THE RECEPTION CANDIDE AND CACAMBO MET WITH
AMONG THE JESUITS IN PARAGUAY
Candide had brought with him from Cadiz such a footman as one often
meets with on the coasts of Spain and in the colonies. He was the fourth
part of a Spaniard, of a mongrel breed, and born in Tucuman. He had
successively gone through the profession of a singing boy, sexton, sailor,
monk, peddler, soldier, and lackey. His name was Cacambo; he had a great
affection for his master, because his master was a very good man. He
immediately saddled the two Andalusian horses.
"Come, my good master, let us follow the old woman's advice, and make all
the haste we can from this place without staying to look behind us."
Candide burst into a flood of tears, "O my dear Cunegonde, must I then be
compelled to quit you just as the Governor was going to honor us with his
presence at our wedding! Cunegonde, so long lost and found again, what
will now become of you?"
"Lord!" said Cacambo, 'she must do as well as she can; women are never at
a loss. God takes care of them, and so let us make the best of our way."
"But whither wilt thou carry me? where can we go? what can we do without
Cunegonde?" cried the disconsolate Candide.
"By St. James of Compostella", said Cacambo, "you were going to fight
against the Jesuits of Paraguay; now let us go and fight for them; I know the
road perfectly well; I'll conduct you to their kingdom; they will be delighted
with a captain that understands the Bulgarian drill; you will certainly make a
prodigious fortune. If we cannot succeed in this world we may in another. It
is a great pleasure to see new objects and perform new exploits."
"Then you have been in Paraguay?" asked Candide.
"Ay, marry, I have", replied Cacambo. "I was a scout in the College of the
Assumption, and am as well acquainted with the new government of the Los
Padres as I am with the streets of Cadiz. Oh, it is an admirable government,
that is most certain! The kingdom is at present upwards of three hundred
leagues in diameter, and divided into thirty provinces; the fathers there are
masters of everything, and the people have no money at all; this you must
allow is the masterpiece of justice and reason. For my part, I see nothing so
divine as the good fathers, who wage war in this part of the world against
the troops of Spain and Portugal, at the same time that they hear the
confessions of those very princes in Europe; who kill Spaniards in America
and send them to Heaven at Madrid. This pleases me exceedingly, but let us
push forward; you are going to see the happiest and most fortunate of all
mortals. How charmed will those fathers be to hear that a captain who
understands the Bulgarian military drill is coming to them."
As soon as they reached the first barrier, Cacambo called to the advance
guard, and told them that a captain wanted to speak to My Lord, the
General. Notice was given to the main guard, and immediately a
Paraguayan officer ran to throw himself at the feet of the Commandant to
impart this news to him. Candide and Cacambo were immediately disarmed,
and their two Andalusian horses were seized. The two strangers were
conducted between two files of musketeers, the Commandant was at the
further end with a three-cornered cap on his head, his gown tucked up, a
sword by his side, and a half-pike in his hand; he made a sign, and instantly
four and twenty soldiers drew up round the newcomers. A sergeant told
them that they must wait, the Commandant could not speak to them; and that
the Reverend Father Provincial did not suffer any Spaniard to open his
mouth but in his presence, or to stay above three hours in the province.
"And where is the Reverend Father Provincial?" said Cacambo.
"He has just come from Mass and is at the parade", replied the sergeant,
"and in about three hours' time you may possibly have the honor to kiss his
spurs."
"But", said Cacambo, "the Captain, who, as well as myself, is perishing of
hunger, is no Spaniard, but a German; therefore, pray, might we not be
permitted to break our fast till we can be introduced to His Reverence?"
The sergeant immediately went and acquainted the Commandant with what
he heard.
"God be praised", said the Reverend Commandant, "since he is a German I
will hear what he has to say; let him be brought to my arbor."
Immediately they conducted Candide to a beautiful pavilion adomed with a
colonnade of green marble, spotted with yellow, and with an intertexture of
vines, which served as a kind of cage for parrots, humming birds, guinea
hens, and all other curious kinds of birds. An excellent breakfast was
provided in vessels of gold; and while the Paraguayans were eating coarse
Indian corn out of wooden dishes in the open air, and exposed to the
burning heat of the sun, the Reverend Father Commandant retired to his
cool arbor.
He was a very handsome young man, round-faced, fair, and fresh-colored,
his eyebrows were finely arched, he had a piercing eye, the tips of his ears
were red, his lips vermilion, and he had a bold and commanding air; but
such a boldness as neither resembled that of a Spaniard nor of a Jesuit. He
ordered Candide and Cacambo to have their arms restored to them,
together with their two Andalusian horses. Cacambo gave the poor beasts
some oats to eat close by the arbor, keeping a strict eye upon them all the
while for fear of surprise.
Candide having kissed the hem of the Commandant's robe, they sat down to
table.
"It seems you are a German", said the Jesuit to him in that language.
"Yes, Reverend Father", answered Candide.
As they pronounced these words they looked at each other with great
amazement and with an emotion that neither could conceal.
"From what part of Germany do you come?" said the Jesuit.
"From the dirty province of Westphalia", answered Candide. "I was born in
the castle of Thunder-ten-tronckh."
"Oh heavens! is it possible?" said the Commandant.
"What a miracle!" cried Candide.
"Can it be you?" said the Commandant.
On this they both drew a few steps backwards, then running into each
other's arms, embraced, and wept profusely.
"Is it you then, Reverend Father? You are the brother of the fair Miss
Cunegonde? You that was slain by the Bulgarians! You the Baron's son!
You a Jesuit in Paraguay! I must confess this is a strange world we live in.
O Pangloss! what joy would this have given you if you had not been
hanged."
The Commandant dismissed the Negro slaves, and the Paraguayans who
presented them with liquor in crystal goblets. He returned thanks to God and
St. Ignatius a thousand times; he clasped Candide in his arms, and both
their faces were bathed in tears.
"You will be more surprised, more affected, more transported", said
Candide, "when I tell you that Miss Cunegonde, your sister, whose belly was
supposed to have been ripped open, is in perfect health."
"In your neighborhood, with the Governor of Buenos Ayres; and I myself
was going to fight against you."
Every word they uttered during this long conversation was productive of
some new matter of astonishment. Their souls fluttered on their tongues,
listened in their ears, and sparkled in their eyes. Like true Germans, they
continued a long while at table, waiting for the Reverend Father; and the
Commandant spoke to his dear Candide as follows.