Page:Max Havelaar; or, the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company (IA dli.granth.77827).pdf/393

Chapter XIX.

[Composed by Stern.]

In the private letter which Mr. Slymering sent to Havelaar, he communicated to him, that he, notwithstanding his pressing business, would come the next day to Rankas-Betong, to deliberate on what ought to be done. Havelaar, who knew what such a deliberation meant—his predecessor had so often deliberated with the Resident of Bantam——wrote the following letter, which he sent to meet the Resident, and be read by him before his arrival at Lebak:—

 

“No. 91. $\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ Private. Immediate.

“Rankas-Betong,
25th Feb. 1856, 11 P.M.

“Yesterday at 12 o'clock, I had the honour to send you my missive (Immediate, No. 88) containing in substance—

“That I, after a long investigation, and after having tried in vain to bring back by moderation the party con-