Candide: Novel Summary: Chapters 25-26

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Chapters 25-26

Chapter 25: Now inside the senator's home, Candide and Martin find that the man is not at all satisfied with his life or his many possessions, but is constantly critical or cynical about all that he has.  For example, his paintings by Rafael don't please him, Homer bores him and he finds neither the writing of Virgil, Horace or Milton very great. 
Later, when Candide and Martin discuss their visit alone, Candide tries to salvage his premise that Pocourante is the happiest of all men, saying that there must be some kind of pleasure in "seeing faults where other people think they see beauties." Yet when Martin challenges his thesis, Candide admits that perhaps only he himself is optimistic at the prospect of again seeing Cun�gonde.
Chapter 26: While Candide is waiting in his hotel for dinner to be served, Cacambo, serving as a waiter, reveals himself to his old friend, saying that he is a slave now and that Cun�gonde isn't with him, but is staying in Constantinople.  Cacambo tells Candide that he has arranged for a ship to take him to his lover.  This is the main plot development of the chapter, though an interesting side note to the story is the account of the six kings who are dining with Candide and Martin.  Apparently even the royalty cannot escape the miseries of life, as they reveal their identities to Candide and to each other, explaining the horrible fortunes which have befallen them.