Chapter IV
Original French
L’Ingénu baptisé.
Le prieur et l’abbé étant accourus demandèrent à l’Ingénu ce qu’ilfesait là. Eh parbleu! messieurs, j’attends le baptême: il y a uneheure que je suis dans l’eau jusqu’au cou, et il n’est pas honnête deme laisser morfondre.
Mon cher neveu, lui dit tendrement le prieur, ce n’est pas ainsi qu’onbaptise en Basse-Bretagne; reprenez vos habits et venez avec nous.Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves, en entendant ce discours, disait tout bas àsa compagne: Mademoiselle, croyez-vous qu’il reprenne sitôt ses habits?
Le Huron cependant repartit au prieur: Vous ne m’en ferez pas accroirecette fois-ci comme l’autre; j’ai bien étudié depuis ce temps-là, et jesuis très certain qu’on ne se baptise pas autrement. L’eunuque de lareine Candace[a] fut baptisé dans un ruisseau; je vous défie de memontrer dans le livre que vous m’avez donné qu’on s’y soit jamais prisd’une autre façon. Je ne serai point baptisé du tout, ou je le seraidans la rivière. On eut beau lui remontrer que les usages avaientchangé, l’Ingénu était têtu, car il était breton et huron. Il revenaittoujours à l’eunuque de la reine Candace; et quoique mademoiselle satante et mademoiselle de Saint-Yves, qui l’avaient observé entre lessaules, fussent en droit de lui dire qu’il ne lui appartenait pas deciter un pareil homme, elles n’en firent pourtant rien, tant étaitgrande leur discrétion. L’évêque vint lui-même lui parler, ce qui estbeaucoup; mais il ne gagna rien: le Huron disputa contre l’évêque.
[a] N. B. «Comment le P. Quesnel aurait-il ignoré que Candace était lenom des belles reines d’Ethiopie, comme Pharaon ou Pharon était letitre des rois d’Égypte?»
Montrez-moi, lui dit-il, dans le livre que m’a donné mon oncle, un seulhomme qui n’ait pas été baptisé dans la rivière, et je ferai tout ceque vous voudrez.
La tante, désespérée, avait remarqué que la première fois que son neveuavait fait la révérence, il en avait fait une plus profonde àmademoiselle de Saint-Yves qu’à aucune autre personne de la compagnie,qu’il n’avait pas même salué monsieur l’évêque avec ce respect mêlé decordialité qu’il avait témoigné à cette belle demoiselle. Elle prit leparti de s’adresser à elle dans ce grand embarras; elle la priad’interposer son crédit pour engager le Huron à se faire baptiser de lamême manière que les Bretons, ne croyant pas que son neveu pût jamaisêtre chrétien s’il persistait à vouloir être baptisé dans l’eaucourante.
Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves rougit du plaisir secret qu’elle sentaitd’être chargée d’une si importante commission. Elle s’approchamodestement de l’Ingénu, et lui serrant la main d’une manièretout-à-fait noble: Est-ce que vous ne ferez rien pour moi? luidit-elle; et en prononçant ces mots elle baissait les yeux, et lesrelevait avec une grâce attendrissante. Ah! tout ce que vous voudrez,mademoiselle, tout ce que vous me commanderez; baptême d’eau, baptêmede feu, baptême de sang, il n’y a rien que je vous refuse.Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves eut la gloire de faire en deux paroles ceque ni les empressements du prieur, ni les interrogations réitérées dubailli, ni les raisonnements même de monsieur l’évêque, n’avaient pufaire. Elle sentit son triomphe; mais elle n’en sentait pas encoretoute l’étendue.
Le baptême fut administré et reçu avec toute la décence, toute lamagnificence, tout l’agrément possibles. L’oncle et la tante cédèrent àmonsieur l’abbé de Saint-Yves et à sa soeur l’honneur de tenir l’Ingénusur les fonts. Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves rayonnait de joie de se voirmarraine. Elle ne savait pas à quoi ce grand titre l’asservissait; elleaccepta cet honneur sans en connaître les fatales conséquences.
Comme il n’y a jamais eu de cérémonie qui ne fût suivie d’un granddîner, on se mit à table au sortir du baptême. Les goguenards deBasse-Bretagne dirent qu’il ne fallait pas baptiser son vin. Monsieurle prieur disait que le vin, selon Salomon, réjouit le coeur del’homme. Monsieur l’évêque ajoutait que le patriarche Juda devait lierson ânon à la vigne, et tremper son manteau dans le sang du raisin, etqu’il était bien triste qu’on n’en pût faire autant en Basse-Bretagne,à laquelle Dieu avait dénié les vignes. Chacun tâchait de dire un bonmot sur le baptême de l’Ingénu, et des galanteries à la marraine. Lebailli, toujours interrogant, demandait au Huron s’il serait fidèle àses promesses. Comment voulez-vous que je manque à mes promesses,répondit le Huron, puisque je les ai faites entre les mains demademoiselle de Saint-Yves?
Le Huron s’échauffa; il but beaucoup à la santé de sa marraine. Sij’avais été baptisé de votre main, dit-il, je sens que l’eau froidequ’on m’a versée sur le chignon m’aurait brûlé. Le bailli trouva celatrop poétique, ne sachant pas combien l’allégorie est familière auCanada. Mais la marraine en fut extrêmement contente.
On avait donné le nom d’Hercule au baptisé. L’évêque de Saint-Malodemandait toujours quel était ce patron dont il n’avait jamais entenduparler. Le jésuite, qui était fort savant, lui dit que c’était un saintqui avait fait douze miracles. Il y en avait un treizième qui valaitles douze autres, mais dont il ne convenait pas à un jésuite de parler;c’était celui d’avoir changé cinquante filles en femmes en une seulenuit. Un plaisant qui se trouva là releva ce miracle avec énergie.Toutes les dames baissèrent les yeux, et jugèrent à la physionomie del’Ingénu qu’il était digne du saint dont il portait le nom.
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted Musean translation made directly from the French, independently of the Plain English edition. All twenty chapters and Voltaire’s three author notes are retained; Beuchot’s editorial apparatus is omitted.
The Ingénu is baptized.
The prior and the abbé came running and asked the Ingénu what he was doing there. "Why, gentlemen, I am waiting to be baptized! I have been up to my neck in water for an hour, and it is not polite to leave me here freezing."
"My dear nephew," the prior told him tenderly, "that is not how we baptize people in Lower Brittany. Put your clothes back on and come with us." On hearing this, Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves whispered to her companion, "Mademoiselle, do you think he will put his clothes back on so soon?"
The Huron, meanwhile, answered the prior, "You will not take me in this time as you did before. I have studied hard since then, and I am quite certain there is no other way to be baptized. Queen Candace’s[a] eunuch was baptized in a stream. I defy you to show me, in the book you gave me, that it was ever done any other way. Either I shall not be baptized at all, or I shall be baptized in the river." In vain they explained that customs had changed. The Ingénu was stubborn, for he was both Breton and Huron. He kept coming back to Queen Candace's eunuch; and although his aunt and Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves, who had observed him from among the willows, were entitled to tell him that he had no business citing such a man, they did nothing of the sort, so great was their discretion. The bishop came to speak to him in person, which is saying a great deal; but he achieved nothing. The Huron argued with the bishop.
[a] N. B. "How could Father Quesnel not have known that Candace was the name of the beautiful queens of Ethiopia, just as Pharaoh or Pharon was the title of the kings of Egypt?"
"Show me," he said, "in the book my uncle gave me, a single man who was not baptized in a river, and I shall do anything you wish."
The aunt, in despair, had noticed that the first time her nephew had bowed, he had bowed more deeply to Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves than to anyone else in the company; that he had not even greeted the bishop with that respect mingled with warmth that he had shown this beautiful young lady. In this great predicament, she decided to appeal to her. She begged her to use her influence to persuade the Huron to be baptized in the same way as the Bretons, not believing that her nephew could ever be a Christian if he persisted in wanting baptism in running water.
Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves blushed at the secret pleasure she felt in being entrusted with so important a mission. She approached the Ingénu modestly and, pressing his hand in a most gracious manner, said, "Will you do nothing for me?" As she spoke these words, she lowered her eyes and raised them again with a touching grace. "Ah! Anything you wish, mademoiselle, anything you command! Baptism by water, baptism by fire, baptism by blood—there is nothing I would refuse you." Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves had the glory of achieving in two words what neither the prior's urgings, nor the bailiff's repeated questions, nor even the bishop's arguments had been able to accomplish. She felt her triumph, but did not yet feel its full extent.
Baptism was administered and received with all possible decorum, magnificence, and charm. The uncle and aunt yielded to the Abbé de Saint-Yves and his sister the honor of standing with the Ingénu at the font. Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves glowed with joy at finding herself his godmother. She did not know what obligations this grand title imposed on her; she accepted the honor without knowing its fatal consequences.
As there has never been a ceremony that was not followed by a great dinner, they sat down to table on leaving the baptism. The wags of Lower Brittany said they must not baptize their wine. The prior said that wine, according to Solomon, gladdens the heart of man. The bishop added that the patriarch Judah was to bind his ass's colt to the vine and dip his cloak in the blood of the grape; and that it was very sad that one could not do the same in Lower Brittany, to which God had denied vineyards. Everyone tried to make a witty remark about the Ingénu's baptism and pay compliments to his godmother. The bailiff, questioning as ever, asked the Huron whether he would keep his promises. "How could I break my promises," the Huron answered, "when I gave my pledge to Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves?"
The Huron grew warm; he drank many toasts to his godmother's health. "Had I been baptized by your hand," he said, "I feel that the cold water they poured on the back of my head would have burned me." The bailiff thought this too poetic, not knowing how familiar allegory is in Canada. But the godmother was exceedingly pleased.
The newly baptized young man had been given the name Hercules. The bishop of Saint-Malo kept asking who this patron saint was, of whom he had never heard. The Jesuit, who was very learned, told him that he was a saint who had performed twelve miracles. There was a thirteenth worth all the other twelve, but of which it did not befit a Jesuit to speak: he had changed fifty girls into women in a single night. A wit who happened to be there dwelt vigorously on this miracle. All the ladies lowered their eyes and judged from the Ingénu's appearance that he was worthy of the saint whose name he bore.
Plain English translation
Complete machine-assisted Plain English translation made independently and directly from the French, not from the Musean edition. All twenty chapters and Voltaire’s three author notes are retained; Beuchot’s editorial apparatus is omitted.
The Ingénu is baptized.
The prior and the abbé hurried over and asked the Ingénu what he was doing there. "Well, good God, gentlemen! I'm waiting to be baptized. I've been standing up to my neck in water for an hour. It isn't decent to leave me here freezing."
"My dear nephew," the prior told him affectionately, "that isn't how people are baptized in Lower Brittany. Get dressed again and come with us." Hearing this, Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves whispered to her companion, "Do you think he'll get dressed again so soon?"
But the Huron answered the prior, "You won't fool me this time the way you did before. I've studied carefully since then, and I'm quite certain there's no other way to be baptized. Queen Candace’s[a] eunuch was baptized in a stream. I challenge you to show me anywhere in the book you gave me that it was ever done differently. Either I'll be baptized in the river or I won't be baptized at all." They explained in vain that customs had changed. The Ingénu was stubborn, being both Breton and Huron. He kept coming back to Queen Candace's eunuch. His aunt and Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves had watched him from among the willows and were entitled to tell him that he was hardly the man to cite such an example. But they said nothing, so great was their discretion. The bishop himself came to speak to him, which was quite something. But he achieved nothing. The Huron argued with the bishop.
[a] N. B. "How could Father Quesnel have been unaware that the beautiful queens of Ethiopia were named Candace, in the same way that Egypt’s kings had the title Pharaoh or Pharon?"
"Show me a single man in the book my uncle gave me who wasn't baptized in a river," he told him, "and I'll do anything you want."
His desperate aunt had noticed that when her nephew first began bowing, he had bowed more deeply to Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves than to anyone else there. He had not even greeted the bishop with the respect mixed with warmth that he had shown this beautiful young woman. Faced with this great difficulty, his aunt decided to turn to her. She asked her to use her influence to persuade the Huron to be baptized in the same way as the Bretons. She did not believe her nephew could ever be a Christian if he insisted on being baptized in running water.
Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves blushed at her secret pleasure in being entrusted with such an important mission. She approached the Ingénu modestly, took his hand with great dignity, and said, "Won't you do anything for me?" As she spoke, she lowered her eyes and raised them again with a touching grace. "Oh, anything you want, mademoiselle, anything you command. Baptism by water, by fire, by blood—there's nothing I'll refuse you." Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves had the glory of accomplishing in two words what neither the prior's eager efforts, nor the bailiff's repeated questions, nor even the bishop's arguments had achieved. She felt her triumph, but she did not yet understand its full extent.
The baptism was given and received with all possible dignity, splendor, and charm. The uncle and aunt gave up to the abbé de Saint-Yves and his sister the honor of serving as the Ingénu's godparents at the font. Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves glowed with joy at being a godmother. She did not know what restrictions that grand title placed on her. She accepted the honor without knowing its disastrous consequences.
Since no ceremony has ever taken place without a great dinner afterward, they sat down to eat when the baptism was over. The jokers of Lower Brittany said they mustn't baptize their wine with water. The prior said that wine, according to Solomon, gladdens the human heart. The bishop added that the patriarch Judah was to tie his donkey to the vine and dip his cloak in the blood of grapes. It was very sad that no one could do the same in Lower Brittany, where God had denied them vines. Everyone tried to make a witty remark about the Ingénu's baptism and pay a compliment to his godmother. Still asking questions, the bailiff asked the Huron whether he would keep his promises. "How could I break my promises," the Huron replied, "when I placed them in Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves’s hands?"
The Huron grew animated and drank many toasts to his godmother's health. "If you'd baptized me yourself," he said, "I feel sure the cold water poured on the back of my head would have burned me." The bailiff thought this too poetic. He did not know how familiar figurative language was in Canada. But the godmother was extremely pleased.
The newly baptized man had been named Hercules. The bishop of Saint-Malo kept asking who this patron saint was, since he had never heard of him. The Jesuit, who was very learned, told him he was a saint who had performed twelve miracles. There was a thirteenth worth all the other twelve, but it was not proper for a Jesuit to mention it: he had turned fifty girls into women in a single night. A joker who was there spoke up enthusiastically about this miracle. All the ladies lowered their eyes and judged from the Ingénu's appearance that he was worthy of the saint whose name he bore.
About this section
Chapter IV is part of L’Ingénu, histoire véritable tirée des manuscrits du P. Quesnel by Voltaire. This page sets the French original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is chapter 4 of 20 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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