“I said to the Kliwon, that the Sinjo” (Portuguese, Senko, which here means young gentleman, on the same principle as lucus a non lucendo) “was made for a king.”
Tine was glad to hear that——she thought so too!
“And the Adhipatti looked at the head of the little one, and to be sure! he too saw the oeser-oeseran,[12] according to Javanese superstition destined to wear a crown.”
As etiquette did not permit the Djaksa a place in the presence of the Regent, he took his leave, and we were for some time together with the Regent without speaking of anything relative to the “service.” But the Regent asked all of a sudden, “if the money which was to the tax-gatherer’s credit could not be paid?”
“Certainly not,” said Verbrugge, “Mr. Adhipatti knows that this cannot be done till his responsibility ceases.”
Havelaar played with Max, but this did not prevent [[144]]him from reading in the Regent’s face that Verbrugge’s answer displeased him.
“Come, Verbrugge, don’t let us be troublesome,” said he, and he called for a clerk out of the office. “We will pray that his account will certainly be approved.”
After the Adhipatti had taken his leave, Verbrugge, who was a confirmed red-tapeist, remonstrated—
“But, Mr. Havelaar, that must not be! The tax-gatherer’s account is under examination at Serang.——Suppose anything to be wanting?”
“Then I will make it good,” Havelaar said.