frederick the great and his family- 第26部分

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　passed　in　the　palace　of　the　duke；　was　his　youthful　and　handsome　face　clouded　by　a　single　shadow。　Not　one　moment　did　that　happy；　cheerful　manner；　by　which　he　won　all　hearts；　desert　him。　At　the　table；　he　was　the　brightest　and　wittiest；　his　amusing　narratives；　anecdotes；　and　droll　ideas　made　not　only　the　duke；　but　the　duchess　and　her　maids；　laugh　merrily。　In　the　afternoons；　in　the　saloon　of　the　duchess；　he　astonished　and　enraptured　the　whole　court　circle　by　improvising　upon　any　given　theme；　and　by　the　tasteful　and　artistic　manner　in　which　he　sang　the　national　ballads　he　had　learned　on　his　journeys　through　Italy；　Germany；　and　Russia。　At　other　times；　he　conversed　with　the　duke　upon　philosophy　and　state　policy；　and　he　was　amazed　at　the　varied　information　and　wisdom　of　this　young　man；　who　seemed　an　experienced　soldier　and　an　adroit　diplomat；　a　profound　statesman；　and　a　learned　historian。　By　his　dazzling　talents；　he　not　only　interested　but　enchained　his　listeners。

The　duke　felt　sadly　that　it　was　not　possible　to　retain　the　prisoner　longer　in　Coslin。　Three　days　of　rest　was　the　utmost　that　could　be　granted　Trenck；　without　exciting　suspicion。　He　sighed；　as　he　told　Trenck　that　his　duty　required　of　him　to　send　him　further　on　his　dark　journey。

Trenck　received　this　announcement　with　perfect　composure；　with　calm　self…possession。　He　took　leave　of　the　duke　and　duchess；　and　thanked　them　gayly　for　their　gracious　reception。

〃I　hope　that　my　imprisonment　will　be　of　short　duration；　and　then　your　highness　will；　I　trust；　allow　me　to　return　to　you；　and　offer　the　thanks　of　a　free　man。〃

〃May　we　soon　meet　again！〃　said　the　duke；　and　he　looked　searchingly　upon　Trenck；　as　if　he　wished　to　read　his　innermost　thoughts。　〃As　soon　as　you　are　free；　come　to　me。　I　will　not　forsake　you；　no　matter　under　what　circumstances　you　obtain　your　freedom。〃

Had　Trenck　observed　the　last　emphatic　words　of　the　duke；　and　did　he　understand　their　meaning？　The　duke　did　not　know。　No　wink　of　the　eyelid；　not　the　slightest　sign；　gave　evidence　that　Trenck　had　noticed　their　significance。　He　bowed　smilingly；　left　the　room　with　a　firm　step；　and　entered　the　carriage。

The　duke　called　back　the　ordnance　officer　who　was　to　conduct　him　to　the　next　station。

〃You　have　not　forgotten　my　command？〃　said　he。

〃No；　your　highness；　I　have　not　forgotten；　and　obedience　is　a　joyful　duty；　which　I　will　perform　punctually。〃

〃You　will　repeat　this　command；　in　my　name；　to　the　officer　at　the　next　station；　and　commission　him　to　have　it　repeated　at　every　station　where　my　regiments　are　quartered。　Every　one　shall　give　Trenck　an　opportunity　to　escape；　but　silently；　no　word　must　be　spoken　to　him　on　the　subject。　It　must　depend　upon　him　to　make　use　of　the　most　favorable　moment。　My　intentions　toward　him　must　be　understood　by　him　without　explanations。　He　who　is　so　unfortunate　as　to　allow　the　prisoner　to　escape；　can　only　be　blamed　for　carelessness　in　duty。　Upon　me　alone　will　rest　the　responsibility　to　the　King　of　Prussia。　You　shall　proceed　but　five　or　six　miles　each　day；　at　this　rate　of　travel　it　will　take　four　days　to　reach　the　last　barracks　of　my　soldiers；　and　almost　the　entire　journey　lies　through　dark；　thick　woods；　and　solitary　highways。　Now　go；　and　may　God　be　with　you！〃

The　duke　stepped　to　the　window　to　see　Trenck　depart；　and　to　give　him　a　last　greeting。

〃Well；　if　he　is　not　at　liberty　in　the　next　few　days；　it　will　surely　not　be　my　fault；〃　murmured　Duke　Ferdinand；　〃and　Princess　Amelia　cannot　reproach　me。〃

As　Trenck　drove　from　the　gate；　Duke　Ferdinand　turned　thoughtfully　away。　He　was；　against　his　will；　oppressed　by　sad　presentiments。　For　Trenck；　this　journey　over　the　highways　in　the　light；　open　carriage；　was　actual　enjoyment。　He　inhaled　joyfully　the　pure；　warm；　summer　airhis　eyes　rested　with　rapture　upon　the　waving　corn…fields；　and　the　blooming；　fragrant　meadows　through　which　they　passed。　With　gay　shouts　and　songs　he　seemed　to　rival　the　lark　as　she　winged　her　way　into　the　clouds　above　him。　He　was　innocent；　careless；　and　happy　as　a　child。　The　world　of　Nature　had　been　shut　out　from　him　in　the　dark；　close　carriage　which　had　brought　him　to　Coslin；　she　greeted　him　now　with　glad　smiles　and　gay　adorning。　It　seemed　as　if　she　were　decorated　for　him　with　her　most　odorous　blossoms　and　most　glorious　sunshineas　if　she　sent　her　softest　breeze　to　kiss　his　cheek　and　whisper　lovegreetings　in　his　ear。　With　upturned；　dreamy　glance；　he　followed　the　graceful　movements　of　the　pure；　white　clouds；　and　the　rapid　flight　of　the　birds。　Trenck　was　so　happy　in　even　this　appearance　of　freedom；　that　he　mistook　it　for　liberty。

The　carriage　rolled　slowly　over　the　sandy　highways；　and　now　entered　a　wood。　The　sweet　odor　of　the　fir…trees　drew　from　Trenck　a　cry　of　rapture。　He　had　felt　the　heat　of　the　sun　to　be　oppressive；　and　he　now　laid　his　head　back　under　the　shadow　of　the　thick　trees　with　a　feeling　of　gladness。

〃It　will　take　us　some　hours　to　get　through　this　forest；〃　said　the　ordnance　officer；　〃It　is　one　of　the　thickest　woods　in　this　region；　and　the　terror　of　the　police。　The　escaped　prisoner　who　succeeds　in　concealing　himself　here；　may　defy　discovery。　It　is　impossible　to　pursue　him　in　these　dark；　tangled　woods；　and　a　few　hours　conduct　him　to　the　sea…shore；　where　there　are　ever　small　fishing…boats　ready　to　receive　the　fugitive　and　place　him　safely　upon　some　passing　ship。　But　excuse　me；　sir！　the　sun　has　been　blazing　down　so　hotly　upon　my　head　that　I　feel　thoroughly　wearied；　and　will　follow　the　example　of　my　coachman。　Look！　he　is　fast　asleep；　and　the　horses　are　moving　on　of　their　own　good…will。　Good…night；　Baron　Trenck。〃

He　closed　his　eyes；　and　in　a　short　time　his　loud　snores　and　the　nodding　of　his　head　from　side　to　side　gave　assurance　that　he；　also；　was　locked　in　slumber。

Profound　stillness　reigned　around。　Trenck　gave　himself　wholly　to　the　enjoyment　of　the　moment。　The　peaceful　stillness　of　the　forest；　interrupted　only　at　intervals　by　the　snorting　of　the　horses；　the　sleepy　chatter　of　the　birds　among　the　dark　green　branches；　and　the　soft　rustling　and　whispering　of　the　trees；　filled　him　with　delight。

〃It　is　clear；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃that　this　arrest　in　Dantzic　was　only　a　manoeuvre　to　terrify　me。　I　rejected　the　proposal　of　the　Prussian　ambassador　in　Vienna；　to　return　to　Berlin　and　enter　again　the　Prussian　service；　so　the　king　wishes　to　punish　and　frighten　me。　This　is　a　jesta　comedy！which　the　king　is　carrying　on　at　my　expense。　If　I　were　really　regarded　as　a　deserter；　as　a　prisoner　for　the　crime　of　high　treason；　no　officer　would　dare　to　guard　me　so　carelessly。　In　the　beginning；　I　was　harshly　treated；　in　order　to　alarm　and　deceive　me；　and　truly　those　twelve　silent　hussars；　continually　surrounding　the　closed　carriage；　had　rather　a　melancholy　aspect；　and　I　confess　I　was　imposed　upon。　But　the　mask　has　fallen；　and　I　see　behind　the　smiling；　good…humored　face　of　the　king。　He　loved　me　truly　once；　and　was　as　kind　as　a　father。　The　old　love　has　awakened　and　spoken　in　my　favor。　Frederick　wishes　to　have　me　again　in　Berlinthat　is　all；　and　he　knows　well　that　I　can　be　of　service　to　him。　He　who　has　his　spies　everywhere；　knows　that　no　one　else　can　give　him　such　definite　information　as　to　the　intentions　and　plans　of　Russia　as　I　canthat　no　one　knows　so　certainly　what　the　preparations　for　war；　now　going　on　throughout　the　whole　of　Russia；　signify。　Yes；　yes：　so　it　is！　Frederick　will　have　me　again　in　his　service；　he　knows　of　my　intimacy　with　the　all…powerful　wife　of　Bestuchef；　that　I　am　in　constant　correspondence　with　her；　and　in　this　way　informed　of　all　the　plans　of　the　Russian　government。　＇Footnote：　Frederick　Trenck's　〃Memoirs。〃＇　Possibly；　the　king　intends　to　send　me　as　a　secret　ambassador　to　St。　Petersburg！　That　would；　indeed；　open　a　career　to　me；　and　bring　me　exalted　honor；　and　perhaps　make　that　event　possible　which　has　heretofore　only　floated　before　my　dazzled　sight　like　a　dream…picture。　Oh；　Amelia！　noblest；　most　constant　of　women！　could　the　dreams　of　our　youth　be　realized？　If　fate；　softened　by　your　tears　and　your　heroic　courage；　would　at　last　unite　you　with　him　you　have　so　fondly　and　so　truly　loved！　Misled　by　youth；　presumption；　and　levity；　I　have　sometimes　trifled　with　my　most　holy　remembrances；　sometimes　seemed　unfaithful；　but　my　love　to　you　has　never　failed；　I　have　worn　it　as　a　talisman　about　my　heart。　I　have　ever　worshipped　you；　I　have　ever　hoped　in　you；　and　I　will　believe　in　you　always；　if　I　doubt　and　despair　of　all　others。　Oh；　Amelia！　protecting　angel　of　my　life！　perhaps　I　may　now　return　to　you。　I　shall　see　you　again；　look　once　more　into　your　beauteous　eyes；　kneel　humbly　before　you；　and　receive　absolution　for　my　sins。　They　were　but　sins　of　the　flesh；　my　soul　had　no　part　in　them。　I　will　return　to　you；　and　live　free；　honored；　and　happy　by　your　side。　I　know　this　by　the　gracious　reception　of　the　duke；　I　know　it　by　the　careless　manner　in　which　I　am　guarded。　Before　the　officer　went　to　sleep　he　told　me　how　securely　a　fugitive　could　hide　himself　in　these　woods。　I；　however；　have　no　necessity　to　hide　myself；　no　misfortune　hovers　over　me；　honor　and　gladness　beckon　me　on。　I　will　not　be　so　foolish　as　to