"That is," replied Martin, "there is a pleasure in having no
pleasure."

  "Well, well," said Candide, "I find that I shall be the only happy
man at last, when I am blessed with the sight of my dear Cunegund."

  "It is good to hope," said Martin.

  In the meanwhile, days and weeks passed away, and no news of
Cacambo. Candide was so overwhelmed with grief, that he did not
reflect on the behavior of Pacquette and Friar Giroflee, who never
stayed to return him thanks for the presents he had so generously made
them.

  CHAPTER 26

  Candide and Martin Sup with Six Sharpers-Who They Were

  One evening as Candide, with his attendant Martin, was going to
sit down to supper with some foreigners who lodged in the same inn
where they had taken up their quarters, a man with a face the color of
soot came behind him, and taking him by the arm, said, "Hold
yourself in readiness to go along with us; be sure you do not fail."

  Upon this, turning about to see from whom these words came, he
beheld Cacambo. Nothing but the sight of Miss Cunegund could have
given him greater joy and surprise. He was almost beside himself,
and embraced this dear friend.

  "Cunegund!" said he, "Cunegund is come with you doubtless! Where,
where is she? Carry me to her this instant, that I may die with joy in
her presence."

  "Cunegund is not here," answered Cacambo; "she is in
Constantinople."

  "Good heavens! in Constantinople! but no matter if she were in
China, I would fly thither. Quick, quick, dear Cacambo, let us be
gone."

  "Soft and fair," said Cacambo, "stay till you have supped. I
cannot at present stay to say anything more to you; I am a slave,
and my master waits for me; I must go and attend him at table: but
mum! say not a word, only get your supper, and hold yourself in
readiness."

  Candide, divided between joy and grief, charmed to have thus met
with his faithful agent again, and surprised to hear he was a slave,
his heart palpitating, his senses confused, but full of the hopes of
recovering his dear Cunegund, sat down to table with Martin, who
beheld all these scenes with great unconcern, and with six
strangers, who had come to spend the Carnival at Venice.

  Cacambo waited at table upon one of those strangers. When supper was
nearly over, he drew near to his master, and whispered in his ear:

  "Sire, Your Majesty may go when you please; the ship is ready";
and so saying he left the room.

  The guests, surprised at what they had heard, looked at each other
without speaking a word; when another servant drawing near to his
master, in like manner said, "Sire, Your Majesty's post-chaise is at
Padua, and the bark is ready." The master made him a sign, and he
instantly withdrew.

  The company all stared at each other again, and the general
astonishment was increased. A third servant then approached another of
the strangers, and said, "Sire, if Your Majesty will be advised by me,
you will not make any longer stay in this place; I will go and get
everything ready"; and instantly disappeared.

  Candide and Martin then took it for granted that this was some of
the diversions of the Carnival, and that these were characters in
masquerade. Then a fourth domestic said to the fourth stranger,
"Your Majesty may set off when you please"; saying which, he went away
like the rest. A fifth valet said the same to a fifth master. But
the sixth domestic spoke in a different style to the person on whom he
waited, and who sat near to Candide.

  "Troth, sir," said he, "they will trust Your Majesty no longer,
nor myself neither; and we may both of us chance to be sent to jail
this very night; and therefore I shall take care of myself, and so
adieu."

  The servants being all gone, the six strangers, with Candide and
Martin, remained in a profound silence. At length Candide broke it
by saying:

  "Gentlemen, this is a very singular joke upon my word; how came
you all to be kings? For my part I own frankly, that neither my friend
Martin here, nor myself, have any claim to royalty."

  Cacambo's master then began, with great gravity, to deliver
himself thus in Italian:

  "I am not joking in the least, my name is Achmet III. I was Grand
Sultan for many years; I dethroned my brother, my nephew dethroned me,
my viziers lost their heads, and I am condemned to end my days in
the old seraglio. My nephew, the Grand Sultan Mahomet, gives me
permission to travel sometimes for my health, and I am come to spend