Page:Max Havelaar Or The Coffee Sales of the Netherlands Trading Company Siebenhaar.djvu/174

 and this often proved highly necessary. Then also danger—a short while before my arrival a plot had been discovered to assassinate my predecessor and raise a rebellion—danger has a distinct attraction, especially when one is only twenty-two. This attraction naturally makes a man unfit at times for office or for the meticulous precision that is necessary for the proper management of money matters. Besides, I had all sorts of follies in my head ”

“Traoossa,” Mrs. Havelaar called out to the servant.

“ is not required?”

“I had told them to prepare something else in the kitchen An omelette or something of the kind.”

“I see! and that’s no longer required when I start telling about my follies? You naughty wretch, Tine. Well, I’m content, but the gentlemen have a vote also. Verbrugge, what’s your choice, your share of the omelette, or the story?”

“That’s a difficult position for a polite man,” said Verbrugge.

“And I also would rather not choose,” added Duclari, “for it’s a question here of deciding between husband and wife, and: entre l’écorce et le bois il ne faut pas mettre le doigt.”

“I’ll help you out, gentlemen, the omelette is ”

“Mrs. Havelaar,” said the very courteous Duclari, “the omelette will surely be worth as much as ”

“The story! Oh, certainly, if it were worth anything! But there is an obstacle”

“I bet there is no sugar in the house yet,” exclaimed Verbrugge. “Well, please send to my place for anything you want.”

“There sugar  among Mrs. Slotering’s things. No, that’s not what’s wanting. If the omelette were otherwise all right, that would be no obstacle, but ”

“What, then, has it fallen into the fire?”

“I wish it were true. No, it can’t fall into the fire. It is

“For goodness’ sake then, Tine,” exclaimed Havelaar, “what is it?”