the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第22节

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y　live　happier　in　Austria　than　at　Aix…la…　Chapelle。〃

She　next　day　sent　me　her　decree；　assuring　me　of　a　pension　of　four　hundred　florins。

My　wife　petitioned　the　Empress　to　grant　me　an　audience：　　her　request　was　complied　with：　　and　the　Empress　said　to　me：　　〃This　is　the　third　time　in　which　I　would　have　made　your　fortune；　had　you　been　so　disposed。〃　　She　desired　to　see　my　children；　and　spoke　of　my　writings。　　〃How　much　good　might　you　do；〃　said　she；　〃would　you　but　write　in　the　cause　of　religion！〃

We　departed　for　Zwerbach；　where　we　lived　contentedly；　but　when　we　were　preparing　to　return　to　Vienna；　and　solicited　the　restitution　of　part　of　my　lost　fortune；　during　this　favour　of　the　court；　Theresa　died；　and　all　my　hopes　were　overcast。

I　forgot　to　relate　that　the　Archduchess；　Maria　Anna；　desired　me　to　translate　a　religious　work；　written　in　French　by　the　Abbe　Baudrand；　into　German。　　I　replied　I　would　obey　Her　Majesty's　commands。　　I　began　my　work；　took　passages　from　Baudrand；　but　inserted　more　of　my　own。　　The　first　volume　was　finished　in　six　weeks；　the　Empress　thought　it　admirable。　　The　second　soon　followed；　and　I　presented　this　myself。

She　asked　me　if　it　equalled　the　first；　I　answered；　I　hoped　it　would　be　found　more　excellent。　　〃No；〃　said　she；　〃I　never　in　my　life　read　a　better　book：〃　and　added；　〃she　wondered　how　I　could　write　so　well　and　so　quickly。〃　　I　promised　another　volume　within　a　month。　　Before　the　third　was　ready；　Theresa　died。　　She　gave　orders　on　her　death…bed　to　have　the　writings　of　Baron　Trenck　read　to　her；　and　though　her　confessor　well　knew　the　injustice　that　had　been　done　me；　yet　in　her　last　moments　he　kept　silence；　though　he　had　given　me　his　sacred　promise　to　speak　in　my　behalf。

After　her　death　the　censor　commanded　that　I　should　print　what　I　have　stated　in　the　preface　to　that　third　volume；　and　this　was　my　only　satisfaction。

For　one…and…thirty　years　had　I　been　soliciting　my　rights；　which　I　never　could　obtain；　because　the　Empress　was　deceived　by　wicked　men；　and　believed　me　a　heretic。　　In　the　thirty…second；　my　wife　had　the　good　fortune　to　convince　her　this　was　false；　she　had　determined　to　make　me　restitution；　just　at　this　moment　she　died。

The　pension　granted　my　wife　by　the　Empress　in　consequence　of　my　misfortunes　and　our　numerous　family；　we　only　enjoyed　nine　months。

Of　this　she　was　deprived　by　the　new　monarch。　　He　perhaps　knew　nothing　of　the　affair；　as　I　never　solicited。　　Yet　much　has　it　grieved　me。　　Perhaps　I　may　find　relief　when　the　sighs　wrung　from　me　shall　reach　the　heart　of　the　father　of　his　people　in　this　my　last　writing。　　At　present；　nothing　for　me　remains　but　to　live　unknown　in　Zwerbach。

The　Emperor　thought　proper　to　collect　the　moneys　bestowed　on　hospitals　into　one　fund。　　The　system　was　a　wise　one。　　My　cousin　Trenck　had　bequeathed　thirty…six　thousand　florins　to　a　hospital　for　the　poor　of　Bavaria。　　This　act　he　had　no　right　to　do；　having　deducted　the　sum　from　the　family　estate。　　I　petitioned　the　Emperor　that　these　thirty…six　thousand　florins　might　be　restored　to　me　and　my　children；　who　were　the　people　whom　Trenck　had　indeed　made　poor；　nothing　of　the　property　of　his　acquiring　having　been　left　to　pay　this　legacy；　but；　on　the　contrary；　the　money　having　been　exacted　from　mine。

In　a　few　days　it　was　determined　I　should　be　answered　in　the　same　tone　in　which；　for　six…and…thirty　years　past；　all　my　petitions　had　been　answered：…

〃THE　REQUEST　OF　THE　PETITIONER　CANNOT　BE　GRANTED。〃

Fortune　persecuted　me　in　my　retreat。　　Within　six　years　two　hailstorms　swept　away　my　crops；　one　year　was　a　misgrowth；　there　were　seven　floods；　a　rot　among　my　sheep：　　all　possible　calamities　befell　me　and　my　manor。

The　estate　had　been　ruined；　the　ponds　were　to　drain；　three　farms　were　to　be　put　into　proper　condition；　and　the　whole　newly　stocked。　This　rendered　me　poor；　especially　as　my　wife's　fortune　had　been　sunk　in　lawsuits　at　Aix…la…Chapelle　and　Cologne。

The　miserable　peasants　had　nothing；　therefore　could　not　pay：　　I　was　obliged　to　advance　them　money。　　My　sons　assisted　me；　and　we　laboured　with　our　own　hands：　　my　wife　took　care　of　eight　children；　without　so　much　as　the　help　of　a　maid。　　We　lived　in　poverty；　obliged　to　earn　our　daily　bread。

The　greatest　of　my　misfortunes　was　my　treatment　in　the　military　court；　when　Zetto　and　Krugel　were　my　referendaries。　　Zetto　had　clogged　me　with　a　curator　and　when　the　cow　had　no　more　milk　to　give；　they　began　to　torture　me　with　deputations；　sequestrations；　administrations；　and　executions。　　Nineteen　times　was　I　obliged　to　attend　in　Vienna　within　two　years；　at　my　own　expense。　　Every　six　years　must　I　pay　an　attorney　to　dispute　and　quarrel　with　the　curator。　　I；　in　conclusion；　was　obliged　to　pay。　　If　any　affair　was　to　be　expedited；　I；　by　a　third　hand；　was　obliged　to　send　the　referendary　some　ducats。　　Did　he　give　judgment；　still　that　judgment　lay　fourteen　months　inefficient；　and；　when　it　then　appeared；　the　copy　was　false；　and　so　was　sent　to　the　upper　courts；　the　high　referendary　of　which　said　I　〃must　be　dislodged　from　Zwerbach。〃

They　obliged　me　at　last　to　purchase　my　naturalisation。　　I　sent　to　Prussia　for　my　pedigree；　the　attestation　of　this　was　sent　me　by　Count　Hertzberg。　　Although　the　family　of　Trenck　had　a　hundred　years　been　landholders　in　Hungary；　yet　was　my　attorney　obliged　to　solicit　the　instrument　called　ritter…diploma；　for　which；　under　pain　of　execution；　I　must　pay　two　thousand　florins。

By　decree　a　Prussian　nobleman　is　not　noble　in　Austria；　where　every　lackey　can　purchase　a　diploma；　making　him　a　knight　of　the　Empire；　for　twelve　hundred　wretched　florins！where　such　men　as　P…　and　Grassalkowitz　have　purchased　the　dignity　of　a　prince！

Tortured　by　the　courts；　terrified　by　hailstorms；　I　determined　to　publish　my　works；　in　eight　volumes；　and　this　history　of　my　life。

Fourteen　months　accomplished　this　purpose。　　My　labours　found　a　favourable　reception　through　all　Germany；　procured　me　money；　esteem；　and　honour。　　By　my　writings　only　will　I　seek　the　means　of　existence；　and　by　trying　to　obtain　the　approbation　and　the　love　of　men。



CHAPTER　IX。



On　the　22nd　of　August；　1786；　the　news　arrived　that　Frederic　the　Great　had　left　this　world

*　*　*

The　present　monarch；　the　witness　of　my　sufferings　in　my　native　country；　sent　me　a　royal　passport　to　Berlin。　　The　confiscation　of　my　estates　was　annulled；　and　my　deceased　brother；　in　Prussia；　had　left　my　children　his　heirs。

*　*　*

I　journey；　within　the　Imperial　permission；　back　to　my　country；　from　which　I　have　been　two…and…forty　years　expelled！　　I　journeynot　as　a　pardoned　malefactor；　but　as　a　man　whose　innocence　has　been　established　by　his　actions；　has　been　proved　in　his　writings；　and　who　is　journeying　to　receive　his　reward。

Here　I　shall　once　more　encounter　my　old　friends　my　relations；　and　those　who　have　known　me　in　the　days　of　my　affliction。　　Here　shall　I　appear；　not　as　my　country's　Traitor；　but　as　my　country's　Martyr！

Possible；　though　little　probable；　are　still　future　storms。　　For　these　also　I　am　prepared。　　Long　had　I　reason　daily　to　curse　the　rising　sun；　and；　setting；　to　behold　it　with　horror。　　Death　to　me　appears　a　great　benefit：　　a　certain　passage　from　agitation　to　peace；　from　motion　to　rest。　　As　for　my　children；　they；　jocund　in　youth；　delight　in　present　existence。　　When　I　have　fulfilled　the　duties　of　a　father；　to　live　or　die　will　then　be　as　I　shall　please。

Thou；　O　God！　my　righteous　Judge；　didst　ordain　that　I　should　be　an　example　of　suffering　to　the　world；　Thou　madest　me　what　I　am；　gavest　me　these　strong　passions；　these　quick　nerves；　this　thrilling　of　the　blood；　when　I　behold　injustice。　　Strong　was　my　mind；　that　deeply　it　might　meditate　on　deep　subjects；　strong　my　memory；　that　these　meditations　I　might　retain；　strong　my　body；　that　proudly　it　might　support　all　it　has　pleased　Thee　to　inflict。

Should　I　continue　to　exist；　should　identity　go　with　me；　and　should　I　know　what　I　was　then；　when　I　was　called　Trenck；　when　that　combination　of　particles　which　Nature　commanded　should　compose　this　body　shall　be　decomposed；　scattered；　or　in　other　bodies　united；　when　I　have　no　muscles　to　act；　no　brain　to　think；　no　retina　on　which　pictures　can　mechanically　be　painted；　my　eyes　wasted；　and　no　tongue　remaining　to　pronounce　the　Creator's　name；　should　I　still　behold　a　Creatorthen；　oh　then；　will　my　spirit　mount；　and　indubitably　associate　with　spirits　of　the　just　who　expectant　wait　for　their　golden　harps　and　glorious　crowns　from　the　Most　High　God。　　For　human　weaknesses；　human　failings；　arising　from　our　nature；　springing　from　our　temperament；　which　the　Creator　has　ordained；　shall　be　even　thus；　and　not　otherwise；　for　these　have　I　suffered　enough　on　earth。

Such　is　my　confession　of　faith；　in　this　have　I　lived；　in　this　will　I　die。　　The　duties　of　a　man　and　of　a　Christian　I　have　fulfilled；　nay；　often　have　exceeded；　often　have　been　too　benevolent；　too　generous；　perhaps　also　too　proud；　too　vain。　　I　could　not　bend；　although　liable　to　be　broken。

That　I　have　not　served　the　world；　in　acts　and　employments　where　best　I　might；　is　perhaps　my　own　fault：　　the　fault　of　my　manner；　which　is　now　too　radical　to　be　corrected　in　this；　my　sixtieth　year。　　Yes；　I　acknowledge　my　failing；　acknowledge　it　unblushingly；　nay；　glory　in　the　pride　of　a　noble　nature。

For　myself；