THE old scholar, who was named Martin, embarked for Bordeaux along with Candide. They had both of them seen and suffered a great deal; and if the vessel had been going to sail from Surinam to Japan, by the way of the Cape of Good Hope, they would have found enough wherewith to entertain themselves on the subject of physical and moral evil, during the whole voyage.
Candide, however, had one great advantage over Martin, which was, that he still hoped to see Miss Cunegonde again; but as for Martin, he had nothing to hope for; to which we may add, that Candide had both gold and diamonds; and though he had lost a hundred large red sheep, loaded with the greatest treasure that the earth could produce, though the knavery of the Dutch captain was always uppermost in his thoughts, yet when he reflected upon what he had still left in his pockets, and when he talked about Cunegonde, especially toward the latter end of a hearty meal, he inclined to Pangloss' hypothesis.
"But you, Mr. Martin," said he to the scholar, "what is your opinion? What is your notion of physical and moral evil?"
"Sir," replied Martin, "the clerics have accused me of being a Socinian; but the truth is I am a Manichean."
"You are in jest, sure," said Candide, "there are no longer any Manicheans in the world!"
"I am one, though," said Martin, "I cannot well account for it,but yet I am not able to think otherwise."
"The devil must be in you, then." said Candide.
"He concerns himself so much in the affairs of this world," said Martin, "that he may possibly be in me as well as anywhere else; but I must confess that when I cast my eyes over this globe, or rather over this globule, I cannot help thinking that God has abandoned it to some malignant being. I always except Eldorado. I never met with a city that did not wish the destruction of its neighbour city, nor one family that did not desire to exterminate another family. All over the world, the poor curse the rich, to whom they are obliged to cringe; and the rich treat the poor like so many sheep, whose wool and flesh is sold to the highest bidder. A million assassins, formed into regiments, scour Europe from one extremity to another, committing murder and rapine systematically and according to discipline, for their bread, because they cannot find a more honest or honourable profession; and in those cities which seem to enjoy the blessings of peace, and where the arts are cultivated, mankind are devoured with greater envy, care and disquietude, than a city meets with when it is besieged. Private torments are still more insupportable than public calamities. In a word, I have seen and experienced so much that I have become a Manichean."
"There's some good in the world, for all that," replied Candide.
"That may be," said Martin, "but I do not know where to find it."
In the midst of this dispute, they heard the report of cannon. The noise increasing every moment, each person took out his spy-glass, and soon clearly discovered two vessels about three miles distant, engaged in battle. The wind brought the combatants so near the French vessel that they had the pleasure of seeing the fight very clearly. At length one of the vessels gave the other a broadside between wind and water, which sunk it to the bottom. Candide and Martin plainly perceived about a hundred men on the deck of the ship which was sinking, lifting up their hands towards heaven, and making the most dismal lamentations; and in an instant they were all swallowed up by the sea.
"Well," said Martin, "see how mankind treat one another."
"It is true," said Candide, "there's something diabolical in this affair."
As he was saying this, he perceived something red and glittering swimming near his ship. They immediately sent the longboat to see what it could be, when it proved to be one of those red sheep. Candide felt more of joy at the recovery of this sheep, than he had of trouble at the loss of a hundred such, loaded with the large diamonds of Eldorado.
The French captain soon found that the captain of the conquering vessel was a Spaniard, and that the commander of the vessel which was sunk was a Dutch pirate, and the very same who had robbed Candide. The immense riches which the villain had amassed were buried in the sea along with him, and there was only a single sheep saved.
"You see," said Candide to Martin, "that wickedness sometimes meets with condign punishment; that rascal, the Dutch commander, has met with the fate he merited."
"Yes," said Martin, "but why should the passengers on board of his ship also perish together with him? God indeed has punished the villain, but he has permitted the devil to drown the rest."
In the meantime, the Frenchman and the Spaniard continued their course, and Candide pursued his debates with Martin. They disputed fifteen days without intermission; and, at the end of the fifteen days, both were as far from being convinced as when they began. But they chatted, intercommunicated their ideas, and amused each other reciprocally. Candide caressing his sheep,
"Since I have found you," said he, "I have some hopes of recovering Cunegonde."