was answered, "Your son must remain
a year imprisoned, as a punishment for his rash correspondence."

Of this I was ignorant, and it was reported in Glatz that my imprisonment
was for life. I had only three weeks longer to repine for the loss of
liberty, when I made this rash attempt. What must the King think? Was
he not obliged to act with this severity? How could prudence excuse my
impatience, thus to risk a confiscation, when I was certain of receiving
freedom, justification, and honour, in three weeks? But, such was my
adverse fate, circumstances all tended to injure and persecute me, till
at length I gave reason to suppose I was a traitor, notwithstanding the
purity of my intentions.

Once more, then, was I in a dungeon, and no sooner was I there than I
formed new projects of flight. I first gained the intimacy of my guards.
I had money, and this, with the compassion I had inspired, might effect
anything among discontented Prussian soldiers. Soon had I gained thirty-
two men, who were ready to execute, on the first signal, whatever I
should command. Two or three excepted, they were unacquainted with each
other; they consequently could not all be betrayed at a time: had chosen
the sub-officer Nicholai to head them.

The garrison consisted only of one hundred and twenty men from the
garrison regiment, the rest being dispersed in the county of Glatz, and
four officers, their commanders, three of whom were in my interest.
Everything was prepared; swords and pistols were concealed in the oven
which was in my prison. We intended to give liberty to all the
prisoners, and retire with drums beating into Bohemia.

Unfortunately, an Austrian deserter, to whom Nicholai had imparted our
design, went and discovered our conspiracy. The governor instantly sent
his adjutant to the citadel, with orders that the officer on guard should
arrest Nicholai, and, with his men, take possession of the casement.

Nicholai was on the guard, and the lieutenant was my friend, and being in
the secret, gave the signal that all was discovered. Nicholai only knew
all the conspirators, several of whom that day were on guard. He
instantly formed his resolution, leaped into the casement, crying,
"Comrades, to arms, we are betrayed!" All followed to the guard-house,
where they seized on the cartridges, the officer having only eight men,
and threatening to fire on whoever should offer resistance, came to
deliver me from prison; but the