t. "With my nails, with my teeth, will I kill him."

"Name your accomplices!" cried Bruckhausen, stamping upon the ground in
his rage.

It was Trenck who now laughed. "Ah, you think to intimidate me with
your angry voice," said he. "You think your word has power to make me
disclose that which I wish to keep secret. You think I will betray my
friends, do you? Learn what a poor, weak, incapable human being you are,
for not one of the things you wish shall occur. No, I shall not be so
contemptible as to betray my friends. Were I to do so, then were I a
traitor deserving of this wretched cell, of these fearful chains, for
I would then be a stranger to the first, the holiest virtue, gratitude.
But no, I will not. I was innocent when these chains were put on
me--innocent I will remain."

"Innocent!" cried the commandant; "you who wished to deliver to the
enemy a fortress of your sovereign! You call yourself innocent?"

Trenck raised himself from his bed, and threw back his head proudly.
"I am no longer a subject of the King of Prussia," said he; "he is no
longer my sovereign. Many years ago I was thrown into prison at Glatz
without court-martial or trial. When I escaped, all my property was
confiscated. If I had not sought my bread elsewhere, I would have
starved to death, or gone to ruin. Maria Theresa made me a captain in
her army--to her I gave my allegiance. She alone is my sovereign. I owe
no duty to the King of Prussia--he condemned me unheard--by one act he
deprived me of bread, honor, country, and freedom. He had me thrown into
prison, and fettered like some fearful criminal. He has degraded me to
an animal that lies grovelling in his cage, and who only lives to eat,
who only eats to live. I do not speak to you, sir commandant," continued
he--"I speak, soldiers, to you, who were once my comrades in arms. I
would not have you call Trenck a traitor. Look at me; see what the king
has made of me; and then tell me, was I not justified in fleeing from
these tortures? Even if Magdeburg had been stormed, and thousands of
lives lost, would you have called me a traitor? Am I a traitor because I
strive to conquer for myself what you, what every man, receives from
God as his holy right--my freedom?" While he spoke, his pale, wan
countenance beamed with inspiration.

The soldiers were struck and touched with it--their low murmurs of
applause taught the commandant that he had committed a mistake in having
so many witnesses to