the life and adventures of baron trenck-2-第32节

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ked　the　fortifications；　slew　the　Marquis　de　Crevecoeur；　with　his　own　hand　manned　the　post；　traversed　the　other　arm　of　the　Rhine；　surprised　two　Bavarian　regiments　of　cavalry；　and　by　this　daring　manoeuvre；　secured　the　passage　of　the　Rhine　to　the　whole　army；　which；　but　for　him；　would　not　have　been　effected。　　Wherever　he　came；　he　laid　the　country　under　contribution；　and；　at　this　moment　of　triumph　for　the　Austrian　arms；　opened　himself　a　passage　to　enter　the　territories　of　France。　　In　September；　1744；　war　having　broken　out　between　Austria　and　Prussia；　the　imperial　army　was　obliged　to　return；　abandon　Alsatia；　and　hasten　to　the　succour　of　the　Austrian　states。　　Trenck　succeeded　in　covering　its　retreat。　　The　history　of　Maria　Theresa　declares　the　damages　he　did　the　enemy；　during　this　campaign。　　He　gave　proof　of　his　capacity　at　Tabor　and　Budweis。　　With　300　men　he　attacked　one　of　these　towns；　which　was　defended　by　the　two　Prussian　regiments　of　Walrabe　and　Kreutz。　　He　found　the　water　in　the　moats　was　deeper　than　his　spies　had　declared；　and　the　scaling　ladders　too　short：　　most　of　those　led　to　the　attack　were　killed；　or　drowned　in　the　water；　and　the　small　number　that　crossed　the　moats　were　made　prisoners。　　The　garrison　of　Tabor；　of　Budweis；　and　of　the　castle　of　Frauenburg；　were；　nevertheless；　induced　to　capitulate；　and　yield　themselves　prisoners；　although　the　main　body　under　Trenck　was　more　than　five　miles　distant。　　His　corps　did　not　come　up　till　the　morrow；　and　it　was　ridiculous　enough　to　see　the　pandours　dressed　in　the　caps　of　the　Prussian　fusiliers　and　pioneers；　which　they　wore　instead　of　their　own；　and　which　they　afterwards　continued　to　wear。

The　campaign　to　him　was　glorious；　and　the　enemy's　want　of　light　troops　gave　free　scope　to　his　enterprises；　highly　to　their　prejudice。　　He　never　returned　without　prisoners。　　He　passed　the　Elbe　near　Pardubitz；　took　the　magazines；　and　was　the　cause　of　the　great　dearth　and　desertion　among　the　Prussians；　and　of　that　hasty　retreat　to　which　they　were　forced。　　The　King　was　at　Cohn　with　his　headquarters；　where　I　was　with　him；　when　Trenck　attacked　the　town；　which　he　must　have　carried；　had　he　not　been　wounded　by　a　cannon…　ball；　which　shattered　his　foot。　　He　was　taken　away；　the　attack　did　not　succeed；　and　his　men；　without　him；　remained　but　so　many　ciphers。

In　1745；　he　went　to　Vienna；　where　his　entrance　resembled　a　triumph。　The　Empress　received　him　with　distinction。　　He　appeared　on　crutches；　she；　by　her　condescending　speech；　inflamed　his　zeal　to　extravagance。　Who　would　have　supposed　that　the　favourite　of　the　people　would　that　year　be　abandoned　to　the　power　of　his　enemies；　who　had　not　rendered；　during　their　whole　lives；　so　much　essential　service　to　the　state　as　Trenck　had　done　in　a　single　day？　　He　returned　to　his　estate；　raised　eight　hundred　recruits　that　he　might　aid　in　the　next　campaign；　and　gather　new　laurels。　　He　rejoined　the　army。　　At　the　battle　of　Sorau　he　fell　upon　the　Prussian　camp；　and　seized　upon　the　tent　of　the　King；　but　he　came　too　late　to　attack　the　rear；　as　had　been　preconcerted。　　Frederic　gave　up　his　camp　to　be　plundered；　for　the　Croats　could　not　be　drawn　off　to　attack　the　army；　and　the　King　was　prepared　to　receive　them；　even　if　they　should。　　In　the　meantime；　the　imperial　army　was　defeated。

Here　was　a　field　for　the　enemies　of　Trenck　to　incite　the　people　against　him。　　They　accused　him　of　having　made　the　King　of　Prussia　a　prisoner　in　his　tent；　that　he　also　pillaged　the　camp　instead　of　attacking　the　rear　of　the　army。　　After　having　ended　the　campaign；　he　returned　to　Vienna　to　defend　himself。　　Here　he　found　twenty…three　officers；　whom　he　expelled　his　regiment；　most　of　them　for　cowardice　or　mean　actions。　　They　were　ready　to　bear　false　testimony。　Counsellor　Weber　and　Gen。　Loewenwalde；　had　sworn　his　downfall；　which　they　effected。　　Trenck　despised　their　attacks。　　While　things　remained　thus；　they　instructed　one　of　the　Empress's　attendants　to　profit　by　every　opportunity　to　deprive　him　of　her　confidence。　　It　was　affirmed；　Trenck　is　an　atheist！　who　never　prayed　to　the　holy　Virgin！　　The　officers；　whom　he　had　broken；　whispered　it　in　coffee…　houses；　that　Trenck　had　taken　and　set　free　the　King　of　Prussia！　This　raised　the　cry　among　the　fanatical　mob　of　Vienna。　　Teased　by　their　complaints；　and　at　the　requisition　of　Trenck　himself；　the　Empress　commanded　that　examination　should　be　undertaken　of　these　accusations。　　Field…marshal　Cordova　was　chosen　to　preside　over　this　inquiry。　　He　spoke　the　truth；　and　drew　up　a　statement　of　the　case；　it　was　presented　to　the　Court；　and　which　I　shall　here　insert。

〃The　complaints　brought　against　him　did　not　require　a　court…martial。　Trenck　had　broken　some　officers　by　his　own　authority；　their　demands　ought　to　be　satisfied　by　the　payment　of　12；000　florins。　　The　remaining　accusations　were　all　the　attempts　of　revenge　and　calumny；　and　were　insufficient　to　detain　at　Vienna；　entangled　in　law…suits；　a　man　so　necessary　to　the　army。　　Moreover；　it　would　be　prudent　not　to　inquire　into　trifles；　in　consideration　of　his　important　services。〃

Trenck；　dissatisfied　by　this　sentence；　and　animated　by　avarice　and　pride；　refused　to　pay　a　single　florin；　and　returned　to　Sclavonia。　His　presence　was　necessary　at　Vienna；　to　obtain　other　advantages　against　his　enemies。　　They　gave　the　Empress　to　understand；　that　being　a　man　excessively　dangerous；　whenever　he　supposed　himself　injured；　Trenck　had　spread　pernicious　views　in　Sclavonia；　where　all　men　were　dependent　on　him。　　He　raised　six　hundred　more　men；　with　whom　he　made　a　campaign　in　the　Netherlands；　and　in　October；　1746；　returned　to　Vienna。　　After　the　peace　of　Dresden；　his　regiment　was　incorporated　among　the　regulars；　and　served　against　France。

Scarcely　had　he　arrived　at　Vienna；　before　an　order　came　from　the　Empress　that　he　must　remain　under　arrest　in　his　chamber。　　Here　he　rendered　himself　guilty　by　the　most　imprudent　action　of　his　whole　life。　　He　ordered　his　carriage　and　horses；　despising　the　imperial　mandate；　went　to　the　theatre；　when　the　Empress　was　present。　　In　one　of　the　boxes　he　saw　Count　Gossau；　in　company　with　a　comrade　of　his　own；　whom　he　had　cashiered：　　these　persons　were　among　the　foremost　of　his　accusers。　　Inflamed　with　the　desire　of　revenge；　he　entered　the　box；　seized　Count　Gossau；　and　would　have　thrown　him　into　the　pit　in　the　presence　of　the　Sovereign　herself。　　Gossau　drew　his　sword；　and　tried　to　run　him　through；　but　the　latter　seizing　it；　wounded　himself　in　the　hand。　　Everybody　ran　to　save　Gossau；　who　was　unable　to　defend　himself。　　After　this　exploit；　the　colonel　of　the　pandours　returned　foaming　home。

Such　an　action　rendered　it　impossible　for　Maria　Theresa　to　declare　herself　the　protectress　of　a　man　so　rash。　　Sentinels　were　placed　over　him；　and　his　enemies　profiting　by　his　imprudence　and　passion；　he　was　ordered　to　be　tried　by　a　court…martial。　　General　Loewenwalde　intrigued　so　successfully；　that　he　procured　himself　to　be　named；　by　the　Hofkriegsrath；　president　of　the　court…martial；　and　to　be　charged　with　the　sequestration　of　the　property　of　Trenck。　　In　vain　did　the　latter　protest　against　his　judge。　　The　very　man；　whom　the　year　before　he　had　kicked　out　of　the　ante…chamber　of　Prince　Charles；　received　full　power　to　denounce　him　guilty。　　Then　was　it　that　public　notice　was　given　that　all　those　who　would　prefer　complaints　against　Colonel　Baron　Trenck　should　receive　a　ducat　per　day　while　the　council　continued　to　sit。　　They　soon　amounted　to　fifty…four；　who；　in　a　space　of　four　months；　received　15；000　florins　from　the　property　of　Trenck。　　The　judge　himself　purchased　the　depositions　of　false　witnesses；　and　Count　Loewenwalde　offered　me　one　thousand　ducats；　if　I　would　betray　the　secrets　of　my　cousin；　and　promised　me　I　should　be　put　in　possession　of　my　confiscated　estates　in　Prussia；　and　have　a　company　in　a　regiment。

That　the　indictment　and　the　examinations　of　the　witnesses　were　falsified；　has　already　been　proved　in　the　revision　of　the　cause；　but　as　the　indictment　did　not　contain　one　article　that　could　affect　his　life；　they　invented　the　following　stratagem。　　A　courtesan；　a　mistress　of　Baron　Rippenda；　who　was　a　member　of　the　court…martial；　was　bribed；　and　made　oath　she　was　the　daughter　of　Count　Schwerin；　Field…marshal　in　the　Prussian　service；　and　that　she　was　in　bed　with　the　King　of　Prussia；　when　Trenck　surprised　the　camp　at　Sorau；　made　her　and　the　King　prisoners；　and　restored　them　their　freedom。　　She　even　ventured　to　name　Baron　Hilaire；　aide…de…camp　to　Frederic；　whom　she　affirmed　was　then　present。　　Hilaire；　who　afterwards　married　the　Baroness　Tillier；　and　who　consequently　was　brother…in…law　to　Trenck；　fortunately　happened　to　be　in　Vienna。　　He　was　confronted　with　this　woman；　and　through　her　falsehoods；　the　gentleman　was　obliged　to　remain　in　prison；　where　they　offered　him　bribes；　which　be　refused　to　accept；　and；　to　prevent　his　speaking；　he　continued　in　prison　some　weeks；　and　was　not　released　till　this　shameful　proceeding　was　made　public。

Count　Loewenwalde　invented　another　artifice；　he　drew　up　a　false　indictment；　and；　that　he　might　be　prevented　all　means　of　justification；　he　chose　a　day　to　put　it　in　practice；　when　the　Emperor　and　Prince　Charles　were　hunting　at　Holitzsch。　　Loewenwalde's　court…martial　had　already　signed　a　sentence　of　death；　and　every　preparation