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 CHAPTER XVII

ANGORA III.—THE MARVELLOUS ATMOSPHERE OF A GREAT BIRTH

In all my wanderings, East and West, over Europe and America, I have nowhere been so much thrilled by a dominating sense of "real effort" as at Angora. Against a background of prehistoric civilisations, the human bees swarm in and out of their Parliament, buzzing away night and day, a free and independent Turkey.

What will their "delegation" accomplish at Lausanne? Is the war only postponed, or will there be peace? "At one moment our spirits rise to the most daring hopes; we see ourselves marching into Constantinople. At the next, Younous Nadi Bey reports 'grave news' from abroad, and preparations for war are resumed."

The colonel persists in "doubt" towards England. "Do you know," said I, "I am astonished at my own superiority?"

He was not convinced, but demanded chapter and verse.

"We both love Turkey; but I also love your country and you dislike mine. Therefore, am I not immensely your superior?"

In a sense, no doubt, we exaggerate things away here in Angora. If Europe could ever realise what "a free and independent Turkey" really means to her own people, the miracle would still seem no more than one tiny step forward in the interests of the world.