with papers and documents relating to the prosecution, which I had
been examining for him, and transcribing. There were at this time
about five-and-twenty officers in Vienna who had laid complaints
against him, and who considered me as their greatest enemy because I
had laboured earnestly in his defence. I was therefore obliged, on
all occasions, to be upon my guard. A report had been propagated
through Vienna that I was secretly sent by the King of Prussia to
free my cousin from imprisonment; he, however, constantly denied, to
the hour of his death, his ever having written to me at Berlin;
hence also it will follow the letter I received had been forged by
Jaschinsky.

Leaving the Arsenal, I crossed the court, and perceived I was
closely followed by two men in grey roquelaures, who, pressing upon
my heels, held loud and insolent conversation concerning the runaway
Prussian Trenck. I found they sought a quarrel, which was a thing
of no great difficulty at that moment, for a man is never more
disposed to duelling than when he has nothing to lose, and is
discontented with his condition. I supposed they were two of the
accusing officers broken by Trenck, and endeavoured to avoid them,
and gain the Jew's place.

Scarcely had I turned down the street that leads thither before they
quickened their pace. I turned round, and in a moment received a
thrust with a sword in the left side, where I had put my bag of
papers, which accident alone saved my life; the sword pierced
through the papers and slightly grazed the skin. I instantly drew,
and the heroes ran. I pursued, one of them tripped and fell. I
seized him; the guard came up: he declared he was an officer of the
regiment of Kollowrat, showed his uniform, was released, and I was