Candide: Chapters XIV & XV

I read chapter XIII incredibly wrong. I had the idea that Governor Don Fernando d’Ibaraa y Figueora y Mascarenes y Lampourdos y Souza and Cunégonde were going to get married, but it turns out that Candide was the one who said she was going to be his wife. Except now, Candide had to leave Cunégonde with the Governor of Buenos Ayres so something might happen…

Anyways, as I continued reading, Candide meets Cunégonde’s brother who has become a colonel and a priest. As Candide mentions to the Baron that he intends to marry his sister when they rescue her, he replies, “’You insolent fellow!’ exclaimed the Baron. ‘You have the impudence to think of marrying my sister, who has seventy-two quartering’s in her coat…’” (66). The mood change in just a few seconds is crazy. One minute they are crying together because they missed each other, and then next the Baron is shouting at Candide and hits him across the face. Then Candide kills him and says on page 67, “ ‘…I am the best-tempered man there ever was…” Please! He even says that he killed three men, how can he also say that he is the best-tempered person there ever was.

On page 67 when Cacambo sees that Candide has killed the Baron. He tells Candide to put on the Barons gown and the square hat, and tells him to get on the horse and leave. This way people will think he is a Jesuit and they can cross the border before they attack them. It is a very smart plan. I think Cacambo is an intelligent man. He is said to have done a lot of things such as a sailor, monk, soldier and commercial traveler. He knows how to get out of a bad situation. I think that Cacambo also is going to be telling his story just like the old woman had done.