“What was the meaning of the large crowd at the Town Hall to-day?” “They were enlisting. We cannot let go now. The sovereign rights of the people must be maintained.” “You were beaten to the dust in the Great War,” I suggested. “We _were_ defeated in Palestine. But most of our troops went to Cilicia; we were victorious in the Dardanelles and the Caucasus. Few of the Powers were forced to scatter their forces along so many frontiers. “The English were nowhere near Mosul,” he went on, “and they never really broke up our army; they just took possession of Constantinople and, through the Greeks, of Smyrna. They taught us the _fait accompli_. “It was necessary for us, of course, after the rupture with Constantinople, to reorganise the whole army. The Pasha was forced to call in officers to train companies, even irregulars. Ali Fuad commanded in the North; Refet Pasha in the South. At the first battle we had two big guns only! [Illustration: AGHA AGLOU AHMED BEY. DIRECTOR OF THE ANGORA PRESS. He sent a charming message to the author of this book complimenting her on her courage. p. 224 ] “The work went on day and night: collecting and training men, making or repairing arms and munitions, gathering metal—often from railway lines. No one thought of rest till all was ready in numbers and construction. We had ten thousand men in July, 1920, we are four hundred thousand to-day! We obtained four hundred and fifty big guns, and a fleet of aeroplanes from the Greeks; a thousand machine-guns, besides clothing, tents, horses and mules, from the English. “Now we have no grounds for fear, though you in England will not attempt to realise our Mosul figures: _Turks_, 150,000; _Kurds_, 450,000; _Arabs_, 30,000; _Nestorians_, 30,000. The _Kurds_ wish to unite with us. The _Nestorians_ will fight, either as independent allies or under Turkish officers.” “Colonel Mougin says that your army is the best officered in the world,” I said. “Our Staff is composed of picked men with great experience and knowledge; the officers have been chosen with great care. We are young, energetic, well-trained, and, above all, fired with enthusiasm for the cause. “There is no calling more honoured than that of the army. None may marry without the consent of his superior officer.” “Can he marry a Christian?” I asked. He hesitated a moment, and then replied: “It isn’t done.” “Ah!” I smiled, “you have stolen our English _credo_.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXVI LAST DAYS IN ANGORA: EXCURSIONS, CONVERSATIONS, PICNICS—HAÏDAR BEY’S PARTY