in　the　air　as　if　to　prove　their　muscle。
  This　was　a　sweet；　a　wonderful　prelude　to　freedom；　many　weeks　and　months　he　had　worked　upon　these　chains　to　prepare　for　the　moment　of　freedom。　Now　these　chains　had　fallen。　He　was　already　a　free　man；　he　cared　not　for　these　dark；　damp　walls。　He　did　not　see　them；　he　was　already　without；　where　the　sun　was　shining；　the　birds　were　singing；　where　the　blue　arch　of　heaven　looked　down　upon　the　blooming　earth。　What　did　he　care　for　the　death…like　stillness　which　surrounded　him？　he　heard　the　noise　in　the　streets；　he　saw　men　running　here　and　there　in　busy　haste；　he　listened　to　their　bright　conversation；　their　merry　laughter；　he　mixed　among　them　with　lively　greeting；　and　shared　their　joys　and　cares。
  Suddenly　he　again　pressed　his　brow　fearfully；　and　cried；　〃I　shall　go　mad！　A　thousand　dancing　pictures　and　happy　faces　are　swarming　around　me；　I　shall　go　mad！　But　no；　I　will　control　myself；　I　will　be　calm。〃　He　raised　his　head　with　his　accustomed　bold　defiance。　〃I　will　look　freedom　in　the　face；　my　eyelids　shall　not　quiver　and　my　heart　shall　beat　calmly。　I　will　be　quiet　and　thoughtful。　I　will　think　it　all　over　once　more。　Listen　to　me；　oh　friend！　you；　who　have　heard　all　my　sighs　and　my　despair；　you；　who　know　my　misery；　listen　to　me；　oh　gloomy　cell。　You　have　always　been　faithful；　you　have　never　wished　to　forsake　or　leave　me；　and　when　I　struggled　to　escape；　you　called　me　always　back。　But　this　is　our　last　day　together；　you　shall　hear　my　confession；　I　will　tell　you　all　my　plans；　by　what　means　I　shall　escape　from　you；　my　true　friend；　my　dark；　dreary　cell。　Know　first　that　this　garrison　is　composed　of　nine　hundred　men；　who　are　much　dissatisfied。　It　will　not　be　difficult　to　win　them；　particularly　if　they　are　well　bribed。　Besides　this；　there　are　two　majors　and　two　lieutenants　conspiring　with　me；　they　will　tell　their　soldiers　what　to　do。　The　guard　at　the　star…port；　is　composed　of　but　fifteen　men；　and　if　they　do　not　obey　me　willingly；　we　will　know　how　to　compel　obedience。　At　the　end　of　the　star…port　lies　the　city　gate。　At　this　only　twelve　men　and　one　officer　are　stationed；　these　we　shall　easily　overpower。　On　the　other　side；　close　to　the　gate；　the　Austrian　Captain　von　Kimsky　is　awaiting　me　with　the　remainder　of　the　prisoners　of　war。　All　the　officers；　who　have　pledged　themselves　to　assist　my　undertaking；　are　concealed　in　a　safe　house　rented　for　this　purpose。　At　my　first　call　they　will　rush　forward　and　fall　upon　the　guard；　we　will　overpower　them　and　enter　the　city。　There　other　friends　await　us；　one　of　them；　under　some　pretext；　holds　in　his　quarters　arms　for　his　company；　and　at　my　call　he　will　join　me　with　his　armed　band。　Oh　my　God！　my　God！　I　see　every　thing　so　plainly　and　clearly　before　me。　I　see　myself　rushing　joyfully　through　the　streets；　dashing　into　the　casemates；　which　contain　nine　thousand　prisoners。　I　call　to　them：　'Up；　comrades；　up；　I　am　Frederick　von　Trenck；　your　captain　and　your　leader；　arm　yourselves　and　follow　me。'　I　hear　them　greet　me　joyfully　and　cry；　'Long　live　Trenck！'　They　take　their　arms　and　we　rush　to　the　other　casemates；　where　seven　thousand　Austrian　and　Russian　prisoners　are　confined。　We　free　them；　and　I　head　a　little　army　of　sixteen　thousand　men。　Magdeburg　is　mine；　the　fortress；　the　magazine　of　the　army；　the　treasury；　the　arsenal；　all　is　in　our　power。　I　shall　conquer　all　for　Maria　Theresa。　Oh；　King　Frederick！　King　Frederick！　I　shall　avenge　myself　on　you　for　these　long　years　of　misery；　for　the　martyrdom　of　this　fearful　imprisonment。　Trenck　will　not　be　obliged　to　leave　Magdeburg；　he　will　drive　away　the　Prussians；　and　make　himself　master。〃
  He　laughed　so　loudly　that　the　old　walls　echoed　the　sound；　and　a　wailing　sigh　seemed　to　glide　along　the　building。　Trenck　started　and　looked　timidly　around　him。
  〃I　am　still　alone；〃　he　murmured；　〃no　one　has　heard　my　words；　no；　no　one　but　you；〃　he　continued　cheerfully；　〃my　old　silent　friend；　my　faithful　prison。　To…morrow　morning　the　officer　on　guard　will　enter　and　order　the　sentinels　to　remove　the　bed；　as　soon　as　they　enter　I　shall　rush　out　and　lock　the　door。　The　sentinels　being　locked　up；　I　put　on　the　clothes　which　are　lying　in　readiness　for　me　in　the　passage；　and　then　forward　to　my　soldiers。　I　shall　distribute　gold　freely　among　thema　friend　will　meet　me　with　the　money　at　the　house　of　Captain　von　Kleist；　and　if　he　has　not　sufficient；　Amelia　has　richly　supplied　me。　Arise；　arise　from　your　grave；　my　secret　treasures。〃
  He　crouched　close　to　the　wall　and　removed　the　mortar　and　chalk　carefully；　he　then　drew　out　a　stone　and　took　from　under　it　a　purse　full　of　gold。
  His　eye；　accustomed　to　the　darkness；　saw　the　gold　through　the　silk　net；　he　nodded　to　it　and　laughed　with　delight　as　he　poured　it　out　and　played　madly　with　it。　His　countenance　suddenly　assumed　an　earnest　expression。
  〃Poor　Amelia；〃　he　murmured　softly；　〃you　have　sacrificed　your　life；　your　beauty；　and　your　youth　for　me。　With　never…failing　zeal　you　have　moved　around　me　like　my　guardian　angel；　and　how　am　I　repaying　you？　By　taking　from　your　brother；　King　Frederick；　his　finest　fortress；　his　money；　his　provisions；　by　compelling　you　and　yours　to　fly　from　a　city　which　no　longer　belongs　to　you；　but　to　the　Empress　of　Austria；　your　enemy。　With　your　money　I　have　taken　this　city；　Amelia；　you　are　ignorant　of　this　now；　and　when　you　learn　it；　perhaps　you　will　curse　me　and　execrate　the　love　which　has　poisoned　your　whole　life。　Oh；　Amelia！　Amelia；　forgive　me　for　betraying　you　also。　My　unfortunate　duty　is　forcing　me　onward；　and　I　must　obey。　Yes；〃　he　said；　springing　from　his　seat；　〃I　must　yield　to　my　fate；　I　must　be　free　againI　must　be　a　man　once　more；　I　can　sit　no　longer　like　a　wild　animal　in　his　cage；　and　tell　my　grief　and　my　despair　to　the　cold　walls。　I　must　reconquer　lifeI　must　again　see　the　sun；　the　world；　and　mankindI　must　live；　suffer；　and　act。〃
  He　walked　violently　to　and　fro；　his　whole　being　was　in　feverish　expectation　and　excitement；　and　he　felt　alarmed。　Suddenly　he　remained　standing；　pressing　his　two　hands　against　his　beating　temples；　he　murmured：
  〃I　shall　indeed　go　mad。　Joy　at　my　approaching　deliverance　confuses　my　poor　head；　I　will　try　to　sleep；　to　be　calmcollect　my　strength　for　to…morrow。〃
  He　lay　down　upon　his　miserable　couch；　and　forced　himself　to　be　quiet　and　silentnot　to　speak　aloud　to　himself　in　his　lonely　cell；　as　he　was　accustomed　to　do。　Gradually　the　mad　tension　of　his　nerves　relaxed；　gradually　his　eyes　closed；　and　a　soft；　beneficial　slumber　came　over　him。
  All　was　still　in　the　dark　cell；　nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　the　loud　breathing　of　the　sleeper；　but　even　in　sleep；　visions　of　life　and　liberty　rejoiced　his　hearthis　face　beamed　with　heavenly　joy；　he　murmured　softly；　〃I　am　free！free　at　last！〃
  The　hours　passed　away；　but　Trenck　still　slumberedprofound　stillness　surrounded　him。　The　outer　world　had　long　since　been　awake…　…the　sun　was　up；　and　had　sent　a　clear　beam　of　its　glory　through　the　small；　thickly…barred　window；　even　into　the　comfortless；　desolate　cell；　and　changed　the　gloom　of　darkness　into　a　faint　twilight。
  CHAPTER　X。
  〃TRENCK；　ARE　YOU　THERE？〃
  Trenck　slept。　Sleep　on；　sleep　on；　unfortunate　prisoner；　for　while　asleep　you　are　free　and　joyous；　when　you　awake；　your　happy　dreams　will　vanish；　agony　and　despair　will　be　your　only　companions。
  Listen！　there　are　steps　in　the　passage；　Trenck　does　not　hear　them　he　still　sleeps。　But；　now　a　key　is　turned；　the　door　is　opened；　and　Trenck　springs　from　his　pallet。
  〃Are　you　there；　my　friends？　Is　all　ready？〃
  But　he　totters　back　with　a　fearful　shriek；　his　eyes　fixed　despairingly　upon　the　door。　There　stood　Von　Bruckhausen；　the　prison　commandant；　beside　him　several　officers；　behind　them　a　crowd　of　soldiers。
  This　vision　explained　all　to　Trenck。　It　told　him　that　his　plan　had　miscarriedthat　again　all　had　been　in　vain。　It　told　him　that　he　must　remain　what　he　was；　a　poor；　wretched　prisonermore　wretched　than　before；　for　they　would　now　find　out　that　when　alone　he　could　release　himself　from　his　chains。　They　would　find　his　gold；　which　he　had　taken　from　its　hiding…place；　and　was　now　lying　loosely　upon　the　floor。
  〃I　am　lost！〃　said　he；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands；　and　throwing　himself　upon　his　bed。
  A　malignant　smile　brightened　up　Von　Bruckhausen's　disagreeable　countenance；　as　his　eye　took　in　the　broken　chains；　the　glittering　gold；　and　the　despairing　prisoner。　He　then　ordered　the　soldiers　to　raise　the　chains　and　fasten　them　on　him。
  Trenck　made　no　resistance。　He　suffered　them　quietly　to　adjust　his　iron　belt；　to　fasten　the　chain　around　his　neck。　He　seemed　insensible　to　all　that　was　passing。　This　fearful　blow　had　annihilated　him；　and　the　giant　who；　but　a　short　time　before；　had　thought　to　conquer　the　world；　was　now　a　weak；　trembling；　defenceless　child。　When　he　was　ordered　to　rise　to　have　the　chains　annexed　to　his　iron　girdle；　and　fastened　to　the　wall；　he　rose　at　once；　and　stretched　out　his　hand　for　the　manacles。　Now　the　commandant　dared　approach　Trenck；　he　had　no　fear　of　the　chained　lion；　he　could　jeer　at　and　mock　without　danger。　He　did　it　with　the　wrath　of　a　soul　hard　and　pitiless；　with　the　deep；　unutterable　hate　of　an　implacable　enemy；　for　Trenck　was　his　enemy；　his　much…feared　enemy；　he　drove　sleep　from　his　eyeshe　followed　him　in　his　dreams。　Often