was poor: and I gave him
a draft for three thousand florins; hence new projects took birth.

Money became necessary; I had disbursed all I possessed, a hundred
florins excepted, among the officers. The eldest son of Captain K---,
who officiated as major, had been cashiered: his father complained to me
of his distress, and I sent him to my sister, not far from Berlin, from
whom he received a hundred ducats. He returned and related her joy at
hearing from me. He found her exceedingly ill; and she informed me, in a
few lines, that my misfortunes, and the treachery of Weingarten, had
entailed poverty upon her, and an illness which had endured more than two
years. She wished me a happy deliverance from my chains, and, in
expectation of death, committed her children to my protection. She,
however, grew better, and married a second time, Colonel Pape; but died
in the year 1758. I shall forbear to relate her history: it indeed does
no honour to the ashes of Frederic, and would but less dispose my own
heart to forgiveness, by reviving the memory of her oppressions and
griefs.

K---n returned happy with the money: all things were concerted with the
father. I wrote to the Countess Bestuchef, also to the Grand Duke,
afterwards Peter III., recommended the young soldier, and entreated every
possible succour for myself.

K---n departed through Hamburg, for Petersburg, where, in consequence of
my recommendation, he became a captain, and in a short time major. He
took his measures so well that I, by the intervention of his father, and
a Hamburg merchant, received two thousand rubles from the Countess, while
the service he rendered me made his own fortune in Russia.

To old K---, who was as poor as he was honest, I gave three hundred
ducats; and he, till death, continued my grateful friend. I distributed
nearly as much to the other officers; and matters proceeded so far that
Lieutenant Glotin gave back the keys to the major without locking my
prison, himself passing half the night with me. Money was given to the
guard to drink; and thus everything succeeded to my wish, and the tyrant
Borck was deceived. I had a supply of light; had books, newspapers, and
my days passed swiftly away. I read, I wrote, I busied myself so
thoroughly that I almost forgot I was a prisoner. When, indeed, the
surly, dull blockhead, Major Bruckhausen, had the inspection, everything
had to be carefully reinstated. Major Z---, the second of the thr