This clause formed the corner-stone of the whole pact. "It is clear," telegraphs M. Benazet to Paris, "that some sort of compensation is admitted in principle,"--for very good reasons: "The King's sole fear--and a very intelligible one--is lest his own arms should be handed over to Greeks who would use them to march on Athens and overthrow his dynasty." Moreover, without such guarantees it will be impossible for the King and his Premier "to make disarmament acceptable by the Royalist Party, {151} which constitutes the great majority of the nation." He added that neither the King nor his Premier was unaware of the hostility with which these efforts for conciliation were viewed by certain personalities: but both were resolved to show the greatest patience until the agreement had produced all its effects. The negotiator himself, equally aware of the hostile forces at work, left Athens with a heart full of misgivings.[30] [1] Du Fournet, pp. 132, 171. [2] The _New Europe_, 29 March, 1917; _The Times_, 17 Oct., 1916. [3] _The Times_, dispatch from Athens, 8 Oct., 1916. [4] Du Fournet, pp. 138-9, 141-3. [5] Du Fournet, pp. 133-5, 146. [6] _The Times_, dispatch from Athens, 16 Oct., 1916. [7] Du Fournet, pp. 146-8. [8] Zalocostas to Greek Legations, Paris, London, Rome, Petrograd, 3/16 Oct., 1916. [9] Gennadius, London, 6/19 Oct., 1916. [10] Romanos, Paris, 7/20 Oct., 1916. [11] Gennadius, London, 10/23 Oct., 1916. [12] Romanos, Paris, 26 Aug./8 Sept., 1916; Cp. Deville, pp. 221. foll.; Du Fournet, p. 171. [13] P. E. Drakoulis, in _The Times_, 30 Nov., 1920. [14] Du Fournet, p. 149. [15] The _New Europe_, 29 March, 1917. [16] Zalocostas to Greek Legations. Paris, London, Rome, Petrograd, 7/20 Oct., 1916. Cp. Du Fournet, pp. 149-50. [17] Du Fournet, pp. 152-4, and Appendix 5. [18] Du Fournet, p. 316. [19] Du Fournet, pp. 155-6. [20] _The Times_, 28 Oct., 1 Nov., 1916. [21] Zalocostas to Greek Legations, Paris and London, 12 Oct./3 Nov.; General Roques to Greek Premier, Athens, 2/15 Nov.; Zalocostas to Greek Legation, Paris, 4/17 Nov., 1916. Cp. Du Fournet, pp. 169-70, 182. [22] The _New Europe_, 29 March, 1917. [23] Du Fournet, pp. 135-6, 165, 167, 183. [24] Lambros to Dartige du Fournet, Athens, 23 Oct./5 Nov., 1916. [25] Dartige du Fournet to Lambros, on board the _Provence_, 7 Nov., 1916. [26] Zalocostas to the Entente Legations, Athens, 25 Oct./7 Nov., 1916. [27] Du Fournet, p. 168. [28] Mirbach, Szilassy, Passaroff, Ghalib Kemaly, Athens, 26 Oct./8 Nov., 1916. [29] Du Fournet, p. 177. [30] Du Fournet, pp. 174-8. {152} CHAPTER XIV