Candide was in town personally for no other reason than to feed. He was sick of deathly slaves and nubile, although scrawny, maids. Candide had been looking for his prey, when a piece of fresh meat walked right up to him! Candide looked her dead in the eyes, his eyes that terrified so many, fished a coin out of the secret pocket that holds his currency. A copper, the least amount of money, just enough to get you a cheap mince pie, if Candide still needed to stoop that low to eat, if Candide even needed to eat at all.
"here, little girl, take a copper, I can't have the cutpurses on my bad side." Candide knew, from the fiery wash out pride he was feeling from this girl was enough to keep her coming, or at least he hoped, manipulation was always a risky business. "But I'm no man that you would like for an enemy, *darling.*" he stressed the darling, flashing his pearly whites and his pale purplish gums, a deep contrast to his bloody red lips.
Candide walked away, smug, and sure she'd follow, when he heard what the foolish street vendor had whispered to the little girl.
" Now young'un, y'ud der bes-ta keep 'way from that man. He may look approacherbel, but that red streak ain't rose petals."
How had rumors spread that quickly? Candide had went at least several dozen miles, a few days travel by carriage, but a few minutes travel by foot for Candide's nimble body.
Candide almost dropped his umbrella in rage. He stepped over to the vendor, and said, over clenched teeth.
"My good man, if you wish to sully my good name, I would wish you the courtesy of saying it to my face. For the simple reason that I own the very land that you work, live, and SLEEP on!" Candide almost flew toward the man, the first spreader of rumors in this tiny town, and gave him a hard slap with the thin flat of his rapier, causing a thin line of blood to drip, Candide balked, and almost lost control, but he stepped away fast, with a simple warning to the vendor, and the arm of the small girl who he had planned on degrading and feeding upon.
