Page:Letters of a Javanese princess, by Raden Adjeng Kartini, 1921.djvu/184

LETTERS OF A JAVANESE PRINCESS our eyes, amid the buzzing of a thousand voices, in a very sea of light, we sat there at midnight, with champagne glasses in our hands, to speak of grave matters.

We were afraid that he would laugh at us or at least think us "silly." But we did not let him frighten us. He talked first with me, and then with Roekmini, separately; to make sure that our ideas were our own and not borrowed from each other.

I have a request to make of you, an important one; when you see your friend, Dr. Snouck-Hurgronje, ask him if, among the Mohammedans, there are laws of majority, as among you. Or should I write myself to his Excellency for enlightenment There are some things I should be so glad to know about the rights and duties, or, better still, the laws concerning the Mahommedan wife and daughter. How strange for me to ask! It makes me ashamed that we do not know ourselves. We know so bitterly little. —162—