Page:Life and surprising adventures of Frederick Baron Trenck.pdf/9

 I was afflicted beyond measure, and the good was proposing to hide me, when I heard a firing at the farm. The Hussars, posted at the convent, had been told by a peasant, that there was an Austrian detachment in the wood; they saw us go into the farm-house, hastened to our assistance, and came up a few minutes after the surprise. It is impossible to express the pleasure with which I joined them. Some of the enemy's Hussars escaped by the back-door; however, we made twenty-two prisoners, among whom was a Lieutenant of the regiment of Kainockichen. They had two men killed and one wounded, and I lost on my side two Rangers, who were killed in the hay-loft where they were at work. After this rencounter, we continued to forage with greater precaution; the horses we had taken served in part to draw waggons; and having laid the convent under contribution to the amount of a hundred and fifty ducats which I distributed among my soldiers to purchase their silence, we set off to rejoin the army. The King was at table, when I came into his tent. As I had been absent the whole night, every body had supposed me taken, which had that day been the fate of many others. The instant I came in, the King asked me if I returned alone; "No, Sire," answered I, "I bring with me five and twenty waggons loaded with forage, and twenty-two prisoners, with their officers and horses." The King immediately made me sit down: and turning to the English Ambassador, who was sitting beside him, tapped me on the shoulder, and said, "This is one of my youthful Matadors!" The horse intended to reconnoitre the enemy was already waiting before his tent; he consequently asked me few questions, and to those few I could not answer without trembling.