he entered the box, seized Count
Gossau, and would have thrown him into the pit in the presence of the
Sovereign herself. Gossau drew his sword, and tried to run him through,
but the latter seizing it, wounded himself in the hand. Everybody ran to
save Gossau, who was unable to defend himself. After this exploit, the
colonel of the pandours returned foaming home.

Such an action rendered it impossible for Maria Theresa to declare
herself the protectress of a man so rash. Sentinels were placed over
him, and his enemies profiting by his imprudence and passion, he was
ordered to be tried by a court-martial. General Loewenwalde intrigued so
successfully, that he procured himself to be named, by the Hofkriegsrath,
president of the court-martial, and to be charged with the sequestration
of the property of Trenck. In vain did the latter protest against his
judge. The very man, whom the year before he had kicked out of the ante-
chamber of Prince Charles, received full power to denounce him guilty.
Then was it that public notice was given that all those who would prefer
complaints against Colonel Baron Trenck should receive a ducat per day
while the council continued to sit. They soon amounted to fifty-four,
who, in a space of four months, received 15,000 florins from the property
of Trenck. The judge himself purchased the depositions of false
witnesses; and Count Loewenwalde offered me one thousand ducats, if I
would betray the secrets of my cousin, and promised me I should be put in
possession of my confiscated estates in Prussia, and have a company in a
regiment.

That the indictment and the examinations of the witnesses were falsified,
has already been proved in the revision of the cause; but as the
indictment did not contain one article that could affect his life, they
invented the following stratagem. A courtesan, a mistress of Baron
Rippenda, who was a member of the court-martial, was bribed, and made
oath she was the daughter of Count Schwerin, Field-marshal in the
Prussian service, and that she was in bed with the King of Prussia, when
Trenck surprised the camp at Sorau, made her and the King prisoners, and
restored them their freedom. She even ventured to name Baron Hilaire,
aide-de-camp to Frederic, whom she affirmed was then present. Hilaire,
who afterwards married the Baroness Tillier, and who consequently was
brother-in-law to Trenck, fortunately happened to be in Vienna. He was
confronted with this