Houseboy

Toundi comments on how emotional whites become when love and passion are involved, and from this musing, mentions how the prison director attends dinner at the Residence with the Commandant and Madame. To Toundi, the dinner is a great performance. He notes how Madame acts extremely nice—perhaps too nice—to her husband, while the stealthy glances she gives M. Moreau would be obvious to most anyone. In her husband’s presence, she and the prison director act almost as though they have never met each other before. Madame often looks at Toundi while the three are dining, knowing that he is aware of her affair.

After dinner, Madame becomes annoyed with Toundi and calls him on his “laziness.” She accuses him of thinking he can do whatever he wants, and of taking on airs in his position. She tells him that she will fire him if he continues to act as he does, which startles Toundi. She then goes about the Residence scolding all the servants on their supposedly poor work.

The Commandant goes on tour again and Toundi, as well as the other servants, are nervous about what Madame has planned for them.