Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

was built in the wall in red brick, and under my feet was a tombstone, with the name of TRENCK also cut on it, and carved with a death's - head. The doors to my dungeon were double, of oak two inches thick; without these was an open space or front cell, in which was a window, and this space was likewise shut in by double doors. The ditch in which this dreadful den was built was enclosed on both sides by palisades twelve feet high, the key of the door of which was entrusted to the officer of the guard, it being the King's intention to prevent all possibility of speech or communication with the sentinels.

The

only motion I had the power to make was that of jumping upward, or swinging my arms, to procure myself warmth. When more accustomed to these fetters, I was likewise capable of moving from side to side about four feet; but this pained my shin-bones.

'The cell had been finished with lime and plaster but eleven days, and everybody supposed it would be impossible I should exist in these damps above a fortnight. I remained six months continually immersed in water that trickled upon me from the thick arches under which I was, and I can safely affirm that for the first three months I was never dry; yet did I continue in health. was visited daily at noon, after relieving guard, and the doors

I

were then obliged to be left open for some minutes, otherwise the dampness of the air put out their candles.'

About noon, the harsh jarring of the bolts announced the arrival of some of his jailors. They looked as though they pitied him; but they did not speak. A camp bedstead, a mattress, and blankets, were brought in; and a jug of water and a six-pound loaf of ammunition-bread were set down on the floor. The town-major broke the silence by saying, "That you may not complain of hunger again, you shall have as much bread as you can eat.' Having uttered these welcome words, he and his attendants withdrew, and Trenck was left to his solitude.

So intensely had Trenck suffered from want of food, that he was now almost beside himself for joy at the idea of having enough even of this coarse fare. He ate, rested, surveyed the precious morsel, ate again, and absolutely shed tears of pleasure. But he had soon reason to repent this indulgence of appetite. Even his iron frame could not stand the shock which was caused by the sudden change from fasting to repletion. His body swelled, and throughout the night he was racked by cramp, colic, and burning fever. For three days he was unable to touch a morsel, and his mind, weakened by his bodily pains, gave way to despondency. It seemed im

I had strength enough so far to bend this hook back, and open it, as to force out the link of the chain. The remaining difficulty was the chain that attached my

possible that he could ever rerecover his liberty, or much longer endure rigorous imprisonment and the heavy weight of his fetters, and he therefore determined to resign an exist-foot to the wall. The links of

ence which was become an intolerable burden. Either a remnant of hope, or an instinctive clinging to life, induced him, however, to postpone for a week the fulfilment of his deadly purpose. If no prospect of better days should in the meantime open, he decided to terminate his woes on the 4th of July.

In the meantime, I revolved in my mind what possible means there were of escape. The next day I observed, as the four doors were opened, that they were only of wood, therefore questioned whether I might not even cut off the locks with the knife that I had so fortunately concealed; and should this and every other means fail, then would be time to die. I like wise determined to make an attempt even to free myself of my chains. I happily forced my right hand through the handcuff, though the blood trickled from my nails. My attempts on the left were long ineffectual; but by rubbing with a brick, which I got from my seat, on the rivet that had been negligently closed, I effected this also.

'The chain was fastened to the rim round my body by a hook, one end of which was not inserted in the rim; therefore, by setting my foot against the wall,

this I took, doubled, twisted, and wrenched, till at length,nature having bestowed on me great strength,—I made a desperate effort, sprang forcibly up, and two links at once flew off.

'Fortunate indeed did I think myself: I hastened to the door, groped in the dark to find the clinkings of the nails by which the lock was fastened, and discovered no very large piece of wood need be cut. Immediately I went to work with my knife, and cut through the oak door to find its thickness, which proved to be only one inch; therefore was it possible to open all the four doors in four-and-twenty hours.

'Again hope revived in my heart. To prevent detection, I hastened to put on my chains; but, O God! what difficulties had I to surmount! After much groping about, I at length found the link that had flown off; this I hid. It being my good fortune hitherto to escape examination, as the possibility of ridding myself of such chains was in no wise suspected. The separated iron links I tied together with my hair-ribbon; but when I again endeavoured to force my hand into the ring, it was so swelled that every effort was fruitless. The whole night was

of the first rampart; before me

part, the guard but fifty paces.
distant, the high palisades that
were in the ditch, and must be
scaled before I could reach the
rampart. Hope grew stronger;
my efforts were redoubled. The
first of the next double doors
was attacked, which likewise
opened inward, and was soon
conquered. The sun set before
I had ended this, and the fourth
was to be cut away
as the
second had been. My strength
failed; both my hands were
raw; I rested awhile, began
again, and had made a cut of
a foot long, when my knife
snapped, and the broken blade
dropped to the ground!'

employed upon the rivet, but my dungeon was in the ditch all labour was in vain. 'Noon was the hour of visita- | I beheld the road from the ramtion; and necessity and danger again obliged me to attempt forcing my hand in, which at length, after excruciating torture, I effected. My visitors came, and everything had the appearance of order. I found it, however, impossible to force out my right hand while it continued swelled. I therefore remained quiet till the day fixed; and on the determined 4th of July, immediately as my visitors had closed the doors upon me, I disencumbered myself of my irons, took my knife, and began my Herculean labour on the door. The first of the double doors that opened inwards was conquered in less than an hour; the other was a very different task. The lock was soon cut round, but it opened outwards; there was therefore no other means left but to cut the whole door away above the bar. Incessant and incredible labour made this possible, though it was the more difficult, as every-peatedly uttered. The speaker thing was to be done by feeling, I being totally in the dark; the sweat dropped, or rather flowed from my body, my fingers were clotted in my own blood, and my lacerated hands were one continued wound. Daylight appeared; I clambered over the door that was half cut away, and got up to the window in Why should you die?' was the space or cell that was be- the reply; it is much easier tween the double doors as be- to escape here than from the fore described. Here I saw citadel. Here is no sentinel,

Overwhelmed by this calamity, the unhappy man attempted to commit suicide. With his broken knife he gashed through the veins of his left arm and foot. From loss of blood he fainted. How long he remained in that state he knew not; but suddenly he heard his own name re

was the kind-hearted Gefhardt, who had ventured upon the rampart that he might converse with him.

'How do you do?' said Gefhardt.

'Weltering in my blood,' answered Trenck; 'to-morrow you will find me dead.'

[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

approached, Trust to me.'

Star Fort there are but two smeared with blood, the picture sentinels, one at the entrance, of horror, with a brick in one and the other at the guard-hand, and in the other my house. Do not despair; God broken knife, crying as they will succour you. Trust to me.' | approached, "Keep off, Mr. This good man's kindness Major, keep off! Tell the goand discourse revived the poor vernor I will live no longer in prisoner's hopes. He immedi- chains, and that here I stand, ately tore his shirt, bound up if so he pleases, to be shot; for his wounds, and waited the ap- so only will I be conquered. proach of day. In the few Here no man shall enter-I hours that elapsed before the will destroy all that approach; visit of his jailors, Trenck de- here are my weapons; here will cided upon the conduct that he I die in despite of tyranny!" should pursue towards them. The major was terrified, wanted He had no doubt that an at- resolution, and made his report tempt to escape would bring to the governor. I meantime additional cruelty upon him, sat down on my bricks, to wait unless he could find the means what might happen. My secret of averting it. To face them intent, however, was not so boldly, and declare that he desperate as it appeared. I would rather die on the spot sought only to obtain a favourthan submit to an increase of able capitulation. suffering, was the plan which he adopted. He was weak from excessive loss of blood, his hands were swollen and torn, his wounds smarted, and his legs scarcely supported him; but he rallied his spirits for a vigorous resistance.

With the bar that separated my hands I loosened the bricks of my seat, which, being newly laid, was easily done, and heaped them up in the middle of my prison. The inner door was quite open, and with my chains I so barricaded the upper half

'The governor, General Bork, presently came, attended by the town-major and some officers, and entered the outward cell, but sprang back the moment he beheld a figure like me, standing with a brick and uplifted arm. I repeated what I had told the major, and he immediately ordered six grenadiers to force the door. The front cell was scarcely six feet broad, so that no more than two at a time could attack my intrenchment, and when they saw my threatening bricks ready to de

scend, they leaped terrified back. A short pause ensued, and the old town-major, with the chaplain, advanced towards the door to soothe me; the conversation continued some time. Whose reasons were most satisfactory, and whose cause was the most just, I leave to the reader. The governor grew angry, and ordered a fresh attack. The first grenadier was knocked down, and the rest ran back to avoid my missiles.

"The town-major again began a parley. "For God's sake, my dear Trenck," said he, "in what have I injured you, that you endeavour to effect my ruin? I must answer for your having through my negligence concealed a knife. Be persuaded, I entreat you; be appeased. You are not without hope, not without friends." 'My answer was, But will you not load me with heavier irons than before?"

66

'He went out, spoke with the governor, and gave me his word of honour that the affair should be no further noticed, and that everything should be exactly reinstated as formerly.

'Here ended the capitulation, and my wretched citadel was taken. The condition I was in was viewed with pity; my wounds were examined, a surgeon sent to dress them, another shirt was given me, and the bricks clotted with blood removed. I meantime lay half dead on my mattress; my thirst was excessive; the surgeon or

dered me some wine; two sentinels were stationed in the front cell, and I was thus left four days in peace, unironed. Broth also was given me daily; and how delicious this was to taste, how much it revived and strengthened me, is wholly impossible to describe. Two days I lay in a slumbering kind of trance, forced by unquenchable thirst to drink whenever I awoke. My feet and hands were swelled; the pains in my back and limbs were excessive.

'On the fifth day the doors were ready; the inner was entirely plated with iron, and I was fettered as before. The principal chain, however, which fastened me to the wall, like that I had before broken, was thicker than the first. Except this, the capitulation was strictly kept.

[ocr errors]

Gefhardt, 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

« ForrigeFortsæt »