The Viceroy of Ouidah Quotes

“He went back to his solitary wanderings. Believing any set of four walls to be a tomb or a trap, he preferred to float over the most barren of open spaces.”
― Bruce Chatwin, The Viceroy of Ouidah

“His legs withered. His stomach stretched taut as a drum. His skin erupted in watery pustules: whichever way he turned was agony. Phosphorescent centipedes crawled over him at night; and the vultures spattered him with ammoniac droppings, shuffling for position along the wall, and flexing their pinions with the noise of tearing silk.”
― Bruce Chatwin, The Viceroy of Ouidah

“Often, the King would dance himself, rolling his scapulars and weaving his steps around the skulls of his favourite victims. Or he would amuse himself by teaching little boys to chop heads, and when they made a mess of it shout, 'Not that way, you fool! Think of chopping wood!' ”
― Bruce Chatwin, The Viceroy of Ouidah

“   His one friend was the black boy, Pepeu, whom he held in thrall. Together they plucked finches alive, made certain experiments with the flesh of a watermelon, and shouted obscenities at the girls washing tripes in the river.
   Once, they tried crucifying a cat, but it got away.”
― Bruce Chatwin, The Viceroy of Ouidah

“The lives of the older Da Silvas were empty and sad. They mourned the Slave Trade as a lost Golden Age when their family was rich, famous and white. They were worn down by rheumatism and the burdens of polygamy.”
― Bruce Chatwin, The Viceroy of Ouidah