one fist upon the other, to express that he would bang the nassi together in his stomach, to make room for the sugar-cake. Aunt was radiant with pleasure, because Gerrit thought everything so delicious; and, after the djedjonkong, as Gerrit sat puffing and blowing, she suggested:
"Come, Herrit, nappas[1] a bit now!"
And Gerrit took the liberty of loosing a few buttons of his uniform and dropped, with legs wide outstretched, into a wicker deck-chair, while Aunt invited him to be sure and not leave her in the lurch, next day, with the remnants.
The curry lunch at Aunt Lot's put Gerrit in good spirits for the whole day. He puffed and blew more in fun than in reality; he extolled the "rice-table," which is never heavy, the tjabé, which clears your blood and your brain; and it was as though Aunt's aromatic and very strong sambals filled him with the joy of life, for that day, and also with a certain tenderness, because it all reminded him of his childhood at Buitenzorg. He took his afternoon ride quietly and pleasantly: excellent exercise, after the generous meal; arrived at the mess in good spirits and did not eat much, gassing about Aunt Lot's nassi; and, when he went home, at a reasonable hour in the evening, he asked himself:
"If I can have such good days, why should I
- ↑ Take breath.
