Narrative style

In chapter 3, we see the style of the 1st person narrator. He knows only himself intimately, and shares his thoughts and words, and explains them.

He reveals himself, as if no one is listening; yet in truth he is writing and publishing and thus is sharing with the world.

In brief, his mother left him in care with the Jesuits in Monte Carlo. He slipped out when under age, to the Casino, made money and had sex, and decided he must use his nerves and talents to explore and profit.

He ran somewhat of a painting scam - getting an arts student to paint old masters and flogging them at inflated prices.

He explains that the number of pages to describe that time of his life would not be worth it, and would unreasonably overshadow the latter part. That is, the interesting times are in Haiti. Well, that is what the book is about!

He knows little with certainty of his parents. He is a careful observer of people and chooses how he reacts to them.

Brown took over the hotel on his mother's death, with intent to make it fashionable and popular. Perhaps he might have succeeded had not the mad doctor (Papa Doc) come to power and filled the nights with discords of violence.

Now, when a man says he is starving: you believe him.

Doctor Magiot is a skilled Haitian, looking after the health of Brown's mother. But she has had 2 heart attacks. The least excitement is dangerous. Crise cardiaque.

Brown and his mother have a heart to heart (as it were) on her cortesan's bed, but which is to be her death bed.

A nice turn of phrase with humour: "The Doctor says for you to keep quiet". "Here I am lying flat in bed" she exclaimed with a knowing and pleading smile. "I can do no more to please him, can I?"

She dies. They bury her the next day: it is hot. One can not wait. A quickness entailed by the climate. The will is produced. He inherits, as is the method, by a careful construction involving transfers of shares in a company, and less than 66% held by Brown. He buys out the negro lover, who wastes it at the Casino, and then (another) kills himself in the hotel.

The Doctor describes that the Haitians do not live on money, they live on debts. "You can always afford to kill a creditor, but no one ever kills a debtor".

He fears a small country doctor. Unknown presently, but soon to rise to power.

Brown meets the ambassador's wife at the Casino tables, as his mother's lover squanders his payment, Brown increases his winnings and communicates with Madame Pineda. Unenthusiastic, nevertheless he starts the dalliance.

Chapter III Part 4

Martha in the car at Columbus's statue. Brown describes his embarrassment at not having the necessary for a lustful adventure, but quirks of events enthuse him, and the tumble happens. He feels he does not wish to 'engage', but they fall asleep. She wore no stockings....'what's your name?'...'I kissed her clumsily, and missed her mouth'.

'The longer we stayed, the greater demands the future would hold for us'. Sleep shared was a bond too many.

Then after 3 years, Brown leaves on the last Delta plane to New Orleans.  He was scared. Tourism had ceased. Tonton Macoute were raining terror on the citizenry. He hoped to find 'some gambler to buy my hotel'.

But he was in misery in New York, and was dreaming of tangled limbs in the Peugeot car. No business deal on the horizon. "Half a loaf eaten in fear would seem so much better than no bread".

Chapter IV....