Bulgarian soldier; a Jew and an Inquisitor have both tasted of your favours. People take advantage of misfortunes. I must confess, were I in your place, I should, without the least scruple, give my hand to the Governor, and thereby make the fortune of the brave Captain Candide.”
While the old woman was thus haranguing, with all the prudence that old age and experience furnish, a small bark entered the harbour, in which was a magistrate and his alguazils. Matters had fallen out as follows:
The old woman rightly guessed that the cordelier with the long sleeves was the person who had taken Cunegund’s money and jewels while they and Candide were at Badajoz, in their hasty flight from Lisbon. This same friar attempted to sell some of the diamonds to a jeweller, who at once knew them to have belonged to the Grand Inquisitor. The cordelier, before he was hanged, confessed that he had stolen them, and described the persons, and the road they had taken. The flight of Cunegund and Candide was already the town-talk. They sent in pursuit of them to Cadiz; and the vessel which had been sent, to make the greater dispatch, had now reached the port of Buenos Ayres. A report was spread that a magistrate was going to land, and that he was in pursuit of the murderers of my lord the Grand Inquisitor. The wise old woman immediately saw what was to be done.
“You cannot run away,” said she to Cunegund; “but you have nothing to fear; it was not you who killed my lord Inquisitor: besides, as the Governor is in love with you, he will not suffer you to be ill-treated; therefore stand your ground.”
Then hurrying away to Candide, “Be gone,” said she, “from hence this instant, or you will be burnt alive.”
Candide found there was no time to be lost; but how could he part from Cunegund, and whither must he fly for shelter?
