oney from the unfortunate! The
King, after this my mad flight, certainly was never informed of the
major's base cunning; he could only be told that, rather than wait a few
days, I had chosen, in this desperate manner, to make my escape, and go
over to the enemy.

Thus deceived and strengthened in his suspicion, must he not imagine my
desire to forsake my country, and desert to the enemy, was unbounded? How
could he do otherwise than imprison a subject who thus endeavoured to
injure him and aid his foes? Thus, by the calumnies of wicked men, did
my cruel destiny daily become more severe; and at length render the
deceived monarch irreconcilable and cruel.

Yet how could it be supposed that I would not willingly have remained
three weeks longer in prison, to have been honourably restored to
liberty, to have prevented the confiscation of my estate, and to have
once more returned to my beloved mistress at Berlin.

And now was I in Bohemia, a fugitive stranger without money, protector,
or friend, and only twenty years of age.

In the campaign of 1744 I had been quartered at Braunau with a weaver,
whom I advised and assisted to bury his effects, and preserve them from
being plundered. The worthy man received us with joy and gratitude. I
had lived in this same house but two years before as absolute master of
him and his fate. I had then nine horses and five servants, with the
highest and most favourable hopes of futurity; but now I came a fugitive,
seeking protection, and having lost all a youth like me had to lose.

I had but a single louis-d'or in my purse, and Schell forty kreutzers, or
some three shillings; with this small sum, in a strange country, we had
to cure his sprain, and provide for all our wants.

I was determined not to go to my cousin Trenck at Vienna, fearful this
should seem a justification of all my imputed treasons; I rather wished
to embark for the East Indies, than to have recourse to this expedient.
The greater my delicacy was the greater became my distress. I wrote to
my mistress at Berlin, but received no answer; possibly because I could
not indicate any certain mode of conveyance. My mother believed me
guilty, and abandoned me; my brothers were still minors, and my friend at
Schweidnitz could not aid me, being gone to Konigsberg.

After three weeks' abode at Braunau, my friend recovered of his lameness.
We had been obliged to sell my watch, with his scarf and gorget, to
supply our necess