"Well," said she, "are you still so violently fond of Miss
Cunegund of Thunder-ten-tronckh?"
"Yes, madam," replied Candide.
The Marchioness said to him with a tender smile, "You answer me like
a young man born in Westphalia; a Frenchman would have said, 'It is
true, madam, I had a great passion for Miss Cunegund; but since I have
seen you, I fear I can no longer love her as I did.'"
"Alas! madam," replied Candide, "I will make you what answer you
please."
"You fell in love with her, I find, in stooping to pick up her
handkerchief which she had dropped; you shall pick up my garter."
"With all my heart, madam," said Candide, and he picked it up.
"But you must tie it on again," said the lady.
Candide tied it on again.
"Look ye, young man," said the Marchioness, "you are a stranger; I
make some of my lovers here in Paris languish for me a whole
fortnight; but I surrender to you at first sight, because I am willing
to do the honors of my country to a young Westphalian."
The fair one having cast her eye on two very large diamonds that
were upon the young stranger's finger, praised them in so earnest a
manner that they were in an instant transferred from his finger to
hers.
As Candide was going home with the abbe he felt some qualms of
conscience for having been guilty of infidelity to Miss Cunegund.
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