him . . . I will not prosecute the village-chief who has been accused of the above action, as this would have the appearance that I had raked up this case pour le besoin de ma cause: I know no longer what to do. . . .
“I charge you, pending further approval of the Resident of Bantam, from to-morrow with the administration of the Division of Lebak.
“The Assistant-Resident of Lebak,
“Max Havelaar.”
After this Havelaar left Rangkas-Betoong with his wife and child. He declined any escort. Duclari and Verbrugge were deeply moved when bidding them farewell. Even Havelaar was touched when at the first relay he saw a numerous crowd of people who had stolen away from Rangkas-Betoong to salute him for the last time.
At Serang the family alighted at Mr. Slimering’s residence, and were received with the accustomed Indian hospitality.
That night there were many visitors at the Resident’s house. They said as significantly as possible that they had come to meet Havelaar, and Max received many an eloquent handshake. . . .
But he had to go to Batavia to see the Governor-General. . . .
On his arrival there, he applied for an audience. This was denied him, as His Excellency was suffering from a whitlow on his foot.
Havelaar waited until that whitlow was better. Then he again applied for an audience.
His Excellency was so busy that he had even been compelled to refuse an audience to the Director-General of Finance, and consequently he could not receive Havelaar either.
Havelaar waited until His Excellency should have struggled through all his pressure of work. Meanwhile he felt something like jealousy of the persons who assisted His Excellency in his labours. For he loved to work much and rapidly, and as a rule
