fice
every duty to the support of their own hierarchy, and found a power, on
error and ignorance, which is destructive of all moral virtue.

Let us proceed. Mournful and angry, I left the college, and went to my
lodging-house, where I found a Prussian recruiting-officer waiting for
me, who used all his arts to engage me to enlist; offering me five
hundred dollars, and to make me a corporal, if I could write. I
pretended I was a Livonian, who had deserted from the Austrians, to
return home, and claim an inheritance left me by my father. After much
persuasion, he at length told me in confidence, it was very well known in
the town that I was a robber; that I should soon be taken before a
magistrate, but that if I would enlist he would ensure my safety.

This language was new to me; my passion rose instantaneously; I
remembered my name was Trenck, I struck him, and drew my sword; but,
instead of defending himself, he sprang out of the chamber, charging the
host not to let me quit the house. I knew the town of Thorn had agreed
with the King of Prussia, secretly, to deliver up deserters, and began to
fear the consequences. Looking through the window, I presently saw two
under Prussian officers enter the house. Schell and I instantly flew to
our arms, and met the Prussians at the chamber door. "Make way," cried
I, presenting my pistols. The Prussian soldiers drew their swords, but
retired with fear. Going out of the house, I saw a Prussian lieutenant,
in the street, with the town-guard. These I overawed, likewise, by the
same means, and no one durst oppose me, though every one cried, "Stop
thief!" I came safely, however, to the Jesuits' convent; but poor Schell
was taken, and dragged to prison like a malefactor.

Half mad at not being able to rescue him, I imagined he must soon be
delivered up to the Prussians. My reception was much better at the
convent than it had been before, for they no longer doubted but I was
really a thief, who sought an asylum. I addressed myself to one of the
fathers, who appeared to be a good kind of a man, relating briefly what
had happened, and entreated he would endeavour to discover why they
sought to molest us.

He went out, and returning in an hour after, told me, "Nobody knows you:
a considerable theft was yesterday committed at the fair: all suspicious
persons are seized; you entered the town accoutred like banditti. The
man where you put up is employed as a Prussian enlister