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$Title{Works of Voltaire
Candide: Chapters 15 - 19}
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$Author{Voltaire}
$Affiliation{Assistant Professor Of History, Hofstra University}
$Subject{candide
cacambo
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Title:       Works of Voltaire
Book:        Candide
Author:      Voltaire
Critic:      Sobel, Robert
Affiliation: Assistant Professor Of History, Hofstra University

Candide: Chapters 15 - 19

Chapter Fifteen How Candide Killed The Brother Of His Beloved Cunegonde

     Cunegonde's brother tells Candide what has happened to him since they
last met. He will never forget the day the Bulgars came to the castle. After
they had left, he and others believed to be dead were taken to be buried in a
Jesuit chapel. A Jesuit sprinkled holy water on the bodies, and some of it got
into the brother's eyes. The Jesuit noticed his eyelids flicker, examined the
body, found it to be alive, and rescued him.

     Cunegonde's brother, the colonel, was handsome, and the reverend father
took a fancy to him. He became a novice, and then was sent to Rome where some
German Jesuit recruits were needed. It seems that the rulers of Paraguay
prefer non-Spanish Jesuits, whom they consider not as shrewd as the Spanish
type. Thus, the brother was sent to Paraguay, and quickly rose to the
position of colonel. He is sure his forces will be able to defeat those of
Spain, and is glad that Candide will help them. The two embrace, and the
colonel promises Candide they will ride in triumph through the town and
rescue Cunegonde. Candide hopes so, for he still expects to marry her. The
colonel is angered by this; Candide lacks the breeding to marry his sister.
Candide is dumbfounded at this outburst. He had rescued Cunegonde from all
sorts of difficulties, she is under his obligation, and in addition, wants to
marry him. Pangloss had told him all men are equal, and he believes it.

     The colonel does not accept this, and strikes Candide across the face
with the flat of his sword. Candide then draws his own sword and kills the
colonel. He is immediately overcome with grief; he has killed his former
master, friend, and future brother-in-law. Candide has killed three men, and
two of them were priests. And he is a mild mannered man!

     Cacambo hears the scuffle, and rushes in. Candide tells him that all they
can do is get ready to die like heroes with swords in their hands. But Cacambo
has been in such scrapes before, and he keeps his head. He undresses the
colonel, and tells Candide to put on his clothes, which he does. Then Cacambo
tells him to mount a horse and ride out of the place as quickly as possible.
Everyone will think he is a Jesuit messenger. To spur his master on, Cacambo
runs in front of the horse, telling all to make way for the reverend father
colonel.

Comment:

     The brother is saved from burial by the sprinkling of holy
water. A religious person might have called this a miracle, but the brother,
an opportunist, does not comment on his good fortune, only saying that the
holy water was "disgusting stuff." He then says that he joined the Jesuits
because a reverend father took a fancy to him. There is an implication here
of homosexuality; the Jesuits and other orders were continually being accused
of sexual irregularities. Voltaire does not go into this matter; in a work
noted for its unusually broad satire, this line is almost thrown away, a fact
which leads many to believe that the author had no intention of exploring or
even raising the matter. The colonel strongly opposes his sister's marriage to
Candide, primarily because of Candide's lack of lineage. So much for the
equality of Christian men!

Chapter Sixteen The Adventures Of Two Travelers With Two Girls And Two
Monkeys, And What Happened To Them Among The Savage Oreillons

     Candide and Cacambo crossed the frontier before the colonel's body was
discovered. Cacambo had taken enough provisions for the trip, and so they had
no fear of starvation. They plunged ahead into unexplored lands, which had no
roads. They finally came across a lovely meadow, and Cacambo suggested they
stop to eat. How can he eat, asks Candide, when he has just killed the Baron's
son, and will never see Cunegonde again? What is the use of living? What will
the Jesuits' magazines say?

     While talking, Candide ate heartily. As the sun set, the two travellhrs
heard what sounded like women's voices. They ran to see what it was, and found
two naked girls running along the edge of the meadow, while two monkeys ran
after them, nibbling at their buttocks. Candide was touched at the sight, and
so picked up his double-barreled rifle and killed the monkeys.

     Candide tells Cacambo he is overjoyed. He has delivered the two girls
from danger, and so has made amends for having killed the Inquisitor and
the Jesuit. He suspects the two girls are of noble birth. They may prove
useful in their journeys.

     As Candide spoke, the two girls embraced the dead monkeys and began to
cry. Candide admires their magnanimity, but Cacambo realizes that they are
really distraught; Candide has killed their lovers. Candide cannot believe
this. He charges that Cacambo is laughing at him. How can the monkeys be
their lovers? The servant asks why Candide is surprised by everything. In
some parts of the world monkeys are the lovers of humans. They are partly
human, after all, just as he is partly Spanish. Candide admits that Cacambo
may be right. Pangloss had spoken of such unions, which took place in the
old days, and produced fauns, centaurs, and satyrs. He admits, however,
that he never believed these stories. Cacambo replies that such disbeliefs
are the result of a faulty education. He adds that he now fears the girls
will play some trick on them.

     Candide agreed, and he and Cacambo cautiously left the meadow and took
shelter in the woods. After dinner and a round of cursing their enemies, they
went to sleep. When they awoke they found that during the night they had been
tied to a tree by the Oreillons, the natives of the country. It seems that the
two girls had told the Oreillons that they were there. Now they were
surrounded by fifty naked, and armed savages. Some were heating a large
caldron. Others were screaming that their captives were Jesuits. The savages
seemed overjoyed; they would have Jesuit for dinner (apparently a great
delicacy).

     Cacambo was afraid the girls would play a trick on them because of the
monkey's deaths, and repeats his warning to Candide. Candide sadly says that
they will either be roasted or boiled. What would Pangloss say about this? No
doubt all will turn out for the best, but it was sad to have lost Cunegonde
and be eaten by the Oreillons. But Cacambo hasn't given up yet; he knows
Oreillon language, and will speak to the savages. Candide tells the servant
that he should make them understand "how outrageously inhuman it is to cook
their fellow-men, and that it's scarcely the act of a Christian."

     Cacambo speaks to the savages. He asks them if they are looking forward
to eating a Jesuit for dinner. He has no objection to such a meal; it is
correct to treat your enemy in such a manner. The law of nature itself
teaches us to kill our fellow-creatures. If we don't eat them afterwards, it's
only because we have something else to eat. The savages don't have the same
resources as the Europeans, and so it makes more sense to eat Jesuits than
leave the bodies to crows and ravens. But he and Candide are not Jesuits.
Candide is the great enemy of the Jesuits, and they are about to kill and eat
him! And further, he, Cacambo, was born in this country! Candide, on his part,
has just killed a Jesuit and has carried off the spoils. If the Oreillons do
not believe this, they can take Candide's gown to the nearest frontier post of
the Jesuits, and find out to whom it belonged. This will not take much time,
and if he is not telling the truth, then he can still be eaten for dinner;
"you are too well acquainted with the principles and customs of international
law not to use us courteously."

     The Oreillons were impressed with this argument, and sent two of their
number to the frontier with the gown. When they returned they verified
Cacambo's story, and both master and servant were released. Indeed, they were
treated royally, being offered girls, refreshments, and other such things.
Then they took the two to the border of their land, shouting. "He was never
a Jesuit! Not he!"

     Candide admired the Oreillons. What a fine bunch of fellows they were!
What culture! If he hadn't been lucky enough to have killed Cunegonde's
brother he would surely have been eaten. There is certainly a lot to be said
for the goodness of unsophisticated nature.

Comment

     In this chapter, Voltaire deals with the nature of education
and Rousseau's Noble Savage. Being a European, Candide is shocked when he sees
the girls and the monkeys, and even more shocked when he learns that the
monkeys are the lovers of the girls. Thus, there are many different
civilizations, each with its own sometimes peculiar values and cultures.
The author picks a particularly unusual example to demonstrate his point,
perhaps pointing out that many European customs are equally ridiculous. Then
our heroes are captured by the Oreillons - Rousseau's Noble Savages - who
plan to eat them. Again, Voltaire demonstrates they are more savage than
noble. They think that Candide is a Jesuit, and since they hate the Jesuits
but apparently consider roast Jesuit a delicacy, they prepare to eat him.
All is changed when they discover that he is one of them; he has killed
Jesuits also. Thus, Voltaire warns his readers what to expect if they follow
Rousseaus' advice and live among the Noble Savages. Such people are no better
than the Europeans-but on the other hand, they are no worse. Cacambo tells
us that the only reason Europeans do not eat those they kill is because they
have a more plentiful larder. Thus, why go to the Americans to live among the
Noble Savages, when their types can be found in Europe? Observe also that
after being freed, Candide praises the savages; they have not eaten him,
because he killed a Jesuit. This is contrasted to the previous chapter, when
he says that he is doomed because he has killed two men of God; here he
rejoices in having killed the Jesuit, an act which has saved his life. This
change in attitude implies that Pangloss was right: all turns out for the best
in this best of all possible worlds.

Chapter Seventeen How Candide And His Servant Reached The Country Of Eldorado
And What They Saw There

     Cacambo spoke to Candide when they reached the Oreillon frontier. Since
the new world is no better than the old, he said, why not return to Europe?
How shall we get there, asks Candide, and where shall we go when we arrive?
His own country is full of Bulgars and Abars, cutting each other's throats.
He will be burned alive if he returns to Portugal, and skewered if he remains
in Paraguay. And how can he leave without Cunegonde? Cacambo does not answer
these questions, instead suggesting that they head for Cayenne. Perhaps the
Frenchmen of the city can help them, and maybe God will have pity on them.

     The two travellers had a difficult time on their journey to Cayenne. They
met many obstacles, both natural and human. Their horses died of fatigue, and
their provisions were exhausted. Finally Cacambo admitted that they could go
no further. Seeing an empty boat by the side of a nearby river, he suggested
that they fill it with coconuts, board it, and then drift down the river. Even
if they did not find something good, they could not be in worse shape than
they were at the time. Candide agreed, and the two boarded the ship and
trusted in Providence.

     The stream took them several miles, and then broadened into a river. The
river disappeared into a cave, evoking fear in the two passengers. They
drifted into daylight in twenty-four hours, and soon a ter the boat was dashed
to pieces on some boulders. The travellers had to crawl along the river bank
for three miles. Finally they reached an open plain surrounded by mountains.
Everything was quite beautiful; there were many people, all of whom seemed
rich and handsome. The carriages were drawn by large red sheep which were
faster than the best horses. Candide remarked that the land seemed better than
Westphalia, and he led the way into a nearby village.

     On the outskirts of town, they saw some children wearing tattered gold
brocade playing ninepins. The pins and balls were colorful, and when Candide
picked them up to examine them, he found that they were made of gold,
emeralds, and rubies. He immediately assumed the children were the sons of
the King of the country. When a teacher appeared, he thought he was the tutor
of the Royal Family.

     The children dropped their toys and ran away. Candide picked up the
precious playthings and handed them to the tutor, making a deep bow, and
observing that Their Royal Highnesses had forgotten their nuggets and precious
stones. The schoolmaster merely smiled and walked away. Candide and Cacambo
continued on their way, picking up many rubies, emeralds, and large gold
nuggets as they went. Candide wondered what land they were in. He assumed the
King's children must be well-mannered if they were taught to despise gold and
precious stones. Even Cacambo was surprised at this, and said nothing.

     The travellers approached a palatial house. Many people were standing
around, and delightful music could be heard. The smell of cooking wafted
through the door. When Cacambo approached the entrance he heard Peruvian
spoken. This was his native language, and he offered to act as Candide's
interpreter.

     The house turned out to be an inn, and the travellers entered, and were
invited to take seats. Wonderful dishes were placed before them, including
a two-hundred pound boiled vulture. The plates were of rock crystal, and all
were wonderfully rich. The travellers held polite conversations with some of
the guests, and all was most pleasant.

     When the meal was over, Candide and Cacambo tried to pay with two large
gold nuggets. On seeing the nuggets, the innkeeper and his wife laughed loud
and long. When they recovered, the innkeeper spoke. He told the travellers
that they were not used to strangers in their country, and begged to be
excused for laughing at them. He assumed that Candide had no money, but told
him that none was needed. The inns were maintained by the government, and
open for the convenience of tradespeople. He apologized for the poorness of
the meal, but promised that they would be treated better in the larger cities.

     The travellers were amazed at all this. This was surely the strangest
country in the world! All must go well here. "And whatever Professor Pangloss
might say," noted Candide, "I often noticed that all went badly in
Westphalia."

Comment:

     This chapter serves as an introduction to one of the most important
sections of the book: the one which deals with the magical Kingdom of
Eldorado. The Kingdom is not magical in the sense that it contains sorcerers
or the like, but rather because it is a land of reason: the ideal land
discussed by many Enlightenment philosophers. Carl Becker, in his book on
Enlightenment philosophers entitled The Heavenly City of the
Eighteenth-Century Philosophers, notes that the thinkers of this period were
medieval in the sense that they, like St. Thomas and others, believed in
perfection being possible. If man would but use his reason, he could plan and
execute perfect forms of government. Examples of this approach are to be found
in Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws and Rousseau's The Social Contract. The
two works are dissimilar in their philosophies and the solutions they offer
for the world's ills, but alike in their belief that perfection is attainable
here and now, through the use of reason and the destruction of irrational
elements of life which are, in reality, vestiges of an imperfect age. This,
then, is the background for the introduction of Eldorado in Candide. Voltaire
heightens the effect by having the travellers arrive in the country after a
series of unusual journeys. This makes the transition from Paraguay, and the
land of the Oreillons, all the more striking in the contrast. Now he places
Candide, the man of the Enlightenment, into the Heavenly City of the
philosophers. The last words in the chapter lead us to believe that Candide
accepts it as such; he notes that despite all Pangloss said about Westphalia,
it was not a good place to be. We will now see how he reacts to the land of
perfection, and find out what Voltaire thinks of man's nature and his ability
to cope with things rationally.

Chapter Eighteen What They Saw In The Country Of Eldorado

     As befits its importance, this is the longest chapter in the book. It
deals with the society of the perfect kingdom, its customs and traditions,
its values, and finally, the reaction of a typical European to the life of
reason, once it is presented to him in real rather than abstract terms.

     Cacambo is curious about the land of Eldorado, and engages the innkeeper
in conversation. But all the innkeeper would say was that he was a ignorant
fellow, and knew nothing. He does say that there is an old man in the
neighborhood, the most learned person in the land, who can answer all their
questions. The innkeeper then takes the two travellers to the old man, who
lived in a modest silver home paneled in gold, with a hall encrusted with
rubies and emeralds.

     The old man was seated on a couch stuffed with hummingbird feathers. He
greeted the two, and after offering them refreshments, they began to talk.
The old man told them that he is 172 years old. The Kingdom in which they find
themselves used to be inhabited by the Incas, who left it to fight elsewhere.
A few remained, and they founded the present nation. They passed a law that no
one could leave the Kingdom, in this way hoping to preserve its innocence and
happiness. The Spaniards had some knowledge of the Kingdom, and called it
Eldorado. Sir Walter Raleigh almost reached it at one time. But the nation is
protected by natural barriers from Europeans, whose only desire is to take the
pebbles and dirt found in the soil, and would gladly kill for such trifles.

     After a while, Candide inquired about the religion of the country,
asking whether one existed. The old man said that the people were surely
religious; they have a strong sense of gratitude for what they had. Candide
again asks what the religion was. The old man replies with a question: "Can
there be two religions, then? I have always believed that we hold the religion
of all mankind. We worship God from morning to night." Cacambo asks if the
people worship only one God, and the old man answers that of course they do.
Then Candide asks how the people pray. The old man responds that the people
never pray. "We have nothing to ask of God, since He has given us everything
we need. But we thank him unceasingly." The travellers then ask to see the
priests. The old man smiles and says that all people are priests, but the King
and the head of each family perform rites every morning, thanking God for the
blessings they have received. Candide is puzzled; are there no monks to
dispute, govern, and intrigue? The old man cannot understand this; in fact, he
doesn't know what a monk is. Candide is delighted with this. If Pangloss
were alive, he would admit that Castle Thunder-ten-tronckh is not the
loveliest place on earth.

     When the conversation ended, the old man ordered a carriage to take the
travellers to Court, and bade them fond farewell. Candide and Cacambo entered
the carriage, and it took them to the Court in less than four hours. The Court
was beautiful, being constructed of an unknown material superior to gold.
Twenty lovely maidservants greeted them, and helped them dress in garments
made of hummingbird down. Then they were conducted to the main chamber.
Cacambo asked one of the lords there whether he should grovel before the King
or lick the dust off the floor when he arrived. He is told that the custom is
to embrace the King and kiss him. Thus, Candide and Cacambo embrace the King
when he arrives.

     Since there is time before supper, the travellers are shown the sights of
the Court. Candide asks to see law courts, and is told there are none; in
fact, court cases are unknown. Further, there are no prisons. He was shown a
long and impressive Palace of Science, however.

     Afterwards, Candide and Cacambo had supper with the King and his
companions. The conversation was most witty, with Cacambo acting as translator
for the King and Candide.

     The travellers spent a month at Court. Every day Candide spoke of the
wonders of the place. Still, he said, he could never be completely happy
without Cunegonde; if Cacambo were in love, he would understand this better.
He then thinks of the meaning of Eldorado. While in that Kingdom they are like
everyone else. But what if they loaded twelve sheep with the precious stones,
and took them back to Europe. Then they would be the richest people on the
continent. They would have nothing to fear from the Inquisition, and would be
able to rescue Cunegonde.

     Cacambo was glad to hear this. He was restless, and had had enough of
Eldorado. Like Candide, he was anxious to take riches back to Europe and
boast of what they had seen and done. So they decided they were no longer
happy, and asked to leave the Kingdom.

     The King thinks their plan is foolish. He realizes that Eldorado is a
modest place, but it works well enough to please most people. On the other
hand, he has no right to detain strangers.

     "All men are free." The two may go when they wish, but they will find the
journey difficult and dangerous. He promises to have his engineers construct
a machine to take them out of Eldorado in comfort. They will be guided to the
frontier by his subjects, but then must find the way out by themselves;
citizens of Eldorado are not allowed to cross the border. The King then
promises to provide the two with anything they wish. Cacambo asks for a few
sheep loaded with stones and mud (precious gems and gold dust). The King
laughs; he cannot understand why Europeans love mud and stones, but they can
take all they wish. The engineers are then ordered to make a machine for
transporting the two travellers. Three thousand scientists worked on it, and
it was completed in fifteen days. Candide and Cacambo were placed in the
machine, together with two large red sheep which they were to ride after
crossing the mountains. In addition, they were provided with twenty sheep
loaded with food and thirty to carry presents. Fifty additional sheep carried
the gold and precious stones. The King embraced Candide and Cacambo, and
wished them good luck. The guides then took them to the frontier. Candide was
delighted. If Cunegonde were being held for ransom by the Governor of Buenos
Aires, they now had more than enough money to pay it. He told Cacambo that
they would go to Cayenne and set sail from there. Then they would see which
kingdom they would buy.

Comment:

     A good part of this chapter is concerned with the religion of
Eldorado. Although the old man does not call it Deism, that is what it is. The
citizens of Eldorado believe in God and give thanks for their blessings, but
there is no organized priesthood, and no rigid theology. Without these, there
can be no bigotry or religious wars. As for monks, whom Voltaire obviously
dislikes even more than priests, the old man doesn't even know what they are.
It is clear that toleration is ever-present in Eldorado; the citizens of this
land have no reason to hate one another, to kill, or to persecute others for
their beliefs or possessions. Thus, there are no law courts or jails. All are
equal; the King is embraced, and not groveled before as is the case in Europe.
Note that in the same paragraph in which Voltaire states there are no law
courts or prisons in Eldorado, he mentions the Palace of Science . Perhaps he
hopes to indicate here that with the rise of science, crimes will disappear,
and law courts will become obsolete. With all this, Candide is delighted. Yet,
he is not happy: two desires impel him to leave Eldorado. He still loves
Cunegonde, and will not be happy without her. In addition, he would like to
take the gold and precious stones to Europe and make a name for himself in his
old country. Cacambo, who lacks a sweetheart, agrees with Candide that it
would be better to be rich in Europe than like everyone else in Eldorado.
Note that Candide is not happy in a land where all men are reasonable . This
is Voltaire's way of saying that man searches for the heavenly city, but once
he finds it, rejects it for the life of irrationality. This is his response to
the perfection-seekers of the eighteenth century. The reader might note that a
modern novel, Lost Horizon by James Hilton, seems to be based on this same
idea. In this story the hero comes across a magical land-Shangri-la-and he too
leaves it to return to the irrational world outside the high mountains.

Chapter Nineteen What Happened To Them At Surinam, And How Candide Made The
Acquaintance Of Martin

     The travellers spent the first day of their journey to Cayenne happily,
thinking of their great wealth. But on the second day two of the sheep plunged
into a bog, and other misfortunes followed. After a hundred days, only two
sheep were left. Candide reflected on these misfortunes, and told Cacambo that
the riches of the world are perishable. The only solid things in life were
virtue and the prospect of seeing Cunegonde. Cacambo was more optimistic; they
still had a great deal of treasure, and he believed that the Dutch city of
Surinam was over the horizon.

     As the travellers approached the town, they noticed a Negro lying across
the road,  wearing nothing but a pair of blue canvas drawers, and lacking a
left leg and right hand. They asked him what he was doing there. The Negro
responded that he worked for Mr. Vanderdendur, the owner of a famous
sugar-works. Candide then asked if he was treated badly by his master. The
Negro replied that it was customary to treat people such as he in that manner.
He received one pair of canvas drawers a year.

     Those who catch their fingers in the grindstone while working at the
factory have a hand chopped off. Those who try to escape lose a leg. "That's
the price of your eating sugar in Europe." The Negro says that his mother
sold him in to slavery on the coast of Guiana for fifty shillings. Before she
left him, she said: "Always honor and adore your fetishes, my dear boy, and
they will make you happy; you will have the honor of being a slave for milords
the white men, and that is how you will make your parents' fortune." The slave
says that he doesn't know whether their fortune was made by the sale, but he
is certainly miserable. Even the animals are better off than the slaves. The
slaves was told by those converted him to Christianity that all men are
children of Adam. This men as that his master is his cousin. Why should
relatives treat him so badly? Candide is shaken at this. What would Pangloss
say about such a situation? The slave's pessimism seems more valid than
Pangloss' optimism, and Candide fears he must cease being optimistic. Cacambo
asks the meaning of the term "optimism." Candide replies that "it's the
passion for maintaining that all is right when all goes wrong with us."
Candide turns toward Surinam, his eyes filled with tears.

     On arriving at the city, the travellers ask whether a ship will leave
soon for Buenos Aires. They agree to meet a Spanish captain at an inn, and
they take the two sheep with them. Candide tells their story to the captain,
including his desire to rescue Cunegonde. The captain refuses to take him to
Buenos Aires, for Cunegonde has become the Governor's favorite mistress, and
he would kill anyone who tried to take her away. Candide weeps at this. He
then turns to Cacambo, and tells him to take some of their five or six million
diamonds to Buenos Aires, and offer the Governor a million of them if he frees
Cunegonde. If he should refuse, Cacambo is to raise the offer to two million.
Cacambo hasn't killed an Inquisitor, so he shouldn't have much difficulty.
Meanwhile, Candide will go to Venice, a free state where he will be safe.
Cacambo agrees that the plan was a good one. The two embraced, and before
parting, Candide told his servant not to forget to take care of the old woman
as well as his beloved Cunegonde.

     Candide waited a while in Surinam after Cacambo's farewell. He tried to
find a ship to take him to Venice, and while he looked, he purchased
provisions for the journey. At last he met Mr. Vanderdendur, who in addition
to owning the sugar-works was the owner of a large ship. Candide asked him for
the price of a journey to Venice. The ship captain suggested ten thousand
piastres, a price which Candide quickly accepted. But Mr. Vanderdendur, seeing
Candide's quickness, realized that he must be quite rich. He then said that
the trip could not be undertaken for less than twenty thousand piastres.
Again, Candide was quick to agree. Then Mr. Vanderdendur raised the price to
thirty thousand; again Candide said he would pay the sum. Mr. Vanderdendur
then realized that the two sheep must be loaded with great wealth, but decided
not to raise the price again, and instead wait and see what happened. Candide
sold to small diamonds, and received more than thirty thousand piastres for
them. He gave the money to Mr. Vanderdendur, and prepared to sail. The captain
made certain that the sheep were loaded on board before Candide arrived. He
then set sail without our hero. Candide turned back to the shore, aware that
he had lost a tremendous fortune.

     Candide decided to lay the matter before a Dutch judge. The judge fined
him ten thousand piastres for having knocked too loudly on the door, an
additional ten thousand for costs, and then promised to look into the matter
when the captain returned. All of this drove Candide to distraction, and he
was plunged into a deep melancholy. But he continued his search for a passage
to Europe. At last he found a ship about to leave for Bordeaux. Having lost
his fortune, he took a modest berth. To objectify his dissatisfaction, he
offered to pay the passage of any honest man, and give him an additional two
thousand piastres, if that man was dissatisfied with the province, was the
most unfortunate man there, and wanted to leave. There were many candidates,
so to make his task easier, Candide chose some twenty who looked sociable.
They then went to the inn, where Candide heard their stories. The winner would
receive the passage and the money, while the others would be given
consolation prizes. Candide then listened to the stories until four o'clock in
the morning. As he listened, he remembered the old woman's conversation
with Cunegonde, when she challenged Cunegonde to find a single person who had
not suffered misfortunes. He then thought of Pangloss, and considered how
puzzled the philosopher would have been about all this.

     Candide decided to award the prize to a poor scholar, who had lost his
family, been robbed and persecuted, and in other ways had suffered reverses
all his life. The other candidates were as unfortunate as the scholar, but
Candide awarded him the prize in the hope that he would relieve the boredom of
the long journey. The other candidates then declared that Candide was doing
them still another injustice. Candide mollified them by giving each one
hundred piastres.

Comment:

     The problems of Surinam seem striking when contrasted with the glories of
Eldorado. The first person to greet the travellers is a Negro slave who tells
his sad story. In this way, Voltaire contrasts the real world with the
Heavenly City. To further heighten the comparison, he notes that this is the
price Europeans must pay for their sugar and luxuries: human misery. Then
Candide is cheated by a captain, and when he seeks a travelling companion,
hears other sad stories. All of this makes him doubt the optimism taught by
Pangloss. Note the cynical definition of optimism he gives Cacambo when the
servant asks the meaning of the word.

