frederick the great and his family-第25节

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leman；　who　has　nothing　left　but　his　freedom；　shall　be　unjustly　deprived　of　it！　Duke；　I　call　upon　you！　Be　a　providence　for　my　unhappy　friend；　and　set　him　at　liberty。　And　through　my　whole　life　long　I　will　bless　and　honor　you！　　　　AMELIA。〃

〃If　he　does　not　listen　to　this　outcry　of　my　soul；〃　she　whispered；　as　she　folded　and　sealed　the　letter〃if　he　has　the　cruelty　to　let　me　plead　in　vain；　then　in　my　death…hour　I　will　curse　him；　and　charge　him　with　being　the　murderer　of　my　last　hope！〃

The　princess　called　Pollnitz；　and；　with　an　expressive　glance；　she　handed　him　the　letter。

〃Truly；　my　memory　has　not　failed　me；〃　she　said　to　Mademoiselle　Marwitz；　who　entered　behind　Pollnitz；　and　whose　sharp　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　letter　in　the　baron's　hand。　〃I　have　been　able　to　write　the　whole　monologue。　Give　this　paper　to　my　brother；　Pollnitz；　I　have　added　a　few　friendly　lines；　and　excused　myself　for　declining　the　invitation。　I　cannot　see　this　drama。〃

〃Well；　it　seems　to　me　I　have　made　a　lucrative　affair　of　this；〃　said　Pollnitz　to　himself；　as　he　left　the　princess。　〃I　promised　Weingarten　only　fifty　louis　d'or；　so　fifty　remain　over　for　myself；　without　counting　the　ducats　which　the　princess　intends　for　me。　Besides；　I　shall　be　no　such　fool　as　to　give　my　servant；　who　steals　from　me　every　day；　the　reward　the　princess　has　set　apart　for　him；　and　if　I　give　him　outside　work　to　do；　it　is　my　opportunity；　he　is　my　slave；　and　the　reward　is　properly　mine。〃

〃Listen；　John！〃　Said　Pollnitz　to　his　servant；　as　he　entered　his　apartment。　Poor　John　was；　at　the　same　time；　body…servant；　jockey；　and　coachman。　〃Listen；　do　you　know　exactly　how　much　you　have　loaned　me？〃

〃To　a　copper；　your　excellency；〃　said　John；　joyfully。　Poor　John　thought　that　the　hour　of　settlement　had　come。　〃Your　excellency　owes　me　fifty…three　thalers；　four　groschen；　and　five　pennies。〃

〃Common　soul；〃　cried　Pollnitz；　shrugging　his　shoulders　contemptuously；　〃to　be　able　to　keep　in　remembrance　such　pitiful　things　as　groschen　and　coppers。　Well；　I　have　a　most　pressing　and　important　commission　for　you。　You　must　saddle　your　horse　immediately；　and　hasten　to　deliver　this　letter　to　the　Duke　of　Wurtemberg。　You　must　ride　night　and　day　and　not　rest　till　you　arrive　and　deliver　this　packet　into　the　duke's　own　hands。　I　will　then　allow　you　a　day's　rest　for　yourself　and　horse；　your　return　must　be　equally　rapid。　If　you　are　here　again　in　eight　days；　I　will　reward　you　royally。〃

〃That　is　to　say；　your　excellency〃　said　John；　in　breathless　expectation。

〃That　is　to　say；　I　will　pay　you　half　the　sum　I　owe　you；　if　you　are　here　in　eight　days；　if　you　are　absent　longer；　you　will　get　only　a　third。〃

〃And　if　I　return　a　day　earlier？〃　Said　John；　sighing。

〃I　will　give　you　a　few　extra　thalers　as　a　reward；〃　said　Pollnitz。

〃But　your　excellency　will；　besides　this；　give　me　money　for　the　journey；〃　said　John；　timidly。

〃Miserable；　shameless　beggar！〃　Cried　Pollnitz；　〃always　demanding　more　than　one　is　willing　to　accord　you。　Learn　from　your　noble　master　that　there　is　nothing　more　pitiful；　more　sordid　than　gold；　and　that　those　only　are　truly　noble；　who　serve　others　for　honor's　sake；　and　give　no　thought　to　reward。〃

〃But；　your　grace；　I　have　already　the　honor　to　have　lent　you　all　my　money。　I　have　not　even　a　groschen　to　buy　food　for　myself　and　horse　on　our　journey。〃

〃As　for　your　money；　sir；　it　is；　under　all　circumstances；　much　safer　with　me　than　with　you。　You　would　surely　spend　it　foolishly；　while　I　will　keep　it　together。　Besides　this；　there　is　no　other　way　to　make　servants　faithful　and　submissive　but　to　bind　them　to　you　by　the　miserable　bond　of　selfishness。　You　would　have　left　me　a　hundred　times；　if　you　had　not　been　tied　down　by　your　own　pitiful　interests。　You　know　well　that　if　you　leave　me　without　my　permission；　the　law　allows　me　to　punish　you；　by　giving　the　money　I　owe　you　to　the　poor。　But　enough　of　foolish　talking！　Make　ready　for　the　journey；　in　half　an　hour　you　must　leave　Berlin　behind　you。　I　will　give　you　a　few　thalers　to　buy　food。　Now；　hasten！　Remember；　if　you　remain　away　longer　than　eight　days；　I　will　give　you　only　a　third　of　the　money　I　am　keeping　for　you。〃

This　terrible　threat　had　its　effect　upon　poor　John。

In　eight　days　Pollnitz　sought　the　princess；　and　with　a　triumphant　glance；　slipped　a　letter　into　her　hand；　which　read　thus：

〃I　thank　you；　princess；　that　you　have　remembered　me；　and　given　me　an　opportunity　to　aid　the　unhappy。　You　are　right。　God　made　man　to　be　free。　I　am　no　jailer；　and　my　officers　are　not　constables。　They　have；　indeed；　the　duty　to　conduct　the　unhappy　man　who　has　been　for　three　days　the　guest　of　my　house；　farther　on　toward　the　fortress；　but　his　feet　and　his　hands　shall　be　free；　and　if　he　takes　a　lesson　from　the　bird　in　velocity；　and　from　the　wild　horse　in　speed；　his　present　escape　will　cost　him　less　than　his　flight　from　Glatz。　My　officers　cannot　be　always　on　the　watch；　and　God's　world　is　large；　it　is　impossible　to　guard　every　point。　My　soldiers　accompany　him　to　the　brook　Coslin。　I　commend　the　officer　who　will　be　discharged　for　neglect　of　duty　to　your　highness。　　　FERDINAND。〃

〃He　will　have　my　help　and　my　eternal　gratitude；〃　whispered　Amelia；　she　then　pressed　the　letter　of　the　duke　passionately　to　her　lips。　〃Oh；　my　God！　I　feel　to…day　what　I　have　never　before　thought　possible；　that　one　can　be　happy　without　happiness。　If　fate　will　be　merciful；　and　not　thwart　the　noble　purpose　of　Duke　Ferdinand；　from　this　time　onward　I　will　never　murmurnever　complain。　I　will　demand　nothing　of　the　future；　never　more　to　see　him；　never　more　to　hear　from　him；　only　that　he　may　be　free　and　happy。〃

In　the　joy　of　her　heart　she　not　only　fulfilled　her　promise　to　give　the　messenger　a　gold　piece　for　every　hour　of　his　journey；　but　she　added　a　costly　diamond　pin　for　Pollnitz；　which　the　experienced　baron；　even　while　receiving　it　from　the　trembling　hand　of　the　princess；　valued　at　fifty　louis　d'or。

The　baron　returned　with　a　well…filled　purse　and　a　diamond　pin　to　his　dwelling；　and　with　imposing　solemnity　he　called　John　into　his　boudoir。

〃John；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　content　with　you。　You　have　promptly　fulfilled　my　commands。　You　returned　the　seventh　day；　and　have　earned　the　extra　thalers。　As　for　your　money；　how　much　do　I　owe　you？〃

〃Fifty…three　thalers；　four　groschen；　and　five　pennies。〃

〃And　the　half　of　this　is〃

〃Twenty…seven　thalers；　fourteen　groschen；　two　and　a　half　pennies；〃　said　John；　with　a　loudly　beating　heart　and　an　expectant　smile。　He　saw　that　the　purse　was　well　filled；　and　that　his　master　was　taking　out　the　gold　pieces。

〃I　will　give　you；　including　your　extra　guldens；　twenty…eight　thalers；　fourteen　groschen；　two　and　a　half　pennies。〃　said　Pollnitz。　laying　some　gold　pieces　on　the　table。　〃Here　are　six　louis　d'or；　or　thirty…six　thalers　in　gold　to　reckon　up；　the　fractions　you　claim　are　beneath　my　dignity。　Take　them；　John；　they　are　yours。〃

John　uttered　a　cry　of　rapture；　and　sprang　forward　with　outstretched　hands　to　seize　his　gold。　He　had　succeeded　in　gathering　up　three　louis　d'or；　when　the　powerful　hand　of　the　baron　seized　him　and　held　him　back。

〃John；〃　said　he；　〃I　read　in　your　wild；　disordered　countenance　that　you　are　a　spendthrift；　and　this　gold；　which　you　have　earned　honestly；　will　soon　be　wasted　in　boundless　follies。　It　is　my　duty；　as　your　conscientious　master　and　friend；　to　prevent　this。　I　cannot　allow　you　to　take　all　of　this　moneyonly　one…half；　only　three　louis　d'or。　I　will　put　the　other　three　with　the　sum　which　I　still　hold；　and　take　care　of　it　for　you。〃

With　an　appearance　of　firm　principle　and　piety；　he　grasped　the　three　louis　d'or　upon　which　the　sighing　John　fixed　his　tearful　eyes。

〃And　now；　what　is　the　amount；〃　said　Pollnitz；　gravely；　〃which　you　have　placed　in　my　hands　for　safe…keeping？〃

〃Thirty…two　thalers；　fourteen　groschen；　and　five　pennies；〃　said　John；　〃and　then　the　fractions　from　the　three　louis　d'ors　makes　a　thaler　and　eight　groschen。〃

〃Pitiful　miser！　You　dare　to　reckon　fractions　against　your　master；　who；　in　his　magnanimity；　has　just　presented；　you　with　gold！　This　is　a　meanness　which　merits　exemplary　punishment。〃




CHAPTER　II。

TRENCK　ON　HIS　WAY　TO　PRISON。


Before　the　palace　of　the　Duke　of　Wurtemberg；　in　Coslin；　stood　the　light；　open　carriage　in　which　the　duke　was　accustomed　to　make　excursions；　when　inclined　to　carry　the　reins　himself；　and　enjoy　freedom　and　the　pure；　fresh　air；　without　etiquette　and　ceremony。

To…day；　however；　the　carriage　was　not　intended　for　an　ordinary　excursion；　but　to　transport　a　prisoner。　This　prisoner　was　no　other　than　the　unhappy　Frederick　Trenck；　whom　the　cowardly　republic　of　Dantzic；　terrified　at　the　menaces　of　the　king；　had　delivered　up　to　the　Prussian　police。

The　intelligence　of　his　unhappy　fate　flew　like　a　herald　before　him。　He　was　guarded　by　twelve　hussars；　and　the　sad　procession　was　received　everywhere　throughout　the　journey　with　kindly　sympathy。　All　exerted　themselves　to　give　undoubted　proofs　of　pity　and　consideration。　Even　the　officers　in　command；　who　sat　by　him　in　the　carriage；　and　who　were　changed　at　every　station；　treated　him　as　a　loved　comrade　in　arms；　and　not　as　a　state　prisoner。

But　while　all　sighed　and　trembled　for　him；　Trenck　alone　was　gay；　his　countenance　alone　was　calm　and　courageous。　Not　one　moment；　during　the　three　days　he　p