THE ADVENTURES OF THE OLD WOMAN CONTINUED
"ASTONISHED and delighted to hear my native language, and no less surprised at what this man said, I made answer that there were much greater misfortunes than that of which he complained. I told him in a few words of the horrors which I had endured, and fainted a second time. He carried me to a neighbouring house, put me to bed, gave me food, waited upon me, consoled me, flattered me; he told me that he had never seen any one so beautiful as I, and that he never so much regretted the loss of what it was impossible to recover.
" 'I was born at Naples,' said he, 'there they geld two or three thousand children every year; some die of the operation, others acquire a voice more beautiful than that of women, and others are raised to offices of state. 13 This operation was performed on me with great success and I was chapel musician to madam, the Princess of Palestrina.'
" 'To my mother!' cried I.
" 'Your mother !' cried he, weeping. 'What!
-48-
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: Candide.
Contributors: Voltaire - Author.
Publisher: Modern Library.
Place of publication: New York.
Publication year: 1918.
Page number: 48.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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