He tightened his clasp upon her hands.
“Hurt, no! I took too great care of myself. We have won our first battle, too, Sara. My men fought splendidly.”
She nodded.
“At the hospital,” she said, “even the badly wounded are full of enthusiasm. Tell me! You have more news, have you not?”
He nodded.
“We crossed the border in pursuit,” he said, “and we saw with our own eyes what the scouts who are coming in continually report. The whole of the Turkish army has been mobilized, and is being massed upon our borders. That is to say, two hundred thousand of the finest soldiers in the world are almost at our gates. All told, we number sixteen thousand.”
The tears stood in her eyes. She pressed his hands silently.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand these things,” she said, “but an unprovoked attack like this seems like a return to ancient history. It is barbarous. Can you not appeal to the Powers?”
“That I have done,” he answered, sadly, “but you must remember that this is the fruit of Russia’s intrigue. Turkey is only a catspaw. She holds France, of course, and the eternal policy of Germany is to keep friends with Russia. There is only England.”
“England,” she cried, hopefully. “Why you are half English yourself. England will surely interfere.”