×

We use cookies to help make LingQ better. By visiting the site, you agree to our cookie policy.


image

Voltaire's Candide or Optimism, Chapter 10

Chapter 10

X IN WHAT DISTRESS CANDIDE, CUNEGONDE, AND THE OLD WOMAN ARRIVED AT CADIZ; AND OF THEIR EMBARKATION.

"Who was it that robbed me of my money and jewels?" said Cunegonde, all bathed in tears. "How shall we live? What shall we do? Where find Inquisitors or Jews who will give me more?" "Alas!" said the old woman, "I have a shrewd suspicion of a reverend Grey Friar, who stayed last night in the same inn with us at Badajos. God preserve me from judging rashly, but he came into our room twice, and he set out upon his journey long before us." "Alas!" said Candide, "dear Pangloss has often demonstrated to me that the goods of this world are common to all men, and that each has an equal right to them. But according to these principles the Grey Friar ought to have left us enough to carry us through our journey. Have you nothing at all left, my dear Cunegonde?" "Not a farthing," said she. "What then must we do?" said Candide.

"Sell one of the horses," replied the old[Pg 39] woman. "I will ride behind Miss Cunegonde, though I can hold myself only on one buttock, and we shall reach Cadiz." In the same inn there was a Benedictine prior who bought the horse for a cheap price. Candide, Cunegonde, and the old woman, having passed through Lucena, Chillas, and Lebrixa, arrived at length at Cadiz. A fleet was there getting ready, and troops assembling to bring to reason the reverend Jesuit Fathers of Paraguay, accused of having made one of the native tribes in the neighborhood of San Sacrament revolt against the Kings of Spain and Portugal. Candide having been in the Bulgarian service, performed the military exercise before the general of this little army with so graceful an address, with so intrepid an air, and with such agility and expedition, that he was given the command of a company of foot. Now, he was a captain! He set sail with Miss Cunegonde, the old woman, two valets, and the two Andalusian horses, which had belonged to the grand Inquisitor of Portugal.

During their voyage they reasoned a good deal on the philosophy of poor Pangloss.

"We are going into another world," said Candide; "and surely it must be there that all is for the best. For I must confess there is reason to complain a little of what passeth in[Pg 40] our world in regard to both natural and moral philosophy." "I love you with all my heart," said Cunegonde; "but my soul is still full of fright at that which I have seen and experienced." "All will be well," replied Candide; "the sea of this new world is already better than our European sea; it is calmer, the winds more regular. It is certainly the New World which is the best of all possible worlds." "God grant it," said Cunegonde; "but I have been so horribly unhappy there that my heart is almost closed to hope." "You complain," said the old woman; "alas! you have not known such misfortunes as mine." Cunegonde almost broke out laughing, finding the good woman very amusing, for pretending to have been as unfortunate as she.

"Alas!" said Cunegonde, "my good mother, unless you have been ravished by two Bulgarians, have received two deep wounds in your belly, have had two castles demolished, have had two mothers cut to pieces before your eyes, and two of your lovers whipped at an auto-da-fé , I do not conceive how you could be more unfortunate than I. Add that I was born a baroness of seventy-two quarterings—and have been a cook!" "Miss," replied the old woman, "you do not[Pg 41] know my birth; and were I to show you my backside, you would not talk in that manner, but would suspend your judgment." This speech having raised extreme curiosity in the minds of Cunegonde and Candide, the old woman spoke to them as follows.


Chapter 10

X IN WHAT DISTRESS CANDIDE, CUNEGONDE, AND THE OLD WOMAN ARRIVED AT CADIZ; AND OF THEIR EMBARKATION. X DANS QUELLE DÉTRESSE CANDIDE, CUNEGONDE ET LA VIEILLE FEMME ARRIVENT À CADIZ; ET DE LEUR EMBARQUEMENT.

"Who was it that robbed me of my money and jewels?" "Qui m'a volé mon argent et mes bijoux?" said Cunegonde, all bathed in tears. dit Cunégonde, tout baigné de larmes. "How shall we live? What shall we do? Where find Inquisitors or Jews who will give me more?" "Alas!" said the old woman, "I have a shrewd suspicion of a reverend Grey Friar, who stayed last night in the same inn with us at Badajos. dit la vieille femme, j'ai un soupçon perspicace d'un révérend frère gris, qui est resté hier soir dans la même auberge avec nous à Badajos. God preserve me from judging rashly, but he came into our room twice, and he set out upon his journey long before us." Dieu me préserve de ne pas juger imprudemment, mais il est venu deux fois dans notre chambre et il a entrepris son voyage bien avant nous. " "Alas!" said Candide, "dear Pangloss has often demonstrated to me that the goods of this world are common to all men, and that each has an equal right to them. dit Candide, le cher Pangloss m'a souvent démontré que les biens de ce monde sont communs à tous les hommes, et que chacun a un droit égal sur eux. But according to these principles the Grey Friar ought to have left us enough to carry us through our journey. Mais selon ces principes, le Frère Gris aurait dû nous laisser assez pour nous accompagner tout au long de notre voyage. Have you nothing at all left, my dear Cunegonde?" N'avez-vous plus rien du tout, ma chère Cunégonde? "Not a farthing," said she. «Pas un sou», dit-elle. "What then must we do?" said Candide.

"Sell one of the horses," replied the old[Pg 39] woman. "I will ride behind Miss Cunegonde, though I can hold myself only on one buttock, and we shall reach Cadiz." «Je monterai derrière Miss Cunégonde, bien que je ne puisse me tenir que sur une seule fesse, et nous atteindrons Cadix. In the same inn there was a Benedictine prior who bought the horse for a cheap price. Dans la même auberge, il y avait un prieur bénédictin qui achetait le cheval à bon marché. Candide, Cunegonde, and the old woman, having passed through Lucena, Chillas, and Lebrixa, arrived at length at Cadiz. Candide, Cunégonde et la vieille, étant passés par Lucena, Chillas et Lebrixa, arrivèrent enfin à Cadix. A fleet was there getting ready, and troops assembling to bring to reason the reverend Jesuit Fathers of Paraguay, accused of having made one of the native tribes in the neighborhood of San Sacrament revolt against the Kings of Spain and Portugal. Une flotte s'y préparait, et des troupes se rassemblaient pour amener à la raison les révérends pères jésuites du Paraguay, accusés d'avoir provoqué la révolte d'une des tribus indigènes des environs de Saint-Sacrement contre les rois d'Espagne et du Portugal. Candide having been in the Bulgarian service, performed the military exercise before the general of this little army with so graceful an address, with so intrepid an air, and with such agility and expedition, that he was given the command of a company of foot. Candide, ayant été au service bulgare, fit l'exercice militaire devant le général de cette petite armée avec une adresse si gracieuse, avec un air si intrépide, et avec tant d'agilité et d'expédition, qu'il reçut le commandement d'une compagnie de pied. Now, he was a captain! He set sail with Miss Cunegonde, the old woman, two valets, and the two Andalusian horses, which had belonged to the grand Inquisitor of Portugal. Il s'embarqua avec miss Cunégonde, la vieille femme, deux valets et les deux chevaux andalous, qui avaient appartenu au grand inquisiteur du Portugal.

During their voyage they reasoned a good deal on the philosophy of poor Pangloss.

"We are going into another world," said Candide; "and surely it must be there that all is for the best. For I must confess there is reason to complain a little of what passeth in[Pg 40] our world in regard to both natural and moral philosophy." Car je dois avouer qu'il y a lieu de se plaindre un peu de ce qui se passe dans [Pg 40] notre monde en ce qui concerne à la fois la philosophie naturelle et morale. " "I love you with all my heart," said Cunegonde; "but my soul is still full of fright at that which I have seen and experienced." «Je t'aime de tout mon cœur, dit Cunégonde; "mais mon âme est encore pleine de peur de ce que j'ai vu et expérimenté." "All will be well," replied Candide; "the sea of this new world is already better than our European sea; it is calmer, the winds more regular. It is certainly the New World which is the best of all possible worlds." "God grant it," said Cunegonde; "but I have been so horribly unhappy there that my heart is almost closed to hope." «Dieu l'accorde», dit Cunégonde; "mais j'y ai été si horriblement malheureux que mon cœur est presque fermé à l'espoir." "You complain," said the old woman; "alas! «Vous vous plaignez,» a dit la vieille femme; "Hélas! you have not known such misfortunes as mine." vous n'avez pas connu des malheurs comme les miens. " Cunegonde almost broke out laughing, finding the good woman very amusing, for pretending to have been as unfortunate as she. Cunégonde faillit éclater de rire, trouvant la bonne femme très amusante, pour prétendre avoir été aussi malheureuse qu'elle.

"Alas!" said Cunegonde, "my good mother, unless you have been ravished by two Bulgarians, have received two deep wounds in your belly, have had two castles demolished, have had two mothers cut to pieces before your eyes, and two of your lovers whipped at an  auto-da-fé , I do not conceive how you could be more unfortunate than I. Add that I was born a baroness of seventy-two quarterings—and have been a cook!" dit Cunégonde, ma bonne mère, à moins que vous n'ayez été ravie par deux Bulgares, que vous n'ayez reçu deux blessures profondes au ventre, que vous ayez fait démolir deux châteaux, que vous ayez fait couper deux mères en morceaux sous vos yeux, et deux de vos amants fouettés à un auto-da-fé, je ne conçois pas comment vous pourriez être plus malheureux que moi. Ajoutez que je suis née baronne de soixante-douze quartiers - et que j'ai été cuisinière! "Miss," replied the old woman, "you do not[Pg 41] know my birth; and were I to show you my backside, you would not talk in that manner, but would suspend your judgment." "Mademoiselle", répondit la vieille femme, "vous ne savez pas ma naissance; et si je vous montrais mon derrière, vous ne parleriez pas de cette manière, mais suspendriez votre jugement." This speech having raised extreme curiosity in the minds of Cunegonde and Candide, the old woman spoke to them as follows. Ce discours ayant soulevé une extrême curiosité dans l'esprit de Cunégonde et de Candide, la vieille leur parla de la manière suivante.