the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第28部分

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g　nothing　better　was　to　be　done；　I　laughed　in　company　with　them；　and；　thus　laughing　was　led　back　with　an　aching　heart　to　be　sorrowfully　enchained　in　my　dungeon。

I　continued　my　journey；　and　arrived；　on　the　fourth　of　April；　at　Konigsberg；　where　my　brother　expected　my　arrival。　　We　embraced　as　brothers　must；　after　the　absence　of　two…and…forty　years。　　Of　all　the　brothers　and　sisters　I　had　left　in　this　city；　he　only　remained。　　He　lived　a　retired　and　peaceable　life　on　his　own　estates。　　He　had　no　children　living。　　I　continued　a　fortnight　within　him　and　his　wife。

Here；　for　the　first　time；　I　learned　what　had　happened　to　my　relations；　during　their　absence。　　The　wrath　of　the　Great　Frederic　extended　itself　to　all　my　family。　　My　second　brother　was　an　ensign　in　the　regiment　of　cuirassiers　at　Kiow；　in　1746；　when　I　first　incurred　disgrace　from　the　King。　　Six　years　he　served；　fought　at　three　battles；　but；　because　his　name　was　Trenck；　never　was　promoted。　Weary　of　expectation　he　quitted　the　army；　married；　and　lived　on　his　estates　at　Meicken；　where　he　died　about　three　years　ago；　and　left　two　sons；　who　are　an　honour　to　the　family　of　the　Trencks。

Fame　spoke　him　a　person　capable　of　rendering　the　state　essential　service；　as　a　military　man；　but　he　was　my　brother；　and　the　King　would　never　suffer　his　name　to　be　mentioned。

My　youngest　brother　applied　himself　to　the　sciences；　it　was　proposed　that　he　should　receive　some　civil　employment；　as　he　was　an　intelligent　and　well…informed　man；　but　the　King　answered　in　the　margin　of　the　petition；


〃No　Trenck　is　good　for　anything。〃


Thus　have　all　my　family　suffered；　because　of　my　unjust　condemnation。　My　last…mentioned　brother　chose　the　life　of　a　private　man；　and　lived　at　his　ease；　in　independence；　among　the　first　people　of　the　kingdom。　The　hatred　of　the　monarch　extended　itself　to　my　sister；　who　had　married　the　son　of　General　Waldow；　and　lived　in　widowhood；　from　the　year　1749；　to　her　second　marriage。　　The　misfortunes　of　this　woman；　in　consequence　of　the　treachery　of　Weingarten；　and　the　aid　she　sent　to　me　in　my　prison　at　Magdeburg；　I　have　before　related。　　She　was　possessed　of　the　fine　estate　of　Hammer；　near　Landsberg　on　the　Warta。　The　Russian　army　changed　the　whole　face　of　the　country；　and　laid　it　desert。　　She　fled　to　Custrin；　where　everything　was　destroyed　during　the　siege。　　The　Prussian　army　also　demolished　the　fine　forests。

After　the　war；　the　King　assisted　all　the　ruined　families　of　Brandenburg；　she　alone　obtained　nothing；　because　she　was　my　sister。　She　petitioned　the　King；　who　repined　she　must　seek　for　redress　from　her　dear　brother。　　She　died；　in　the　flower　of　her　age；　a　short　time　after　she　had　married　her　second　husband；　the　present　Colonel　Pape：　her　son；　also；　died　last　year。　　He　was　captain　in　the　regiment　of　the　Gotz　dragoons。　　Thus　were　all　my　brothers　and　sisters　punished　because　they　were　mine。　　Could　it　be　believed　that　the　great　Frederic　would　revenge　himself　on　the　children　and　the　children's　children？　　Was　it　not　sufficient　that　he　should　wreak　his　wrath　on　my　head　alone？　　Why　has　the　name　of　Trenck　been　hateful　to　him；　to　the　very　hour　of　his　death？

One　Derschau；　captain　of　horse；　and　brother　of　my　mother；　addressed　himself　to　the　King；　in　1753；　alleging　he　was　my　nearest　relation　and　feudal　heir；　and　petitioned　that　he　would　bestow　on　him　my　confiscated　estates　of　Great　Sharlack。　　The　King　demanded　that　the　necessary　proofs　should　be　sent　from　the　chamber　at　Konigsberg。　　He　was　uninformed　that　I　had　two　brothers　living；　that　Great　Sharlack　was　an　ancient　family　inheritance；　and　that　it　appertained　to　my　brothers；　and　not　to　Derschau。　　My　brothers　then　announced　themselves　as　the　successors　to　this　fief；　and　the　King　bestowed　on　them　the　estate　of　Great　Sharlack　conformable　to　the　feudal　laws。　That　it　might　be　properly　divided；　it　was　put　up　to　auction；　and　bought　by　the　youngest　of　my　brothers；　who　paid　surplus　to　the　other；　and　to　my　sister。　　He　likewise　paid　debts　charged　upon　it；　according　to　the　express　orders　of　the　court。　　The　persons　who　called　themselves　my　creditors　were　impostors；　for　I　had　no　creditors；　I　was　but　nineteen　when　my　estates　were　confiscated；　consequently　was　not　of　age。　　By　what　right　therefore；　could　such　debts　be　demanded　or　paid？　　Let　them　explain　this　who　can。

The　same　thing　happened　when　an　account　was　given　in　to　the　Fiscus　of　the　guardianship；　although　I　acknowledge　my　guardians　were　men　of　probity。　　One　of　them　was　eight　years　in　possession；　and　when　he　gave　it　up　to　my　brothers　he　did　not　account　with　them　for　a　single　shilling。　　At　present；　therefore；　the　affair　stands　thus：…　Frederic　William　has　taken　off　the　sentence　of　confiscation；　and　ordered　me　to　be　put　in　possession　of　my　estates；　by　a　gracious　rescript：　empowered　by　this　I　come　and　demand　restitution；　my　brother　answers；　〃I　have　bought　and　paid　for　the　estate；　am　the　legal　possessor；　have　improved　it　so　much　that　Great　Sharlack；　at　present；　is　worth　three　or　four　times　the　sum　it　was　at　the　time　of　confiscation。　　Let　the　Fiscus　pay　me　its　actual　value；　and　then　let　them　bestow　it　on　whom　they　please。　　If　the　reigning　king　gives　what　his　predecessor　sold　to　me；　I　ought　not　thereby　to　be　a　loser。〃

This　is　a　problem　which　the　people　of　Berlin　must　resolve。　　My　brother　has　no　children；　and；　without　going　to　law；　will　bequeath　Great　Sharlack　to　mine；　when　he　shall　happen　to　die。　　If　he　is　forced　in　effect　to　restore　it　without　being　reimbursed；　the　King　instead　of　granting　a　favour；　has　not　done　justice。　　I　do　not　request　any　restitution　like　this；　since　such　restitution　would　be　made　without　asking　it　as　a　favour　of　the　King。　　If　his　Majesty　takes　off　the　confiscation　because　he　is　convinced　it　was　originally　violent　and　unjust；　then　have　I　a　right　to　demand　the　rents　of　two…　and…forty　years。　　This　I　am　to　require　from　the　Fiscus；　not　from　my　brother。　　And　should　the　Fiscus　only　restore　me　the　price　for　which　it　then　sold；　it　would　commit　a　manifest　injustice；　since　all　estates　in　the　province　of　Prussia　have；　since　1746；　tripled　and　quadrupled　their　value。　　If　the　estates　descend　only　to　my　children　after　my　death；　I　receive　neither　right　nor　favour；　for；　in　this　case；　I　obtain　nothing　for　myself；　and　shall　remain　deprived　of　the　rents；　which；　as　the　estate　is　at　present　farmed　by　my　brother　amount　to　four　thousand　rix…dollars　per　annum。　　This　estate　cannot　be　taken　from　him　legally；　since　he　enjoys　it　by　right　of　purchase

Such　is　the　present　state　of　the　business。　　How　the　monarch　shall　think　proper　to　decide；　will　be　seen　hereafter。　　I　have　demanded　of　the　Fiscus　that　it　shall　make　a　fair　valuation　of　Great　Sharlack；　reimburse　my　brother；　and　restore　it　to　me。　　My　brother　has　other　estates。　　These　he　will　dispose　of　by　testament；　according　to　his　good　pleasure。　　Be　these　things　as　they　may；　the　purpose　of　my　journey　is　accomplished。

Thou；　great　God；　has　preserved　me　amidst　my　trouble。　　The　purest　gratitude　penetrates　my　heart。　　Oh；　that　thou　wouldst　shield　man　from　arbitrary　power；　and　banish　despotism　from　the　earth！

May　this　my　narration　be　a　lesson　to　the　afflicted；　afford　hope　to　the　despairing；　fortitude　to　the　wavering；　and　humanise　the　hearts　of　kings。　　Joyfully　do　I　journey　to　the　shores　of　death。　　My　conscience　is　void　of　reproach；　posterity　shall　bless　my　memory；　and　only　the　unfeeling；　the　wicked；　the　confessor　of　princes　and　the　pious　impostor；　shall　vent　their　rage　against　my　writings。　　My　mind　is　desirous　of　repose；　and　should　this　be　denied　me；　still　I　will　not　murmur。　　I　now　wish　to　steal　gently　towards　that　last　asylum；　whither　if　I　had　gone　in　my　youth；　it　must　have　been　with　colours　flying。　　Grant；　Almighty　God；　that　the　prayer　I　this　day　make　may　be　heard；　and　that　such　may　be　the　conclusion　of　my　eventful　life！



HISTORY　OF　FRANCIS　BARON　TRENCK。　WRITTEN　BY　FREDERICK　BARON　TRENCK；　AS　A　NECESSARY　SUPPLEMENT　TO　HIS　OWN　HISTORY。



Francis　Baron　Trenck　was　born　in　1714；　in　Calabria；　a　province　of　Sicily。　　His　father　was　then　a　governor　and　lieutenant…colonel　there；　and　died　in　1743；　at　Leitschau；　in　Hungary；　lord　of　the　rich　manors　of　Prestowacz；　Pleternitz；　and　Pakratz；　in　Sclavonia；　and　other　estates　in　Hungary。　　His　christian　name　was　John；　he　was　my　father's　brother；　and　born　in　Konigsberg　in　Prussia。

The　name　of　his　mother　was　Kettler；　she　was　born　in　Courland。　Trenck　was　a　gentleman　of　ancient　family；　and　his　grandfather；　who　was　mine　also；　was　of　Prussia。　　His　father；　who　had　served　Austria　to　the　age　of　sixty…eight；　a　colonel；　and　bore　those　wounds　to　his　grave　which　attested　his　valour。

Francis　Baron　Trenck　was　his　only　son；　he　had　attained　the　rank　of　colonel　during　his　father's　life；　and　served　with　distinction　in　the　army　of　Maria　Theresa。　　The　history　of　his　life；　which　he　published　in　1747；　when　he　was　under　confinement　at　Vienna；　is　so　full　of　minute　circumstances；　and　so　poorly　written；　that　I　shall　make　but　little　use　of　it。　　Here　I　shall　relate　only　what　I　have　heard　from　his　enemies　themselves；　and　what　I　have　myself　seen。　　His　father；　a　bold　and　daring　soldier；　idolised　his　only　son；　and　wholly　neglected　his　education；　so　that　the　passions　of　this　son　were　most　unbridled。　Endowed　with　extraordinary　talents；　this　ardent　youth　was　e