Page:Englishwomaninan00elli.pdf/249

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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."