'dress' to reveal the 'race'. We should dress for comfort."
Hamid Bey and other delegates at Lausanne are of the same opinion. They say the old conventional way of dressing "stamps the Turk in Europe as a member of an inferior race."
Taking my courage in both hands, I ventured to mention the fear his friends had expressed to me, of his marrying a princess.
"That will never happen," he replied. "I have already chosen an educated woman of my own people, with character enough to be 'equal partner' in all my work. There can be no happiness in union for only half one's character and one's life. But I stand for democracy, and was never attracted by rank."
Everyone now is talking of Mustapha Kemal's future wife. The ring was bought for him at Lausanne by the delegates, who were as excited about the business as any school-children. His neighbours, sweet little Mme. Ruchène Echref and her talented husband are beside themselves with delighted anticipation of having so charming a châtelaine at Tchan-Kaya.
Mme. Ruchène told me that the Pasha was staying with his future father-in-law during the Moudania Conference, and that Latifée Hanoum proved herself most helpful over all his despatches, as she speaks and writes excellent English and French.
The wife to be could have no better sponsor than Mme. Echref! She and her husband, like Adnan Bey and Halidé Hanoum, gave up everything to follow the Pasha. They would not, however, allow me ever to speak of their sacrifices, or tell the tale of their many tragic sufferings in all parts of Turkey. Now, indeed, their dear little two-roomed cabin, so tastefully furnished with its beautiful pictures, may well stand for "love in a cottage." She does a great deal of Red-Crescent work among the women who are still so active in helping the refugees of Anatolia.
