frederick the great and his family- 第54部分

CHAPTER　V。

THE　PRISONER。


Two　years　had　passed　since　Frederick　von　Trenck　entered　the　fortress　of　Magdeburg。　Two　years！　What　is　that　to　those　who　live；　work；　strive；　and　fight　the　battle　of　life？　A　short　space　of　time；　dashing　on　with　flying　feet；　and　leaving　nothing　for　remembrance　but　a　few　important　moments。

Two　years！　What　is　that　to　the　prisoner？　A　gray；　impenetrable　eternity；　in　which　the　bitter　waters　of　the　past　fall　drop　by　drop　upon　all　the　functions　of　life；　and　hollow　out　a　grave　for　the　being　without　existence；　who　no　longer　has　the　courage　to　call　himself　a　man。　Two　years　of　anxious　waiting；　of　vain　hopes；　of　ever…renewing　self…deception；　of　labor　without　result。

This　was　Trenck's　existence；　since　the　day　the　doors　of　the　citadel　of　Magdeburg　closed　upon　him　as　a　prisoner。　He　had　had　many　bitter　disappointments；　much　secret　suffering；　he　had　learned　to　know　human　nature　in　all　its　wickedness　and　insignificance；　its　love　of　money　and　corruption；　but　also　in　its　greatness　and　exaltation；　and　its　constancy　and　kindness。

Amongst　the　commandants　and　officers　of　the　fortress　whose　duty　it　was　to　guard　Trenck；　there　were　many　hard　and　cruel　hearts；　which　exulted　in　his　tortures；　and　who；　knowing　the　king's　personal　enmity　to　him；　thought　to　recommend　themselves　by　practising　the　most　refined　cruelties　upon　the　defenceless　prisoner。　But　he　had　also　found　warm　human　souls；　who　pitied　his　misfortunes；　and　who　sought；　by　every　possible　means；　to　ameliorate　his　sad　fate。　And；　after　all；　never　had　the　night　of　his　imprisonment　been　utterly　dark　and　impenetrable。　The　star　of　hope；　of　love；　of　constancy；　had　glimmered　from　afar。　This　star；　which　had　thrown　its　silver　veil　over　his　most　beautiful　and　sacred　remembrances；　over　his　young　life　of　liberty　and　love；　this　star　was　Amelia。　She　had　never　ceased　to　think　of　him；　to　care　for　him；　to　labor　for　his　release；　she　had　always　found　means　to　supply　him　with　help；　with　gold；　with　active　friends。　But；　alas！　all　this　had　only　served　to　add　to　his　misfortunes；　to　narrow　the　boundaries　of　his　prison；　and　increase　the　weight　of　his　chains。

Treachery　and　seeming　accident　had；　up　to　this　time；　made　vain　every　attempt　at　escape；　and　destroyed　in　one　moment　the　sad　and　exhausting　labors　of　many　long　months。　The　first　and　seemingly　most　promising　attempt　at　flight　had　miscarried；　through　the　treason　of　the　faithless　Baron　Weingarten；　who　had　offered　to　communicate　between　Trenck　and　the　princess。

For　six　long　months　Trenck　had　worked　with　ceaseless　and　incomparable　energy　at　a　subterranean　path　which　would　lead　him　to　freedom；　all　was　prepared；　all　complete。　The　faithful　grenadier；　Gefhart；　who　had　been　won　over　by　the　princess；　had　given　him　the　necessary　instruments；　and　through　the　bars　of　his　prison　had　conveyed　to　him　such　food　as　would　strengthen　him　for　his　giant　task。

Nothing　was　now　wanting　but　gold；　to　enable　Trenck；　when　he　had　escaped；　to　hire　a　little　boat；　which　would　place　him　on　the　other　side　of　the　Elbegold；　to　enable　him　to　make　a　rapid　flight。

Gefhart　had　undertaken　to　deliver　Trenck's　letter　to　the　princess；　asking　for　this　money。　This　letter；　written　with　his　own　blood　upon　a　piece　of　linen；　had　been　forwarded　through　Gefhart's　mistress；　the　Jewess　Rebecca；　to　Weingarten。　He　delivered　it　to　the　princess；　and　received；　through　Pollnitz；　two　thousand　thalers；　which　he　did　not　hand　over　to　Rebecca；　but　retained　for　himself；　and　betrayed　to　the　king　Trenck's　intended　flight。

This　was　but　a　short　time　before　Weingarten's　own　flight；　and　while　he　was　enjoying　the　fruit　of　this　base　fraud　in　security　and　freedom；　poor　Trenck　was　forced　to　descend　still　lower　in　the　citadel；　and　take　possession　of　that　frightful　prison　which；　by　special　command　of　the　king；　had　been　built　and　prepared　for　him；　in　the　lowest　casemates　of　the　fortress。

The　king　was　greatly　exasperated　at　these　never…ending　attempts　of　Trenck　to　escape；　his　courage　and　endurance　made　him　an　interesting　and　admired　martyr　to　the　whole　garrison　at　Magdeburg。

Frederick　wished　to　give　to　this　garrison；　and　to　all　his　soldiers；　a　terrible　example　of　the　relentless　severity　with　which　insubordination　should　be　punished；　to　prove　to　them　that　mortal　daring　and　mortal　energy　were　vain　to　escape　the　avenging　hand　of　royal　justice。

Trenck；　who；　in　the　beginning；　had　only　been　condemned　to　arrest　in　Glatz　for　six　months；　had；　by　his　constant　attempts　at　escape；　and　the　mad　and　eloquent　expression　of　his　rage；　brought　upon　himself　the　sentence　of　eternal　imprisonment；　in　a　subterranean　cell；　which；　by　express　command　of　the　king；　was　so　prepared；　that　neither　guards　nor　soldiers　were　necessary　to　his　detention。　A　jailer　only　was　needed；　to　lock　the　four　doors　of　the　corridor　which　led　to　Trenck's　cell。　It　was　as　little　dangerous　to　guard　this　poor　prisoner　as　to　approach　the　lion　bound　by　chains　and　hemmed　in　by　iron　bars。

Trenck　was　indeed　manacled　like　a　wild　beast。　A　chain　clanked　upon　his　feet；　an　iron　girdle　was　around　his　waist；　to　which　hung　a　heavy　chain；　fastened　to　a　thick　iron　bar　built　in　the　wall；　manacles　were　made　fast　to　each　end　of　an　iron　bar；　to　which　his　hands　were　bound。　The　most　cruel　wild　beast　would　not　have　been　so　tortured；　some　one　would　have　had　pity　on　him；　and　mercifully　ended　his　life。　But　this　creature；　thus　tortured；　groaning　and　clanking　his　heavy　chains　this　creature　was　a　man；　therefore　there　was　no　pity。　It　would　have　been　considered　a　crime　to　put　an　end　to　his　life；　but　slowly；　day　by　day；　to　murder　him；　was　only　justice。

The　king　had　made　it　the　personal　duty　of　the　commandant；　Bruckhausen；　to　guard　Trenck。　He　declared　that　if　he　allowed　Trenck　to　escape；　he　should　not　only　lose　his　place　and　rank；　but　take　Trenck's　place　in　his　fearful　cell。　This　was　a　frightful　menace　to　the　ambitious　and　harsh　commandant；　Bruckhausen；　and；　of　course；　led　him　to　take　the　severest　precautions。　It　was　he；　therefore；　who　had　bound　Trenck；　and；　whenever　he　visited　the　poor　prisoner　in　his　cell；　he　rejoiced　in　the　artistic　construction　of　his　chains；　and　looked　proudly　upon　his　work。　He　saw　with　delight　that　Trenck　was　scarcely　able　to　drag　his　heavy　chains　two　feet　to　the　right　or　left；　or　to　raise　the　tin　cup　to　his　parched　lips；　with　his　hands　thus　fastened　to　an　iron　bar；　and　as　often　as　he　left　the　cell；　he　exclaimed；　with　an　expression　of　malicious　joy：

〃I　have　tamed　him　forever！　he　will　not　escape　me！〃

But　Trenck　was　not　tamed；　his　courage　was　not　broken。　In　this　crushed　and　wasted　form　dwelt　a　strong　soul；　a　bounding　heart；　he　had　been　bound　in　chains　thought　to　be　indissoluble。　Trenck　alone　did　not　believe　this；　he　trusted　still　in　the　magic　power　of　his　will；　in　his　good　star；　which　had　not　yet　been　quenched　in　darkness。

In　the　wall　to　which　the　chain　was　fastened；　his　name　was　built；　in　red　tiles；　a　gravestone　marked　the　spot　upon　which　his　feet　moved；　upon　which　a　death's　head　and　the　name　of　Trenck　was　engraved。　Under　this　stone　there　was　a　vault；　and　when　one　looked　at　the　moist　walls；　from　which　the　water　constantly　trickled；　and　at　the　dark　cell；　which　for　six　months　had　not　been　cheered　by　one　ray　of　light；　they　might　well　suppose　that　the　gravestone　would　soon　be　lifted；　and　the　vault　opened　to　receive　the　poor　prisoner；　upon　whose　grave　no　other　tears　would　flow。　These　dark　walls　were；　as　it　appeared；　softer　and　more　pitiful　than　the　hearts　of　men。

Trenck　was　not　subdued；　the　death's　head　and　his　name　upon　the　gravestone　did　not　terrify　him！　It　was　nothing　more　to　him　than　a　constant　reminder　to　collect　his　courage　and　his　strength；　and　to　oppose　to　his　daily　menace　of　death　a　strong　conviction　of　life　and　liberty。

If　his　prison　were　dark；　and　warmed　by　no　ray　of　sunshine；　he　leaned　his　head　against　the　wall；　closed　his　eyes；　and　his　vivid　imagination　and　glowing　fancy　was　the　slave　of　his　will；　and　painted　his　past　life　in　magic　pictures。

The　prisoner；　clad　as　a　convict；　with　his　hands　and　feet　chained；　became　at　once　the　child　of　fortune　and　love；　the　exalted　favorite　of　princes；　the　admired　cavalier；　the　envied　courtier；　and　the　darling　of　lovely　women。

When　hunger　drove　him　to　eat　the　coarse　bread　which　was　his　only　nourishment；　and　to　satisfy　his　thirst　with　the　muddy　water　in　the　tin　pitcher　at　his　side；　he　thought　of　the　meals；　worthy　of　Lucullus；　of　which　he　had　partaken；　at　the　Russian　court；　by　the　side　of　the　all…powerful　Russian　minister　Bestuchef；　he　remembered　the　fabulous　pomp　which　surrounded　him；　and　the　profound　reverence　which　was　shown　him；　as　the　acknowledged　favorite　of　the　prime　minister　of　the　empress。

When　no　one　whispered　one　word　of　consolation　or　of　sympathy；　for　all　trembled　at　the　ceaseless　watchfulness　of　the　commandantwhen　the　rude　silent　jailer　came　daily　and　placed　his　bread　and　water　before　him　and　left　him　without　word　or　greetingthen　Trenck　recalled　the　sacred；　consecrated　hours　in　which　love　had　whispered　sweet　names　and　tender　words。　This　love　still　livedit　watched　over　and　shone　down　upon　himit　was　a　star　of　hope。　Why　should　Trenck　despair；　when　love　lived　and　lived　only　for　him？　No；　he　would　not　diehe　would　never　be　buried　under　this　gravestone。　Beyond　these　thick；　damp　walls　lay