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Updated: May 16, 2025
I immediately took my commander's advice, and began to write; and had those who suspected me thought proper to make the least inquiry into these circumstances, the four witnesses who read what I wrote could have attested my innocence, and rendered it indubitable. I gave my letter open to Jaschinsky, who sealed and sent it himself.
To avoid errors in the distribution, every post-bag was accompanied by a list, sent from the war department, on which each person to whom a letter was addressed must write a receipt. Colonel von Jaschinsky was therefore compelled to deliver to Lieutenant von Trenck both the letters which were addressed to him.
"I will earn a hundred ducats," said he, smiling to himself, as in a superb toilet he left his dwelling, "yes, a hundred ducats, and I will revenge myself upon the king for that trumpeting and outcry. This shall be a blessed and beautiful morning." He walked first to the apartment of Colonel Jaschinsky, and announced himself as coming upon most important business.
He is under arrest, and must be sent at once to the fortress at Glatz." "Must it be quietly done?" asked Jaschinsky, scarcely able to conceal his delight. "No, on the contrary, I wish the whole army, the whole world to know why I have punished Trenck.
With rapid steps he left his tent, and proceeded to that of the king from whom he prayed an audience. "Ah! I wager that you come to complain of some one," said the king, as Jaschinsky entered. "There is a wicked light in your eye. Am I not right? one of your officers has committed some folly." "I leave the decision entirely to your majesty," said Jaschinsky, humbly.
Kalkreuter and Grethusen live on their estates, and Jaschinsky is now alive at Konigsberg, but superannuated, and tortured by sickness, and remorse. He, instead of punishment, has forty years enjoyed a pension of a thousand rix-dollars. I have seen my lands confiscated, of the income of which I have been forty-two years deprived, and never yet received retribution.
"Well, will he ask for forgiveness?" said the king. "No, your majesty; he asserts that for a small fault he has been too harshly punished, and he will not bow so low as to plead against an injustice." "Let him remain in arrest," said Frederick, dismissing Jaschinsky. The king was alone; he walked up and down with his arms folded, as was his custom, when engaged in deep thought.
His glance was not threatening and scornful, as Trenck had expected, but sad and reproachful. "Why have you again secretly left Potsdam?" said the king. "Where do you find the proud courage to disobey my commands? Captain Jaschinsky has brought serious charges against you. He tells me that you often leave Potsdam secretly. Do you know that, if punished according to the law, you must be cashiered?"
I must therefore conclude this letter was forged. Jaschinsky was at this time one of the King's favourites; his spy over the army; a tale-bearer; an inventor of wicked lies and calumnies. Some years after the event of which I am now speaking, the King was obliged to break and banish him the country.
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