the life and adventures of baron trenck-2- 第8部分

The　regiments　had　scarcely　taken　the　field　ere　the　new　governor；　General　Borck；　entered　my　prison；　like　what　he　was；　an　imperious；　cruel　tyrant。　　The　King；　in　giving　him　the　command；　had　informed　him　he　must　answer　for　my　person　with　his　head：　　he　therefore　had　full　power　to　treat　me　with　whatever　severity　he　pleased。

Borck　was　a　stupid　man；　of　an　unfeeling　heart；　the　slave　of　despotic　orders；　and　as　often　as　he　thought　it　possible　I　might　rid　myself　of　my　fetters　and　escape；　his　heart　palpitated　with　fear。　　In　addition　to　this；　he　considered　me　as　the　vilest　of　men　and　traitors；　seeing　his　King　had　condemned　me　to　imprisonment　so　cruel；　and　his　barbarity　towards　me　was　thus　the　effect　of　character　and　meanness　of　soul。　　He　entered　my　dungeon　not　as　an　officer；　to　visit　a　brother　officer　in　misery；　but　as　an　executioner　to　a　felon。　　Smiths　then　made　their　appearance；　and　a　monstrous　iron　collar；　of　a　hand's　breadth；　was　put　round　my　neck；　and　connected　with　the　chains　of　the　feet　by　additional　heavy　links。　　My　window　was　walled　up；　except　a　small　air…hole。　　He　even　at　length　took　away　my　bed；　gave　me　no　straw；　and　quitted　me　with　a　thousand　revilings　on　the　Empress…　Queen；　her　whole　army；　and　myself。　　In　words；　however；　I　was　little　in　his　debt；　and　he　was　enraged　even　to　madness。

What　my　situation　was　under　this　additional　load　of　tyranny；　and　the　command　of　a　man　so　void　of　human　pity；　the　reader　may　imagine。　　My　greatest　good　fortune　consisted　in　the　ability　I　still　had　to　disencumber　myself　of　all　the　irons　that　were　connected　with　the　ankle…rims；　and　the　provision　I　had　of　light；　paper；　and　implements；　and　though　it　was　apparently　impossible　I　should　break　out　undiscovered　by　both　sentinels；　yet　had　I　the　remaining　hope　of　gaining　some　officer；　by　money；　who；　as　in　Glatz；　should　assist　my　escape。

Had　the　commands　of　the　King　been　literally　obeyed　escape　would　have　been　wholly　impossible；　for；　by　this；　all　communication　would　have　been　totally　cut　off　with　the　sentinels。　　To　this　effect　the　four　keys　of　the　four　doors　were　each　to　be　kept　by　different　persons；　one　with　the　governor；　another　with　the　town…major；　the　third　with　the　major　of　the　day；　and　the　fourth　with　the　lieutenant　of　the　guard。　　I　never　could　have　found　opportunity　to　have　spoken　with　any　one　of　them　singly。　　These　commands　at　first　were　rigidly　observed；　with　this　exception；　that　the　governor　made　his　appearance　only　every　week。　　Magdeburg　became　so　full　of　prisoners　that　the　town…　major　was　obliged　to　deliver　up　his　key　to　the　major　of　the　day；　and　the　governor's　visitations　wholly　subsided；　the　citadel　being　an　English　mile　and　a　half　distant　from　the　Star　Fort。

General　Walrabe；　who　had　been　a　prisoner　ever　since　the　year　1746；　was　also　at　the　Star　Fort；　but　he　had　apartments；　and　three　thousand　rix…dollars　a　year。　　The　major　of　the　day　and　officer　of　the　guard　dined　with　him　daily；　and　generally　stayed　till　evening。　　Either　from　compassion；　or　a　concurrence　of　fortunate　circumstances；　these　gentlemen　entrusted　the　keys　to　the　lieutenant　on　guard；　by　which　means　I　could　speak　with　each　of　them　alone　when　they　made　their　visits；　and　they　themselves　at　length　sought　these　opportunities。　My　consequent　undertakings　I　shall　relate；　with　all　the　arts　and　inventions　of　a　wretched　prisoner　endeavouring　to　escape。

Borck　had　selected　three　majors　and　four　lieutenants　for　this　service　as　those　he　could　best　trust。　　My　situation　was　truly　deplorable。　　The　enormous　iron　round　my　neck　pained　me；　and　prevented　motion；　and　I　durst　not　attempt　to　disengage　myself　from　the　pendant　chains　till　I　had；　for　some　months；　carefully　observed　the　mode　of　their　examination；　and　which　parts　they　supposed　were　perfectly　secure。　　The　cruelty　of　depriving　me　of　my　bed　was　still　greater：　　I　was　obliged　to　sit　upon　the　bare　ground；　and　lean　with　my　head　against　the　damp　wall。　　The　chains　that　descended　from　the　neck　collar　were　obliged　to　be　supported　first　with　one　band；　and　then　with　the　other；　for；　if　thrown　behind；　they　would　have　strangled　me；　and　if　hanging　forward　occasioned　most　excessive　headaches。　　The　bar　between　my　hands　held　one　down；　while　leaning　on　my　elbow；　I　supported　with　the　other　my　chains；　and　this　so　benumbed　the　muscles　and　prevented　circulation；　that　I　could　perceive　my　arms　sensibly　waste　away。　　The　little　sleep　I　could　have　in　such　a　situation　may　easily　be　supposed；　and；　at　length；　body　and　mind　sank　under　this　accumulation　of　miserable　suffering；　and　I　fell　ill　of　a　burning　fever。

The　tyrant　Borck　was　inexorable；　he　wished　to　expedite　my　death；　and　rid　himself　of　his　troubles　and　his　terrors。　　Here　did　I　experience　what　was　the　lamentable　condition　of　a　sick　prisoner；　without　bed；　refreshment；　or　aid　from　human　being。　　Reason；　fortitude；　heroism；　all　the　noble　qualities　of　the　mind；　decay　when　the　corporal　faculties　are　diseased；　and　the　remembrance　of　my　sufferings；　at　this　dreadful　moment；　still　agitates；　still　inflames　my　blood；　so　as　almost　to　prevent　an　attempt　to　describe　what　they　were。

Yet　hope　had　not　totally　forsaken　me。　　Deliverance　seemed　possible；　especially　should　peace　ensue；　and　I　sustained；　perhaps；　what　mortal　man　never　bore；　except　myself；　being；　as　I　was；　provided　with　pistols；　or　any　such　immediate　mode　of　despatch。

I　continued　ill　about　two　months；　and　was　so　reduced　at　last　that　I　had　scarcely　strength　to　lift　the　water…jug　to　my　mouth。　　What　must　the　sufferings　of　that　man　be　who　sits　two　months　on　the　bare　ground　in　a　dungeon　so　damp；　so　dark；　so　horrible；　without　bed　or　straw；　his　limbs　loaded　as　mine　were；　with　no　refreshment　but　dry　ammunition　bread；　without　so　much　as　a　drop　of　broth；　without　physic；　without　consoling　friend；　and　who；　under　all　these　afflictions；　must　trust；　for　his　recovery；　to　the　efforts　of　nature　alone

Sickness　itself　is　sufficient　to　humble　the　mightiest　mind；　what；　then；　is　sickness；　with　such　an　addition　of　torment？　　The　burning　fever；　the　violent　headaches；　my　neck　swelled　and　inflamed　with　the　irons；　enraged　me　almost　to　madness。　　The　fever　and　the　fetters　together　flayed　my　body　so　that　it　appeared　like　one　continued　woundEnough！　　Enough！　　The　malefactor　extended　living　on　the　wheel；　to　whom　the　cruel　executioner　refuses　the　last　strokethe　blow　of　deathmust　yet；　in　some　short　period；　expire：　　he　suffers　nothing　I　did　not　then　suffer；　and　these；　my　excruciating　pangs；　continued　two　dreadful　monthsYet；　can　it　be　supposed？　　There　came　a　day！　　A　day　of　horror；　when　these　mortal　pangs　were　beyond　imagination　increased。　　I　sat　scorched　with　this　intolerable　fever；　in　which　nature　and　death　were　contending；　and　when　attempting　to　quench　my　burning　entrails　with　cold　water；　the　jug　dropped　from　my　feeble　hands；　and　broke！　　I　had　four…and…twenty　hours　to　remain　without　water。　　So　intolerable；　so　devouring　was　my　thirst；　I　could　have　drank　human　blood！　　Ay；　in　my　madness；　had　it　been　the　blood　of　my　father！

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Willingly　would　I　have　seized　my　pistols；　but　strength　had　forsaken　me；　I　could　not　open　the　place　I　was　obliged　to　render　so　secure。

My　visitors　next　day　supposed　me　gone　at　last。　　I　lay　motionless；　with　my　tongue　out　of　my　mouth。　　They　poured　water　down　my　throat；　and　I　revived。

Oh；　God！　　Oh；　God！　　How　pure；　how　delicious；　how　exquisite　was　this　water！　　My　insatiable　thirst　soon　emptied　the　jug；　they　filled　it　anew；　bade　me　farewell；　hoped　death　would　soon　relieve　my　mortal　sufferings；　and　departed。

The　lamentable　state　in　which　I　lay　at　length　became　the　subject　of　general　conversation；　that　all　the　ladies　of　the　town　united　with　the　officers；　and　prevailed　on　the　tyrant；　Borck；　to　restore　me　my　bed。

Oh；　Nature；　what　are　thy　operations？　　From　the　day　I　drank　water　in　such　excess　I　gathered　strength；　and　to　the　astonishment　of　every　one；　soon　recovered。　　I　had　moved　the　heart　of　the　officer　who　inspected　my　prison；　and　after　six　months；　six　cruel　months　of　intense　misery；　the　day　of　hope　again　began　to　dawn。

One　of　the　majors　of　the　day　entrusted　his　key　to　Lieutenant　Sonntag；　who　came　alone；　spoke　in　confidence；　and　related　his　own　situation；　complained　of　his　debts；　his　poverty；　his　necessities；　and　I　made　him　a　present　of　twenty…five　louis…d'ors；　for　which　he　was　so　grateful　that　our　friendship　became　unshaken。

The　three　lieutenants　all　commiserated　me；　and　would　sit　hours　with　me；　when　a　certain　major　had　the　inspection；　and　he　himself；　after　a　time；　would　even　pass　half　the　day　with　me。　　He；　too；　was　poor：　　and　I　gave　him　a　draft　for　three　thousand　florins；　hence　new　projects　took　birth。

Money　became　necessary；　I　had　disbursed　all　I　possessed；　a　hundred　florins　excepted；　among　the　officers。　　The　eldest　son　of　Captain　K…　；　who　officiated　as　major；　had　been　cashiered：　　his　father　complained　to　me　of　his　distress；　and　I　sent　him　to　my　sister；　not　far　from　Berlin；　from　whom　he　received　a　hundred　ducats。　　He　returned　and　related　her　joy　at　hearing　from　me。　　He　found　her　exceedingly　ill；　and　she　informed　me；　in　a　few　lines；　that　my　misfortunes；　and　the　treachery　of　Weingarten；　had　entailed　poverty　upon　her；　and　an　illness　which　had　endured　more　than　two　years。　　She　wished　me　a　happy　deliverance　from　my　chains；　and；　in　expectation　of　death；　committed　he