“Certainly! I know quite well that I am not like all people, but what difference does this make?”
“It makes this difference, that you give one conceptions and ideas that did not exist before.”
“No, they had been lulled asleep by the cursed lax custom which finds its style in ‘I have the honour,’ and its peace of conscience in ‘The high satisfaction of the Government.’ No, Verbrugge! do not libel yourself! You need learn nothing from me. For instance, did I tell you anything new this morning in the Sebah?”
“No, not exactly new, but you spoke differently from others. . . .”
“Yes, that is . . . because my education has been somewhat neglected: I speak only occasionally. But you were to tell me why hitherto you have acquiesced in all that was wrong in Lebak.”
“I never before had such an impression of initiative. Besides, all this has never been otherwise in these parts.”
“Yes, yes, I know that! Everyone cannot be a prophet or an apostle . . . hm! so many crucifixions would otherwise make timber dear! But surely you will help me to set the whole thing right? You will do your duty, won’t you?”
“Certainly! Especially under you. But not everyone would demand that so rigorously, or would even take it in good part, and then one easily gets into the position of a man who fights windmills.”
“No! Then those who love injustice, because they live by it, say that there was no injustice, in order that they may have the amusement of calling you and me Don Quixotes, and that they may at the same time keep their windmills grinding. But, Verbrugge, you needn’t have waited for me to do your duty! Mr. Slotering was an able and honest man: he knew what was happening; he disapproved it and set himself against it . . . look at this!”
And Havelaar took from a portfolio two sheets of paper, which he showed Verbrugge, asking:
