Max sought the favour of his Excellency to be heard for half-an-hour as noon as there should be some space between two “businesses.”
At last he heard that his Excellency would depart the next day! That was a thunderbolt for him. Still he believed with spasmodic energy that the resigning Governor [[404]]was an honest man, and had been deceived. A quarter of an hour would have sufficed to prove the justice of his cause, and it appeared that this quarter of an hour would not be granted him.
I find among Havelaar’s papers the copy of a letter which he seems to have written to the retiring Governor-General, on the last evening before his departure to the mother country. In the corner I find the words written in pencil “not exact,” which gives me to understand that some phrases were changed in copying. I make this observation in order that no doubt may arise regarding the authenticity of the other official documents which I have communicated, and which have all been signed by another hand for exact copy; I mention this, because of the want of literal conformity with this document. Perhaps he to whom this letter was addressed may feel inclined to make public the exact text; then one may see how far Havelaar deviated from this copy.
“Batavia, 23d May 1856.
“Your Excellency,—My official request, by missive of 28th February, to be heard on the affairs of Lebak, has remained unanswered.
“Neither has your Excellency thought fit to grant my repeated request for an audience.
“A functionary, who was ‘favourably known to the Government’ (I quote your Excellency’s own words),[[405]]—one who has served his country in these regions for seventeen years,—one who not only never neglected his duty, but who conceived what was good with unexampled self-sacrifice, and who chose to sacrifice all for honour and duty,—such a one your Excellency has placed beneath the criminal, for the criminal is at least heard.
“That they have deceived your Excellency with regard to me, I understand,—but that your Excellency did not catch the opportunity to escape from this deceit, I do not understand. To-morrow your Excellency goes from here, and I may not let you depart without having said once more that I did my duty,—only my duty,—with judgment, with calmness, with humanity, with moderation, and with courage.
“The grounds on which is based the censure contained in your Excellency’s missive of 23d March are entirely invented and false. I can prove this, and it would have been proved already, if your Excellency had granted me half-an-hour’s interview, if your Excellency could have found half-an-hour to do justice.
“This you could not; and an honest family has been ruined.
“Yet I do not complain of this.
“But your Excellency has sanctified the system of abuse of power, of plunder and murder, by which the poor Javanese suffer, and I complain of that.
“That is what I complain of! [[406]]
“Your Excellency, blood cleaves to the money saved out of the Indian salary thus earned! Once more I beg for a moment’s interview, be it this night, be it early to-morrow! And again I do not ask this for myself, but for the cause which I defend, the cause of justice and humanity, which is, at the same time, the cause of good policy.
“If your Excellency can reconcile it with your conscience, to depart from here without hearing me, mine will be quiet in the persuasion that I have endeavoured all that I could to prevent the sad bloody events, which will soon be the consequence of the self-willed ignorance in which the Government is left as regards the population.…
(Signed) “Max Havelaar.”
Havelaar waited that evening. He waited the whole night. He had hoped that perhaps anger at the tone of his letter would bring about what he had tried in vain to obtain by moderation and patience.
His hope was vain. The Governor-General departed without having heard Havelaar.…
Another Excellency had retired to the mother country to rest!
Havelaar wandered about poor and neglected. He sought * * * * * * * [[407]]
Enough, my good Stern! I, Multatuli, take up the pen. You are not called upon to write Havelaar’s biography. I created you: I brought you over from Hamburg: I taught you good Dutch in a very short time: I made you kiss Louise Rosemeyer, of the Rosemeyers, who trade in sugar … it is enough,——Stern! you may go.