This money serves to keep the lover constant; for at the slightest proof of unfaithfulness, it becomes the property of the wife. Harimaoung Boekit smiled at this communication, took a few bamboo boxes from the wall and presented them to Johannes, with the information that they contained about twenty thaëls of gold dust, sufficient to provide for all emergencies.
“Could I refuse to part with this gold, and in order to make my brother Dohong happy?” the generous Poenan chief asked. “I have offered him my body and after that he may consider everything belonging to me as his own.”
All being thus far settled the wedding-day was next fixed. It was proposed that the ceremony should be solemnized two months thence, in Harimaoung Boekit’s home, situated on the soengei Miri, and that in honor of Kadjanka, the ruler of the moon and the protector of newly married women, it should take place on the day of the full moon.
“And let us hope,” Harimaoung Boekit added, “that our besiegers may have departed long before that time.”
When Johannes rejoined his comrades a dispute immediately arose between him and Wienersdorf, who refused to entertain the project of a Dayak marriage.
“I believe you are temporarily insane,” Johannes answered, “however, you speak as if a separation is so very difficult among the Dayaks. Why, it is even easier to divorce than to marry here. Each goes his own way and all is over.”
“And all is over, ha! ha!” the Swiss laughed bitterly. “It is very easy indeed to abandon your unfortunate wife, is it not? I never thought you were such an unscrupulous scoundrel.” [[187]]
“Well, I like that,” Johannes vehemently interrupted. “Here am I, doing my best to counteract the fatal consequences of your absurd and infirm philanthropy. An angel of a girl is thrown across the path of your lordship, and because I have accepted her for you, in the hope of removing the traces of former follies, you coolly reward my services by calling me an unscrupulous scoundrel. Let me tell you then,” he continued with increased passion, “you Europeans are not only the most ungrateful, but also the most impractical beings in creation, thanks to your inflated principles. I am sure the Creator must now and then feel utterly ashamed of the stupidity of the white race.”
Johannes appeared supremely handsome in his disdain; his eyes flashed, his nostrils quivered and the veins of his forehead were visible like swollen cords.
Schlickeisen now appeared as pacificator, saying,