The horizon momentarily broadened for theArabs. Nor
then did the pressure cease: the inexorable trend northwardcontinued. They led them
by subtle dissensions to distrust oneanother.
Their imaginations were vivid, but notcreative.
There was a languagecalled Arabic; and in it lay the test.
The Arabs, thelargest alien component of Turkey,
must first be dealt with.
Consequently the surplus peasantry found openings
inthe towns, and were there swallowed up.
Another range of inhabited hills, facing the Indian
Ocean, was thesouth edge of the parallelogram.
Another range of inhabited hills, facing the Indian
Ocean, was thesouth edge of the parallelogram.
This was the circulation which keptvigour in the
Semitic body. The desert dweller could not take credit for his belief.
There followed a delight in pain, acruelty which
was more to him than goods.
CHAPTER ISome of the evil of my tale may have been
inherent in our circumstances.
Suppression chargedthem with unhealthy
violence.
They led them by subtle dissensions to distrust
oneanother. The shining contempt of life which led othersinto the barest asceticism
drove him to despair.
The fortuitous opening of the Suez Canal
enabledthem to garrison the Holy Cities. Man in all thingslived candidly with man.
He found luxury inabnegation, renunciation, self restraint. Arabs mightonly serve
the State by sacrifice of their racial characteristics.
By day the hot sun fermented us; and we weredizzied
by the beating wind. The least morbid of peoples, they had accepted the gift of
Meunquestioningly, as axiomatic.
Then he is exploiting his old environment to press
them out oftheirs.
Then came the Turkish revolution, the fall of Abdul
Hamid, and thesupremacy of the Young Turks. Their imaginations were vivid, but
notcreative.
They read the Turkish papers, puttingArab for Turk
in the patriotic exhortations.
Finally, Abdul Hamid took awaysome of the family to
Constantinople into honourable captivity.
He made nakedness of the mindas sensuous as
nakedness of the body.
On the east by the Tigris, and the Persian Gulf to
Muscat. Our privations and dangers fanned this virile heat,in a climate as racking
as can be conceived. At the same time I could not sincerely take onthe Arab skin: it
was an affectation only. Another range of inhabited hills, facing the Indian Ocean,
was thesouth edge of the parallelogram.