the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第4部分

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；　and　whose　cause　was　the　most　just；　I　leave　to　the　reader。　　The　governor　grew　angry；　and　ordered　a　fresh　attack。　　The　first　grenadier　was　knocked　down；　and　the　rest　ran　back　to　avoid　my　missiles。

The　town…major　again　began　a　parley。　　〃For　God's　sake；　my　dear　Trenck；〃　said　he；　〃in　what　have　I　injured　you；　that　you　endeavour　to　effect　my　ruin？　　I　must　answer　for　your　having；　through　my　negligence；　concealed　a　knife。　　Be　persuaded；　I　entreat　you。　　Be　appeased。　　You　are　not　without　hope；　nor　without　friends。〃　　My　answer　was〃But　will　you　not　load　me　with　heavier　irons　than　before？〃

He　went　out；　spoke　with　the　governor；　and　gave　me　his　word　of　honour　that　the　affair　should　be　no　further　noticed；　and　that　everything　should　be　exactly　reinstated　as　formerly。

Here　ended　the　capitulation；　and　my　wretched　citadel　was　taken。　　The　condition　I　was　in　was　viewed　with　pity；　my　wounds　were　examined；　a　surgeon　sent　to　dress　them；　another　shirt　was　given　me；　and　the　bricks；　clotted　with　blood；　removed。　　I；　meantime；　lay　half　dead　on　my　mattress；　my　thirst　was　excessive。　　The　surgeon　ordered　me　some　wine。　　Two　sentinels　were　stationed　in　the　front　cell；　and　I　was　thus　left　four　days　in　peace；　unironed。　　Broth　also　was　given　me　daily；　and　how　delicious　this　was　to　taste；　how　much　it　revived　and　strengthened　me；　is　wholly　impossible　to　describe。　　Two　days　I　lay　in　a　slumbering　kind　of　trance；　forced　by　unquenchable　thirst　to　drink　whenever　I　awoke。　　My　feet　and　hands　were　swelled；　the　pains　in　my　back　and　limbs　were　excessive。

On　the　fifth　day　the　doors　were　ready；　the　inner　was　entirely　plated　with　iron；　and　I　was　fettered　as　before：　　perhaps　they　found　further　cruelty　unnecessary。　　The　principal　chain；　however；　which　fastened　me　to　the　wall；　like　that　I　had　before　broken；　was　thicker　than　the　first。　　Except　this；　the　capitulation　was　strictly　kept。　　They　deeply　regretted　that；　without　the　King's　express　commands；　they　could　not　lighten　my　afflictions；　wished　me　fortitude　and　patience；　and　barred　up　my　doors。

It　is　necessary　I　should　here　describe　my　dress。　　My　hands　being　fixed　and　kept　asunder　by　an　iron　bar；　and　my　feet　chained　to　the　wall；　I　could　neither　put　on　shirt　nor　stockings　in　the　usual　mode；　the　shirt　was　therefore　tied；　and　changed　once　a　fortnight；　the　coarse　ammunition　stockings　were　buttoned　on　the　sides；　a　blue　garment；　of　soldier's　cloth；　was　likewise　tied　round　me；　and　I　had　a　pair　of　slippers　for　my　feet。　　The　shirt　was　of　the　army　linen；　and　when　I　contemplated　myself　in　this　dress　of　a　malefactor；　chained　thus　to　the　wall　in　such　a　dungeon；　vainly　imploring　mercy　or　justice；　my　conscience　void　of　reproach；　my　heart　of　guiltwhen　I　reflected　on　my　former　splendour　in　Berlin　and　Moscow；　and　compared　it　with　this　sad；　this　dreadful　reverse　of　destiny；　I　was　sunk　in　grief；　or　roused　to　indignation；　that　might　have　hurried　the　greatest　hero　or　philosopher　to　madness　or　despair。　　I　felt　what　can　only　be　imagined　by　him　who　has　suffered　like　me；　after　having　like　me　flourished；　if　such　can　be　found。

Pride；　the　justness　of　my　cause；　the　unbounded　confidence　I　had　in　my　own　resolution；　and　the　labours　of　an　inventive　head　and　iron　bodythese　only　could　have　preserved　my　life。　　These　bodily　labours；　these　continued　inventions；　and　projected　plans　to　obtain　my　freedom；　preserved　my　health。　　Who　would　suppose　that　a　man　fettered　as　I　was　could　find　means　of　exercising　himself？　　By　swinging　my　arms；　acting　with　the　upper　part　of　my　body；　and　leaping　upwards；　I　frequently　put　myself　in　a　strong　perspiration。　　After　thus　wearying　myself　I　slept　soundly；　and　often　thought　how　many　generals；　obliged　to　support　the　inclemencies　of　weather；　and　all　the　dangers　of　the　fieldhow　many　of　those　who　had　plunged　me　into　this　den　of　misery；　would　have　been　most　glad　could　they；　like　me；　have　slept　with　a　quiet　conscience。　　Often　did　I　reflect　how　much　happier　I　was　than　those　tortured　on　the　bed　of　sickness　by　gout；　stone；　and　other　terrible　diseases。　　How　much　happier　was　I　in　innocence　than　the　malefactor　doomed　to　suffer　the　pangs　of　death；　the　ignominy　of　men；　and　the　horrors　of　internal　guilt！



CHAPTER　II。



In　the　following　part　of　my　history　it　will　appear　I　often　had　much　money　concealed　under　the　ground　and　in　the　walls　of　my　den；　yet　would　I　have　given　a　hundred　ducats　for　a　morsel　of　bread；　it　could　not　have　been　procured。　　Money　was　to　me　useless。　　In　this　I　resembled　the　miser；　who　hoards；　yet　hives　in　wretchedness；　having　no　joy　in　gentle　acts　of　benevolence。　　As　proudly　might　I　delight　myself　with　my　hidden　treasure　as　such　misers；　nay；　more；　for　I　was　secure　from　robbers。

Had　fastidious　pomp　been　my　pleasure；　I　might　have　imagined　myself　some　old　field…marshal　bedridden；　who　hears　two　grenadier　sentinels　at　his　door　call；　〃Who　goes　there？〃　My　honour；　indeed；　was　still　greater；　for；　during　my　last　year's　imprisonment；　my　door　was　guarded　by　no　less　than　four。　　My　vanity　also　might　have　been　flattered：　　I　might　hence　conclude　how　high　was　the　value　set　upon　my　head；　since　all　this　trouble　was　taken　to　hold　me　in　security。　Certain　it　is　that　in　my　chains　I　thought　more　rationally；　more　nobly；　reasoned　more　philosophically　on　man；　his　nature；　his　zeal；　his　imaginary　wants；　the　effects　of　his　ambition；　his　passions；　and　saw　more　distinctly　his　dream　of　earthly　good；　than　those　who　had　imprisoned；　or　those　who　guarded　me。　　I　was　void　of　the　fears　that　haunt　the　parasite　who　servilely　wears　the　fetters　of　a　court；　and　daily　trembles　for　the　loss　of　what　vice　and　cunning　have　acquired。　Those　who　had　usurped　the　Sclavonian　estates；　and　feasted　sumptuously　from　the　service　of　plate　I　had　been　robbed　of；　never　ate　their　dainties　with　so　sweet　an　appetite　as　I　my　ammunition　bread；　nor　did　their　high…flavoured　wines　flow　so　limpid　as　my　cold　water。

Thus；　the　man　who　thinks；　being　pure　of　heart；　will　find　consolation　when　under　the　most　dreadful　calamities；　convinced；　as　he　must　be；　that　those　apparently　most　are　frequently　least　happy；　insensible　as　they　are　of　the　pleasures　they　might　enjoy。　　Evil　is　never　so　great　as　it　appears。


〃Sweet　are　the　uses　of　adversity；　Which；　like　the　toad；　ugly　and　venomous；　Wears　yet　a　precious　jewel　in　his　head。〃　As　you　LIKE　IT。


Happy　he　who；　like　me；　having　suffered；　can　become　an　example　to　his　suffering　brethren！

YOUTH；　prosperous；　and　imagining　eternal　prosperity；　read　my　history　attentively；　though　I　should　be　in　my　grave！　　Read　feelingly；　and　bless　my　sleeping　dust；　if　it　has　taught　thee　wisdom　or　fortitude！

FATHER；　reading　this；　say　to　thy　children；　I　felt　thus　like　them；　in　blooming　youth；　little　prophesied　of　misfortune；　which　after　fell　so　heavy　on　me；　and　by　which　I　am　even　still　persecuted！　　Say　that　I　had　virtue；　ambition；　was　educated　in　noble　principles；　that　I　laboured　with　all　the　zeal　of　enthusiastic　youth　to　become　wiser；　better；　greater　than　other　men；　that　I　was　guilty　of　no　crimes；　was　the　friend　of　men；　was　no　deceiver　of　man　or　woman；　that　I　first　served　my　own　country　faithfully；　and　after；　every　other　in　which　I　found　bread；　that　I　was　never；　during　life；　once　intoxicated；　was　no　gamester；　no　night　rambler；　no　contemptible　idler；　that　yet；　through　envy　and　arbitrary　power；　I　have　fallen　to　misery　such　as　none　but　the　worst　of　criminals　ought　to　feel。

BROTHER；　fly　those　countries　where　the　lawgiver　himself　knows　no　law；　where　truth　and　virtue　are　punished　as　crimes；　and；　if　fly　you　cannot；　be　it　your　endeavour　to　remain　unknown；　unnoticed；　in　such　countries；　seek　not　favour　or　honourable　employ；　else　will　you　become；　when　your　merits　are　known；　as　I　have　been；　the　victim　of　slander　and　treachery：　　the　behests　of　power　will　persecute　you；　and　innocence　will　not　shield　you　from　the　shafts　of　wicked　men　who　are　envious；　or　who　wish　to　obtain　the　favour　of　princes；　though　by　the　worst　of　means。

SIRE；　imagine　not　that　thou　readest　a　romance。　　My　head　is　grey；　like　thine。　　Read；　yet　despise　not　the　world；　though　it　has　treated　me　thus　unthankfully。　　Good　men　have　I　also　found；　who　have　befriended　me　in　misfortunes；　and　there；　where　I　had　least　claim；　have　I　found　them　most。　　May　my　book　assist　thee　in　noble　thoughts；　mayest　thou　die　as　tranquilly　as　I　shall　render　up　my　soul　to　appear　before　the　Judge　of　me　and　my　persecutors。　　Be　death　but　thought　a　transition　from　motion　to　rest。　　Few　are　the　delights　of　this　world　for　him　who；　like　me；　has　learned　to　know　it。　　Murmur　not；　despair　not　of　Providence。　　Me；　through　storms；　it　has　brought　to　haven；　through　many　griefs　to　self…knowledge；　and　through　prisons　to　philosophy。　　He　only　can　tranquilly　descend　to　annihilation　who　finds　reason　not　to　repent　he　has　once　existed。　　My　rudder　broke　not　amid　the　rocks　and　quicksands；　but　my　bark　was　cast　upon　the　strand　of　knowledge。　　Yet；　even　on　these　clear　shores　are　impenetrable　clouds。　　I　have　seen　more　distinctly　than　it　is　supposed　men　ought　to　see。　　Age　will　decay　the　faculties；　and　mental；　like　bodily　sight；　must　then　decrease。　　I　even　grew　weary　of　science；　and　envied　the　blind…born；　or　those　who；　till　death；　have　been　wilfully　hoodwinked。　　How　often　have　I　been　asked；　〃What　didst　thou　see？〃　And　when　I　answered　with　sincerity　and　truth；　how　often　have　I　been　de