Page:Surprising adventures and sufferings of Frederick Baron Trenck.pdf/3

3 This affair was much talked of; and Dr. Kowwski, our professor, making a complaint to the university, I was sentenced to three hours confinement; but M. Warschaw, my grandfather, pleased with my spirit, took me out of the house, and placed me as a boarder with Professor Chrisna. There, for the first time, I began to enjoy entire liberty.

Three days after, a professed bully forced me a manner to fight. I wounded him in the hip. These successes so puffed me up, that I appeared in public with a sword of enormous length, and all the appendages of a prize fighter.

I should certainly have become a duellist, if the goodness of my heart, and my misfortunes, did not soon after brought me to reason. A fortnight had scarcely elapsed from my last quarrel, before I had another with one of my friends, a Lieutenant of the garrison, whom I insulted. We fought, and I wounded him in two places.

Duelling among the students was not punished at this period. It was looked upon as an honour to send a challenge.

In November 1742, Baron Lottum, the King’s Adjutant General, a relation of my mother, was sent by his Majesty to Koenigsberg. He dined at my grandfather’s, chatted a good deal with me; and after having sounded me by a variety of questions, asked me if I should not be tempted to serve my country as my ancestors had always done; adding, that in the army I should find more convenient opportunities of giving challenges than at the university. I accepted this proposal without hesitation ; and a few days after, set off for Potzdam.