XIV |
l. The scene
shifts to the events surrounding the Battle
of the Saintes in the past. We encounter Plunkett, a midshipman spy from Holland,
aboard The Marlborough. |
| ll. Plunkett is
delivering war intelligence for the fort that Admiral Rodney is building. |
| lll. The black
slaves and white engineers work to bring the cannon to the fort. Afolabe is renamed
Achilles. |
| XV |
l. The battle of
Les Saintes itself. |
| lI. Plunkett
reaches for his sword as the Ville de Paris rams The Marlborough. |
| lll. Plunkett
falls on his own sword, and wine bottles float from the ship, connecting with the material
from Book One. |
| XVI |
I. Plunkett plans
his "ances-tree, " even as he admits that he has no heir. |
| Il. The Major
marks maps, while Maud stitches her shroud. |
| Ill. Plunkett
reflects on his failed secular pilgrimage to the battles of the Empire. |
| XVII |
I. Plunkett
researches the battle at Fort Rodney, talks to a lizard, and realizes that history has
been rewritten by the colonials. |
| Il. Plunkett
continues his research in the Ordnance, and he uncovers midshipman Plunkett. |
| Ill. Plunkett
believes that he has found a kind of namesake. |
| XVIII |
I. Plunkett
reflects on the causes of the battle, and wonders how history can rework time. He
contrasts passionless history with Helen's beauty. |
| Il. Plunkett
explores the vows of empire and see himself in them. |
| Ill. Plunkett
finds two buttons on a dig. |
| XIX |
I. Plunkett takes
joy in telling Maud of midshipman Plunkett, finds Homeric connections, and asks
forgiveness for the midshipman's involvement in the colonial enterprise. |
| Il. Plunkett
imagines the past of places he observes from his Land Rover. |
| Ill. Plunkett's
project of a local history is a kind of infidelity for Helen. He recalls his school
essay. |
| XX |
I. Maljo,
nicknamed Statics or the Professor, decides to start a third political party with
Philoctete's involvement. |
| Il. Philoctete
acts as a frontman for Statics, who indulges in political rhetoric. Philoctete reflects on
his love of the island. |
| Ill. Statics'
block fête is rained out, and thus die his political aspirations. Philoctete is
left to clean up. |
| XXI |
I. Achille at the
No-Pain Café reflects on the corruption and ravages of tourism to St. Lucia, as well as
his loss of Helen. |
| Il. Failing at
prayer, Plunkett attempts to but cannot make out the constellations that Achille sees. |
| Ill. Achille
recalls when he had confronted Helen about Hector. |
| XXII |
I. Helen moves in
with Hector and leaves her hairpin in soap dish, a move which Achille interprets as her
eventual return. |
| Il. Hector buys
The Comet, his Western ("Space Age") van with "African"
leopardskin on the plastic seats. He believes that Helen still loves Achille. |
| Ill. Months pass,
days pass, and a government "that made no difference to Philoctete" arises. |
| XXIII |
I. A section of
setting--the Church of the Immaculate Conception's bells announce the Angelus and the
lunch hour. |
| Il. Maud sees
Achille's canoe from her porch, "[h]eaded for Africa, probably." |
| Ill. Helen comes
to borrow money from Maud, and Maud reflects on Helen's impact on others. |
| XXIV |
I. The swift,
"the bait of the gods" guides Achille and his partner out to sea. |
| Il. Achille and
partner recover the body of a dead fisherman, which Achille suffering from sunstroke sees
as the ghost of his ancestor. Achille wonders who he is. |
| Ill. The swift
makes Achille question his identity and guides him out into the ocean. |