frederick the great and his family-第7部分

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t　men　in　the　kingdom；　so　rich　that　he　was　able　to　lend　large　sums　of　money　to　the　powerful　and　influential　Baron　Lowenwalde。　You　see；　baron；　it　only　needs　a　determined　will　to　become　rich。〃

〃Oh！　the　foolish　man；〃　said　Weingarten；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Lending　money　to　a　noble　and　powerful　man；　is　making　an　irreconcilable　enemy。〃

〃You　speak　like　a　prophet。　It　happened；　as　you　say。　Lowenwalde　became　Trenck's　enemy。　He　accused　him　of　embezzling　the　imperial　money；　of　treachery　and　faithlessnessand　Trenck　was　imprisoned。〃

〃His　millions　obtained　his　release；　did　they　not？〃

〃No。　His　riches　reduced　him　to　greater　misery。　His　lands　were　sequestered；　and　a　body　of　commissioners　were　selected　to　attend　to　them。　Baron　Waltz　and　myself　belonged　to　this　commission。〃

〃Ah！　I　begin　to　understand；〃　murmured　Weingarten。

Baron　Zetto　continued；　with　a　smile。　〃The　commissioners　made　the　discovery　that　report　had　greatly　exaggerated　the　riches　of　Trenck。　He　had　not　many　treasures；　but　many　debts。　In　order　to　liquidate　those　debts；　we　desired　his　creditors　to　announce　themselves　every　day；　and　promised　them　a　daily　ducat　until　the　end　of　the　process。〃

〃I　hope　you　two　gentlemen　were　among　his　creditors；〃　said　Weingarten。

〃Certainly；　we　were；　and　also　Baron　Marken。〃

〃Therefore　you　have　a　threefold　advantage　from　Trenck's　imprisonment。　First；　your　salary　as　a　member　of　the　commission；　secondly；　as　a　creditor〃

〃And　thirdlyyou　spoke　of　a　threefold　advantage？〃

〃And　thirdly；〃　said　Weingarten；　laughing；　〃in　searching　for　the　missing　treasures　of　Baron　Trenck　which　had　disappeared　so　unfortunately。〃

〃Ah；　sir；　you　speak　like　those　who　suspected　us　at　court；　and　wished　to　make　the　empress　believe　that　we　had　enriched　ourselves　as　commissioners。　Soon　after　this　Trenck　died；　and　Frederick　von　Trenck　hastened　from　St。　Petersburg　to　receive　his　inheritance。　How　great　was　his　astonishment　to　find　instead　of　the　hoped…for　millions　a　few　mortgaged　lands；　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　guilders；　and　sixty…three　creditors　who　claimed　the　property。〃

〃He　should　have　become　one　of　the　commissioners；〃　remarked　Weingarten；　mockingly。　〃Perhaps　it　would　have　then　been　easier　for　him　to　obtain　his　possessions。〃

〃He　attempted　it　in　another　way；　with　the　aid　of　money；　bribery；　and　persuasion。　He　has　already　succeeded　in　obtaining　fifty…four　of　his　sixty…three　processes；　and　will　win　the　others　in　a　few　days。〃

〃And　then　he　will　doubtless　cause　the　commissioners　to　give　in　their　accounts；　and　close　their　books。〃

〃Exactly。　He　has　already　commenced　to　do　so。　He　ordered　an　investigation　to　be　made　against　the　quartermaster；　and　the　commander　of　the　regiment　to　which　Franz　von　Trenck　belonged。　This　man　had　accused　Trenck　of　having　embezzled　eight　thousand　of　the　imperial　money；　and　Trenck　succeeded　so　far；　that　it　was　declared　that　it　was　not　he；　but　his　accusers；　who　had　committed　the　crime。　The　consequence　was；　that　the　quartermaster　was　deposed；　and　it　would　have　fared　as　badly　with　the　commander；　had　he　not　found　powerful　protection。〃

〃And　now　the　dangerous　Frederick　von　Trenck　will　seize　the　property　of　the　commissioners。〃

〃He　would　do　so　if　we　did　not　know　how　to　prevent　him。　We　must　employ　every　means　to　remove　him；　and；　believe　me；　we　are　not　the　only　men　who　wish　for　his　disappearance。　A　large　and　powerful　party　have　the　same　desire；　and　will　joyfully　pay　ten　thousand　guilders　to　be　freed　from　his　investigations。〃

Weingarten's　eyes　sparkled　for　a　moment；　and　his　heart　beat　quickly；　but　he　suppressed　these　joyful　emotions；　and　retained　his　calm　and　indifferent　expression。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　quietly；　〃as　you　are　speaking　of　a　real　criminal；　one　who　intends　committing　so　great　a　crime；　I　am　at　your　service；　and　no　money　or　promises　are　necessary　to　buy　my　assistance。〃

〃Is　he　really　a　man　of　honor；　and　have　we　received　false　information？〃　thought　Zetto；　who　was　misled　for　a　moment　by　the　quiet　and　virtuous　looks　of　the　secretary　of　legation。

〃In　the　mean　while　you　will　not　prevent　those　for　whom　you　are　about　to　do　a　great　service　from　showing　their　gratitude；〃　said　Baron　Waltz。　〃Every　one　has　a　right　to　give　or　to　receive　a　present。〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Baron　Weingarten；　smilingly；　〃No　one　has　spoken　of　a　present；　but　of　a　payment；　a　bribery；　and　you　can　readily　understand　that　this　is　insulting　to　a　man　of　honor。〃

〃Ah；　he　leaves　open　a　door　of　escape；〃　thought　Zetto。　〃He　is　won；　he　can　be　bought。You　are　right；　baron；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃and　we　are　wrong　to　offer　you　now　that　which　hereafter　will　be　a　debt　of　gratitude。　We　will　speak　no　more　of　this；　but　of　the　danger　that　threatens　the　king。　You　alone　can　save　him　by　warning　him　of　his　danger。〃

〃You　really　believe；　then；　that　Trenck　has　the　intention　of　murdering　the　king？〃　said　Weingarten。

〃We　will　believe　it；〃　said　Zetto；　with　an　ambiguous　smile。

〃We　must　believe　it！〃　cried　Baron　Waltz；　emphatically。　〃We　must　either　believe　in　his　murderous　intentions；　or　be　ourselves　regarded　as　traitors　and　robbers。　You　will　think　it　natural　that　we　prefer　the　first　alternative；　and　as　he　resolved　to　ruin　us；　we　will　anticipate　him；　and　set　the　trap　into　which　he　must　fall。〃

〃Why　could　you　not　lay　your　snares　in　Austria；　gentlemen？　Why　could　you　not　accuse　him　of　intending　to　murder　the　empress？〃

Zetto　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃That　would　not　be　credible；　because　Trenck　has　no　motive　for　murdering　Maria　Theresa；　while　he　might　very　well　thirst　to　revenge　himself　upon　Frederick。　You　know　that　the　king　and　Trenck　are　personal　enemies。　Trenck　has　boasted　of　this　enmity　often　and　loud　enough　to　be　understood　by　the　whole　world；　and　I　do　not　believe　that　this　animosity　has　diminished。　Enemies　naturally　desire　to　destroy　each　other。　Trenck　would　succeed　if　we　did　not　warn　the　king；　and　enable　him　to　anticipate　his　enemy。〃

〃How　can　this　be　done？　Will　the　king　really　go　to　Konigsberg　to　be　present　at　the　Austrian　festivities？〃

〃It　has　been　spoken　of。〃

〃Well；　Trenck　now　proposes　to　go　to　Dantzic；　and　he　has　boasted　that　he　will　enter　Konigsberg　at　the　same　time　with　the　King　of　Prussia；　who　will　not　dare　to　arrest　him。〃

〃We　have　made　a　bet　with　him　of　a　hundred　louis　d'or　on　this　boast；〃　said　Baron　Waltz；　〃and　for　greater　security　we　have　put　it　in　writing。〃

〃Have　you　it　with　you？〃

〃Here　it　is。〃

The　baron　handed　Weingarten　a　paper；　which　he　seized　hastily；　unfolded；　and　read　several　times。

〃This　is　indeed　written　in　very　ambiguous　language；　and　calculated　to　ruin　Trenck　should　it　reach　the　hands　of　the　king；〃　said　Baron　Weingarten　with　a　cruel　smile。

Zetto　returned　this　smile。　〃I　wrote　the　document；　and　you　will　naturally　understand　that　I　measured　the　words　very　closely。〃

〃Who　copied　the　letter？〃　asked　Weingarten。　〃Doubtlessly　Baron　Trenck　was　not　magnanimous　enough　to　do　that。〃

〃Baron　Waltz　is　a　great　adept　in　imitating　handwriting；　and　he　happily　possessed　original　letters　of　Trenck's；〃　said　Zetto；　smilingly。

〃You　will　find　it　most　natural　that　I　should　try　to　win　my　bet；〃　said　Baron　Waltz。　〃If　Trenck　is　arrested　before　he　goes　to　Konigsberg；　I　have　won　my　bet；　and　will　receive　the　hundred　louis　d'ors　from　the　commissioners。〃

All　three　laughed。

〃These　commissioners　will　soon　have　to　pay　you　ten　thousand　guilders；〃　whispered　Zetto。　〃Here　is　a　bond。　On　the　day　that　Trenck　is　a　prisoner　of　the　king　of　Prussia；　this　bond　is　due；　and　you　will　then　find　that　the　commissioners　are　not　backward　in　paying。〃　Zetto　laid　the　document　upon　the　table。　〃You　will　now　have　the　kindness　to　receive　our　testimony；　and；　if　you　desire　it；　we　will　add　our　accusations；　or　you　can　mention　that　this　can　be　done。〃

Weingarten　did　not　answer；　a　repentant　fear　tormented　his　heart；　and　for　a　moment　it　appeared　as　if　his　good　and　evil　genius　were　struggling　for　his　soul。

〃This　involves　probably　the　life　of　a　man；〃　he　said；　softly；　〃it　is　a　terrible　accusation　that　I　must　pronounce：　if　not　condemned　to　death；　the　king　will　imprison　him　for　many　long　years；　and　I　shall　be　responsible　for　this　injustice。〃

Councillor　Zetto's　attentive　ear　heard　every　word；　he　stood　near　him　like　the　evil　one；　and　his　piercing　eyes　rested　upon　the　agitated　countenance　of　Weingarten　and　read　his　thoughts。

〃Have　you　not　lived　the　life　of　a　prisoner　for　many　years？〃　asked　Zetto；　in　a　low；　unnatural　voice；　〃have　you　not　always　been　a　slave　of　poverty？　Will　you　now；　from　weak　pity；　lose　the　opportunity　of　freeing　yourself　from　this　bondage？　Ten　thousand　guilders　is　no　fortune；　but　it　may　be　the　beginning　of　oneit　may　be　the　thread　of　Ariadne　to　lead　you　from　the　labyrinth　of　poverty　to　freedom　and　light；　and　who　will　thank　you　if　you　do　not　seize　this　threadwho　recompense　you　for　your　generosity　and　magnanimity？　If　you　tell　it　to　the　wise　and　cunning；　they　will　laugh　at　you；　and　if　the　foolish　hear　it；　they　will　not　understand　you。　Every　one　is　the　moulder　of　his　own　happiness；　and　woe　unto　him　who　neglects　to　forge　the　iron　while　it　is　hot！〃

Baron　Weingarten　felt　each　of　these　words。　He　did　not　know　if　they　were　uttered　by　human　lips；　or　if　they　came　from　the　depths　of　his　own　base　soul。

〃It　is　true；　it　is　true！〃　he　cried；　in　a　frightened　voice；　〃He　is　a　fool　who　does　not　seize　the　hand　of　Fortune　when　tendered　by　the　laughing　goddessa　fool　who　does　not　break　his　fetters　when　he　has　the　power　to　rend　them。　Come；　gentlemen！　We　take　the　testimony；　and　when　that　is　done；　I　will　conduct　you　to　our　ambassador；　Baron　Puebla。〃

〃Not　sowhen　that　is　done；　we　shall　depart　with　post…haste；　you　alone　shall　receive　thanks　and　recompense。　Now　to　work！〃




CHAPTER　VII。

THE　KING　AND　WEINGARTEN。


The　king　paced　his　room　hastily；　he　was　very　pale；　his　lip　trembled；　and　his　eyes　sparkled　angrily。

He　suddenly　remained　standing　before　the　Austrian　secretary　of　legation；　and　gazed　long　and　earnestly　into　his　face；　but　his　glance；　before　which　so　many　had　trembled；　was　sustained　by　the　secretary　with　so　quiet　and　innocent　a　countenance　that　it　deceived　even　the　king。

〃I　see　that　you　are　convinced　of　the　truth　of　what　you　tell　me。〃　the　king　said　at　last。　〃You　really　believe　that　this　madman　has　the　intention　of　murdering　me？〃

〃I　am　convinced　of　it；　sire；〃　replied　Weingarte