The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck Volume II Part 7

Before my intended departure to seek my fortune, I fell ill, and sickness almost brought me to the grave. The Empress, in her great clemency, sent one of her physicians and a friar to my a.s.sistance, both of whom I was obliged to pay.

At this time I refused a major's commission, for which I was obliged to pay the fees. Being excluded from actual service, to me the t.i.tle was of little value; my rank in the army had been equal ten years before in other service. The following words, inserted in my commission, are not unworthy of remark:--"Her Majesty, in consequence of my fidelity for her service, demonstrated during a long imprisonment, my endowments and virtues, had been graciously pleased to grant me, in the Imperial service, the rank of major."--The rank of major!--From this preamble who would not have expected either the rank of general, or the restoration of my great Sclavonian estates? I had been fifteen years a captain of cavalry, and then was I made an invalid major three-and-twenty years ago, and an invalid major I still remain! Let all that has been related be called to mind, the manner in which I had been pillaged and betrayed; let Vienna, Dantzic, and Magdeburg he remembered; and be this my promotion remembered also! Let it be known that the commission of major might be bought for a few thousand florins! Thirty thousand florins only of the money I had been robbed of would have purchased a colonel's commission. I should then have been a companion for generals.

During the thirty-six years that I have been in the service of Austria, I never had any man of rank, any great general, my enemy, except Count Gra.s.salkowitz, and he was only my enemy because he had conceived a friends.h.i.+p for my estates.

My character was never calumniated, nor did any worthy man ever speak of me but with respect. Who were, who are, my enemies?--Jesuits, monks, unprincipled advocates, wis.h.i.+ng to become my curators, referendaries, who died despicable, or now live in houses of correction. Such as live, live in dread of a similar end, for the Emperor Joseph is able to discover the truth. Alas! the truth is discovered so late; age has now nearly rendered me an invalid. Men with hearts so base ought, indeed, to become the scavengers of society, that, terrified by their example, succeeding judges may not rack the heart of an honest man, seize on the possessions of the orphan and the widow, and expel virtue out of Austria.

I attended the levee of Prince Kaunitz. Not personally known to him, he viewed in me a crawling insect. I thought somewhat more proudly; my actions were upright, and so should my body be. I quitted the apartment, and was congratulated by the mercenary Swiss porter on my good fortune of having obtained an audience!

I applied to the field-marshal, from whom I received this answer--"If you cannot purchase, my dear Trenck, it will be impossible to admit you into service; besides, you are too old to learn our manoeuvres." I was then thirty-seven. I briefly replied, "Your excellency mistakes my character.

I did not come to Vienna to serve as an invalid major. My curators have taken good care I should have no money to purchase; but had I millions, I would never obtain rank in the army by that mode." I quitted the room with a shrug. The next day I addressed a memorial to the Empress. I did not re-demand my Sclavonian estates, I only pet.i.tioned.

First--That those who had carried off quintals of silver and gold from the premises, and had rendered no account to me or the treasury, should refund at least a part.

Secondly--That they should be obliged to return the thirty-six thousand florins taken from my inheritance, and applied to a hospital.

Thirdly--That the thirty-six thousand florins might be repaid, which Count Gra.s.salkowitz had deducted from the allodial estates, for three thousand six hundred pandours who had fallen in the service of the Empress; I not being bound to pay for the lives of men who had died in defence of the Empress.

Fourthly--I required that fifteen thousand florins, which had been deducted from my capital, and applied to the Bohemian fortifications, should likewise be restored, together with the fifteen thousand which had been unduly paid to the regiment of Trenck.

Fifthly--I reclaimed the twelve thousand florins which I had been robbed of at Dantzic by the treachery of the Imperial Resident, Abramson; and public satisfaction from the magistracy of Dantzic, who had delivered me up, so contrary to the laws of nations, to the Prussian power.

I likewise claimed the interest of six per cent, for seventy-six thousand florins, detained by the Hungarian Chamber, which amounted to twenty thousand florins; I having been allowed five per cent., and at last four.

I insisted on the restoration of my Sclavonian estates, and a proper allowance for improvements, which the very sentence of the court had granted, and which amounted to eighty thousand florins.

I pet.i.tioned for an arbitrator; I solicited justice concerning rights, but received no answer to this and a hundred other pet.i.tions!

I must here speak of transactions during my imprisonment. I had bought a house in Vienna in the year 1750; the price was sixteen thousand florins, thirteen thousand of which I had paid by instalments. The receipts were among my writings; these writings, with my other effects, were taken from me at Dantzic, in the year 1754; nor have I, to this hour, been able to learn more than that my writings were sent to the administrators of my affairs at Vienna. With respect to my houses and property in Dantzic, in what manner these were disposed of no one could or would say.

After being released at Magdeburg, I inquired concerning my house, but no longer found it mine. Those who had got possession of my writings must have restored the acquittances to the seller, consequently he could re- demand the whole sum. My house was in other hands, and I was brought in debtor six thousand florins for interest and costs of suit. Thus were house and money gone. Whom can I accuse?

Again, I had maintained, at my own expense Lieutenant Schroeder, who had deserted from Glatz, and for whom I obtained a captain's commission in the guard of Prince Esterhazy, at Eisenstadt. His misconduct caused him to be cas.h.i.+ered. In my administrator's accounts I found the following

"To Captain Schroeder, for capital, interest, and costs of suit, sixteen hundred florins."

It was certain I was not a penny indebted to this person; I had no redress, having been obliged to pa.s.s and sign all their accounts.

I, four years afterwards, obtained information concerning this affair: I met Schroeder, knew him, and inquired whether he had received these sixteen hundred florins. He answered in the affirmative. "No one believed you would ever more see the light. I knew you would serve me, and that you would relieve my necessities. I went and spoke to Dr.

Berger; he agreed we should halve the sum, and his contrivance was, I should make oath I had lent you a thousand florins, without having received your note. The money was paid me by M. Frauenberger, to whom I agreed to send a present of Tokay, for Madam Huttner."

This was the manner in which my curators took care of my property! Many instances I could produce, but I am too much agitated by the recollection. I must speak a word concerning who and what my curators were.

The Court Counsellor, Kempf, was my administrator, and Counsellor Huttner my referendary. The subst.i.tute of Kempf was Frauenberger, who, being obliged to act as a clerk at Prague during the war, appointed one Krebs as a sub-subst.i.tute; whether M. Krebs had also a sub-subst.i.tute is more than I am able to say.

Dr. Bertracker was _fidei commiss-curator_, though there was no _fidei commissum_ existing. Dr. Berger, as Fidei Commiss-Advocate, was superintendent, and to them all salaries were to be paid.

Let us see what was the business this company had to transact. I had seventy-six thousand florins in the Hungarian Chamber, the interest of which was to be yearly received, and added to the capital: this was their employment, and was certainly so trifling that any man would have performed it gratis. The war made money scarce, and the discounting of bills with my ducats was a profitable trade to my curators. Had it been honestly employed, I should have found my capital increased, after my imprisonment, full sixty thousand florins. Instead of these I received three thousand florins at Prague, and found my capital diminished seven thousand florins.

Frauenberger and Berger died rich; and I must be confined as a madman, lest this deputy should have been proved a rogue. This is the clue to the acquittal I was obliged to sign:--Madam K--- was a lady of the bedchamber at court; she could approach the throne: her chamber employments, indeed, procured her the keys of doors that to me were eternally locked.

Not satisfied with this, Kempf applied to the Empress, informed her they were acquitted, not recompensed, and that Frauenberger required four thousand florins for remuneration. The Empress laid an interdict on the half of my income and pension. Thus was I obliged to live in poverty; banished the Austrian dominions, where my seventy-six thousand florins were reduced to sixty-three, the interest of which I could only receive; and that burthened by the above interdict, the _fidei commissum_, and administrators.h.i.+p.

The Empress during my sickness ordered that my captain's pay, during my ten years' imprisonment, should be given me, amounting to eight thousand florins; which pay she also settled on me as a pension. By this pension I never profited; for, during twenty-three years, that and more was swallowed by journeys to Vienna, chicanery of courtiers and agents, and costs of suits. Of the eight thousand florins three were stolen; the court physician must be paid thrice as much as another, and what remained after my recovery was sunk in the preparations I had made to seek my fortune elsewhere.

How far my captain's pay was matter of right or favour, let the world judge, being told I went in the service of Vienna to the city of Dantzic.

Neither did this rest.i.tution of pay equal the sum I had sent the Imperial Minister to obtain my freedom. I remained nine months in my dungeon after the articles were signed, unthought of; and, when mentioned by the Austrians, the King had twice rejected the proposal of my being set free.

The affair happened as follows, as I received it from Prince Henry, Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, and the Minister, Count Hertzberg:--General Reidt had received my ten thousand florins full six months, and seemed to remember me no more. One gala day, on the 21st of December, the King happened to be in good humour; and Her Majesty the Queen, the Princess Amelia, and the present monarch, said to the Imperial Minister, "This is a fit opportunity for you to speak in behalf of Trenck." He accordingly waited his time, did speak, and the King replied, "Yes."

The joy of the whole company appeared so great that Frederic _the Great_ was offended!

Other circ.u.mstances which contributed to promote this affair, the reader will collect from my history. That there were persons in Vienna who desired to detain me in prison is indubitable, from their proceedings after my return. My friends in Berlin and my money were my deliverers.

Walking round Vienna, having recovered from my sickness, the broad expanse of heaven inspired a consciousness of freedom and pleasure indescribable. I heard the song of the lark. My heart palpitated, my pulse quickened, for I recollected I was not in chains. "Happen," said I, "what may, my will and heart are free."

An incident happened which furthered my project of getting away from Austria. Marshal Laudohn was going to Aix-la-Chapelle to take the waters. He went to take his leave of the Countess Parr; I was present the Empress entered the chamber, and the conversation turning upon Laudohn's journey, she said to me, "The baths are necessary to the re- establishment of your health, Trenck." I was ready, and followed him in two days, where we remained about three months.

The mode of life at Aix-la-Chapelle and Spa pleased me, where men of all nations meet, and where princes mingle with persons of all ranks. One day here procured me more pleasure than a whole life in Vienna.

I had scarcely remained a month before the Countess Parr wrote to me that the Empress had provided for me, and would make my fortune as soon as I returned to Vienna. I tried to discover in what it consisted, but in vain. The death of the Emperor Francis at Innsbruck occasioned the return of General Laudohn, and I followed him, on foot, to Vienna.

By means of the Countess Parr I obtained an audience. The Empress said to me, "I will prove to you, Trenck, that I keep my word. I have insured your fortune; I will give you a rich and prudent wife." I replied, "Most gracious Sovereign, I cannot determine to marry, and, if I could, my choice is already made at Aix-la-Chapelle."--"How! are you married, then?"--"Not yet, please your Majesty."--"Are you promised?"

"Yes."--"Well, well, no matter for that; I will take care of that affair; I am determined on marrying you to the rich widow of M---, and she approves my choice. She is a good, kind woman, and has fifty thousand florins a year. You are in want of such a wife."

I was thunderstruck. This bride was a canting hypocrite of sixty-three, covetous, and a termagant. I answered, "I must speak the truth to your Majesty; I could not consent did she possess the treasures of the whole earth. I have made my choice, which, as an honest man, I must not break." The Empress said, "Your unhappiness is your own work. Act as you think proper; I have done." Here my audience ended. I was not actually affianced at that time to my present wife, but love had determined my choice.

Marshal Laudohn promoted the match. He was acquainted with my heart and the warmth of my pa.s.sion, and perceived that I could not conquer the desire of vengeance on men by whom I had been so cruelly treated. He and Professor Gellert advised me to take this mode of calming pa.s.sions that often inspired projects too vast, and that I should fly the company of the great. This counsel was seconded by my own wishes. I returned to Aix-la-Chapelle in December, 1766, and married the youngest daughter of the former Burgomaster De Broe. He was dead; he had lived on his own estate in Brussels, where my wife was born and educated. My wife's mother was sister to the Vice-Chancellor of Dusseldorf, Baron Robert, Lord of Roland. My wife was with me in most parts of Europe. She was then young, handsome, worthy, and virtuous, has borne me eleven children, all of whom she has nursed herself; eight of them are still living and have been properly educated. Twenty-two years she has borne a part of all my sufferings, and well deserves reward.

During my abode in Vienna I made one effort more. I sought an audience with the present Emperor Joseph, related all that had happened to me, and remarked such defects as I had observed in the regulations of the country. He heard me, and commanded me to commit my thoughts to writing.

My memorial was graciously received. I also gave a full account of what had happened to me in various countries, which prudence has occasioned me to express more cautiously in these pages. My memorial produced no effect, and I hastened back to Aix-la-Chapelle.

CHAPTER VII.

For some years I lived in peace; my house was the rendezvous of the first people, who came to take the waters. I began to be more known among the very first and best people. I visited Professor Gellert at Leipzig, and asked his advice concerning what branch of literature he thought it was probable I might succeed in. He most approved my fables and tales, and blamed the excessive freedom with which I spoke in political writings. I neglected his advice, and many of the ensuing calamities were the consequence.

I received orders to correspond with His Majesty's private secretary, Baron Roder; suffice it to say, my attempts to serve my country were frustrated; I saw defects too clearly, spoke my thoughts too frankly, and wanted sufficient humility ever to obtain favour.

In the year 1767 I wrote "The Macedonian Hero," which became famous throughout all Germany. The poem did me honour, but entailed new persecutions; yet I never could repent: I have had the honour of presenting it to five reigning princes, by none of whom it has been burnt. The Empress alone was highly enraged. I had spoken as Nathan did to David, and the Jesuits now openly became my enemies.

The following trick was played me in 1768. A friend in Brussels was commissioned to receive my pay, from whom I learnt an interdict had been laid upon it by the court called Hofkriegsrath, in Vienna, in which I was condemned to pay seven hundred florins to one Bussy, with fourteen years'

interest.

Bussy was a known swindler. I therefore journeyed, post-haste, to Vienna. No hearing; no satisfactory account was to be obtained. The answer was, "Sentence is pa.s.sed, therefore all attempts are too late."