frederick the great and his family-第49部分

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Gefhart　had　undertaken　to　deliver　Trenck's　letter　to　the　princess；　asking　for　this　money。　This　letter；　written　with　his　own　blood　upon　a　piece　of　linen；　had　been　forwarded　through　Gefhart's　mistress；　the　Jewess　Rebecca；　to　Weingarten。　He　delivered　it　to　the　princess；　and　received；　through　Pollnitz；　two　thousand　thalers；　which　he　did　not　hand　over　to　Rebecca；　but　retained　for　himself；　and　betrayed　to　the　king　Trenck's　intended　flight。

This　was　but　a　short　time　before　Weingarten's　own　flight；　and　while　he　was　enjoying　the　fruit　of　this　base　fraud　in　security　and　freedom；　poor　Trenck　was　forced　to　descend　still　lower　in　the　citadel；　and　take　possession　of　that　frightful　prison　which；　by　special　command　of　the　king；　had　been　built　and　prepared　for　him；　in　the　lowest　casemates　of　the　fortress。

The　king　was　greatly　exasperated　at　these　never…ending　attempts　of　Trenck　to　escape；　his　courage　and　endurance　made　him　an　interesting　and　admired　martyr　to　the　whole　garrison　at　Magdeburg。

Frederick　wished　to　give　to　this　garrison；　and　to　all　his　soldiers；　a　terrible　example　of　the　relentless　severity　with　which　insubordination　should　be　punished；　to　prove　to　them　that　mortal　daring　and　mortal　energy　were　vain　to　escape　the　avenging　hand　of　royal　justice。

Trenck；　who；　in　the　beginning；　had　only　been　condemned　to　arrest　in　Glatz　for　six　months；　had；　by　his　constant　attempts　at　escape；　and　the　mad　and　eloquent　expression　of　his　rage；　brought　upon　himself　the　sentence　of　eternal　imprisonment；　in　a　subterranean　cell；　which；　by　express　command　of　the　king；　was　so　prepared；　that　neither　guards　nor　soldiers　were　necessary　to　his　detention。　A　jailer　only　was　needed；　to　lock　the　four　doors　of　the　corridor　which　led　to　Trenck's　cell。　It　was　as　little　dangerous　to　guard　this　poor　prisoner　as　to　approach　the　lion　bound　by　chains　and　hemmed　in　by　iron　bars。

Trenck　was　indeed　manacled　like　a　wild　beast。　A　chain　clanked　upon　his　feet；　an　iron　girdle　was　around　his　waist；　to　which　hung　a　heavy　chain；　fastened　to　a　thick　iron　bar　built　in　the　wall；　manacles　were　made　fast　to　each　end　of　an　iron　bar；　to　which　his　hands　were　bound。　The　most　cruel　wild　beast　would　not　have　been　so　tortured；　some　one　would　have　had　pity　on　him；　and　mercifully　ended　his　life。　But　this　creature；　thus　tortured；　groaning　and　clanking　his　heavy　chains　this　creature　was　a　man；　therefore　there　was　no　pity。　It　would　have　been　considered　a　crime　to　put　an　end　to　his　life；　but　slowly；　day　by　day；　to　murder　him；　was　only　justice。

The　king　had　made　it　the　personal　duty　of　the　commandant；　Bruckhausen；　to　guard　Trenck。　He　declared　that　if　he　allowed　Trenck　to　escape；　he　should　not　only　lose　his　place　and　rank；　but　take　Trenck's　place　in　his　fearful　cell。　This　was　a　frightful　menace　to　the　ambitious　and　harsh　commandant；　Bruckhausen；　and；　of　course；　led　him　to　take　the　severest　precautions。　It　was　he；　therefore；　who　had　bound　Trenck；　and；　whenever　he　visited　the　poor　prisoner　in　his　cell；　he　rejoiced　in　the　artistic　construction　of　his　chains；　and　looked　proudly　upon　his　work。　He　saw　with　delight　that　Trenck　was　scarcely　able　to　drag　his　heavy　chains　two　feet　to　the　right　or　left；　or　to　raise　the　tin　cup　to　his　parched　lips；　with　his　hands　thus　fastened　to　an　iron　bar；　and　as　often　as　he　left　the　cell；　he　exclaimed；　with　an　expression　of　malicious　joy：

〃I　have　tamed　him　forever！　he　will　not　escape　me！〃

But　Trenck　was　not　tamed；　his　courage　was　not　broken。　In　this　crushed　and　wasted　form　dwelt　a　strong　soul；　a　bounding　heart；　he　had　been　bound　in　chains　thought　to　be　indissoluble。　Trenck　alone　did　not　believe　this；　he　trusted　still　in　the　magic　power　of　his　will；　in　his　good　star；　which　had　not　yet　been　quenched　in　darkness。

In　the　wall　to　which　the　chain　was　fastened；　his　name　was　built；　in　red　tiles；　a　gravestone　marked　the　spot　upon　which　his　feet　moved；　upon　which　a　death's　head　and　the　name　of　Trenck　was　engraved。　Under　this　stone　there　was　a　vault；　and　when　one　looked　at　the　moist　walls；　from　which　the　water　constantly　trickled；　and　at　the　dark　cell；　which　for　six　months　had　not　been　cheered　by　one　ray　of　light；　they　might　well　suppose　that　the　gravestone　would　soon　be　lifted；　and　the　vault　opened　to　receive　the　poor　prisoner；　upon　whose　grave　no　other　tears　would　flow。　These　dark　walls　were；　as　it　appeared；　softer　and　more　pitiful　than　the　hearts　of　men。

Trenck　was　not　subdued；　the　death's　head　and　his　name　upon　the　gravestone　did　not　terrify　him！　It　was　nothing　more　to　him　than　a　constant　reminder　to　collect　his　courage　and　his　strength；　and　to　oppose　to　his　daily　menace　of　death　a　strong　conviction　of　life　and　liberty。

If　his　prison　were　dark；　and　warmed　by　no　ray　of　sunshine；　he　leaned　his　head　against　the　wall；　closed　his　eyes；　and　his　vivid　imagination　and　glowing　fancy　was　the　slave　of　his　will；　and　painted　his　past　life　in　magic　pictures。

The　prisoner；　clad　as　a　convict；　with　his　hands　and　feet　chained；　became　at　once　the　child　of　fortune　and　love；　the　exalted　favorite　of　princes；　the　admired　cavalier；　the　envied　courtier；　and　the　darling　of　lovely　women。

When　hunger　drove　him　to　eat　the　coarse　bread　which　was　his　only　nourishment；　and　to　satisfy　his　thirst　with　the　muddy　water　in　the　tin　pitcher　at　his　side；　he　thought　of　the　meals；　worthy　of　Lucullus；　of　which　he　had　partaken；　at　the　Russian　court；　by　the　side　of　the　all…powerful　Russian　minister　Bestuchef；　he　remembered　the　fabulous　pomp　which　surrounded　him；　and　the　profound　reverence　which　was　shown　him；　as　the　acknowledged　favorite　of　the　prime　minister　of　the　empress。

When　no　one　whispered　one　word　of　consolation　or　of　sympathy；　for　all　trembled　at　the　ceaseless　watchfulness　of　the　commandantwhen　the　rude　silent　jailer　came　daily　and　placed　his　bread　and　water　before　him　and　left　him　without　word　or　greetingthen　Trenck　recalled　the　sacred；　consecrated　hours　in　which　love　had　whispered　sweet　names　and　tender　words。　This　love　still　livedit　watched　over　and　shone　down　upon　himit　was　a　star　of　hope。　Why　should　Trenck　despair；　when　love　lived　and　lived　only　for　him？　No；　he　would　not　diehe　would　never　be　buried　under　this　gravestone。　Beyond　these　thick；　damp　walls　lay　the　worldthe　living；　active；　blooming　world。　It　was　only　necessary　to　break　these　chains；　to　open　the　five　heavy　doors　which　confined　him　to　his　dark　prison；　and　life；　liberty；　the　world；　honor；　love；　belonged　to　him！

〃Is　not　my　will　stronger　than　chains　and　bolts？〃　he　said。　〃Has　not　the　spirit　wings　by　which　she　can　take　flight；　mocking　at　prisons　and　at　torture？〃

His　spirit　was　free；　for　he　believed　in　freedom：　when　his　chains　clanked　around　him；　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　they　whispered　of　speedy　libertyas　if　they　exhorted　him　in　soft；　harmonious　tones；　to　cast　them　off　and　become　a　free　and　happy　man。

At　last　there　came　a　day　when　he　could　no　longer　resist　these　alluring　voices。　If　he　could　break　these　chains　the　first　step　was　taken；　and　only　the　doors　remained　to　be　opened。　By　close　observation；　he　had　discovered　that　the　inner　door　of　his　prison　was　of　wood。　The　faithful　Gefhart　had　managed　to　inform　him　that　the　other　doors　were　also　of　wood。　He　had　also　conveyed　to　him　a　small；　sharp　knife；　the　most　precious　of　all　earthly　treasures；　for　with　this　he　hoped　to　obtain　his　freedom。

〃But　the　chains！〃　First　must　the　chains　be　brokenfirst　must　his　right　hand　be　free！　And　it　was　free。　Although　the　blood　was　bursting　from　the　nails　Trenck　forced　his　hand　through　the　manacle。　Freedom　greeted　him　with　her　first　rapturous　smile。　Alas；　the　handcuff　upon　the　left　hand　was　too　narrow　to　be　removed　in　this　way。　With　a　piece　of　his　chain　he　broke　off　a　fragment　of　stone　which　he　used　as　a　file；　and　in　this　way　he　liberated　his　left　hand。　The　iron　ring　around　his　waist　was　fastened　only　by　a　hook　to　the　chain　attached　to　the　wall。　Trenck　placed　his　feet　against　the　wall；　and　bending　forward　with　all　his　strength；　succeeded　in　straightening　the　hook　so　far　as　to　remove　it　from　the　ring。　And　now　there　only　remained　the　heavy　wooden　chain　fastened　to　his　feet；　and　also　made　fast　to　the　wall。　By　a　powerful　effort　he　broke　two　of　the　links　of　this　chain。

He　was　freefreeat　least　to　stand　erect　and　walk　around　his　miserable　prison。　With　a　feeling　of　inexpressible　joy　he　raised　himself　to　his　full　heightit　enraptured　him　to　move　his　arms；　so　long　and　painfully　confinedhe　extended　them　widely　and　powerfully；　as　if　he　wished　to　clasp　the　whole　outside　world　to　his　heart。

Could　the　commandant　Bruckhausen　have　cast　one　glance　into　this　horrible；　noiseless　cell；　he　would　have　trembled　with　rage　and　apprehension。　The　unchained　giant　stood　with　glad　smiles；　and　flaming　eyes；　and　outstretched　arms；　as　if　adjuring　the　spirits　of　the　under…world　to　come　to　his　assistance。　But　the　commandant　lay　in　careless　security　upon　his　soft；　white　couch；　his　eyes　were　closed；　they　could　not　pierce　the　dark　cell　where　a　fellow…man；　with　loudly…　beating　heart；　but　silent　lips；　called　rapturously　to　the　fair　goddess　Liberty；　and　hastened　to　clasp　her　in　his　arms。

Stepping　forward；　he　sought　the　door　of　his　prison；　and　kneeling　before　it；　he　took　out　his　knife。　He　tried　to　cut　out　a　small　piece　and　to　ascertain　the　thickness　of　the　wall；　this　was　short　workthe　door　opened　inside；　and　it　was　easy　to　cut　around　and　remove　the　lock。　It　was　made　of　simple　oak　boards。　Once　convinced　of　this；　Trenck　prudently　sought　his　mattress　in　order　to　obtain　rest　and　strength。　It　was　impossible　to　commence　his　labor　then。　The　night　was　far　spent；　and　every　morning　at　eight　o'clock　the　jailer　came　to　inspect　him　and　bring　his　bread　and　water。　His　visit　must　be　over　before　he　could　begin　his　workhe　must　possess　his　soul　in　patience。　What　were　a　few　hours'　waiting　to　him　who　had　waited　long；　dreary　years？a　fleeting　moment；　scarcely　sufficient　to　accustom　him　to　his　new　happiness；　to　enable　him　to　collect　his　thoughts　and　bear　quietly　the　rapturous　conviction　of　approaching　freedom。

〃Yes；　I　will　be　free；　this　is　the　last　night　of　my　imprisonment。〃　But　while　waiting　in　this　dreary　prison　he　could　enjoy　one　pleasure　long　denied　himhe　could　stretch　his　limbs　upon　his　bed　without　being　martyred　and　crushed　by　his　bondswithout　hearing　the　clank　of　chains。　With　what　gladness　he　now　stre