Note 72 — Chapter V · MORE OF CENTRAL JAVA
Reading edition
A story is told of a Susuhunan of Surakarta having ordered a magnificent landau from one of the first carrossiers in Paris, that the favoured industrial was advised to send some cooking-pans with it on delivery. Asking: What for? he got the answer: To poach the eggs his Highness’ chickens will lay in your carriage. Splendour and squalor live near together in the households of thriftless oriental potentates.