Verbrugge had tears in his eyes, but did not speak. Duclari, a very polite and well-bred man, burst out with a wild curse.
“G——, I have seen rogues and thieves in the Government here, … they have gone from here with honours, and to you they write such a letter!”
“It is nothing,” said Havelaar; “the Governor-General is an honest man, … he must be deceived; though he could have guarded himself against that deceit, by first hearing me. But I will go to him, and show him how matters stand here … he will do justice, I am certain of it.”
“But if you go to Ngawie.…”
“I know this for certain. The Regent of Ngawie is related to the Regent of Bantam. I should have to do the same at Ngawie that I have done here: that would be a useless journey.
“Moreover, it was impossible for me to serve the trial as if I had behaved ill … and, finally, I see that to put an end to all this deceit, I can no longer be a functionary. [[397]]As functionary, there are too many persons between me and the Government who have an interest in denying the misery of the population. There are other reasons that prevent me from going to Ngawie. There was no vacancy there; there has been one made for me——Look here!”
And he showed in the Javanese newspaper, which had come by the same post, that indeed, in the same decree of the Government whereby he was appointed Assistant Resident of Ngawie, the Assistant Resident of that place was appointed to another district where there was a vacancy.
“Do you know why I have to go to Ngawie, and not to the district where there was a vacancy?
“I will tell you——the Resident of Madioen, to which Ngawie belongs, is the brother-in-law of the late Resident of Bantam. I have said that such scandalous things went on here,——that the Regent had had such bad examples.…”
“Ah,” cried Verbrugge and Duclari at the same time. They understood why Havelaar was transferred to Ngawie in particular, to be tried if he would perhaps correct himself.