frederick the great and his family-第27节

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eckon　me　on。　I　will　not　be　so　foolish　as　to　fly；　life　opens　to　me　new　and　flowery　paths；　greets　me　with　laughing　hopes。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Frederick　Trenck's　Memoirs。〃＇

Wholly　occupied　with　these　thoughts；　Trenck　leaned　back　in　the　carriage　and　gave　himself　up　to　bright　dreams　of　the　future。　Slowly　the　horses　moved　through　the　deep；　white　sand；　which　made　the　roll　of　the　wheels　noiseless；　and　effaced　instantaneously　the　footprints　of　men。　The　officer　still　slept；　the　coachman　had　dropped　the　reins；　and　nodded　here　and　there　as　if　intoxicated。　The　wood　was　drear　and　empty；　no　human　dwelling；　no　human　face　was　seen。　Had　Trenck　wished　to　escape；　one　spring　from　the　low；　open　carriage；　a　hundred　hasty　steps　would　have　brought　him　to　a　thicket　where　discovery　was　impossible；　the　carriage　would　have　rolled　on　quietly；　and　when　the　sleepers　aroused　themselves；　they　would　have　had　no　idea　of　the　direction　Trenck　had　taken。　The　loose　and　rolling　sand　would　not　have　retained　his　footprints；　and　the　whispering　trees　would　not　have　betrayed　him。

Trenck　would　not　fly；　he　was　full　of　romance；　faith；　and　hope；　his　sanguine　temper　painted　his　future　in　enchanting　colors。　No；　he　would　not　flee；　he　had　faith　in　his　star。　Life's　earnest　tragedy　had　yet　for　him　a　smiling　face；　and　life's　bitter　truths　seemed　alluring　visions。　No；　the　king　only　wished　to　try　him；　he　wished　to　see　if　he　could　frighten　him　into　an　effort　to　escape；　he　gave　him　the　opportunity　for　flight；　but　if　he　made　use　of　it；　he　would　be　lost　forever　in　the　eyes　of　Frederick；　and　his　prospects　utterly　destroyed。　If　he　bravely　suffered　the　chance　of　escape　to　pass　by；　and　arrived　in　Berlin；　to　all　appearance　a　prisoner；　the　king　would　have　the　agreeable　task　of　undeceiving　him；　and　Trenck　would　have　shown　conclusively　that　he　had　faith　in　the　king's　magnanimity；　and　gave　himself　up　to　him　without　fear。　He　would　have　proved　also　that　his　conscience　was　clear；　and　that；　without　flattering；　he　could　yield　himself　to　the　judgment　of　the　king。　No；　Trenck　would　not　fly。　In　Berlin；　liberty；　love；　and　Amelia　awaited　him；　he　would　lose　all　this　by　flight；　it　would　all　remain　his　if　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　be　enticed　by　the　flattering　goddess；　opportunity；　who　now　beckoned　and　nodded　smilingly　from　behind　every　tree　and　every　thicket。　Trenck　withstood　these　enticements　during　three　long　days；　with　careless　indifference　he　passed　slowly　on　through　this　lonely　region；　in　his　arrogant　blindness　and　self…confidence　he　did　not　observe　the　careworn　and　anxious　looks　of　the　officers　who　conducted　him；　he　did　not　hear　or　understand　the　low；　hesitating　insinuations　they　dared　to　speak。

〃This　is　your　last　resting…point；〃　said　the　officer　who　had　conducted　him　from　the　last　station。　〃You　will　remain　here　this　afternoon；　and　early　to…morrow　morning　the　cavalry　officer　Von　Halber　will　conduct　you　to　Berlin；　where　the　last　barracks　of　our　regiment　are　to　be　found；　from　that　point　the　infantry　garrison　will　take　charge　of　your　further　transportation。〃

〃I　shall　not　make　their　duties　difficult；〃　said　Trenck；　gayly。　〃You　see　I　am　a　good…natured　prisoner；　no　Argus　eyes　are　necessary；　as　I　have　no　intention　to　flee。〃

The　officer　gazed　into　his　calm；　smiling　face　with　amazement；　and　then　stepped　out　with　the　officer　Von　Halber；　into　whose　house　they　had　now　entered；　to　make　known　his　doubts　and　apprehensions。

〃Perhaps　the　opportunities　which　have　been　offered　him　have　not　been　sufficiently　manifest；〃　said　Von　Halber。　〃Perhaps　he　has　not　regarded　them　as　safe；　and　he　fears　a　failure。　In　that　he　is　right；　a　vain　attempt　at　flight　would　be　much　more　prejudicial　to　him　than　to　yield　himself　without　opposition。　Well；　I　will　see　that　he　has　now　a　sure　chance　to　escape；　and　you　may　believe　he　will　be　cunning　enough　to　take　advantage　of　it。　You　may　say　this　much　to　his　highness　the　duke。〃

〃But　do　not　forget　that　the　duke　commanded　us　not　to　betray　his　intention　to　prepare　these　opportunities　by　a　single　word。　This　course　would　compromise　the　duke　and　all　of　us。〃

〃I　understand　perfectly；〃　said　Von　Halber；　〃I　will　speak　eloquently　by　deeds；　and　not　with　words。〃

True　to　this　intention；　Von　Halber；　after　having　partaken　of　a　gay　dinner　with　Trenck　and　several　officers；　left　his　house；　accompanied　by　all　his　servants。

〃The　horses　must　be　exercised；〃　said　he；　and；　as　he　was　unmarried；　no　one　remained　in　the　house　but　Trenck。

〃You　will　be　my　house…guard　for　several　hours；〃　said　the　officer　to　Trenck；　who　was　standing　at　the　door　as　he　drove　off。　〃I　hope　no　one　will　come　to　disturb　your　solitude。　My　officers　all　accompany　me；　and　I　have　no　acquaintance　in　this　little　village。　You　will　be　entirely　alone；　and　if；　on　my　return；　I　find　that　you　have　disappeared　in　mist　and　fog；　I　shall　believe　that　ennui　has　extinguished　youreduced　you　to　a　bodiless　nothing。〃

〃Well；　I　think　he　must　have　understood　that；〃　said　Von　Halber；　as　he　dashed　down　the　street；　followed　by　his　staff。　〃He　must　be　blind　and　deaf　if　he　does　not　flee　from　the　fate　before　him。〃

Trenck；　alas；　had　not　understood。　He　believed　in　no　danger；　and　did　not；　therefore；　see　the　necessity　for　flight。　He　found　this　quiet；　lonely　house　inexpressibly　wearisome。　He　wandered　through　the　rooms；　seeking　some　object　of　interest；　or　some　book　which　would　enable　him　to　pass　the　tedious　hours。　The　cavalry　officer　was　a　gallant　and　experienced　soldier；　but　he　was　no　scholar；　and　had　nothing　to　do　with　books。　Trenck's　search　was　in　vain。　Discontented　and　restless；　he　wandered　about；　and　at　last　entered　the　little　court　which　led　to　the　stable。　A　welcome　sound　fell　on　his　ears；　and　made　his　heart　beat　joyfully；　with　rapid　steps　he　entered　the　stable。　Two　splendid　horses　stood　in　the　stalls；　snorting　and　stamping　impatiently；　they　were　evidently　riding…horses；　for　near　them　hung　saddles　and　bridles。　Their　nostrils　dilated　proudly　as　they　threw　their　heads　back　to　breathe　the　fresh　air　which　rushed　in　at　the　open　door。　It　appeared　to　Trenck　that　their　flashing　eyes　were　pleading　to　him　for　liberty　and　action。

〃Poor　beasts；〃　said　he；　stepping　forward；　and　patting　and　caressing　them〃poor　beasts；　you　also　pine　for　liberty；　and　hope　for　my　assistance；　but　I　cannot；　I　dare　not　aid　you。　Like　you；　I　also　am　a　prisoner；　and　like　you　also；　a　prisoner　to　my　will。　If　you　would　use　your　strength；　one　movement　of　your　powerful　muscles　would　tear　your　bonds　asunder；　and　your　feet　would　bear　you　swiftly　like　wings　through　the　air。　If　I　would　use　the　present　opportunity；　which　beckons　and　smiles　upon　me；　it　would　be　only　necessary　to　spring　upon　your　back　and　dash　off　into　God's　fair　and　lovely　world。　We　would　reach　our　goal；　we　would　be　free；　but　we　would　both　be　lost；　we　would　be　recaptured；　and　would　bitterly　repent　our　short　dream　of　self…acquired　freedom。　It　is　better　for　us　both　that　we　remain　as　we　are；　bound；　not　with　chains　laid　upon　our　bodies；　but　by　wisdom　and　discretion。〃

So　saying；　he　smoothed　tenderly　the　glossy　throat　of　the　gallant　steed；　whose　joyful　neigh　filled　his　heart　with　an　inexplicable　melancholy。

〃I　must　leave　you；〃　murmured　he；　shudderingly；　〃your　lusty　neighing　intoxicates　my　senses；　and　reminds　me　of　green　fields　and　fragrant　meadows；　of　the　broad　highways；　and　the　glad　feeling　of　liberty　which　one　enjoys　when　flying　through　the　world　on　the　back　of　a　gallant　steed。　No！　No！　I　dare　no　longer　look　upon　you；　all　my　wisdom　and　discretion　might　melt　away；　and　I　might　be　allured　to　seek　for　myself　that　freedom　which　I　must　receive　alone　at　the　hands　of　the　king；　in　Berlin。〃

With　hasty　steps　Trenck　left　the　stable　and　returned　to　the　house；　where　he　stretched　himself　upon　the　sofa；　and　gave　himself　up　to　dreamland。　It　was　twilight　when　Halber　returned　from　his　long　ride。

〃All　is　quiet　and　peaceful；〃　said　he；　as　he　entered　the　house。　〃The　bird　has　flown；　this　time；　he　found　the　opportunity　favorable。〃

With　a　contented　smile；　he　entered　his　room；　but　his　expression　changed　suddenly；　and　his　trembling　lips　muttered　a　soldier's　curse。　There　lay　Trenck　in　peaceful　slumber；　his　handsome；　youthful　face　was　bright　and　free　from　care；　and　those　must　be　sweet　dreams　which　floated　around　him；　for　he　smiled　in　his　sleep。

〃Poor　fellow！〃　said　Von　Halber；　shaking　his　head；　〃he　must　be　mad；　or　struck　with　blindness；　and　cannot　see　the　yawning　abyss　at　his　feet。〃　He　awakened　Trenck；　and　asked　him　how　he　had　amused　himself；　during　the　long　hours　of　solitude。

〃I　looked　through　all　your　house；　and　then　entered　the　stables　and　gladdened　my　heart　by　the　sight　of　your　beautiful　horses。〃

〃Thunder　and　lightning！　You　have　then　seen　my　horses；〃　cried　Halber；　thoroughly　provoked。　〃Did　no　wish　arise　in　your　heart　to　mount　one　and　seek　your　liberty？〃

Frederick　Trenck　smiled。　〃The　wish；　indeed；　arose　in　my　heart；　but　I　suppressed　it　manfully。　Do　you　not　see；　dear　Halber；　that　it　would　be　unthankful　and　unknightly　to　reward　in　this　cowardly　and　contemptible　way　the　magnanimous　confidence　you　have　shown　me。〃

〃Truly；　you　are　an　honorable　gentleman；〃　cried　Halber；　greatly　touched；　〃I　had　not　thought　of　that。　It　would　not　have　been　well　to　flee　from　my　house。〃

〃To…morrow　he　will　fly；〃　thought　the　good…natured　soldier；　〃when　once　more　aloneto…morrow；　and　the