“What! would you take that scoundrel’s word?”
“Aye, aye,” said Verstork very seriously, “the whole business looks ugly enough.”
“As far as I can see,” said Grashuis, “there is but one hope left, and that is that nonna Anna may have influence enough with her father to get the affair hushed up.”
A bitter smile curled van Nerekool’s lip, but he uttered not a word.
“Now if Lim Ho, the son of the opium farmer, were not mixed up in the matter,” said Verstork musingly, “why then you might have some reason for that hope—yes—then I think things might be squared; but now—”
“But,” exclaimed van Beneden interrupting his friend, “can you for a moment suspect that the judicial power—?”
“My dear friend—my good August,” replied Verstork, “a highly placed judicial functionary here in Dutch India once spoke these words: ‘The opium trade lies upon this country as a heavy curse—it has impressed its stamp upon everything, alas, even upon our courts of justice.’ I think I am right, Charles?”
Van Nerekool nodded affirmatively.
“Well,” said van Rheijn, “all that is very sad, a very sad state of things indeed; but the worst of it is that the use of opium makes opium-farming a necessary evil.”
“What nonsense you do talk!” cried Grenits impatiently.