THE RECEPTION CANDIDE AND CACAMBO MET WITHAMONG 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.
