means, either
in rotation, or by exchanging the guard, to have been with me. Alas! the
sweet hope of again beholding the face of the sun, of once more obtaining
my freedom, endured but three days: Providence thought proper otherwise
to ordain. Gelfhardt sent his wife to Gummern with the letter, and this
silly woman told the post-master her husband had a lawsuit at Vienna,
that therefore she begged he would take particular care of the letter,
for which purpose she slipped ten rix-dollars into his hand.

This unexpected liberality raised the suspicions of the Saxon
post-master, who therefore opened the letter, read the contents, and
instead of sending it to Vienna, or at least to the general post-master
at Dresden, he preferred the traitorous act of taking it himself to the
governor of Magdeburg, who then, as at present, was Prince Ferdinand of
Brunswick.

What were my terrors, what my despair, when I beheld the Prince himself,
about three o'clock in the afternoon, enter my prison with his
attendants, present my letter, and ask, in an authoritative voice, who
had carried it to Gummern. My answer was, "I know not." Strict search
was immediately made by smiths, carpenters, and masons, and after half an
hour's examination, they discovered neither my hole nor the manner in
which I disencumbered myself of my chains; they only saw that the middle
grating, in the aperture where the light was admitted, had been removed.
This was boarded up the next day, only a small air-hole left, of about
six inches diameter.

The Prince began to threaten; I persisted I had never seen the sentinel
who had rendered me this service, nor asked his name. Seeing his
attempts all ineffectual, the governor, in a milder tone, said, "You have
ever complained, Baron Trenck, of not having been legally sentenced, or
heard in your own defence; I give you my word of honour, this you shall
be, and also that you shall be released from your fetters, if you will
only tell me who took your letter." To this I replied, with all the
fortitude of innocence, "Everybody knows, my lord, I have never deserved
the treatment I have met with in my country. My heart is irreproachable.
I seek to recover my liberty by every means in my power: but were I
capable of betraying the man whose compassion has induced him to succour
my distress; were I the coward that could purchase happiness at his
expense, I then should, indeed, deserve to wear those chains with which I
am