ound my
neck, that if I should be enclosed I might shorten my miseries. Over the
stone that had fallen several others hung tottering, under which I was
obliged to creep. Nothing, however, could deter me from trying to obtain
my liberty.

When my passage was ready, I wrote letters to my friends at Vienna, and
also a memorial to my Sovereign. When the militia left Magdeburg and the
regulars returned, I took leave of my friends who had behaved so
benevolently. Several weeks elapsed before they departed and I learnt
that General Reidt was appointed ambassador from Vienna to Berlin.

I had seen the world; I knew this General was not averse to a bribe: I
wrote him a letter, conjuring him to act with ardour in my behalf. I
enclosed a draft for six thousand florins on my effects at Vienna, and he
received four thousand from one of my relations. I have to thank these
ten thousand florins for my freedom, which I obtained nine months after.
My vouchers show the six thousand florins were paid in April, 1763, to
the order of General Reidt. The other four thousand I repaid, when at
liberty, to my friend.

I received intelligence before the garrison departed that no stipulation
had been made on my behalf at the peace of Hubertsberg. The Vienna
plenipotentiaries, after the articles were signed, mentioned my name to
Hertzberg, with but few assurances of every effort being made to move
Frederic, a promise on which I could much better rely than on my
protectors at Vienna, who had left me in misfortune. I determined to
wait three months longer, and should I still find myself neglected, to
owe my escape to myself.

On the change of the garrison, the officers were more difficult to gain
than the former. The majors obeyed their orders; their help was
unnecessary; but still I sighed for my old friends. I had only
ammunition-bread again for food.

My time hung very heavy; everything was examined on the change of the
garrison. A stricter scrutiny might occur, and my projects be
discovered. This had nearly been effected, as I shall here relate. I
had so tamed a mouse that it would eat from my mouth; in this small
animal I discovered proofs of intelligence.

This mouse had nearly been my ruin. I had diverted myself with it one
night; it had been nibbling at my door and capering on a trencher. The
sentinels hearing our amusement, called the officers: they heard also,
and thought all was not right. At daybreak the town-major,