the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第25节

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my　heart　remained　in　the　marble　chamber；　in　company　with　a　prince　capable　of　sensations　so　dignified；　and　my　wishes　for　his　welfare　are　eternal。

I　have　since　travelled　through　the　greater　part　of　the　Prussian　states。　　Where　is　the　country　in　which　the　people　are　all　satisfied？　Many　complained　of　hard　times；　or　industry　unrewarded。　　My　answer　was：…

〃Friends；　kneel　with　the　rising　sun；　and　thank　the　God　of　heaven　that　you　are　Prussians。　　I　have　seen　and　known　much　of　this　world；　and　I　assure　you；　you　are　among　the　happiest　people　of　Europe。　Causes　of　complaint　everywhere　exist；　but　you　have　a　king；　neither　obstinate；　ambitious；　covetous；　nor　cruel：　　his　will　is　that　his　people　should　have　cause　of　content；　and　should　he　err　by　chance；　his　heart　is　not　to　blame　if　the　subject　suffers。〃

Prussia　is　neither　wanting　in　able　nor　learned　men。　　The　warmth　of　patriots　glows　in　their　veins。　　Everything　remains　with　equal　stability；　as　under　the　reign　of　Frederic；　and　should　the　thunder　burst；　the　ready　conductors　will　render　the　shock　ineffectual。

Hertzberg　still　labours　in　the　cabinet；　still　thinks；　writes；　and　acts　as　he　has　done　for　years。　　The　king　is　desirous　that　justice　shall　be　done　to　his　subjects；　and　will　punish；　perhaps；　with　more　severity；　whenever　he　finds　himself　deceived；　than　from　the　goodness　of　his　disposition；　might　be　supposed。　　The　treasury　is　full；　the　army　continues　the　same；　and　there　is　little　reason　to　doubt　but　that　industry；　population；　and　wealth　will　increase。　　None　but　the　vile　and　the　wicked　would　leave　the　kingdom；　while　the　oppressed　and　best　subjects　of　other　states　would　fly　from　their　native　country；　certain　of　finding　encouragement　and　security　in　Prussia。

The　personal　qualities　of　Fredric　William　merit　description。　　He　is　tall　and　handsome；　his　mien　is　majestic；　and　his　accomplishments　of　mind　and　body　would　procure　him　the　love　of　men；　were　he　not　a　king。　He　is　affable　without　deceit；　friendly　and　kind　in　conversation；　and　stately　when　stateliness　is　necessary。　　He　is　bountiful；　but　not　profuse；　he　knows　that　without　economy　the　Prussian　must　sink。　　He　is　not　tormented　by　the　spirit　of　conquest；　he　wishes　harm　to　no　nation；　yet　he　will　certainly　not　suffer　other　nations　to　make　encroachments；　nor　will　he　be　terrified　by　menaces。

The　wise　Frederic；　when　living；　though　himself　learned；　and　a　lover　of　the　sciences；　never　encouraged　them　in　his　kingdom。　　Germany；　under　his　reign；　might　have　forgotten　her　language：　　he　preferred　the　literature　of　France。　　Konigsberg；　once　the　seminary　of　the　North；　contains；　at　present；　few　professors；　or　students；　the　former　are　fallen　into　disrepute；　and　are　ill　paid；　the　latter　repair　to　Leipsic　and　Gottingen。　　We　have　every　reason　to　suppose　the　present　monarch；　though　no　studious　man　himself；　will　encourage　the　academies　of　the　literati；　that　men　learned　in　jurisprudence　and　the　sciences　may　not　be　wanting：　　which　want　is　the　more　to　be　apprehended　as　the　nobility　must；　without　exception；　serve　in　the　army；　so　that　learning　has　but　few　adherents；　and　these　are　deprived　of　the　means　of　improvement。

Frederic　William　is　also　too　much　the　friend　of　men　to　suffer　them　to　pine　in　prisons。　　He　abhors　the　barbarity　with　which　the　soldiers　are　beaten：　　his　officers　will　not　be　fettered　hand　and　foot；　slavish　subordination　will　be　banished；　and　the　noble　in　heart　will　be　the　noble　of　the　land。　　May　he；　in　his　people；　find　perfect　content！　　May　his　people　be　ever　worthy　of　such　a　prince！　　Long　may　he　reign；　and　may　his　ministers　be　ever　enlightened　and　honourable　men！

He　sent　for　me　a　second　time；　conversed　much　with　me；　and　confirmed　those　ideas　which　my　first　interview　had　inspired。

On　the　11th　of　March　I　presented　my　son　at　another　audience；　whom　I　intended　for　the　Prussian　service。　　The　King　bestowed　a　commission　on　him　in　the　Posadowsky　dragoons；　at　my　request。

I　saw　him　at　the　review　at　Velau；　and　his　superior　officers　formed　great　expectations　from　his　zeal。　　Time　will　discover　whether　he　who　is　in　the　Austrian；　or　this　in　the　Prussian　service；　will　first　obtain　the　rewards　due　to　their　father。　　Should　they　both　remain　unnoticed；　I　will　bestow　him　on　the　Grand　Turk；　rather　than　on　European　courts；　whence　equity　to　me　and　mine　is　banished。

To　Austria　I　owe　no　thanks；　all　that　could　be　taken　from　me　was　taken。　　I　was　a　captain　before　I　entered　those　territories；　and；　after　six…and…thirty　years'　service；　I　find　myself　in　the　rank　of　invalid　major。　　The　proof　of　all　I　have　asserted；　and　of　how　little　I　am　indebted　to　this　state　is　most　incontestable；　since　the　history　of　my　life　is　allowed　by　the　royal　censor　to　be　publicly　sold　in　Vienna。

It　is　remarkable　that　one　only　of　all　the　eight　officers；　with　whom　I　served；　in　the　body　guard；　in　1745；　is　dead。　　Lieutenant…colonel　Count　Blumenthal　lives　in　Berlin；　Pannewitz　is　commander　of　the　Knights　of　Malta：　　both　gave　me　a　friendly　reception。　　Wagnitz　is　lieutenant…general　in　the　service　of　Hesse…Cassel；　he　was　my　tent　comrade；　and　was　acquainted　with　all　that　happened。　　Kalkreuter　and　Grethusen　live　on　their　estates；　and　Jaschinsky　is　now　alive　at　Konigsberg；　but　superannuated；　and　tortured　by　sickness；　and　remorse。　　He；　instead　of　punishment；　has　forty　years　enjoyed　a　pension　of　a　thousand　rix…dollars。　　I　have　seen　my　lands　confiscated；　of　the　income　of　which　I　have　been　forty…two　years　deprived；　and　never　yet　received　retribution。

Time　must　decide；　the　king　is　generous；　and　I　have　too　much　pride　to　become　a　beggar。　　The　name　of　Trenck　shall　be　found　in　the　history　of　the　acts　of　Frederic。　　A　tyrant　himself；　he　was　the　slave　of　his　passions；　and　even　did　not　think　an　inquiry　into　my　innocence　worth　the　trouble。　　To　be　ashamed　of　doing　right；　because　he　has　done　wrong；　or　to　persist　in　error；　that　fools；　and　fools　only；　can　think　him　infallible；　is　a　dreadful　principle　in　a　ruler。

Since　I　have　been　at　Berlin；　and　was　received　there　with　so　many　testimonies　of　friendship；　the　newspapers　of　Germany　have　published　various　articles　concerning　me；　intending　to　contribute　to　my　honour　or　ease。　　They　said　my　eldest　daughter　is　appointed　the　governess　of　the　young　Princess。　　This　has　been　the　joke　of　some　witty　correspondent；　for　my　eldest　daughter　is　but　fifteen；　and　stands　in　need　of　a　governess　herself。　　Perhaps　they　may　suppose　me　mean　enough　to　circulate　falsehood。

I　daily　receive　letters　from　all　parts　of　Germany；　wherein　the　sensations　of　the　feeling　heart　are　evident。　　Among　these　letters　was　one　which　I　received　from　Bahrdt；　Professor　at　Halle；　dated　April　10；　1787　wherein　he　says；　〃Receive；　noble　German；　the　thanks　of　one　who；　like　you；　has　encountered　difficulties；　yet；　far　inferior　to　those　you　have　encountered。　　You；　with　gigantic　strength；　have　met　a　host　of　foes；　and　conquered。　　The　pests　of　men　attacked　me　also。　　From　town　to　town；　from　land　to　land；　I　was　pursued　by　priestcraft　and　persecution；　yet　I　acquired　fame。　　I　fled　for　refuge　and　repose　to　the　states　of　Frederic；　but　found　them　not。　I　have　eight　years　laboured　under　affliction　with　perseverance；　but　have　found　no　reward。　　By　industry　have　I　made　myself　what　I　am；　by　ministerial　favour；　never。　　Worn　out　and　weak；　the　history　of　your　life；　worthy　sir；　fell　into　my　hands；　and　poured　balsam　into　my　wounds。　　There　I　saw　sufferings　immeasurably　greater；　there；　indeed；　beheld　fortitude　most　worthy　of　admiration。　　Compared　to　you；　of　what　could　I　complain？　　Receive；　noble　German；　my　warmest　thanks；　while　I　live　they　shall　flow。　　And　should　you　find　a　fortunate　moment；　in　the　presence　of　your　King；　speak　of　me　as　one　consigned　to　poverty；　as　one　whose　talents　are　buried　in　oblivion。　　Say　to　him'Mighty　King！　stretch　forth　thy　hand；　and　dry　up　his　tears。'　　I　know　the　nobleness　of　your　mind；　and　doubt　not　your　good　wishes。〃

To　the　Professor's　letter　I　returned　the　following　answer：…


〃I　was　affected；　sir；　by　your　letter。　　I　never　yet　was　unmoved；　when　the　pen　was　obedient　to　the　dictates　of　the　heart。　　I　feel　for　your　situation；　and　if　my　example　can　teach　wisdom　even　to　the　wise；　I　have　cause　to　triumph。　　This　is　the　sweetest　of　rewards。　　At　Berlin　I　have　received　much　honour；　but　little　more。　　Men　are　deaf　to　him　who　confides　only　in　his　right。　　What　have　I　gained？　　Shadowy　fame　for　myself；　and　the　vapour　of　hope　for　my　heirs！

〃Truth　and　Trenck；　my　good　friend；　flourish　not　in　courts。　　You　complain　of　priestcraft。　　He　who　would　disturb　their　covetousness；　he　who　speaks　against　the　false　opinions　they　scatter；　considers　not　priests；　and　their　aim；　which　is　to　dazzle　the　stupid　and　stupefy　the　wise。　　Deprecate　their　wrath！　avoid　their　poisoned　shafts；　or　they　will　infect　tiny　peace：　　will　blast　thy　honour。　　And　wherefore　should　we　incur　this　danger。　　To　cure　ignorance　of　error　is　impossible。　　Let　us　then　silently　steal　to　our　graves；　and　thus　small　we　escape　the　breath　of　envy。　　He　who　should　enjoy　all　even　thought　could　grasp；　should　yet　have　but　little。　　Having　acquired　this　knowledge；　the　passions　of　the　soul　are　lulled　to　apathy。　　I　behold　error；　and　I　laugh；　do　thou；　my　friend；　laugh　also。　　If　that　can　comfort　us；　men　will　do　our　memory　justicewhen　we　are　dead！　Fame　plants　her　laurels　over　the　grave；　and　there　they　flourish