Would not you acknowledge that nature is corrupted, that all is not." "No," says the old man, "for the pre-established harmony." "O heavens! do ye not deceive me? Is this Pangloss," says Candide," whom I again see?" "The very same," answered the old man; "I knew you, but I was willing to find out your sentiments before I would discover myself. Come, let us discourse a little on contingent effects, and see if you have made any progress in the art of wisdom." "Alas!" says Candide, "you choose your time improperly; rather let me know what is become of Miss Cunegund; tell me where are Brother Giroflee, Pacquette, and Pope Urban's daughter." "I know nothing of them," says Pangloss; "it is now two years since I left our habitation in order to find you out. I have travelled over almost all Turkey; I was upon the point of setting out for the Court of Persia, where I heard you made a great figure; and I only tarried in this little village among these good people, till I had gathered strength for continuing my journey." "What is this, I see?" answered Candide, quite surprised. " You want an arm, my dear doctor." "That is nothing," says the one-handed and one-eyed doctor; "nothing is more common in the best of worlds than to see persons who want one eye and one arm. This accident befell me in a journey from Mecca. Our caravan was attacked by a troop of Arabs; our guard attempted to make resistance, and, according to the rules of war, the Arabs, who found themselves to be the strongest side, massacred us all without mercy. There perished about five hundred persons in this attack, among whom was about a dozen of women. For my part I had only my skull split and an arm cut off; I did not die for all this, and I still found that everything went for the best. But as for yourself, my dear Candide, whence is it that you have a wooden leg?" Upon this Candide began and gave an account of his adventures. Our philosophers turned together towards the Propontis, and enlivened their journey by discoursing on physical and moral evil, free-will and predestination, monads and pre-established harmony. |
|||||||||
|
