Pleasure flowed through their veins in an uninterrupted current. The gloomy woods, the barren mountains, surrounded by horrid precipices; the icy plains and dreary fields, covered with snow on all sides, were so many continual mementos to them of the necessity of loving. They determined never to quit that dreadful solitude, but fate was not yet weary of persecuting them, as we shall see in the ensuing chapter. CHAPTER XV. The Arrival of Wolhall.--A Journey to Copenhagen. CANDIDE and Zenoida amused themselves with discoursing on the words of the Deity, the worship which mankind ought to pay Him, the mutual duties they owe to each other, especially that of charity, the most useful of all virtues. They did not confine themselves to frivolous declamations. Candide taught the young men the respect due to the sacred curb of the laws; Zenoida instructed the young women in the duties they owed their parents; both joined their endeavours to sow the hopeful seeds of religion in their young hearts. One day, as they were busied in those pious offices, Sunama came to tell Zenoida that an old gentleman with several servants was just alighted at their house; and that, by the description he had given her of a person of whom he was in search, she was certain it could be no other than Zenoida herself. This stranger had followed Sunama close at her heels, and entered, before she had done speaking, into the room where were Candide and Zenoida. At sight of him Zenoida instantly fainted away; but Wolhall, not in the least affected with the situation he saw her in, took hold of her hand, and pulling her to him with violence, brought her to her senses; which she had no sooner recovered than she burst into a flood of tears. "So, niece," said he, with a sarcastic smile, "I find you in very good company. I do not wonder you prefer this habitation to the capital, to my house, and the company of your family." "Yes, sir," replied Zenoida, "I do prefer this place, where dwell simplicity and truth, to the mansions of treason and imposture. |
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