The Octoroon

Act III starts a little while later, as a group of men arrive for the auction of the estate and its slaves. They notice that there is one name scratched out on the list of slaves, which Pete says is Paul, whom they believe to be dead. People believe, however, that it was Wahnotee who killed him. Sunnyside explains: “So mad are the folks around, that if they catch that redskin they’ll lynch him, sure” (48). Scudder enters and tells Sunnyside to show the group around, as his “stomach goes agin [against]” (48) doing it himself. Mrs. Peyton enters and the men privately express pity for her fate before they leave.

Mrs. Peyton says she will never leave Terrebonne “till the law compels [her]” (49), and Scudder tells George that Dora is in love with him and he should marry her to save the estate. He reveals that he knows George is in love with Zoe, and since he loves her too, seeing their love has “been a hollowing [him] out” (50). Mrs. Peyton begs George to marry Dora and he agrees. He begins to propose to her, but soon confesses to her that he is in love with Zoe instead.