〃Ah；　I　am　to　be　tried　by　a　court…martial。　Spies　and　conspirators　are　always　thus　tried。　I　am　charged　then　with　spying　and　conspiring；〃　cried　Ranuzi；　and　then　slowly　turning　to　Marietta；　he　asked：
  〃And　this　is　your　work？〃
  〃Yes；　this　is　my　work；〃　she　said；　triumphantly。
  〃You　must　come　now；〃　said　the　policeman；　roughly；　as　he　stepped　nearer　to　Ranuzi；　at　the　same　time　giving　his　companion　a　sign　to　do　the　same。　〃Come　immediately　and　quietly。　Do　not　compel　us　to　use　force。〃
  〃Force；〃　cried　Ranuzi；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　as　he　drew　his　hand　from　his　bosom　and　pointed　a　pistol　toward　the　policemen；　from　which　they　shrunk　back　terrified。　〃You　see　that　I　need　not　fear　force；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　dare　to　approach　nearer　or　lay　your　hand　on　me　I　will　fire　on　both　of　you；　for　happily　my　pistol　has　more　than　one　ball；　and　it　never　fails。　You　see　that　we　are　playing　a　dangerous　game；　upon　whose　issue　may　depend　your　lives　as　well　as　mine。　I　can　shoot　you　if　I　desire　it；　or　I　can　direct　this　weapon　against　my　own　brow　if　I　wish　to　avoid　investigation　or　imprisonment。　But　I　promise　you　to　do　neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　if　you　will　give　me　the　time　to　say　a　few　words　to　this　lady。〃
  〃Be　quick；　then；〃　said　the　policeman；　〃or　I　will　call　in　the　soldiers；　and　they　can　shoot　you　as　easily　as　you　could　shoot　us。〃
  Ranuzi　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃You　will　be　very　careful　not　to　shoot　me。　The　dead　do　not　speak；　and　it　is　very　important　for　my　judges　that　I　should　speak。　Go　to　that　door；　I　give　my　word　that　I　will　follow　you。〃
  As　if　to　strengthen　his　words；　he　raised　the　hand　which　held　the　pistol；　and　the　two　men　withdrew　with　threatening　glances；　to　the　door。
  Ranuzi　then　turned　again　to　Marietta；　who　turned　her　great　flashing　eyes　upon　him　with　an　expression　of　anger　and　astonishment；　mixed　with　hatred　and　admiration。
  〃Marietta；〃　he　said；　gently。　She　trembled　at　the　sound　of　his　voice。　He　perceived　this；　and　smiled。　〃Marietta；〃　he　repeated；　〃you　have　betrayed　me；　you　have　revenged　your　love！　I　do　not　reproach　you；　my　anaconda；　but　I　pray　you　to　tell　me　one　thing；　did　you　send　the　last　letters　which　I　gave　you　to　the　post？〃
  〃No；〃　she　replied；　compelling　her　eyes；　with　a　mighty　effort；　to　meet　his。
  〃Wretch！　What　did　you　do　with　them。〃
  〃I　sent　them　to　the　King　of　Prussia。〃
  Ranuzi　uttered　a　shriek；　and　fell　back　a　step。　〃Then　I　am　indeed　lost；〃　he　murmured；　〃as　well　as　that　unhappy　creature；　who　pines　for　light　and　freedom。　Poor　Trenck！　Poor　Amelia！　All　is　lost；　all　through　the　jealousy　of　this　wretched　woman。　I　tell　you；　Marietta；〃　he　continued　aloud；　as　he　placed　his　hand　heavily　on　her　shoulder；　〃it　is　not　necessary　that　I　should　curse　you；　you　will　do　that　yourself。　This　hour　will　act　as　deadly　poison　on　your　heart；　of　which　you　will　die。　It　is　true；　you　have　revenged　yourself。　Today　you　rejoice　in　this；　for　you　believe　that　you　hate　me；　but　tomorrow　you　will　repent；　to…morrow　grief　will　overtake　you；　and　it　will　grow　with　every　dayyou　will　feel　that　you　must　love　me　for　ever　and　ever；　you　must　love　me；　because　you　have　wrought　my　ruin。　Yes；　you　are　rightyou　have　discovered　the　means　to　keep　yourself　in　my　remembrance。　In　my　dungeon　I　will　think　of　you。　I　will　do　so；　and　curse　you；　but　you　also　will　think　of　me；　and　when　you　do；　you　will　wring　your　hands　and　curse　yourself；　for　revenge　will　not　kill　the　love　in　your　heart。　Be　that　your　punishment。　Farewell！〃
  He　passed　before　her；　and　quietly　approached　the　policemen。　〃Come；　gentlemen；　I　am　quite　ready　to　follow　you；　and　that　you　may　be　entirely　at　ease　I　will　leave　my　pistol　here。　It　is　my　legacy　to　that　ladymy　last　souvenir。　Perhaps　she　may　use　it　in　the　future。〃
  He　placed　the　pistol　upon　her　writing…table　and　hastily　approached　the　door。　〃Come；　gentlemen；　I　am　your　prisoner！〃
  He　signed　to　them　to　follow　him；　and　walked　proudly　through　the　hall。
  Marietta　stood　there　trembling　and　deadly　paleher　eyes　dilated；　her　lips　opened；　as　if　to　utter　a　shriek。　Thus　she　watched　him；　breathless；　and　as　if　enchained　with　horror。
  Now　she　saw　him　open　the　door　of　the　hall；　and　throwing　back　at　her　one　cold；　flashing　glance；　he　went　out；　followed　by　the　police　and　the　soldiers。
  〃He　is　gone！　he　is　gone！〃　she　shrieked；　as　if　in　a　frenzy。　〃They　are　leading　him　to　imprisonmentperhaps　to　death。　Oh；　to　death！　It　is　I　who　have　murdered　him。　He　is　right。　I　am　indeed　cursed。　I　have　murdered　him；　and　I　love　him。〃　And　with　a　wild　shriek　she　sank　fainting　to　the　ground。
  CHAPTER　IX。
  TRENCK。
  Trenck　still　lived；　neither　chains　nor　years　of　loneliness　had　broken　his　strength　or　bowed　his　spirit。　His　tall；　gigantic　form　had　shrunk　to　a　skeleton；　his　hair　had　whitened　and　hung　around　his　hollow　face　like　an　ashen　veil。　Heavy　chains　clasped　his　feet　and　his　throat；　a　broad　iron　band　encircled　his　waist；　which　was　attached　to　the　wall　by　a　short　chaina　thick　bar　held　his　hands　apart；　but　still　he　lived。　For　years　he　had　paced；　with　short；　restless　steps；　this　little　space　that　covered　his　grave；　but　he　smiled　derisively　at　the　coarse　stone　which　bore　his　name。
  Trenck　still　lived。　He　lived　because　he　had　a　fixed　desire；　a　grand　aim　in　viewhe　thirsted　for　freedom；　and　believed　it　attainable。　Trenck　could　not　die；　for　without　was　liberty；　the　sun；　life；　and　honor。　He　would　not　die；　for　to　be　willing　to　die；　he　must　first　have　lived。　His　life　had　been　so　shorta　few　fleeting　years　of　youth；　of　careless　enjoymenta　joyous　dream　of　love　and　ambition！　This　had　been　his　fate。　Then　came　long；　weary　years　of　imprisonment…　…a　something　which　he　knew　not；　but　it　was　not　lifehad　crept　to　him　in　his　prison；　and　with　a　cruel　hand　marked　years　upon　his　brow…　…years　through　which　he　had　not　lived；　but　suffered。　And　still　he　remained　young　in　spite　of　gray　hairs　and　wrinkles。　He　glowed　with　hope　and　defiance；　his　sluggish　blood　was　warmed　from　time　to　time　with　new　hopes；　new　expectations。　His　imagination　painted　wonderful　pictures　of　future　happiness。　This　hope　always　remained　smiling　and　vigorous；　notwithstanding　his　many　disappointmentshis　many　useless　attempts　to　escape；　Trenck　still　hoped　for　freedom。　As　often　as　the　subterranean　passages　which　he　dug　were　discovered；　he　recommenced　his　work；　and　dug　new　ones；　when　the　sentinels　whom　he　had　won　by　gold　and　flattery　were　detected　and　punished；　he　found　means　to　obtain　other　friends。
  Truly；　friends　did　not　fail；　the　buried　but　still　living　prisoner　had　friends　who　never　forgot　him；　bold；　loving　friends；　risking　their　lives　for　him。　The　mighty　power　of　his　great　misfortunes　won　him　friends。　The　soldiers　who　guarded　him　were　seized　with　shuddering　horror　and　pity　at　the　sight　of　this　sunken　form；　reminding　them　of　the　picture　of　the　skeleton　and　the　hour…glass　which　hung　in　the　village　church。　Trenck　knew　how　to　profit　by　this。　The　officers；　who　came　every　day　to　inspect　his　prison；　were　charmed　and　amazed　by　the　freshness　of　his　spirit；　his　bright　conversation；　and　gay　remarks。　These　interviews　were　the　only　interruption　to　the　dulness　of　their　garrison　life。　They　came　to　him　to　be　cheered。　Not　being　willing　to　sit　with　him　in　the　dark；　they　brought　their　lights　with　them；　they　opened　the　door　of　his　cell　that　they　might　not　be　obliged　to　remain　with　him　in　the　damp；　putrid　air。　They　wondered　at　his　firmness　and　courage；　they　sympathized　with　his　youth　and　loneliness；　and　this　sympathy　made　for　him；　earnest；　useful　friends；　who　revelled　in　the　thought　that　Trenck's　renewed　attempts　at　escape　would　at　last　be　crowned　with　happy　results；　that　he　would　obtain　his　freedom。
  He　was　on　the　eve　of　a　great　day。　To…morrow　he　would　live　again；　to…　morrow　he　would　be　free；　this　time　it　was　no　chimera；　no　dreamhe　must　succeed。
  〃Yes；　my　plan　cannot　fail；〃　murmured　Trenck；　as　he　sat　upon　his　stone　seat　and　gazed　at　the　iron　door；　which　had　just　closed　behind　the　Commandant　Bruckhausen。　〃My　cruel　jailer　has　discovered　nothing；　carefully　as　he　searched　my　cell；　this　time　I　have　dug　no　mines；　broken　no　walls；　this　time　I　shall　pass　through　that　door；　my　comrades　will　greet　me　joyfully；　and　the　poor　prisoner　shall　be　the　mighty　commander　of　the　fortress。　Only　one　night　more；　one　single　night　of　patience；　and　life；　and　love；　and　the　world　shall　again　belong　to　me。　Oh；　I　feel　as　if　I　would　go　mad　with　joy。　I　have　had　strength　to　endure　misfortunes；　but　perhaps　the　rapture　of　freedom　may　be　fatal。　My　God！　my　God！　if　I　should　lose　my　senses！　if　the　light　of　the　sun　should　scorch　my　brain！　if　the　hum　of　the　busy　world　should　crush　my　spirit！〃
  He　lifted　his　hands　in　terror　to　his　brow；　he　felt　as　if　wrapped　in　flames；　as　if　fire　were　rising　from　his　brain；　the　chains　rattled　around　him　with　unearthly　sounds。　〃The　slightest　error；　the　least　forgetfulness　would　endanger　my　plan。　I　will　be　quietI　will　repeat　once　more　all　that　we　have　agreed　upon。　But　first　away　with　these　slavish　chains；　to…morrow　I　shall　be　a　free　man；　I　will　commence　my　role　to…day。〃
  He　removed　the　handcuffs；　and　with　his　free　right　hand　loosened　the　girdle　from　his　waist；　at　the　point　where　the　blacksmith；　who　fastened　it　upon　him；　told　him　it　might　be　opened　by　a　pressure　light　as　a　feather。　Now　he　was　free；　he　stretched　with　delight　his　thin；　meagre　form；　and　let　his　arms　swing