neglect of duty stole the blessing from your head. O, Max, O, Max, bear witness to what I suffered!”
And he burst into tears, which Tine kissed away. She then took little Max to his bed, his mat of straw, and when she returned she found Havelaar in conversation with Verbrugge and Duclari, who had just come in. The conversation ran on the expected decision of the Government.
“I can quite well understand that the Resident is in a difficult predicament,” said Duclari. “He cannot advise the Government to carry out your proposals, for then too much would come to light. I have been in Bantam a long time, and know a good deal about it, more even than you, Mr. Havelaar! I was already in this neighbourhood when I was a subaltern, and in that position one comes to know things that the native dares not say to the officials. But if after a public inquiry all this should come to light, the Governor-General would call upon the Resident for an explanation, and ask him how it is that in two years he did not discover what was at once obvious to you. He must therefore seek to prevent such inquiry. . . .”
“I have realized this,” answered Havelaar, “and, awakened by his effort to induce the Adhipatti to make allegations against me, which seems to indicate that he will try to side-track the question, by, for instance, accusing me of . . . I don’t know what, I have covered myself by sending copies direct to the Government. One of them contains the request to be called upon for an explanation, in case, perhaps, a pretence should be made that I had done something wrong. Now if the Resident attacks me, then in common justice no decision can be arrived at without first hearing me. One owes this even to a criminal, and as I have done nothing wrong . . .”
“There comes the post!” exclaimed Verbrugge.
Yes, it was the post! The post, which brought the following letter from the Governor-General to the ex-Assistant-Resident of Lebak, Havelaar.
