The Kingdom Of This World

This chapter opens on a church service attended by King Henri Christophe and Queen Marie-Louise. Christophe is contemplating the likelihood that his subjects are “sticking his images with pins” when the new archbishop suddenly collapses (92). He believes he sees the dead archbishop at the stained-glass windows and that he hears a drumbeat. The king falls ill, and his attendants pray to the Christian god. A drumbeat seems to sound from the mountains.

A week later, the king is still ill, and the atmosphere in Haiti is festive, with men and women drinking and laughing in the streets. The military bands begin playing their drums with their hands, and all the guards leave the palace. Christophe wanders the deserted palace while his wife and daughters weep. The only followers left are his five pages, “the Royal Bonbons” (98), whom he purchased from Africa. Christophe realizes he erred in rejecting Vodou: the “true traitors” were Christian saints. Fire breaks out in the palace, and Christophe attempts to die by suicide.

The pages carry the dying king to the Citadel. Looters storm the palace. The governor of the Citadel learns what has transpired. A prisoner suggests that the queen should be decapitated, but confusion sets in, and men flee the Citadel.