Île de Gorée, Hof hinter der Place du Gouvernement
Scene 7
Hardly had the drummer disappeared into the house when Maille followed in his footsteps. The rooms of the villa were grouped around a central courtyard that faced the ocean. There were large terraces and corridors as well as a banquet hall that offered a glimpse into the grandeur of the past and the rich feasts that had been held in there. The place was shorn of furniture and the floors were bedecked with sand blown in by the sea-wind. It was hard to say when the house had been last occupied, or by whom. It had probably belonged originally to a French colonial officer. Today, it was evidently frequented by only local Rastafarians who could beat undisturbed on their drums – in rhythm with the bouncing waves of the sea, or against them.