Summary

Jodu knocks on the door at Zachary’s boarding house late at night and leads him to a boat, where Paulette is waiting. Paulette asks for Zachary’s help obtaining passage to Mauritius. Zachary says he means to keep his word to help her, but wants to know the story about why she wants to leave Calcutta. She explains that, during her Bible lessons with Mr. Burnham, he began asking her to chastise him by beating him on the behind or “poop-deck,” as Zachary calls it. When Paulette’s hand no longer satisfied Mr. Burnham, he asked her to spank him with a broom used to clean toilets. While she's spanking him with the broom, Mr. Burnham ejaculates on the floor. At first, Paulette doesn’t understand and believes as snake must have crawled into the house, leaving a slimy trail behind. She begins...