the life and adventures of baron trenck-2- 第4部分

Pride；　the　justness　of　my　cause；　the　unbounded　confidence　I　had　in　my　own　resolution；　and　the　labours　of　an　inventive　head　and　iron　bodythese　only　could　have　preserved　my　life。　　These　bodily　labours；　these　continued　inventions；　and　projected　plans　to　obtain　my　freedom；　preserved　my　health。　　Who　would　suppose　that　a　man　fettered　as　I　was　could　find　means　of　exercising　himself？　　By　swinging　my　arms；　acting　with　the　upper　part　of　my　body；　and　leaping　upwards；　I　frequently　put　myself　in　a　strong　perspiration。　　After　thus　wearying　myself　I　slept　soundly；　and　often　thought　how　many　generals；　obliged　to　support　the　inclemencies　of　weather；　and　all　the　dangers　of　the　fieldhow　many　of　those　who　had　plunged　me　into　this　den　of　misery；　would　have　been　most　glad　could　they；　like　me；　have　slept　with　a　quiet　conscience。　　Often　did　I　reflect　how　much　happier　I　was　than　those　tortured　on　the　bed　of　sickness　by　gout；　stone；　and　other　terrible　diseases。　　How　much　happier　was　I　in　innocence　than　the　malefactor　doomed　to　suffer　the　pangs　of　death；　the　ignominy　of　men；　and　the　horrors　of　internal　guilt！



CHAPTER　II。



In　the　following　part　of　my　history　it　will　appear　I　often　had　much　money　concealed　under　the　ground　and　in　the　walls　of　my　den；　yet　would　I　have　given　a　hundred　ducats　for　a　morsel　of　bread；　it　could　not　have　been　procured。　　Money　was　to　me　useless。　　In　this　I　resembled　the　miser；　who　hoards；　yet　hives　in　wretchedness；　having　no　joy　in　gentle　acts　of　benevolence。　　As　proudly　might　I　delight　myself　with　my　hidden　treasure　as　such　misers；　nay；　more；　for　I　was　secure　from　robbers。

Had　fastidious　pomp　been　my　pleasure；　I　might　have　imagined　myself　some　old　field…marshal　bedridden；　who　hears　two　grenadier　sentinels　at　his　door　call；　〃Who　goes　there？〃　My　honour；　indeed；　was　still　greater；　for；　during　my　last　year's　imprisonment；　my　door　was　guarded　by　no　less　than　four。　　My　vanity　also　might　have　been　flattered：　　I　might　hence　conclude　how　high　was　the　value　set　upon　my　head；　since　all　this　trouble　was　taken　to　hold　me　in　security。　Certain　it　is　that　in　my　chains　I　thought　more　rationally；　more　nobly；　reasoned　more　philosophically　on　man；　his　nature；　his　zeal；　his　imaginary　wants；　the　effects　of　his　ambition；　his　passions；　and　saw　more　distinctly　his　dream　of　earthly　good；　than　those　who　had　imprisoned；　or　those　who　guarded　me。　　I　was　void　of　the　fears　that　haunt　the　parasite　who　servilely　wears　the　fetters　of　a　court；　and　daily　trembles　for　the　loss　of　what　vice　and　cunning　have　acquired。　Those　who　had　usurped　the　Sclavonian　estates；　and　feasted　sumptuously　from　the　service　of　plate　I　had　been　robbed　of；　never　ate　their　dainties　with　so　sweet　an　appetite　as　I　my　ammunition　bread；　nor　did　their　high…flavoured　wines　flow　so　limpid　as　my　cold　water。

Thus；　the　man　who　thinks；　being　pure　of　heart；　will　find　consolation　when　under　the　most　dreadful　calamities；　convinced；　as　he　must　be；　that　those　apparently　most　are　frequently　least　happy；　insensible　as　they　are　of　the　pleasures　they　might　enjoy。　　Evil　is　never　so　great　as　it　appears。


〃Sweet　are　the　uses　of　adversity；　Which；　like　the　toad；　ugly　and　venomous；　Wears　yet　a　precious　jewel　in　his　head。〃　As　you　LIKE　IT。


Happy　he　who；　like　me；　having　suffered；　can　become　an　example　to　his　suffering　brethren！

YOUTH；　prosperous；　and　imagining　eternal　prosperity；　read　my　history　attentively；　though　I　should　be　in　my　grave！　　Read　feelingly；　and　bless　my　sleeping　dust；　if　it　has　taught　thee　wisdom　or　fortitude！

FATHER；　reading　this；　say　to　thy　children；　I　felt　thus　like　them；　in　blooming　youth；　little　prophesied　of　misfortune；　which　after　fell　so　heavy　on　me；　and　by　which　I　am　even　still　persecuted！　　Say　that　I　had　virtue；　ambition；　was　educated　in　noble　principles；　that　I　laboured　with　all　the　zeal　of　enthusiastic　youth　to　become　wiser；　better；　greater　than　other　men；　that　I　was　guilty　of　no　crimes；　was　the　friend　of　men；　was　no　deceiver　of　man　or　woman；　that　I　first　served　my　own　country　faithfully；　and　after；　every　other　in　which　I　found　bread；　that　I　was　never；　during　life；　once　intoxicated；　was　no　gamester；　no　night　rambler；　no　contemptible　idler；　that　yet；　through　envy　and　arbitrary　power；　I　have　fallen　to　misery　such　as　none　but　the　worst　of　criminals　ought　to　feel。

BROTHER；　fly　those　countries　where　the　lawgiver　himself　knows　no　law；　where　truth　and　virtue　are　punished　as　crimes；　and；　if　fly　you　cannot；　be　it　your　endeavour　to　remain　unknown；　unnoticed；　in　such　countries；　seek　not　favour　or　honourable　employ；　else　will　you　become；　when　your　merits　are　known；　as　I　have　been；　the　victim　of　slander　and　treachery：　　the　behests　of　power　will　persecute　you；　and　innocence　will　not　shield　you　from　the　shafts　of　wicked　men　who　are　envious；　or　who　wish　to　obtain　the　favour　of　princes；　though　by　the　worst　of　means。

SIRE；　imagine　not　that　thou　readest　a　romance。　　My　head　is　grey；　like　thine。　　Read；　yet　despise　not　the　world；　though　it　has　treated　me　thus　unthankfully。　　Good　men　have　I　also　found；　who　have　befriended　me　in　misfortunes；　and　there；　where　I　had　least　claim；　have　I　found　them　most。　　May　my　book　assist　thee　in　noble　thoughts；　mayest　thou　die　as　tranquilly　as　I　shall　render　up　my　soul　to　appear　before　the　Judge　of　me　and　my　persecutors。　　Be　death　but　thought　a　transition　from　motion　to　rest。　　Few　are　the　delights　of　this　world　for　him　who；　like　me；　has　learned　to　know　it。　　Murmur　not；　despair　not　of　Providence。　　Me；　through　storms；　it　has　brought　to　haven；　through　many　griefs　to　self…knowledge；　and　through　prisons　to　philosophy。　　He　only　can　tranquilly　descend　to　annihilation　who　finds　reason　not　to　repent　he　has　once　existed。　　My　rudder　broke　not　amid　the　rocks　and　quicksands；　but　my　bark　was　cast　upon　the　strand　of　knowledge。　　Yet；　even　on　these　clear　shores　are　impenetrable　clouds。　　I　have　seen　more　distinctly　than　it　is　supposed　men　ought　to　see。　　Age　will　decay　the　faculties；　and　mental；　like　bodily　sight；　must　then　decrease。　　I　even　grew　weary　of　science；　and　envied　the　blind…born；　or　those　who；　till　death；　have　been　wilfully　hoodwinked。　　How　often　have　I　been　asked；　〃What　didst　thou　see？〃　And　when　I　answered　with　sincerity　and　truth；　how　often　have　I　been　derided　as　a　liar；　and　been　persecuted　by　those　who　determined　not　to　see　themselves；　as　an　innovator　singular　and　rash！

Sire；　I　further　say　to　thee；　teach　thy　descendants　to　seek　the　golden　mean；　and　say　with　Gellert〃The　boy　Fritz　needs　nothing；　his　stupidity　will　insure　his　success；　Examine　our　wealthy　and　titled　lords；　what　are　their　abilities　and　honours；　then　inquire　how　they　were　attained；　and；　if　thou　canst；　discover　in　what　true　happiness　consists。〃

Once　more　to　my　prison。　　The　failure　of　my　escape；　and　the　recovery　of　life　from　this　state　of　despair；　led　me　to　moralise　deeper　than　I　had　ever　done　before；　and　in　this　depth　of　thought　I　found　unexpected　consolation　and　fortitude；　and　a　firm　persuasion　I　yet　should　accomplish　my　deliverance。

Gelfhardt；　my　honest　grenadier；　had　infused　fresh　hope；　and　my　mind　now　busily　began　to　meditate　new　plans。　　A　sentinel　was　placed　before　my　door；　that　I　might　be　more　narrowly　watched；　and　the　married　men　of　the　Prussian　states　were　appointed　to　this　duty；　who；　as　I　will　hereafter　show；　were　more　easy　to　persuade　in　aiding　my　flight　than　foreign　fugitives。　　The　Pomeranian　will　listen；　and　is　by　nature　kind；　therefore　may　easily　be　moved；　and　induced　to　succour　distress。

I　began　to　be　more　accustomed　to　my　irons；　which　I　had　before　found　so　insupportable；　I　could　comb　out　my　long　hair；　and　could　tie　it　at　last　with　one　hand。　　My　beard；　which　had　so　long　remained　unshaven；　gave　me　a　grim　appearance；　and　I　began　to　pluck　it　up　by　the　roots。　The　pain　at　first　was　considerable；　especially　about　the　lips；　but　this　also　custom　conquered；　and　I　performed　this　operation　in　the　following　years；　once　in　six　weeks；　or　two　months；　as　the　hair　thus　plucked　up　required　that　length　of　time　before　the　nails　could　again　get　hold。　　Vermin　did　not　molest　me；　the　dampness　of　my　den　was　inimical　to　them。　　My　limbs　never　swelled；　because　of　the　exercise　I　gave　myself；　as　before　described。　　The　greatest　pain　I　found　was　in　the　continued　unvivifying　dimness　in　which　I　lived。

I　had　read　much；　had　lived　in；　and　seen　much　of　the　world。　　Vacuity　of　thought；　therefore；　I　was　little　troubled　with；　the　former　transactions　of　my　life；　and　the　remembrance　of　the　persons　I　had　known；　I　revolved　so　often　in　my　mind；　that　they　became　as　familiar　and　connected　as　if　the　events　had　each　been　written　in　the　order　it　occurred。　　Habit　made　this　mental　exercise　so　perfect　to　me；　that　I　could　compose　speeches；　fables；　odes；　satires；　all　of　which　I　repeated　aloud；　and　had　so　stored　my　memory　with　them　that　I　was　enabled；　after　I　had　obtained　my　freedom；　to　commit　to　writing　two　volumes　of　my　prison　labours。　　Accustomed　to　this　exercise；　days　that　would　otherwise　have　been　days　of　misery　appeared　but　as　a　moment。　　The　following　narrative　will　show　how　munch　esteem；　how　many　friends；　these　compositions　procured　me；　even　in　my　dungeon；　insomuch　that　I　obtained　light；　paper；　and　finally　freedom　itself。　For　these　I　have　to　thank　the　industrious　acquirements　of　my　youth；　therefore　do　I　counsel　all　my　readers　so　to　employ　their　time。　Riches；　honours；　the　favours　of　fortune；　may　be　showered　by　monarchs　upon　the　most　worthless；　but　monarchs　can　give　and　take；　say　and　unsay；　raise　and　pull　down。　　Monarchs；　however；　can　neither　give　wisdom　nor　virtue。　　Arbitrary　power　itself；　in　the　presence　of　these；　is　foiled。

How　wisely　has　Providence　ordained　that　the　endowments　of　industry；　learning；　and　science；　given　by　ourselves；　cannot　be　taken　from　us；　while；　on　the　contrary；　what　others　bestow　is　a　fantastical　dream；　from　which　any　accident　may　awaken　us！　　The　wrath　of　Frederic　could　destroy　legions；　and　defeat　armies；　but　it　could　not　take　from　me　the　sense　of　honour；　of　innocence；　and　their　sweet　concomitant；　peace　of　mindcould　not　deprive　me　of　fortitude　and　magnanimity。　　I　defied　his　power；　rested　on　the　justice　of　my　cause；　found　in　myself　expedients　wherewith　to　oppose　him；　was　at　length　crowned　with　conquest；　and　came　forth　to　the　world　the　martyr　of　suffering　virtue。

Some　of　my　oppressors　now　rot　in　disho