Page:Max Havelaar; or, the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company (IA dli.granth.77827).pdf/213

 that he has it. Does not then follow the story of the fall of man, which made the island sink, that formerly protected Natal’s coast the history of Djiwa and the two brothers?”

“That is true. This legend—was no legend at all, it was a parable which I made, and which two hundred years hencewill be a legend if Krijgsman often relates it. Such has been the origin of all legends. Djiwa is ‘soul’ as you know”

“Max, what became of the little girl with the coral beads?” asked Tine.

“ had been laid aside. It was six o’clock, and there under the equator—Natal being a few minutes north of it [when I went on horseback to Ayer-Bangie, I made my horse walk over the equator, or almost walk; fearing I should fail over it]—it was six o’clock, a signal for evening thoughts. Now, I think that a man in the evening is always a little better, or less vicious, than in the morning—and that is natural. A Controller wipes his eyes, and dreads meeting an Assistant Resident, who assumes a foolish ascendency because he has been a few years more in the service; or has to measure fields that day, and is in doubt between his honestyyou do not know that, Duclari, because you are a military man; but there are indeed honest Controllersthen he is in doubt between that honesty and the fear that Radeen Demang So-and-so will desire to have that grey horse that ambles