The Candide
(Voltaire)

I

How Candide was Brought Up in a Magnificent Castle, and How He was Expelled Thence

Candide grew up in the grand castle of a Baron in Westphalia. He was a young man with gentle manners, and thought to be the son of the Baron's sister. The Baron is a powerful lord in Westphalia, and his castle large and extravagant. His wife, the Baroness, is a large, commanding woman. They have a daughter, Cunegonde, who is seventeen and beautiful, along with a son. The other tenant of the castle is Preceptor Pangloss, the oracle and live-in professor. Candide trusts Pangloss and listens to everything he says, although his logic is somewhat circular and nonsensical. Candide is extremely happy with his life, and secretly thinks that Cunegonde is beautiful.

One day Cunegonde walks around the woods and sees Dr. Pangloss giving one of her mother's attractive chamber maids engaging in a "natural experiment". She is flustered at seeing something so indecent and thinks of Candide. The two happen to run into each other when Cunegonde is on the way back to the castle, and they both blush. Later, after dinner, they end up kissing. The Baron catches them, however, and banishes Candide from the castle.

II

What Became of Candide Among the Bulgarians

Candide walks into the countryside away from the magnificent castle that was previously his home. He sleeps in the fields, and when he finally reaches a town he is almost dying of hunger. Candide looks longingly at an inn, and two gentlemen spot him. After saying that he is well-built, they give him free food and drink. During their meal, they ask him if he loves the King of the Bulgarians and tell Candide that he is going to be made into a hero. After eating they escort Candide to their regiment and begin training him.

Not fully realizing his situation, Candide decides to go on a walk one day. He is overtaken, captured, and sent to the dungeons as a deserter where he is given the choice of being whipped severely or being shot in the head. Candide asserts that all humans have free will, and as such he will choose neither option. However, in the end he is forced to choose the whipping.

During his punishment, the King of the Bulgarians happens to come by and realizes that Candide is merely an ignorant young man and not a deserter. He pardons Candide and sends him to a surgeon to be healed. Candide's skin, which was almost all gone after his whipping, is healed by the time the King of the Bulgarians is ready to go to war with the King of Abares.

III

How Candide Made His Escape from the Bulgarians, and what Afterwards Became of Him

Two armies of the Kings of Bulgaria and Abares meet on the battlefield, resulting in unbelievable carnage. Amid the firings of muskets and killings by bayonets, Candide hides in fear. Eventually, he is able to escape the battle and travels across the countryside. He comes to several villages that have been torn apart by the war and is horrified. He sees burned buildings, mutilated bodies, and the old men and women who are left to die.

After traveling a long time and running out of provisions, Candide makes it Holland. He has heard that in Holland everyone is rich and Christian, and so he hopes someone will help him. When he asks for food, however, he is repeatedly turned down. He comes across a preacher who asks Candide if he believes in "the cause". Candide, true to Pangloss's teachings, replies that there is no effect without a cause. When the preacher finds out Candide does not believe the pope to be the anti-Christ he sends him away cursing.

An unchristened man named James sees the spectacle and takes pity on Candide. He takes him home, feeds him, and employs him. Candide is deeply touches by his kindness, and the next day encounters a severely diseased beggar on the streets.

IV

How Candide Found His Old Master Pangloss, and What Happened to Them

Candide is horrified at the sight of the beggar but still feels compassions towards him. He gives the beggar the only money he has, and the beggar starts crying, revealing himself as Pangloss. Candide is shocked and immediately begins asking questions about what happened to Cunegonde and everyone else. Pangloss complains that he cannot stand, and Candide helps him to James's stable and gives him some food. Eventually, Pangloss is able to continue his story. He reveals the Cunegonde, as well as everyone else in the castle, is dead. They were attacked by Bulgarian soldiers. Cunegonde was raped and killed violently, and the soldiers did not spare anyone else either. During this story, Candide faints twice.

He wants to know how Pangloss became so diseased, and he says he caught the deteriorating disease from Paquette, the pretty serving maid. Pangloss is not extremely bitter about his situation, because the disease was brought back by Christopher Columbus after coming into contact with the New World. It is Pangloss's view that a negative consequence is natural, and offsets all the other good things a new continent has brought.

Pangloss has no money for a doctor so Candide goes to James and begs his help. James takes Pangloss in and pays for his doctor. After he is healed, James puts Pangloss's talent for arithmetic and writing to work as his bookkeeper. Pangloss and Candide work for James for two months, and eventually go on a trip with him. On the ship, Pangloss and James argue about philosophy. Pangloss asserts that they live in the best of worlds, but James does not have much faith in humanity and believe that they have corrupted the earth. During this argument, the ship is hit by a powerful tempest.

V

Tempest, Shipwreck, Earthquake, and What Became of Doctor Pangloss, Candide, and James the Anabaptist

The tempest hits the ship and everything erupts into chaos. The mast breaks, and the Anabaptist James is hit by a brutish sailor, who is thrown by his effort and manages to hang onto the rail. James, being a good man, helps the sailor up and is thrown overboard himself. Candide sees James go overboard, and the sailor walk away. Candide gets ready to jump in himself to save the kind man. Pangloss, however, pulls him back, saying that it was James' fate to drown.

When the tempest subsides the ship is almost entirely gone. The only survivors are Candide, Pangloss, and the sailor who let James die. They make it to shore and head towards the nearest city of Lisbon, hoping to buy some food. When they reach the city, however, they feel the earth begin to quake under their feet. Buildings fall, crushing the citizens of Lisbon.

When the earthquake is over, the sailor goes out to try and find some money while Pangloss and Candide attempt to rescue those trapped under the rubble. The sailor finds some money and alcohol, gets drunk and hires a prostitute right in the middle of the rubble. Pangloss interrupts him, telling him it is not right, but the sailor rudely dismisses him. In trying to rescue the crushed citizens, Candide receives some minor wounds and calls out for water. Pangloss is so busy philosophizing about the earthquake that he doesn't notice Candide until he faints.

The next day the two find provisions and keep helping others. Pangloss tries to tell those who are rescued that everything is for the best, but they aren't comforted. A man in the black clothes of the inquisition attacks Pangloss's philosophies, saying that if everything is for the best then the fall of man wouldn't have happened. Pangloss tells the man that even with the fall the world they are in is the best of all worlds, but defends his position so poorly that the man in black ignores him and begins drinking wine.

VI

How the Portuguese Made a Beautiful Auto-Da-Fe to Prevent Any Further Earthquakes; and How Candide was Publicly Whipped

After the earthquake, the leaders of Lisbon decide to make some human sacrifices in order to prevent another earthquake from happening. They choose three men for minor offenses, but arrest Pangloss for speaking his mind so openly and Candide for listening to him. All the prisoners are put in cold, dark rooms without any company for eight days. After eight days, they are taken out and garbed with ceremonial clothing.

At the ceremony, there is a procession, a sermon, and music. The three men are burned alive, Pangloss is hanged, and Candide is whipped. After the ceremony is over, another earthquake hits Lisbon. Candide is terrified and wonders if this is the best of all worlds how terrible the others must be. He grieves for those he has lost so far on his journey, Pangloss, James and Cunegonde. While he is sitting there wounded an old woman approaches him and tells him to follow her.

VII

How the Old Woman Took Care of Candide, and How He Found the Object He Loved

Candide obediently follows the old woman to a small house, where she feeds him and tends his wounds. He is so thankful he moves to kiss her hand, but she insists she is not the one to thank. Exhausted, Candide spends two days eating and sleeping while recovering from his whipping. Finally, he asks the old woman who she is and how he can repay her. In response, she takes him out into the countryside to a quaint cottage.

She leads Candide upstairs to a rich apartment and leaves him, promising to return. Candide cannot believe how his luck has turned around and thinks himself in a dream. Finally, the old woman comes back with another woman, jeweled and veiled. Candide lifts the veil to find none other than Cunegonde alive and well. He is so shocked he faints, and when he recovers they begin talking earnestly.

Candide asks Cunegonde what happened to her, and if Pangloss's account of her rape and murder were true. She says that she was raped, and her father, mother and brother all killed, but she survived her wounds. When Candide asks how she got to Portugal, she tells him she wants to hear his story first. He starts at the beginning, telling her all the troubles he and Pangloss went through, and Cunegonde grieves for him.

VIII

The History of Cunegonde

After Candide is done, Cunegonde begins her story. She was sleeping when the Bulgarian soldiers attacked, and watched them kill the rest of her family. One brute of a soldier spotted Cunegonde and began raping her. When Cunegonde resisted, he cut her in the side with his sword. A Bulgarian captain came in and, seeing what was going on, slew his soldier and tending to Cunegonde's wound.

The captain took her as a prisoner, but soon sold her to a Jew named Don Issachar. Failing to win her over, Issachar gave her the beautiful house she is in now in an attempt to win her over. One day the Grand Inquisitor spots Cunegonde and wants to buy her from the Jewish trader. The Jew is reluctant, but they agree to share her, dividing up the days of the week amongst themselves. That bargain was made six months ago, and so far Cunegonde has not given in to either man.

During that time, she was invited to the auto-da-fe (burning alive) in Lisbon where she was horrified to witness Pangloss hanged and Candide whipped. Thrown into turmoil, Cunegonde began to doubt Pangloss's optimistic teachings and took action by hiring the old woman to care for Candide until he could be brought to her.

After she is done with her story, they sit down for dinner before going back to the sofa to talk. In the middle of their conversation, the Jewish trader Don Issachar comes in to confess his love to Cunegonde.

IX

What Became of Cunegonde, the Grand Inquisitor, and the Jew

The Jew walks in and is enraged by the sight of Cunegonde with another man. He draws his sword and attacks Candide, who defends himself with his own sword given to him by the old woman when she clothed him. Candide kills Issachar, and his body is thrown on the ground before Cunegonde, who panics. Candide wishes that Pangloss were still alive to give advice, but decides to ask the old woman what they should do.

As they are talking, the clock strikes midnight and the Inquisitor walks in. He stops, seeing the Jew dead, Candide with a sword, and Cunegonde stricken. Very quickly, Candide reasons that if the Inquisitor lives then he will have them all killed for murder, and so he slays the man before he has time to react. Cunegonde is even more upset at this, but the old woman advises them to take three horses from the stables and all the jewels in the household and flee to the city of Cadiz. They follow her advice and set out.

Meanwhile, the Brotherhood enters the house and finds the dead bodies. They give the Grand Inquisitor a proper burial but throw Don Issachar's body on a dung heap. At the end of the night, Cunegonde, Candide and the old woman have reached the s town of Avicenna in the mountains and found an inn.

X

In What Distress Candide, Cunegonde, and the Old Woman Arrived at Cadiz; and their Embarkation

During their stay at one of the inns, Cunegonde's jewels and money are stolen, leaving them penniless. The old woman suspects that a reverend named Grey Friar who acted suspiciously was the one who stole the jewels. Candide, realizing that, according to Pangloss's teachings, he should not care about such a loss, nevertheless is upset and does not know what to do. The old woman suggests that they sell one of the horses, and they eventually arrive at Cadiz.

At Cadiz, a fleet is getting ready to set sail for the new world. A small army is assembled in order to quell Indian rebellions against Spain and Portugal. Candide uses his military training to impress the general of the army and is made a captain. With this, Candide, Cunegonde, the old woman and their horses set sail.

During the voyage the three philosophize and talk about their lives. Candide, still following Pangloss's teachings, is sure that the new world they are going to will be better. Cunegonde, however, is not so sure. She has been through so much misfortune that she has given up hope that any world can be better. Hearing this, the old woman laughs at Cunegonde and tells her that she has no reason to complain. Offended, Cunegonde lists off all the tragic things that have happened in her life since the Bulgarian soldiers killed her family, but the old woman insists that her life has been far worse.

XI

The History of the Old Woman

The old woman reveals that she is the daughter of Pope Urban X and a princess. She grew up in a palace, surrounded by wealth, and blossomed into an incredible beauty. Because of her beauty, she had many suitors and was eventually engaged to a prince. They were madly in love, but he was poisoned during their wedding and died soon after. In despair, her mother decides to take her to a house in Gaeta. During the voyage, their ship is boarded by pirates, who strip everyone naked and search for hidden jewels. The mother and all their serving maids are handsome and are taken by the pirates. The princess, being the most beautiful of all, and a virgin, is taken by the captain.

The pirate ship lands in Morocco, where a violent civil war is going on. The ship is immediately seized, and the captain robbed of everything. While the captain hides the princess, the other women are literally torn apart because they are being fought over by the natives. When everything is over, the princess climbs out of the pile of dead and mangled bodies and attempts to run away. She does not get far before she faints, weakened by hunger and thirst. She is woken by the feeling of someone against her and opens her eyes to see a white man who speaks Italian to her.

XII

The Adventures of the Old Woman Continued

The man takes the woman to a house where he cares for her. Turns out he is a eunuch who was cut for his singing voice and served in her mother's household. He promises to take her back to Italy, but instead takes her to Algiers and sells her. In Algiers, the woman and many others catch the Black Plague. She survives, but everyone else dies.

After the plague, she is sold from household to household until she finally ends up in Russia. She and the other slaves are guarded, but when they are attacked the siege goes on so long that the guards begin eating parts of the prisoners. When the enemy finally breaks in, the woman is rescued by a French surgeon who takes care of the wounded women.

Once again the woman is sold from house to house, until she decides to flee and travel through Russian on her own. She says that many times in her life she wanted to end everything but never went through with it. Elaborating on this, she ponders why it is that so many people are miserable but so few actually set down their burden by committing suicide.

Eventually, the old woman was bought by Don Issachar where she was put in charge of Cunegonde, whom she bonded with and doesn't wish to leave. The old woman tells the younger man and woman to ask everyone else on the boat about their stories, betting that all of them have been through times in their lives where they wanted to give up on everything.

XIII

How Candide Was Forced Away from His Fair Cunegonde and the Old Woman

The old woman's story earns the respect of Cunegonde and Candide, and they follow her advice, asking everyone on the ship their stories. In the end, they admit she was right. Eventually, they land in Buenos Aires where a haughty nobleman is smitten by Cunegonde's beauty. When the nobleman asks Candide if they are married, Candide does not know what to do and so says they are engaged. The nobleman gets Candide sent away and asks Cunegonde to marry him the next day.

Cunegonde asks the old woman what she should do, and the practical lady tells Cunegonde to take advantage of the opportunity. She will lose Candide, but they will both be wealthy. While they are talking, another ship enters the harbor in pursuit of the murderers of the Grand Inquisitor. The Grey Friar who stole Cunegonde's jewels was found, and before he died he described the three he stole them from to the authorities who began the chase. The old woman, immediately realizing what has happened, tells Cunegonde to stay as she didn't kill the inquisitor. She advises Candide, however, to flee as fast as possible.

XIV

How Candide and Cacambo were Received by the Jesuits of Paraguay

Candide brings with him a valet named Cacambo, who is loyal to Candide. He urges Candide to follow the old woman's advice and not worry too much about the women, because God always takes care of them. Hearing this, Candide cries and mourns the second loss of Cunegonde. Cacambo suggests going to the Jesuits and using Candide's knowledge of enemy warfare to make them rich.

They set out and eventually reach the Jesuit camp. When they ask to speak to the Father Provincial, however, their weapons and horses are taken away. The Commander does not want to see them because he hates Spaniards, but when he finds out that Candide is German he agrees to meet with them. They eat breakfast at the Commander's lodging, and when the Commander meets them he returns their weapons and horses.

The Commander and Candide are happy to talk in their native language, and exchange stories. It turns out that the Commander is none other than Cunegonde's brother. The two are joyous at their meeting and drink to their connection. The Commander is happy to know that Cunegonde is alive and safe in Buenos Aires.

XV

How Candide Killed the Brother of His Dear Cunegonde

The Commander begins his story with the Bulgarian attack on the castle. Knocked unconscious, he was taken for dead and sent to the Jesuit priests along with the other bodies for burial. When a priest found out he was alive, he nursed him back to health. Eventually, he became a Jesuit himself and was sent to Paraguay because they wanted priests of non-Spanish descent.

He turns the conversation to Cunegonde, confirming that she is safe and telling Candide that they should go and rescue her. Candide agrees with this, and reveals that he intends to marry her when they are back together. This statement angers the Commander, who calls Candide insolent because Cunegonde is 1/72nd royalty and Candide only 1/71. At this, Candide tells Cunegonde's brother that he agrees with Pangloss's teaching that all men are equal, and points out that he saved Cunegonde from her life of slavery.

Cunegonde's brother, however, doesn't listen, and slaps Candide with his sword. In response Candide takes out his own sword and puts it through the commander. After he cries and does not understand how he, a good person, ends up killing people. Cacambo, seeing everything, disguises Candide in the Commander's Jesuit robes, and they escape the city on horseback.

XVI

Adventures of the Two Travelers, with Two Girls, Two Monkeys, and the Savages Called Oreillons

The two escape without incident and end up in an unfamiliar country without any obvious paths. They stop in a meadow to eat, and Candide insists that he does not want to eat because there is no point. He eats anyway, however, and they set out once more. As the sun is going down they see two naked women being chased by behind by two monkeys. Thinking the women are being attacked, Candide shoots and kills the monkeys. He congratulates himself on being a good person when he notices the women weeping over the monkey's bodies. Cacambo reveals that the monkeys were probably the lovers of the women, which Candide thought was only myth.

They go into the woods to sleep, and when they wake up they are bound and surrounded by fifty Oreillon savages. The natives have brought a cauldron and want to eat the Jesuit. Cacambo, however, convinces them that they are not Jesuits but have killed one. Men are sent to check on their story, and when the Oreillons realize their mistake they untie the men and give them every luxury available. Candide is grateful and takes this as a reaffirmation of Pangloss's teaching that everything happens for a reason.

XVII

Arrival of Candide and his Valet at El Dorado, and What They Saw There

Cacambo tells Candide that the new world is no better than the old, and they decide to try and make their way back to Europe. During their journey, however, they run out of food and money. Their hoses die, and they end up by a small river with no way to continue on. Cacambo spots a canoe, and, seeing no other option, decides to follow the river and see where fate takes them. They begin traveling once more, but the next day their canoe is shattered by running into rocks. Desolate, they continue on foot.

They come over the mountains and find themselves in a beautiful land. They see children playing outside with something shiny. Looking closer, they realize that the children are playing with gold and other precious jewels. A schoolteacher comes out and calls the children inside. Obediently, the children leave the gold and jewels on the ground before going back to school. Cacambo and Candide think that the children must be royalty if they can leave such valuable treasures lying on the ground. Candide picks up all the jewels and tries to give them back to the schoolteacher, but the teacher just throws them back on the ground and walks away.

Seeing that neither the children nor the teachers want the treasures, Candide and Cacambo pick them up. They continue on their way until they come to a large palace. Going inside, they sit down and are served all manner of extravagant food by beautiful girls. They try to pay with the gold they found, but another patron of the public house laughs at them for trying to pay with the "pebbles found on the roads". He explains that the public house is free and paid for by the government, and that since this is a small village the food and service is poor. Hearing this, Cacambo and Candide are astonished, and wonder if they have found the perfect world.

XVIII

What They Saw in the Country of El Dorado

Curious about the country they have wandered into, they ask the landlord about the history of the land. Not knowing enough to satisfy their curiosity, the landlord takes them to the house of a learned retired man of court. The house was simple, although made of gold, silver and numerous precious jewels. The retired old man greets them kindly and answers all their questions. The country they are in is the ancient kingdom of the Incas, who left and were destroyed by Spaniards. The princes who stayed behind sealed off the kingdom to protect more citizens from leaving and also to prevent being killed by the Europeans for their "pebbles". The country is called El Dorado and has been kept safe by the tall mountains surrounding it.

Cacambo and Candide ask more questions about the government, people and culture. There is no crime in the land, and all the men act as their own priests and worship god for providing for them so well. Seeing that their curiosity has not been satisfied, the old man lends a coach to take them to the king. They arrive at the palace and are greeted by beautiful women who bathe and pamper them. They greet the king with the custom of hugging him and kissing his cheeks. The king, a agreeable man, invites them to dinner.

Before dinner, they are allowed to see the city. It is full of wonders, and everyone lives in peace. Instead of prisons, Candide is pleased to see buildings dedicated to science. They spend a month in El Dorado, but eventually Candide becomes restless and reveals to Cacambo his wish to have Cunegonde by his side once more. He wants to take some of the earth and pebbles from the land and use them to ransom Cunegonde and buy a place for them to live. Cacambo agrees, and they ask the king if they can leave. The king thinks they are foolish for wanting to leave such a wonderful land, but provides them with sheep laden with gold, jewels and food. He asks his scientists to design a machine that will take them over the mountain. When the machine is completed, Candide and Cacambo embrace the king once more before they leave.

XIX

What Happened to Them at Surinam and How Candide Got Acquainted with Martin

Candide and Cacambo's journey starts out with optimism, but as they travel they lose sheep to nature and the rocky terrain. After one hundred days, only two sheep remain, although there is still enough treasure to buy a kingdom. Finally, they reach a Dutch village called Surinam, where outside the gates they see a poor Negro waiting missing an arm and a leg. When Candide asks him what happened, the slave relates his life story. He was sold by his mother to work on the sugar can farm, and lost his hand to the machinery and his leg when he tried to run away. The slave insists that even animals are less wretched than he is. The slave's story touches Candide, who renounces Pangloss's philosophy of optimism.

They enter the city and try to hire a ship to take them to Buenos Aires. Candide finds one captain and tells him their story, and how he plans to elope with Cunegonde. Finding this out, the captain refuses to take Candide because Cunegonde is his master's favorite mistress. Desolate, Candide begs Cacambo to go and bring Cunegonde to Venice where Candide will meet them with their fortune. Cacambo leaves after promising to bring back both the old woman and Cunegonde, and Candide tries to find a ship to take him to Italy.

He finds one captain who will take him, but the captain, noticing that Candide is willing to pay any price, realizes that the sheep (Candide's only possessions) must have a great fortune on them. Candide pays the captain and boards the sheep on the ship the night before they are supposed to leave. During the night the captain leaves, taking the sheep and leaving Candide with just the jewels he kept on his person. Candide is angered by this thievery, and is more upset by it than any of his other misfortunes. He tries to get justice for his loss, but is just fined more money by the magistrate.

Giving up, Candide resolves to travel to Italy on another ship and wants to hire a companion. He sends out a notice that he will pay the most unfortunate man in the city to accompany him and listens to the history of many men to determine who his companion should be. He finally chooses a poor philosopher who has been abandoned by every member of his family and has nothing left.

XX

What Happened at Sea to Candide and Martin

On the way to Bordeaux, Candide and the old philosopher named Martin entertain each other by comparing life stories and beliefs. They have both experiences misery, and so have a lot to talk about. There is a distinct difference between them, however - Candide has hope that he will see Cunegonde again, while Martin has no hope at all. Martin claims to be a Manichean who believes that God abandoned the world and that no good exists anywhere. This philosophy is the exact opposite of Pangloss's, and Candide finds that he still has some optimism left in him after all.

One day while they are talking they hear cannon fire and witness a battle between two ships. One of the ships sink, and the sailor die. Candide sees something red swimming in the water and realizes it is one of his red sheep laden with treasure. He is overjoyed at the discovery, and realizes that the ship that sank was the Dutch sailor who robbed him. Candide takes this as proof that evil is punished and that there is good in the world, but Martin points out that all the sailors died along with the Dutchman. They talk for fifteen more days, and Candide finds that his hope has been renewed with the return of one of his sheep.

XXI

Candide and Martin, Reasoning, Draw Near the Coast of France

They finally see the coast of France, and Candide asks Martin if he has ever been there. Martin has, but has nothing good to say about the country or the people. Continuing, Candide tries asking him about Paris, but Martin is once again pessimistic. He traveled to Paris where a bout of misfortunes caused him to lose all his money and travel back home on foot.

Candide reveals that he does not wish to stay long in France, but intends to go from France to Italy to meet Miss Cunegonde. Martin agrees to accompany Candide on the next leg of his journey, and they begin philosophizing again. Candide asks Martin about the origin of the world, but Martin believes that the world exists only to make men miserable. Candide is somewhat surprised at his cynicism and insists that not all men were born violent of hypocritical. In response, Martin compares the ills of men to a hawk who, by instinct, eats a defenseless pigeon. Candide does not agree with this, and argues that men have free will, unlike the hawk. Before they can finish their conversation, they arrive in Bordeaux.

XXII

What Happened in France to Candide and Martin

Candide hires a Chaise to take them to Italy, but is persuaded to visit Paris before continuing his journey. In Paris, Candide becomes ill and stays at an inn. The people in the inn have taken notice of his diamond rings and some physicians attend him, making his illness worse. Eventually, he begins to get better and goes down to play cards in the evenings. He is obviously being cheated and loses a great deal of money, but never suspects his "friends". He meets an Abbe who takes it upon himself to show him around Paris and takes Candide to see a play where he notices that the main actress looks like Cunegonde. Candide asks to be introduced to her, and the Abbe takes him to a dinner house where he can meet her.

At dinner, Candide and Martin talk to a philosopher whom Candide believes could be another Pangloss, but turns out to hold a more cynical view of the world. While Martin and the scholar talk, Candide meets the Marchioness who takes him up to her room and seduces him. Because of her sweet talk Candide gives her the two large diamond rings on his fingers. Later he feels remorseful for betraying Cunegonde. Acting sympathetic, the Abbe listens to Candide's story about his lost love Cunegonde and finds out that he has never received a letter from her.

The next day Candide receives a letter stating that Cunegonde is in Paris but is ill and confined to bed. Candide rushes over to see her and is taken into a room where a woman is hidden behind a bed curtain. The maid claims that she cannot speak because of her illness and that the light hurts her. Candide cries and fills the woman's hand with jewels through the bed curtain, still thinking that it is Cunegonde. While he is in her room, the Abbe enters with officers and has Martin and Candide arrested for being foreigners. Candide bribes the officer who takes them in with diamonds, convincing him to arrange for their travel out of the country. The officer has a brother in Normandy, whom Candide also bribes with diamonds, but the only place he is capable of taking him is to England. Candide wants to go to Venice, but realizes that getting away from France is more important.

XXIII

Candide and Martin Touched Upon the Coast of England, and What They Saw There

Candide asks Martin what he thinks about England, and Martin says that it is just as bad a country as France. They arrive at Portsmouth and see a man kneeling on the ground with soldiers around him and a crowd gathered. As they watch, the man is shot. When they ask who the man was and what happened, they found out that he was an admiral who was not successful enough in battle. Horrified, they ask why he would be killed for that, and find out that in England admirals are killed to encourage others to perform well. Shocked and horrified, Candide refuses to go ashore and hires a skipper to take him directly to Venice. Candide is overjoyed to be in Italy, and trusts that Cacambo came through with his promise to bring Cunegonde with him.

XXIV

Of Paquette and Friar Giroflee

When Candide arrives in Venice, he searches everywhere for Cacambo and Cunegonde but doesn't find them. After several months, he begins complaining to Martin, saying that he should have remained in El Dorado. Martin advises Candide to get another mistress and is sure that Cacambo and Cunegonde will not be coming to Venice. This doesn't cheer Candide up, however, and his melancholy persists.

One day he sees a young couple who look happy and in love. He tells Martin that at least some people are happy, but Martin is sure that they are not. To prove his point, Candide invites the young couple to dine with them. He finds out that the girl is none other than Paquette, the serving maid from the Baron's castle. After revealing her identity, she proceeds to tell him her story. She was cured of the disease by a doctor and became his mistress out of gratitude. She was beaten by the doctor's wife, and when he poisoned his wife she was sent to jail as the murderer. From there, she became the mistress of the judge who released her, and was passed from man to man. The friar she is with is one of her customers.

Candide realizes that Martin has won half of the wager and decides to get the friar's story. The friar, although he looks happy, was forced to join the order by his parents and hates his life immensely. Candide finally admits that Martin was right, and gives the couple some money in recompense. He thinks that this will make them happier, but Martin says that having more money will only make them unhappy. In an effort to prove that at least one person on the earth is continually happy, he decides to try and meet with the Senator Pococurante, who is said to be always in good spirits.

XXV

The Visit to Lord Pococurante, a Noble Venetian

Candide and Martin call on the Senator Pococurante, one of the richest men in Venice. They are received in the gardens, which are large and beautiful. Although Pococurante's greeting is relatively indifferent, they are served lunch by beautiful serving girls. When Candide remarks on how pretty they are, the Senator says that he is getting tired of them. After lunch, they go on a tour of his estate. He has a beautiful art gallery, but none of the pictures please him. In his extremely well stocked library, he criticizes many of the great masters such as Homer and Milton. Candide is sad, as he likes many of the authors that the Senator criticizes.

When Candide and Martin leave, Candide remarks that the Senator must be happy because he is above all his possessions. Martin disagrees, saying that he is disgusted by all his possessions and, therefore, cannot be happy. Candide resigns himself once again to waiting for Cunegonde.

XXVI

Of a Supper Which Candide and Martin Took with Six Strangers, and Who They Were

At the beginning of the Venetian carnivale, Candide is getting ready to dine with six foreigners who are staying at the inn. He about to join them at the dinner table when he is approached by none other than Cacambo. Candide is overjoyed to see his friend and asks where Cunegonde is. She is not in Venice, but Constantinople. Cacambo says he is a slave to one of the men at the table, but that he will arrange to have Candide taken to Cunegonde.

Emotions swirling, Candide sits down to dine. He is happy at going to see Cunegonde, but cannot believe that Cacambo is a slave. After dinner, six servants arrive, one by one, to tell their masters that it is time for them to leave. Each servant calls their master "majesty", the title given to kings in society. After the servants are gone, Candide asks the men if it is a joke. However, all the men are removed or dethroned kings from around Europe. One king in particular is having a hard time and is poor. The other kings pitch in to help him out, and Candide outdoes them all by giving the man a diamond worth 10 times the other contributions. The others wonder at who he is, and how is can give so much money away without even blinking. Candide, however, is thinking only of going to Constantinople.

XXVII

Candide's Voyage to Constantinople

Candide and Martin board the Sultan's ship, who is the master of Cacambo. Candide happily embraces his friend and remarks that he has faith in Pangloss's philosophy once again. Candide and Cacambo exchange stories. Cacambo succeeded in rescuing Cunegonde but was taken over by a pirate and sold into slavery. Cunegonde is the serving girl of a prince in Constantinople and washes dishes. Cacambo also reveals that she has lost all her beauty and is now ugly. Candide is disappointed to hear this, but says that he is a man of honor and intends to love Cunegonde anyway.

Eventually, they reach Constantinople and are rowed ashore by some galley slaves. Candide remarks that they look exactly like his dead friends Pangloss and the Baron. Upon hearing this, both men stop in surprise. They are, in fact, Pangloss and the Baron. Overjoyed at being reunited with everyone, Candide buys their freedom along with Cacambo's and they all set out to rescue Cunegonde.

XXVIII

What Happened to Candide, Cunegonde, Pangloss, Martin, Etc.

The group sets out to rescue Cunegonde and the old woman, and on the way the Baron and Pangloss tell their tales. Candide apologizes to the Baron for stabbing him, but the Baron graciously forgives him. He says that after he was stabbed a surgeon took him in and nursed him back to health. Later, he was abducted by Spanish troops and sent to prison. Eventually, he ended up employed in Constantinople where he was caught bathing with a Muslim. For this crime, he was sent to the galley as a slave.

After hearing the Baron's story, Candide asks Pangloss to reveal how he survived. Since the Inquisition has more experience burning people than hanging them, they did not tie the knot well, and his flow of air was not entirely cut off. A surgeon took his "corpse" home to dissect it, but when he cut into Pangloss's body the philosopher screamed. Startled, the surgeon fell back, and his wife came to see what the commotion was. After Pangloss begged for their help the surgeon sewed him back up, and the wife nursed him back to health.

Later, Pangloss entered the service of a Venetian merchant and one day went into a mosque. There, he saw a beautiful young woman accidentally drop a bouquet that lay by her bosom. In returning it, Pangloss "took too long" and was ousted as a Christian. His crime was to be sent to the galley where he met the Baron, and they spent many days arguing about whose crime was worse. Candide asks Pangloss if, after all his hardships, he still believes everything is for the best. Pangloss still thinks that is true and does not renounce his philosophy.

XXIX

How Candide Found Cunegonde and the Old Woman Again

During their conversation, Candide and the group arrive at the house of the prince. They see Cunegonde and the old woman outside doing laundry. The Baron and Candide are shocked at Cunegonde's transformation - her skin is browned and wrinkled and she has lost all of her beauty. Candide ransoms Cunegonde and the old woman and decides, with the old woman's advice, to buy a small farm.

Once they are settled, Cunegonde reminds Candide of his promise to marry her. She is not aware that she is no longer beautiful, and Candide cannot turn her down. The Baron, however, still insists that Candide cannot marry Cunegonde because of their slight difference in royal blood. Candide reminds the Baron of all that he has done for Cunegonde, and the fact that he just rescued the Baron from slavery. Still, the Baron insists that Candide cannot marry his sister while he is alive.

XXX

The Conclusion

In truth, Candide does not wish to marry Cunegonde because she is so ugly, but wants to prove the Baron wrong. He consults the others, who all have different opinions about how to deal with the Baron. They decide to send him back to the galley without telling Cunegonde, and go ahead with the plan.

Now that Candide is with Cunegonde and all his friends living in peace, he and the others should be happy. However, instead they are miserable and bored. Cunegonde keeps getting uglier and harder to handle, the old woman becomes increasingly feeble, and Cacambo, who works in the garden, curses his work. Martin is the only one who stays the same. From time to time, they still talk about philosophy and good and evil. Candide wonders whether it would be worse to go through more hardships or to be bored as they are now. Martin comes to the conclusion that man is never satisfied. Even Pangloss, though he says everything is for the best, does not truly believe it.

One day Paquette and Friar Giroflee come to the farm. All the money Candide gave them is gone, and they are even worse off than before. Martin gloats at being right in that the money would only bring them more hardship instead of making them happy.

After a while, Candide and the others go to ask a famous Turkish philosopher about all the questions about life and happiness they have not been able to answer. The great philosopher is not helpful and slams the door in their faces. On their way home, they meet an old man who invites them inside for food. Candide is impressed by the man and his children, as well as their simple lifestyle. Most of all, he realizes that they are happier than any others he has encountered on his journey, even the wealthy.

He decides that man was not born to be idle, and that everyone needs to work in the gardens on their estate. Each member of the household learns a skill and helps around the house. Sometimes, Pangloss reflects on the string of events leading up to their life on the farm. Candide listens to him, but always replies that they need to "cultivate the garden."