Page:Max Havelaar; or, the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company (IA dli.granth.77827).pdf/400

 contents of these letters. But even without that honesty, he had not always been able to avoid the truth in many written reports, even where it was dangerous to tell it. How would it be if Havelaar made use of those reports?

After having read these letters, the Resident said that, if Havelaar chose to recall these documents, it would be agreeable to to consider them as not written, which Havelaar firmly but politely refused.

Having in vain tried to move him to this, the Resident said that he must investigate the charges, and that he had therefore to request Havelaar to summon the witnesses in support of the accusation he had brought against the Regent.

Ye poor creatures, whose sides had been wounded by the thorns in the ravine, how anxiously would your hearts have beaten if you could have heard this request!

And you, poor Verbrugge, you first witness, chief witness,  witness, a witness in virtue of office and oath, a witness who had already borne witness on paper, which lay there on the table under Havelaar’s hand

Havelaar replied:—

“Mr. Resident,—I am Assistant Resident of Lebak; I have promised to protect the population from extortion and tyranny; I accuse the Regent and his son-in-law of Parang-Koodjang; I will prove my accusation as soon as that opportunity is given me, which I proposed in