frederick the great and his family-第7节

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Turning　to　Baron　Weingarten；　he　said：　〃That　which　we　ask　of　you　will　be　at　the　same　time　a　service　to　our　gracious　empress；　for　certainly　it　would　not　only　distress；　but　compromise　her　majesty；　if　an　Austrian　officer　committed　a　murder　in　Prussia。〃

〃Murder！〃　cried　the　secretary　of　legation。

〃Yes；　an　intentional　murder；〃　said　Baron　Waltz；　emphatically〃the　murder　of　the　King　of　Prussia。　If　you　prevent　this　crime；　you　will　receive　ten　thousand　guilders；〃　said　Zetto；　examining　Weingarten's　countenance　closely。　He　remarked　that　the　baron；　who　was　but　a　moment　ago　pale　from　terror；　now　reddened；　and　that　his　eyes　sparkled　joyously。

〃And　what　can　I　do　to　prevent　this　murder？〃　asked　Weingarten；　hastily。

〃You　can　warn　the　king。〃

〃But　to　warn　successfully；　I　must　have　proofs。〃

〃We　are　ready　to　give　the　most　incontrovertible　proofs。〃

〃I　must；　before　acting；　be　convinced　of　the　veracity　of　your　charges。〃

〃I　hope　that　my　word　of　honor　will　convince　you　of　their　truth；〃　said　Baron　Waltz；　pathetically。

Weingarten　bowed；　with　an　ambiguous　smile；　that　did　not　escape　Zetto。　He　drew　forth　his　pocket…book；　and　took　from　it　a　small；　folded　paper；　which　he　handed　to　Weingarten。

〃If　I　strengthen　my　declaration　with　this　paper；　will　you　trust　me？〃

Weingarten　looked　with　joyful　astonishment　at　the　paper；　it　was　a　check　for　two　thousand　guilders。　〃My　sister's　dowry；〃　thought　Weingarten；　with　joy。　But　the　next　moment　came　doubt　and　suspicion。　What　if　they　were　only　trying　himonly　convincing　themselves　if　he　could　be　bought？　Perhaps　he　was　suspected　of　supplying　the　Prussian　Government　from　time　to　time　with　Austrian　newsof　communicating　to　them　the　contents　of　important　dispatches！

The　fire　faded　from　his　eye；　and　with　a　firm　countenance　he　laid　the　paper　upon　the　table。

〃Your　are　mistaken；　gentlemen！　That　is　no　document；　but　a　check。〃

〃With　which　many　documents　could　be　purchased；〃　said　Zetto；　smiling。　Placing　the　paper　again　in　his　pocket…book；　he　took　out　another　and　a　larger　one。　It　was　a　check　for　three　thousand　guilders。

But　Weingarten　had　regained　his　composure。　He　knew　that　men　acting　thus　must　be　spies　or　criminals；　that　they　were　testing　him；　or　luring　him　on　to　some　unworthy　act。　In　either　case；　he　must　be　on　his　guard。

〃I　beg　you　to　confirm　your　charge　in　the　usual　manner；〃　said　he；　with　a　cold；　indifferent　glance　at　the　paper。　〃Murder　is　a　dreadful　accusationyou　cannot　act　too　carefully。　You　say　that　an　Austrian　officer　intends　to　murder　the　King　of　Prussia。　How　do　you　know　this？〃

〃From　himself；〃　said　Baron　Waltz。　〃He　communicated　his　intentions　to　me；　and　confided　to　me　his　entire　plan。〃

〃It　appears；〃　remarked　Weingarten；　mockingly；　〃that　the　officer　had　reason　to　believe　he　might　trust　you　with　this　terrible　secret。〃

〃You　see；　however；　that　he　was　mistaken；〃　said　the　baron；　smilingly。　〃I　demand　of　you　to　warn　the　King　of　Prussia　of　the　danger　that　threatens　him。〃

〃I　shall　be　compelled　to　make　this　danger　clear；　give　all　particulars；　or　the　king　will　laugh　at　my　story　and　consider　it　a　fairy　tale。〃

〃You　shall　give　him　convincing　proof。　Say　to　him　that　the　murder　is　to　be　committed　when　his　majesty　attends　the　Austrian　review　at　Konigsberg。〃

〃How　will　the　officer　cross　the　Prussian　border？〃

〃He　is　supplied　with　an　Austrian　passport；　and　under　the　pretence　of　inheriting　a　large　property　in　Prussia；　he　has　obtained　leave　of　absence　for　a　month。〃

〃There　remains　now　but　one　question：　why　does　the　officer　wish　to　murder　the　king？　What　motive　leads　him　to　do　so？〃

〃Revenge；〃　said　Baron　von　Waltz；　solemnly〃an　act　of　vengeance。　This　Austrian　officer　who　is　resolved　to　murder　the　king　of　Prussia；　is　Frederick　von　Trenck。〃

Weingarten　was　embarrassed；　and　his　countenance　bore　an　uneasy　and　troubled　expression。　But　as　his　eye　fell　upon　the　weighty　paper　that　lay　before　him；　he　smiled；　and　looked　resolved。

〃Now　I　have　but　one　thing　more　to　ask。　Why；　if　your　story　is　authentic；　and　well　calculated　to　startle　even　the　brave　king；　have　you　thought　it　necessary　to　remove　my　doubts　with　this　document？〃

Baron　Waltz　was　silent；　and　looked　inquiringly　at　Zetto。

〃Why　did　I　hand　you　this　document？〃　said　the　councillor；　with　a　sweet　smile。　〃Because　gold　remains　gold；　whether　received　from　an　Austrian　councillor　or　from　a　Prussian　prince。〃

〃Sir；　do　you　dare　to　insult　me？〃　cried　the　secretary　of　legation；　fiercely。

Zetto　smiled。　〃No；　I　only　wish　to　notify　you　that　we　are　aware　that　it　is　through　you　that　Baron　von　Trenck　receives　money　from　a　certain　aristocratic　lady　in　Berlin。　It　is；　therefore；　most　important　that　the　king　should　be　warned　by　you　of　his　intended　murderotherwise　you　might　be　thought　an　accomplice。〃

Weingarten　appeared　not　to　be　in　the　least　disconcerted　by　this　statementhe　seemed　not　even　to　have　heard　it。

〃Before　I　warn　the　king；〃　he　said；　with　calm　composure；　〃I　must　be　convinced　of　the　truth　of　the　story　myself；　and　I　acknowledge　to　you　that　I　am　not　convinced；　cannot　understand　your　motives　for　seeking　the　destruction　of　Baron　von　Trenck。〃

〃Ah！　you　search　into　our　motivesyou　mistrust　us；〃　cried　Zetto；　hastily。　〃Well；　we　will　prove　to　you　that　we　trust　you；　by　telling　you　our　secret。　You　know　the　story　of　the　inheritance　of　Trenck？〃

〃He　is　the　only　heir　of　the　pandour　chieftain；　Franz　von　Trenck。〃

〃Correct。　And　do　you　know　the　history　of　this　pandour　chieftain　Trenck？〃

〃I　have　heard　a　confused　and　uncertain　statement；　but　nothing　definite　or　reliable。〃

〃It　is；　however；　a　very　interesting　and　instructive　story；　and　shows　how　far　a　man　with　a　determined　will　and　great　energy　can　reach；　when　his　thoughts　are　directed　to　one　end。　Baron　Trenck　wished　to　be　rich；　immensely　richthat　was　the　aim　of　his　life。　Seduced　by　his　love　of　money；　he　became　the　captain　of　a　band　of　robbers；　then　a　murderer；　a　church…robber；　from　that　a　brave　soldier；　and；　at　last；　a　holy　penitent。　Robbing　and　plundering　every…where；　he　succeeded　in　collecting　millions。　The　pandour　chieftain　Trenck　soon　became　so　rich；　that　he　excited　the　envy　of　the　noblest　and　wealthiest　men　in　the　kingdom；　so　rich　that　he　was　able　to　lend　large　sums　of　money　to　the　powerful　and　influential　Baron　Lowenwalde。　You　see；　baron；　it　only　needs　a　determined　will　to　become　rich。〃

〃Oh！　the　foolish　man；〃　said　Weingarten；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Lending　money　to　a　noble　and　powerful　man；　is　making　an　irreconcilable　enemy。〃

〃You　speak　like　a　prophet。　It　happened；　as　you　say。　Lowenwalde　became　Trenck's　enemy。　He　accused　him　of　embezzling　the　imperial　money；　of　treachery　and　faithlessnessand　Trenck　was　imprisoned。〃

〃His　millions　obtained　his　release；　did　they　not？〃

〃No。　His　riches　reduced　him　to　greater　misery。　His　lands　were　sequestered；　and　a　body　of　commissioners　were　selected　to　attend　to　them。　Baron　Waltz　and　myself　belonged　to　this　commission。〃

〃Ah！　I　begin　to　understand；〃　murmured　Weingarten。

Baron　Zetto　continued；　with　a　smile。　〃The　commissioners　made　the　discovery　that　report　had　greatly　exaggerated　the　riches　of　Trenck。　He　had　not　many　treasures；　but　many　debts。　In　order　to　liquidate　those　debts；　we　desired　his　creditors　to　announce　themselves　every　day；　and　promised　them　a　daily　ducat　until　the　end　of　the　process。〃

〃I　hope　you　two　gentlemen　were　among　his　creditors；〃　said　Weingarten。

〃Certainly；　we　were；　and　also　Baron　Marken。〃

〃Therefore　you　have　a　threefold　advantage　from　Trenck's　imprisonment。　First；　your　salary　as　a　member　of　the　commission；　secondly；　as　a　creditor〃

〃And　thirdlyyou　spoke　of　a　threefold　advantage？〃

〃And　thirdly；〃　said　Weingarten；　laughing；　〃in　searching　for　the　missing　treasures　of　Baron　Trenck　which　had　disappeared　so　unfortunately。〃

〃Ah；　sir；　you　speak　like　those　who　suspected　us　at　court；　and　wished　to　make　the　empress　believe　that　we　had　enriched　ourselves　as　commissioners。　Soon　after　this　Trenck　died；　and　Frederick　von　Trenck　hastened　from　St。　Petersburg　to　receive　his　inheritance。　How　great　was　his　astonishment　to　find　instead　of　the　hoped…for　millions　a　few　mortgaged　lands；　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　guilders；　and　sixty…three　creditors　who　claimed　the　property。〃

〃He　should　have　become　one　of　the　commissioners；〃　remarked　Weingarten；　mockingly。　〃Perhaps　it　would　have　then　been　easier　for　him　to　obtain　his　possessions。〃

〃He　attempted　it　in　another　way；　with　the　aid　of　money；　bribery；　and　persuasion。　He　has　already　succeeded　in　obtaining　fifty…four　of　his　sixty…three　processes；　and　will　win　the　others　in　a　few　days。〃

〃And　then　he　will　doubtless　cause　the　commissioners　to　give　in　their　accounts；　and　close　their　books。〃

〃Exactly。　He　has　already　commenced　to　do　so。　He　ordered　an　investigation　to　be　made　against　the　quartermaster；　and　the　commander　of　the　regiment　to　which　Franz　von　Trenck　belonged。　This　man　had　accused　Trenck　of　having　embezzled　eight　thousand　of　the　imperial　money；　and　Trenck　succeeded　so　far；　that　it　was　declared　that　it　was　not　he；　but　his　accusers；　who　had　committed　the　crime。　The　consequence　was；　that　the　quartermaster　was　deposed；　and　it　would　have　fared　as　badly　with　the　commander；　had　he　not　found　powerful　protection。〃

〃And　now　the　dangerous　Frederick　von　Trenck　will　seize　the　property　of　the　commi