the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第20节
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because Lucifer had rendered me invulnerable。 My agility； fighting； too； for life； was superior to theirs； and they buried two of their gang； whom with my heavy sabre I had killed。
To such excess of cruelty may the violence of priests be carried！ I attacked only gross abusesthe deceit of the monks of Aix…la… Chapelle； Cologne； and Liege； where they are worse than cannibals。 I wished to inculcate true Christian duties among my fellow… citizens； and the attempt was sufficient to irritate the selfish Church of Rome。
From my Empress I had nothing to hope。 Her confessor had painted me as a persecutor of the blessed Mother Church。 Nor was this all。 Opinions were propagated throughout Vienna that I was a dangerous man to the community。
Hence I was always wronged in courts of judicature； where there are ever to be found wicked men。 They thought they were serving the cause of God by injuring me。 Yet they were unable to prevent my writings from producing me much money； or from being circulated through all Germany。 The Aix…la…Chapelle Journal became so famous； that in the second year I had four thousand subscribers； by each of whom I gained a ducat。
The postmasters； who gained considerably by circulating newspapers； were envious； because the Aix…la…Chapelle Journal destroyed several of the others； and they therefore formed a combination。
Prince Charles of Sweden placed confidence in me during his residence at Aix…la…Chapelle and Spa； and I accompanied him into Holland。 When I took my leave of him at Maestricht； he said to me； 〃When my father dies； either my brother shall be King； or we will lose our heads。〃 The King died； and Prince Charles soon after said； in the postscript of one of his letters； 〃What we spoke of at Maestricht will soon be fully accomplished； and you may then come to Stockholm。〃
On this； I inserted an article in my journal declaring a revolution had taken place in Sweden； that the king had made himself absolute。 The other papers expressed their doubts； and I offered to wager a thousand ducats on the truth of the article published in my journal under the title of 〃Aix…la…Chapelle。〃 The news of the revolution in Sweden was confirmed。
My journal foretold the Polish partition six weeks sooner than any other； but how I obtained this news must not be mentioned。 I was active in the defence of Queen Matilda of Denmark。
The French Ministry were offended at the following pasquinade：… 〃The three eagles have rent the Polish bear； without losing a feather with which any man in the Cabinet of Versailles can write。 Since the death of Mazarin； they write only with goose…quills。〃
By desire of the King of Poland； I wrote a narrative of the attempt made to assassinate him； and named the nuncio who had given absolution to the conspirators in the chapel of the Holy Virgin。
The house was now in flames。 Rome insisted I should recall my words。 Her nuncio； at Cologne； vented poison； daggers； and excommunication； the Empress…Queen herself thought proper to interfere。 I obtained； for my justification； from Warsaw a copy of the examination of the conspirators。 This I threatened to publish； and stood unmoved in the defence of truth。
The Empress wrote to the Postmaster…General of the Empire； and commanded him to lay an interdict on the Aix…la…Chapelle Journal。 Informed of this； I ended its publication with the year； but wrote an essay on the partition of Poland； which also did but increase my enemies。
The magistracy of Aix…la…Chapelle is elected from the people； and the Burghers' court consists of an ignorant rabble。 I know no exceptions but Baron Lamberte and De Witte； and this people assume titles of dignity； for which they are amenable to the court at Vienna。 Knowing I should find little protection at Vienna； they imagined they might drive me from their town。 I was a spy on their evil deeds； of whom they would have rid themselves。 I knew that the two sheriffs； Kloss and Furth； and the recorder； Geyer； had robbed the town…chamber of forty thousand dollars； and divided the spoil。 To these I was a dangerous man。 For such reasons they sought a quarrel with me； pretending I had committed a trespass by breaking down a hedge； and cited me to appear at the town…house。
The postmaster； Heinsberg； of Aix…la…Chapelle； although he had two thousand three hundred rix…dollars of mine in his possession； instituted false suits against me； obtained verdicts against me； seized on a cargo of wine at Cologne； and I incurred losses to the amount of eighteen thousand florins； which devoured the fortune of my wife； and by which she； with myself and my children； were reduced to poverty。
The Gravenitz himself； in 1778； acknowledged how much he had injured me； affirmed he had been deceived； and promised he would try to obtain restitution。 I forgave him； and he attempted to keep his promise； but his power declined； the bribes he had received became too public。 He was dispossessed of his post； but； alas！ too late for me。 Two other of my judges are at this time obliged to sweep the streets of Vienna； where they are condemned to the House of Correction。 Had this been their employment instead of being seated on the seat of judgment twenty years ago； I might have been more fortunate。 It is a remarkable circumstance that I should so continually have been despoiled by unjust judges。 Who would have had the temerity to affirm that their evil deeds should bring them to attend on the city scavenger？ I indeed knew them but too well； and fearlessly spoke what I knew。 It was my misfortune that I was acquainted with their malpractices sooner than gracious Sovereign。
Let the scene close on my litigations at Aix…la…Chapelle and Vienna。 May God preserve every honest man from the like！ They have swallowed up my property； and that of my wife。 Enough！
CHAPTER VIII。
From the year 1774 to 1777； I journeyed through England and France。 I was intimate with Dr。 Franklin； the American Minister； and with the Counts St。 Germain and de Vergennes； who made me proposals to go to America； but I was prevented by my affection for my wife and children。
My friend the Landgrave of Hesse…Cassel； who had been Governor of Magdeburg during my imprisonment； offered me a commission among the troops going to America； but I answered〃Gracious prince； my heart beats in the cause of freedom only； I will never assist in enslaving men。 Were I at the head of your brave grenadiers。 I should revolt to the Americans。〃
During 1775 I continued at Aix…la…Chapelle my essays； entitled； 〃The Friend of Men。〃 My writings had made some impression； the people began to read； the monks were ridiculed； but my partisans increased； and their leader got himself cudgelled。
They did not now mention my name publicly； but catechised their penitents at confession。 During this year people came to me from Cologne； Bonn； and Dusseldorf； to speak with me privately。 When I inquired their business； they told me their clergy had informed them I was propagating a new religion； in which every man must sign himself to the devil； who then would supply them with money。 They were willing to become converts to my faith； would Beelzebub but give them money； and revenge them on their priests。 〃My good friends；〃 answered I； 〃your teachers have deceived you； I know of no devils but themselves。 Were it true that I was founding a new religion； the converts to whom the devil would supply money； your priests； would be the first of my apostles； and the most catholic。 I am an honest； moral man； as a Christian ought to be。 Go home； in God's name； and do your duty。〃
I forgot to mention that the recorder of the sheriff's court at Aix… la…Chapelle； who is called Baron Geyer； had associated himself in 1778 with a Jew convert； and that this noble company swindled a Dutch merchant out of eighty thousand florins； by assuming the arms of Elector Palatine； and producing forged receipts and contracts。 Geyer was taken in Amsterdam； and would have been hanged； but； by the aid of a servant； he escaped。 He returned to Aix…la…Chapelle； where he enjoys his office。 Three years ago he robbed the town… chamber。 His wife was； at that time； generis communis； and procured him friends at court。 The assertions of this gentleman found greater credit at Vienna than those of the injured Trenck！ Oh； shame！ Oh； world！ world！
My wine trade was so successful that I had correspondents and stores in London； Paris； Brussels； Hamburg； and the Hague； and had gained forty thousand florins。 One unfortunate day destroyed all my hopes in the success of this traffic。
In London I was defrauded of eighteen hundred guineas by a swindler。 The fault was my brother…in…law's； who parted with the wine before he had received the money。 When I had been wronged； and asked my friends' assistance； I was only laughed at； as if they were happy that an Englishman had the wit to cheat a German。
Finding myself defrauded； I hastened to Sir John Fielding。 He told me he knew I had been swindled； and that his friendship would make him active in my behalf； that he also knew the houses where my wine was deposited； and that a party of his runners should go with me； sufficiently strong for its recovery。 I was little aware
