/../ Thence continuing to walk over palpitating limbs, or
through ruined buildings, at length he arrived beyond the
theater of war, with a little provision in his budget, and
Miss Cunegund's image in his heart.

When he arrived in Holland his provision failed him; but
having heard that the inhabitants of that country were all
rich and Christians, he made himself sure of being treated
by them in the same manner as the Baron's castle, before he
had been driven thence through the power of Miss Cunegund's
bright eyes.

He asked charity of several grave-looking people, who one
and all answered him, that if he continued to follow this
trade they would have him sent to the house of correction,
where he should be taught to get his bread.

He next addressed himself to a person who had just come from
haranguing a numerous assembly for a whole hour on the
subject of charity. The orator, squinting at him under his
broadbrimmed hat,asked him sternly, what brought him thither
and whether he was for the good old cause?

"Sir," said Candide, in a submissive manner, "I conceive there
can be no effect without a cause; everything is necessarily
concatenated and arranged for the best. It was necessary that
I should be banished from the presence of Miss Cunegund; that
I should afterwards run the gauntlet; and it is necessary I
should beg my bread, till I am able to get it. All this could
not have been otherwise."

"Hark ye, friend," said the orator, "do you hold the Pope to
be Antichrist?"

"Truly, I never heard anything about it," said Candide, "but
whether he is or not, I am in want of something to eat."

"Thou deservest not to eat or to drink," replied the orator,
"wretch, monster, that thou art! hence! avoid my sight, nor
ever come near me again while thou livest."

The orator's wife happened to put her head out of the window
at that instant, when, seeing a man who doubted whether the
Pope was Antichrist, she discharged upon his head a utensil
full of water.
Good heavens, to what excess does religious zeal transport
womankind!

A man who had never been christened, an honest Anabaptist named
James, was witness to the cruel and ignominious treatment showed
to one of his brethren, to a rational, two-footed, unfledged
being.
Moved with pity he carried him to his own house, caused him to
be cleaned, gave him meat and drink, and made him a present of
two florins, at the same time proposing to instruct him in his
own trade of weaving Persian silks, which are fabricated in Holland.
/../

Voltaire's Candide
i came to read the book again, because Ahmadinejad made me laugh
some months ago, when he said something like, 
"God, i'm lucky my enemies are ridiculous." 

I didn't make a note of it, but he was definitely referring to
Voltaire.


IN Holland in the meantime, e tres maintenant:
Het Kopgeld van Rita Verdonk

¶ Saturday, September 30, 2006