'An Augustinian thought,' the Bishop said obscurely.
Augustine, the most eminent theologian in Catholicism, famously asked God to "make him chaste, but not yet." Any wish that one be made saintly later, then, is an Augustinian thought in this sense. The novel alludes to this tradition several times.
'autres pays autres mœurs'
French. "Other countries, other customs."
'Consummatum est'
Latin. "It is over."
'Finitum est'
Latin. "It is finished."
'He begs a lot of questions,' Doctor Colin said.
A logical fallacy in which the proposition to be proved is assumed implicitly or explicitly in one of the premises.
'I had penetrated what Joseph Conrad called the Heart of Darkness'
Conrad's short novel, Heart of Darkness, is set in the same region as this book.
'Letters of Marque'
Letters allowing for a search or seizure; like warrants.
'Manon Lescaut'
A short novel by French author Antoine François Prévost. Controversial in its day.
'noche oscura'
Latin. "The dark night." Refers to a time when a man of faith has doubts.
'Nous étions heureux'
French. "We were happy."
'Palais Royal farces'
Traditional French farcical comedies with stock characters, including the cuckold, the fool, the young lovers, etc.
'plat du jour'
French. "Plate of the day."
'quatre cent vingt et un'
French for "four hundred twenty one." A dice game once popular throughout Europe and the colonies.
'The Imitation of Christ'
By Thomas à Kempis, a famous spiritual book.
'Toute à toi'
French. "All yours."
'Un coup de foudre'
French. "A stroke of lightning." Used to refer to love at first sight.
Aretine
Pietro Aretino, French, (1492-1557). Poet who wrote exceedingly lewd verse.
arrossing
Gnawing at.
bacilli
Microscopic organisms that indicate the presence of leprosy.
breviary
In Catholicism, the book containing 'the Divine Office' -- prayers and rituals -- for each day.
canapés
Small, decorative appetizers.
catechist
A teacher appointed to teach Christian beliefs by the method of rote question-and-answer.
cheroot
A kind of cigar with two squared-off ends.
Cointreau
An orange liqueur.
commerçants
Commercial people.
cortisone
A steroid hormone used to treat arthritis, among other things.
D.D.S.
Commonly known as dapsone, an antibacterial treatment for leprosy able to cure the disease.
Damien
Father Damien, (1840-1889), a Belgian Roman Catholic priest famous for caring for lepers. He died of leprosy.
Descartes
René Descartes, French, (1596-1650). One of the most influential philosophers in Western history. He famously declared, "I think, therefore I am."
diapason
A harmonious gathering of voices.
diocesan
Belonging to a diocese (an area under a Bishop's jurisdiction).
djinn
Genie.
Eva Braun
Mistress of Adolf Hitler.
ewer
A pitcher used for washing one's hands.
Fair Rosamund
Mistress of King Henry II.
gratis
"Free."
Gropius
Walter Gropius, German, (1883-1969). A famous Modernist architect.
haricots verts
French. Green beans.
hummock
A short hillock or conical mound of earth or rock.
Klistians
The Superior's term for "Christians" when speaking in sermons to the native Africans.
laterite
Red clay.
leprophil
One who is piously attracted to those suffering from leprosy.
leproserie
A treatment center for lepers.
Lucien de Rubempré
One of the chief characters of Balzac's La Comédie humaine, one of the most famous multi-volume novels in literature.
marzipan
Sweet almond paste.
Matisse
Henri Matisse, French, (1869-1954). Famous painter, also designed a Dominican chapel on the Côte d’Azur in France.
Monseigneur
A title of respect for eminent persons, in this case the Bishop.
monstrance
A container for the keeping of holy relics.
nembutal
A sleeping pill.
Nzambi
Supreme, omnipotent and omniscient god in African mythology and religion.
orange pressée
A tasty French beverage.
Otraco
The company that controls goods in the Congo region.
paludrin
Medication used to combat malaria.
paraffin wax
A white substance used for coating and sealing.
Pascal
Blaise Pascal, French, (1623-1662). A mathematician and religious philosopher famous for "Pascal's bargain," the belief that one ought to pretend to believe in God whether one does or not, because the consequences of disbelief are so potentially horrible.
pâtisserie
A French bakery that specializes in pastries.
Perrier
Sparkling water.
picador
Mounted bullfighters who fight with spears.
piedog
Stray mongrel.
pique-bœuf
French. A bird, known in English as an oxpecker, who eats parasites off of the backs of cattle.
pirogue
A long, narrow canoe.
plage
The beach of a seaside resort.
précis
An abstract or summary.
pygmoids
Persons having some characteristics of pygmies.
Remington
Manufacturer of typewriters, among other things.
rictus
Grin.
romans policiers
French. Detective novels.
Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer, German, (1875-1965). A prominent theologian, philosopher, and physician who attracted attention for his treatments in Africa.
sicklaemia
A sickle-cell disease.
soutane
The white outer garment of a Catholic priest.
St Christopher
A popular Catholic saint; among other things, the patron saint of travelers.
Tunny
A very large fish.
Van Der Hum
South African citrus liqueur.
verandahed
Having a veranda.
water jacinth
African water lily.
