midnight
When he was ordered to rise to have the chains annexed to his iron girdle , and fastened to the wall , he rose at once , and stretched out his hand for the manacles . Now the commandant dared approach Trenck ; he had no fear of the chained lion , he could jeer at and mock without danger . He did it with the wrath of a soul hard and pitiless ; with the deep , unutterable hate of an implacable enemy ; for Trenck was his enemy , his much-feared enemy ; he drove sleep from his eyes -- he followed him in his dreams . Often at midnight Von Bruckhausen rose in terror from his couch , because he dreamed that Trenck had escaped , and that he must now take his place in that dark , fearful tomb . Surrounded by gay companions , he would turn pale and shudder at the thought of Trenck 's escaping -- Trenck , whose fearful cell was then destined to be his . This constant fear and anxiety caused the commandant to see in Trenck not the king 's prisoner , but his own personal enemy , with whom he must do battle to his utmost strength , with all the wrath and fear of a timid soul . With a cold , malicious smile he informed him that his plot had been discovered , that his mad plan was known ; he had wished to take the fortress of Magdeburg and place upon it the Austrian flag .