Summary: Chapter 17
Cacambo and Candide continue to travel, but their horses
die and their food runs out. They find an abandoned canoe and row
down a river, hoping to find signs of civilization. After a day,
their canoe smashes against some rocks.
Cacambo and Candide make their way to a village, where
they find children playing with emeralds, rubies, and diamonds.
When the village schoolmaster calls the children, they leave the
jewels on the ground. Candide tries to give the jewels to the schoolmaster,
but the schoolmaster merely throws them back to the ground.
Cacambo and Candide visit the village inn, which looks
like a European palace. The people inside speak Cacambo’s native
language. Cacambo and Candide eat a grand meal and try to pay for
it with two large gold pieces they picked up off the ground. The
landlord laughs at them for trying to give him “pebbles.” Moreover,
the government maintains all inns for free. Candide believes that
this is the place in the world where everything is for the best.
Summary: Chapter 18
Cacambo and Candide go to see the village sage, a 172-year-old man.
The sage explains that his people have vowed never to leave their
kingdom, which is called Eldorado. High mountains surround the kingdom,
so no outsiders can get in, making Eldorado safe from European conquests.
They also have a God whom they thank every day for giving them what
they need. No religious persecution occurs because everyone agrees
about everything.
Cacambo and Candide visit the king. They embrace him
according to customs explained by one of his servants, and such
familiarity and equality of address with a monarch shocks them.
Candide asks to see the courts and prisons and learns there are
none. Rather, there are schools devoted to the sciences and philosophy.
After a month, Candide decides that he cannot stay in
Eldorado as long as Cunégonde is not there. He decides to take as
many Eldorado “pebbles” with him as he can. The king considers the
plan foolish, but sets his architects to work building a machine
to lift Candide, Cacambo, and 102 swift sheep
loaded down with jewels out of the deep valley. Candide hopes to
pay Don Fernando for Cunégonde and buy a kingdom for himself.
