ffair. Willems says to me--I fancy I can hear his voice, hoarse
and dull--he says to me: 'Not a hair of your head shall be touched.' I
made no sound. Then he goes on: 'Please remark that the flag you have
hoisted--which, by the by, is not yours--has been respected. Tell
Captain Lingard so when you do see him. But,' he says, 'you first fired
at the crowd.' 'You are a liar, you blackguard!' I shouted. He winced, I
am sure. It hurt him to see I was not frightened. 'Anyways,' he says, 'a
shot had been fired out of your compound and a man was hit. Still, all
your property shall be respected on account of the Union Jack. Moreover,
I have no quarrel with Captain Lingard, who is the senior partner in
this business. As to you,' he continued, 'you will not forget this
day--not if you live to be a hundred years old--or I don't know your
nature. You will keep the bitter taste of this humiliation to the last
day of your life, and so your kindness to me shall be repaid. I shall
remove all the powder you have. This coast is under the protection of
the Netherlands, and you have no right to have any powder. There are the
Governor's Orders in Council to that effect, and you know it. Tell me
where the key of the small storehouse is?' I said not a word, and he
waited a little, then rose, saying: 'It's your own fault if there is any
damage done.' He ordered Babalatchi to have the lock of the office-room
forced, and went in--rummaged amongst my drawers--could not find the
key. Then that woman Aissa asked my wife, and she gave them the key.
After awhile they tumbled every barrel into the river. Eighty-three
hundredweight! He superintended himself, and saw every barrel roll into
the water. There were mutterings. Babalatchi was angry and tried to
expostulate, but he gave him a good shaking. I must say he was perfectly
fearless with those fellows. Then he came back to the verandah, sat down
by me again, and says: 'We found your man Ali with your little daughter
hiding in the bushes up the river. We brought them in. They are
perfectly safe, of course. Let me congratulate you, Almayer, upon the
cleverness of your child. She recognized me at once, and cried "pig"
as naturally as you would yourself. Circumstances alter feelings. You
should have seen how frightened your man Ali was. Clapped his hands over
her mouth. I think you spoil her, Almayer. But I am not angry. Really,
you look so ridiculous in this chair that I can't feel angry.' I made
a franti