While Candide, the Baron, Pangloss, Martin, and Cacambo reason on contingent events, causes, moral and physical evil, liberty, necessity, and the consolations a slave may feel on a Turkish galley, they arrive at the house of the Transylvanian prince on the banks of the Propontis. The first objects that meet their sight are Cunegonde and the old woman hanging towels out to dry.
The Baron pales. Candide, seeing his beautiful Cunegonde embrowned, with bloodshot eyes, withered neck, wrinkled cheeks, and rough red arms, recoils three paces, seized with horror, then advances out of good manners. She embraces Candide and her brother. They embrace the old woman. Candide ransoms them both. The old woman proposes a small farm in the neighbourhood until the company can be provided for in a better manner. Cunegonde does not know she has grown ugly, for nobody has told her. She reminds Candide of his promise in so positive a tone that he durst not refuse. He tells the Baron he intends to marry his sister.
The Baron will not suffer such meanness on her part and such insolence on his. He will never be reproached with this scandalous thing. His sister's children would never be able to enter the church in Germany. She shall only marry a baron of the empire. Cunegonde flings herself at his feet and bathes them with tears. He is inflexible. Candide calls him a foolish fellow. He has delivered him from the galleys, paid both ransoms, she was a scullion and is very ugly, and he is so condescending as to marry her. Does the Baron pretend to oppose the match? He should kill him again if he consulted only his anger. Thou mayest kill me again, says the Baron, but thou shalt not marry my sister, at least whilst I am living.
