That morning she had felt put out for a moment: Labuwangi, after Batavia, had depressed her with the tedium of an up-country capital. But since then she had acquired a large diamond; since then she had got Theo back. His room was close to hers. And it was sure to be a long time before he could obtain a berth.
These were her thoughts, while her husband sat blissfully reflecting after his pleasant confidences.
Her thoughts went no deeper than this: anything like remorse would have surprised her in the highest degree, had she been capable of feeling it. It began to grow dark slowly; the moon was already rising and shining brightly; and behind the velvety banyans, behind the feathery boughs of the coco-palms, which waved gently up and down like stately sheaves of dark ostrich-feathers, the last light of the sun cast a faintly stippled, dull-gold reflection, against which the softness of the banyans and the pomp of the coco-palms stood out as though etched in black. From the distance came the monotonous tinkle of the native orchestra, mournfully, limpid as water, like a xylophone, with a deep dissonance at intervals....
[1] The Dutch always speak of the Dutch East Indies—Java, Sumatra, Celebes, etc.—as India.
[2] The Binnenlandsch Bestuur, or inland administration.
[3] The native states of Surakarta and Djokjakarta are known as the Vorstenlanden, or Principalities.
[4] The native regent, or rajah.