliged　to　sign：…　Madam　K…　was　a　lady　of　the　bedchamber　at　court；　she　could　approach　the　throne：　　her　chamber　employments；　indeed；　procured　her　the　keys　of　doors　that　to　me　were　eternally　locked。

Not　satisfied　with　this；　Kempf　applied　to　the　Empress；　informed　her　they　were　acquitted；　not　recompensed；　and　that　Frauenberger　required　four　thousand　florins　for　remuneration。　　The　Empress　laid　an　interdict　on　the　half　of　my　income　and　pension。　　Thus　was　I　obliged　to　live　in　poverty；　banished　the　Austrian　dominions；　where　my　seventy…six　thousand　florins　were　reduced　to　sixty…three；　the　interest　of　which　I　could　only　receive；　and　that　burthened　by　the　above　interdict；　the　fidei　commissum；　and　administratorship。

The　Empress　during　my　sickness　ordered　that　my　captain's　pay；　during　my　ten　years'　imprisonment；　should　be　given　me；　amounting　to　eight　thousand　florins；　which　pay　she　also　settled　on　me　as　a　pension。　　By　this　pension　I　never　profited；　for；　during　twenty…three　years；　that　and　more　was　swallowed　by　journeys　to　Vienna；　chicanery　of　courtiers　and　agents；　and　costs　of　suits。　　Of　the　eight　thousand　florins　three　were　stolen；　the　court　physician　must　be　paid　thrice　as　much　as　another；　and　what　remained　after　my　recovery　was　sunk　in　the　preparations　I　had　made　to　seek　my　fortune　elsewhere。

How　far　my　captain's　pay　was　matter　of　right　or　favour；　let　the　world　judge；　being　told　I　went　in　the　service　of　Vienna　to　the　city　of　Dantzic。　　Neither　did　this　restitution　of　pay　equal　the　sum　I　had　sent　the　Imperial　Minister　to　obtain　my　freedom。　　I　remained　nine　months　in　my　dungeon　after　the　articles　were　signed；　unthought　of；　and；　when　mentioned　by　the　Austrians；　the　King　had　twice　rejected　the　proposal　of　my　being　set　free。　　The　affair　happened　as　follows；　as　I　received　it　from　Prince　Henry；　Prince　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick；　and　the　Minister；　Count　Hertzberg：…　General　Reidt　had　received　my　ten　thousand　florins　full　six　months；　and　seemed　to　remember　me　no　more。　　One　gala　day；　on　the　21st　of　December；　the　King　happened　to　be　in　good　humour；　and　Her　Majesty　the　Queen；　the　Princess　Amelia；　and　the　present　monarch；　said　to　the　Imperial　Minister；　〃This　is　a　fit　opportunity　for　you　to　speak　in　behalf　of　Trenck。〃　　He　accordingly　waited　his　time；　did　speak；　and　the　King　replied；　〃Yes。〃

The　joy　of　the　whole　company　appeared　so　great　that　Frederic　THE　GREAT　was　offended！

Other　circumstances　which　contributed　to　promote　this　affair；　the　reader　will　collect　from　my　history。　　That　there　were　persons　in　Vienna　who　desired　to　detain　me　in　prison　is　indubitable；　from　their　proceedings　after　my　return。　　My　friends　in　Berlin　and　my　money　were　my　deliverers。

Walking　round　Vienna；　having　recovered　from　my　sickness；　the　broad　expanse　of　heaven　inspired　a　consciousness　of　freedom　and　pleasure　indescribable。　　I　heard　the　song　of　the　lark。　　My　heart　palpitated；　my　pulse　quickened；　for　I　recollected　I　was　not　in　chains。　〃Happen；〃　said　I；　〃what　may；　my　will　and　heart　are　free。〃

An　incident　happened　which　furthered　my　project　of　getting　away　from　Austria。　　Marshal　Laudohn　was　going　to　Aix…la…Chapelle　to　take　the　waters。　　He　went　to　take　his　leave　of　the　Countess　Parr；　I　was　present　the　Empress　entered　the　chamber；　and　the　conversation　turning　upon　Laudohn's　journey；　she　said　to　me；　〃The　baths　are　necessary　to　the　re…establishment　of　your　health；　Trenck。〃　　I　was　ready；　and　followed　him　in　two　days；　where　we　remained　about　three　months。

The　mode　of　life　at　Aix…la…Chapelle　and　Spa　pleased　me；　where　men　of　all　nations　meet；　and　where　princes　mingle　with　persons　of　all　ranks。　　One　day　here　procured　me　more　pleasure　than　a　whole　life　in　Vienna。

I　had　scarcely　remained　a　month　before　the　Countess　Parr　wrote　to　me　that　the　Empress　had　provided　for　me；　and　would　make　my　fortune　as　soon　as　I　returned　to　Vienna。　　I　tried　to　discover　in　what　it　consisted；　but　in　vain。　　The　death　of　the　Emperor　Francis　at　Innsbruck　occasioned　the　return　of　General　Laudohn；　and　I　followed　him；　on　foot；　to　Vienna。

By　means　of　the　Countess　Parr　I　obtained　an　audience。　　The　Empress　said　to　me；　〃I　will　prove　to　you；　Trenck；　that　I　keep　my　word。　　I　have　insured　your　fortune；　I　will　give　you　a　rich　and　prudent　wife。〃　I　replied；　〃Most　gracious　Sovereign；　I　cannot　determine　to　marry；　and；　if　I　could；　my　choice　is　already　made　at　Aix…la…Chapelle。〃　〃How！　are　you　married；　then？〃〃Not　yet；　please　your　Majesty。〃〃Are　you　promised？〃

〃Yes。〃〃Well；　well；　no　matter　for　that；　I　will　take　care　of　that　affair；　I　am　determined　on　marrying　you　to　the　rich　widow　of　M…；　and　she　approves　my　choice。　　She　is　a　good；　kind　woman；　and　has　fifty　thousand　florins　a　year。　　You　are　in　want　of　such　a　wife。〃

I　was　thunderstruck。　　This　bride　was　a　canting　hypocrite　of　sixty…　three；　covetous；　and　a　termagant。　　I　answered；　〃I　must　speak　the　truth　to　your　Majesty；　I　could　not　consent　did　she　possess　the　treasures　of　the　whole　earth。　　I　have　made　my　choice；　which；　as　an　honest　man；　I　must　not　break。〃　　The　Empress　said；　〃Your　unhappiness　is　your　own　work。　　Act　as　you　think　proper；　I　have　done。〃　　Here　my　audience　ended。　　I　was　not　actually　affianced　at　that　time　to　my　present　wife；　but　love　had　determined　my　choice。

Marshal　Laudohn　promoted　the　match。　　He　was　acquainted　with　my　heart　and　the　warmth　of　my　passion；　and　perceived　that　I　could　not　conquer　the　desire　of　vengeance　on　men　by　whom　I　had　been　so　cruelly　treated。　　He　and　Professor　Gellert　advised　me　to　take　this　mode　of　calming　passions　that　often　inspired　projects　too　vast；　and　that　I　should　fly　the　company　of　the　great。　　This　counsel　was　seconded　by　my　own　wishes。　　I　returned　to　Aix…la…Chapelle　in　December；　1766；　and　married　the　youngest　daughter　of　the　former　Burgomaster　De　Broe。　　He　was　dead；　he　had　lived　on　his　own　estate　in　Brussels；　where　my　wife　was　born　and　educated。　　My　wife's　mother　was　sister　to　the　Vice…　Chancellor　of　Dusseldorf；　Baron　Robert；　Lord　of　Roland。　　My　wife　was　with　me　in　most　parts　of　Europe。　　She　was　then　young；　handsome；　worthy；　and　virtuous；　has　borne　me　eleven　children；　all　of　whom　she　has　nursed　herself；　eight　of　them　are　still　living　and　have　been　properly　educated。　　Twenty…two　years　she　has　borne　a　part　of　all　my　sufferings；　and　well　deserves　reward。

During　my　abode　in　Vienna　I　made　one　effort　more。　　I　sought　an　audience　with　the　present　Emperor　Joseph；　related　all　that　had　happened　to　me；　and　remarked　such　defects　as　I　had　observed　in　the　regulations　of　the　country。　　He　heard　me；　and　commanded　me　to　commit　my　thoughts　to　writing。　　My　memorial　was　graciously　received。　　I　also　gave　a　full　account　of　what　had　happened　to　me　in　various　countries；　which　prudence　has　occasioned　me　to　express　more　cautiously　in　these　pages。　　My　memorial　produced　no　effect；　and　I　hastened　back　to　Aix…la…Chapelle。



CHAPTER　VII。



For　some　years　I　lived　in　peace；　my　house　was　the　rendezvous　of　the　first　people；　who　came　to　take　the　waters。　　I　began　to　be　more　known　among　the　very　first　and　best　people。　　I　visited　Professor　Gellert　at　Leipzig；　and　asked　his　advice　concerning　what　branch　of　literature　he　thought　it　was　probable　I　might　succeed　in。　　He　most　approved　my　fables　and　tales；　and　blamed　the　excessive　freedom　with　which　I　spoke　in　political　writings。　　I　neglected　his　advice；　and　many　of　the　ensuing　calamities　were　the　consequence。

I　received　orders　to　correspond　with　His　Majesty's　private　secretary；　Baron　Roder；　suffice　it　to　say；　my　attempts　to　serve　my　country　were　frustrated；　I　saw　defects　too　clearly；　spoke　my　thoughts　too　frankly；　and　wanted　sufficient　humility　ever　to　obtain　favour。

In　the　year　1767　I　wrote　〃The　Macedonian　Hero；〃　which　became　famous　throughout　all　Germany。　　The　poem　did　me　honour；　but　entailed　new　persecutions；　yet　I　never　could　repent：　　I　have　had　the　honour　of　presenting　it　to　five　reigning　princes；　by　none　of　whom　it　has　been　burnt。　　The　Empress　alone　was　highly　en