frederick the great and his family-第117节

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ng　of　inexpressible　woe；　of　inconsolable　despair　came　over　him。　He　could　now　yield　to　it；　no　one　was　present　to　hear　his　misery　and　wretchedness。　He　need　not　now　suppress　the　sighs　and　groans　that　had　almost　choked　him；　he　could　give　the　tears；　welling　to　his　eyes　like　burning　fire；　full　vent；　he　could　cool　his　feverish　brow　upon　the　stone　floor；　in　the　agony　of　his　soul。　As　a　man　trembles　at　the　thought　of　death；　Trenck　trembled　at　the　thought　of　life。　He　knew　not　how　long　he　had　sighed；　and　wept；　and　groaned。　For　him　there　was　no　time；　no　hour；　no　nightit　was　all　merged　into　one　fearful　day。　But　still　he　experienced　some　hours　of　pleasure　and　joy。　These　were　the　hours　of　sleep；　the　hours　of　dreams。　Happier　than　many　a　king；　than　many　powerful　rulers　and　rich　nobles　upon　their　silken　couches；　was　this　prisoner　upon　his　hard　pallet。　He　could　sleephis　spirit；　busy　during　the　day　in　forming　plans　for　his　escape；　needed　and　found　the　rest　of　sleep；　his　body　needed　the　refreshment　and　received　it。

Yes；　he　could　sleep。　Men　were　hard　and　cruel　to　him；　but　God　had　not　deserted　him；　for　at　night　He　sent　an　angel　to　his　cell　who　consoled　and　refreshed　him。　It　was　the　angel　of　slumberwhen　night　came；　after　all　his　sorrow；　his　agony；　his　despair　endured　during　the　day；　the　consoling　angel　came　and　took　his　seat　by　the　wretched　prisoner。　This　night　he　kissed　his　eyes；　he　laid　his　soft　wings　on　the　prisoner's　wounded　heart；　he　whispered　glorious　dreams　of　the　future　into　his　ear。　A　beautiful　smile；　seldom　seen　when　he　was　awake；　now　rested　upon　his　lips。

Keep　quiet；　ye　guards；　without　therekeep　quiet；　the　prisoner　sleeps；　the　sleep　of　man　is　sacred；　and　more　sacred　than　all　else　is　the　sleep　of　the　unfortunate。　Do　not　disturb　himpass　the　door　stealthily。　Be　still；　be　still！　the　prisoner　sleepsreverence　his　rest。

This　stillness　was　now　broken　by　a　loud　cry。

〃Trenck；　Trenck！〃　cried　a　thundering　voice〃Trenck；　are　you　asleep？〃

He　woke　from　his　pleasant　dreams　and　rose　in　terror　from　his　bed。　He　thought　he　had　heard　the　trumpets　of　the　judgment…day；　and　listened　eagerly　for　the　renewing　of　the　sound。

And　again　the　cry　resounded　through　his　cell。　〃Trenck；　are　you　there？〃

With　a　wild　fear　he　raised　his　hand　to　his　burning　brow。

〃Am　I　mad？〃　murmured　he；　〃I　hear　a　voice　in　my　brain　calling　me；　a　voice〃

The　bolts　were　pushed　back；　and　Commandant　Von　Bruckhausen；　accompanied　by　a　soldier；　with　a　burning　torch；　appeared　on　the　threshold。

〃Why　did　you　not　answer；　Trenck？〃　said　he。

〃Answeranswer　what？〃

〃The　sentinel's　call。　As　you　swore　to　me　you　would　make　new　attempts　to　escape；　I　was　compelled　to　make　arrangements　to　prevent　your　succeeding。　The　guards　at　your　door　are　commanded　to　call　you　every　quarter　of　an　hour　during　the　night。　If　you　do　not　answer　at　once；　they　will　enter　your　cell　to　convince　themselves　of　your　presence。　Accommodate　yourself　to　this；　Trenck。　We　shall　now　see　if　you　are　able　to　free　yourself　with　your　nails　and　teeth！〃

He　left　the　room；　the　door　was　closed。　It　was　night　once　more　in　the　prisoner's　cellbut　he　did　not　sleep。　He　sat　upon　his　pallet　and　asked　himself　if　what　had　passed　was　true；　or　if　it　was　not　some　wild　and　fearful　dream。

〃No；　no；　it　cannot　be　true；　they　could　not　rob　me　of　my　last　and　only　pleasuremy　sleep！　soft；　balmy　sleep！〃

But　listen。　There　is　a　voice　again。　〃Trenck；　Trenck；　are　you　there？〃

He　answered　by　a　fearful　yell；　and　sprang　from　his　bed；　trembling　with　terror。　It　was　no　dream！

〃It　is　true！they　will　let　me　sleep　no　more。　Cowardly　thieves！　may　God　curse　as　I　curse　you。　May　He　have　no　pity　with　you；　who　have　none　with　me！　Ah；　you　cruel　men；　you　increase　my　misery　a　thousandfold。　You　murder　my　sleep。　God's　curse　upon　you！〃




CHAPTER　XI。

THE　KING　AND　THE　GERMAN　SCHOLAR。


It　was　the　winter　of　1760。　Germany；　unhappy　Germany；　bleeding　from　a　thousand　wounds；　was　for　a　few　months　freed　from　the　scourge　of　war；　she　could　breathe　again；　and　gather　new　strength　for　new　contests。　Stern　winter　with　its　ice　and　snow　had　alone　given　peace　to　the　people　for　a　short　time。　The　rulers　thought　of　and　willed　nothing　but　war；　and　the　winter's　rest　was　only　a　time　of　preparation　for　new　battles。　The　allies　had　never　yet　succeeded　in　vanquishing　the　little　King　of　Prussia。　Notwithstanding　the　disappointments　and　adversities　crowded　upon　himthough　good　fortune　and　success　seemed　forever　to　have　abandoned　himFrederick　stood　firm　and　undaunted；　and　his　courage　and　his　confidence　augmented　with　the　dangers　which　surrounded　him。

But　his　condition　appeared　so　sad。　so　desperate；　that　even　the　heroic　Prince　Henry　despaired。　The　king　had　in　some　degree　repaired　the　disasters　of　Kunersdorf　and　Mayen　by　his　great　victories　at　Leignitz　and　Torgau；　but　so　mournful；　so　menacing　was　his　position　on　every　side；　that　even　the　victories　which　had　driven　his　enemies　from　Saxony；　and　at　least　assured　him　his　winter　quarters；　brought　him　no　other　advantages；　and　did　not　lessen　the　dangers　which　threatened　him。　His　enemies　stood　round　about　himthey　burned　with　rage　and　thirst　to　destroy　utterly　that　king　who　was　always　ready　to　tear　from　them　their　newly…won　laurels。　Only　by　his　complete　destruction　could　they　hope　to　quench　the　glowing　enthusiasm　which　the　people　of　all　Europe　expressed　by　shouts　and　exultation。

The　Russians　had　their　winter　quarters　for　the　first　time　in　Pomerania。　The　Austrians　lay　in　Silesia　and　Bohemia。　The　newly…　supplied　French　army；　and　the　army　of　the　States；　were　on　the　Rhine。　While　the　enemies　of　Frederick　remained　thus　faithful　to　each　other　in　their　war　against　him；　he　had　just　lost　his　only　ally。

King　George　II。　of　England　was　dead；　and　the　weak　George　III。　yielded　wholly　to　the　imperious　will　of　his　mother　and　to　that　of　Lord　Bute。　He　broke　off　his　league　with　Prussia；　and　refused　to　pay　the　subsidy。

Thus　Prussia　stood　alonewithout　money；　without　soldiers；　without　friendssurrounded　by　powerful　and　eager　enemiesalone　and　seemingly　hopeless；　with　so　many　vindictive　adversaries。

All　this　made　Prince　Henry　not　only　unhappy；　but　dispiritedpalsied　his　courage；　and　made　him　wish　to　leave　the　army　and　take　refuge　in　some　vast　solitude　where　he　could　mourn　over　the　misfortunes　of　his　distracted　country。　Accordingly　he　wrote　to　the　king　and　asked　for　his　discharge。

The　king　replied：

〃It　is　not　difficult；　my　brother；　in　bright　and　prosperous　times；　to　find　men　willing　to　serve　the　state。　Those　only　are　good　citizens　who　stand　undaunted　at　the　post　of　danger　in　times　of　great　crises　and　disaster。　The　true　calling　of　a　man　consists　in　this：　that　he　should　intrepidly　carry　out　the　most　difficult　and　dangerous　enterprises。　The　more　difficulty；　the　more　dangerthe　more　bright　honor　and　undying　fame。　I　cannot；　therefore；　believe　that　you　are　in　earnest　in　asking　for　your　discharge。　It　is　unquestionable　that　neither　you　nor　I　can　feel　certain　of　a　happy　issue　to　the　circumstances　which　now　surround　us。　But　when　we　have　done　all　which　lies　in　our　power；　our　consciences　and　public　opinion　will　do　us　justice。　We　contend　for　our　fatherland　and　for　honor。　We　must　make　the　impossible　possible；　in　order　to　succeed。　The　number　of　our　enemies　does　not　terrify　me。　The　greater　their　number；　the　more　glorious　will　be　our　fame　when　we　have　conquered　them。〃　＇Footnote：　Preuss；　〃History　of　Frederick　the　Great；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　246。＇

Prince　Henry；　ashamed　of　his　despondency；　gave　to　this　letter　of　his　brother　the　answer　of　a　hero。　He　marched　against　the　Russians；　drove　them　from　Silesia；　and　raised　the　siege　of　Breslau；　around　which　the　Austrians　under　Loudon　were　encamped。　Tauentzein；　with　fearless　energy　and　with　but　three　thousand　Prussians；　had　fortified　himself　in　Breslau　against　this　powerful　enemy。　So　in　the　very　beginning　of　the　winter　the　capital　of　Silesia　had　been　retaken　By　Torgau　the　king　had　fought　and　won　his　twelfth　battle　for　the　possession　of　Silesiayes；　fought　and　won　from　his　powerful　and　irreconcilable　enemies。　And　all　this　had　been　in　vain；　and　almost　without　results。　The　prospect　of　peace　seemed　far　distant；　and　the　hope　of　happiness　for　Frederick　even　as　remote。

But　now　winter　was　upon　them。　This　stern　angel　of　peace　had　sheathed　the　sword；　and　for　the　time　ended　the　war。

While　the　pious　Maria　Theresa　and　her　court　ladies　made　it　the　mode　to　prepare　lint　in　their　splendid　saloons　during　the　winter　for　the　wounded　soldierswhile　the　Russian　General　Soltikow　took　up　his　winter　quarters　at　Poseu；　and　gave　sumptuous　feasts　and　banquets　Frederick　withdrew　to　Leipsic；　in　which　city　philosophy　and　learning　were　at　that　time　most　flourishing。　The　Leipsigers　indeed　boasted　that　they　had　given　an　asylum　to　poetry　and　art。

The　warrior…hero　was　now　changed　for　a　few　happy　months　into　the　philosopher；　the　poet；　and　the　scholar。　Frederick's　brow；　contracted　by　anxiety　and　care；　was　now　smooth；　his　eye　took　again　its　wonted　firea　smile　was　on　his　lip；　and　the　hand　which　had　so　long　brandished　the　sword；　gladly　resumed　the　pen。　He　who　had　so　long　uttered　only　words　of　command　and　calls　to　battle；　now　bowed　over　his　flute　and　drew　from　it　the　tenderest　and　most　melting　melodies。　The　evening　concerts　were　resumed。　The　musical　friends　and　comrades　of　the　king　had　b