A Toubab can’t be a proper daughter-in-law. She’ll only have eyes for her man. We’ll mean nothing to her. - Mariama Bâ

Whenever he felt himself beginning to fancy any girl, after the Ouleymatou experience, the memory of her mocking indifference and his own disillusionment had made him fiercely determined to nip any emotional attachment in the bud.

“Friendship has splendors that love knows not. It grows stronger when crossed, whereas obstacles kill love. Friendship resists time, which wearies and severs couples. It has heights unknown to love."

Was he a possible partner for Mireille? Could he assume such a mutation.