Klewon, the Dyaksa,[1] the Tax Collector, some mantrees, and further all the Indian officials who were to attend this function, to assemble at the head-centre.
The Adhipatti took leave, and rode home. Mrs. Havelaar looked over her new residence, and was very pleased with it, especially because the garden was a large one, which seemed to her a fine thing for little Max, who should be much in the open. The Resident and Havelaar had repaired to their rooms to change, for, at the solemn function which was to take place, the officially prescribed uniform appeared to be requisite. Round about the house there were hundreds of people, who had either accompanied the Resident’s carriage on horseback, or belonged to the retinue of the summoned chiefs. The police- and office-orderlies walked busily to and fro. In short, everything showed that the monotony of existence on this forgotten spot in the west end of Java was for a moment interrupted by a little life.
Soon the handsome carriage of the Adhipatti drove into the courtyard. The Resident and Havelaar, glittering with gold and silver, but now and then stumbling over their swords, took their seats, and moved on to the residence of the Regent, where they were received with music of gongs and gamlangs. Verbrugge, who had changed his bespattered costume, was already there. The lesser chiefs sat in a wide circle, on mats on the floor, in accordance with the Eastern custom, and at the end of the long colonnade there was a table, at which the Resident, the Adhipatti, the Assistant-Resident, the Controller, and six chiefs seated themselves. Tea and pastry were served, and the simple function started.
The Resident rose, and read out the order of the Governor-General by which Max Havelaar was appointed Assistant-Resident of the division Bantan-Kedool or South-Bantam, as Lebak is called by the natives. Then he took the Government Gazette containing the oath prescribed for the assumption of offices in general, which states: “that, in order to be nominated or promoted to the office of
- ↑ Native chiefs exercising different government functions.
