“The Regent was summonedand he had an interview with the Resident"
“Exactly so! and what more?”
“The Regent generally denied all. Then witnesses were called for—nobody dared to bear witness against the Regent.Mr. Havelaar, these things are very difficult!”
The reader, before he has finished the book, will know as well as Verbrugge why those things were so difficult.
“Mr. Slotering was much offended about this,” continued the Controller; “he wrote sharp letters to the chiefs”
“I read them last night,” said Havelaar.
“And I often heard him say that, if there were no change, and if the Resident would not act with energy, he should apply direct to the Governor-General. This he also said at the last Council at which he presided.”
“Then he would have done wrong, for the Resident was his superior, whom he ought not to pass ever, and why should he? It is not, however, to be supposed that the Resident of Bantam approves of injustice and arbitrary power?”
“Approveno; but one does not like to accuse a Regent?”
“I do not like to accuse any one, whosoever it may be; but where it must be done, a Regent as well as anybody else. But accusing is still out of the question, God be praised! To-morrow I shall visit the Regent. I will
