(1) “She continued.

“A Bulgarian captain came in, and saw me weltering in my blood, and the
soldier still as busy as if no one had been present.The officer, enraged at the fellow’s want of
respect to him, killed him with one stroke of his sabre as he lay upon me. This captain took care
of me, had me cured, and carried me as a prisoner of war to his quarters. I washed what little
(5) linen he possessed, and cooked his victuals: he was very fond of me, that was certain;
neither can I deny that he was well made, and had a soft, white skin, but he was very stupid,
and knew nothing of philosophy: it might plainly be perceived that he had not been educated
under Dr. Pangloss.In three months, having gambled away all his money, and having grown
tired of me, he sold me to a Jew, named Don Issachar, who traded in Holland and Portugal, and
(10) was passionately fond of women. This Jew showed me great kindness, in hopes of gaining
my favors; but he never could prevail on me to yield. A modest woman may be once ravished;
but her virtue is greatly strengthened thereby. In order to make sure of me, he brought me to
this country house you now see. I had hitherto believed that nothing could equal the beauty of
the castle of Thunder–ten– tronckh; but I found I was mistaken. “The Grand Inquisitor saw me
(15) one day at Mass, ogled me all the time of service, and when it was over, sent to let me
know he wanted to speak with me about some private business. I was conducted to his palace,
where I told him all my story; he represented to me how much it was beneath a person of my
birth to belong to a circumcised Israelite. He caused a proposal to be made to Don Issachar,
that he should resign me to His Lordship. Don Issachar, being the court banker and a man of
(20) credit, was not easy to be prevailed upon. His Lordship threatened him with an auto–da–fe;
in short, my Jew was frightened into a compromise, and it was agreed between them, that the
house and myself should belong to both in common; that the Jew should have Monday,
Wednesday, and the Sabbath to himself; and the Inquisitor the other four days of the week. This
agreement has subsisted almost six months; but not without several contests, whether the
(25) space from Saturday night to Sunday morning belonged to the old or the new law” (Voltaire
41-42).