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AMANULLAH

made a friend from the first meeting with Sir Francis
Humphrys, and already there was beginning to grow an
affection and a respect between the two men that were
destined to survive some troublous history. Indeed,
many of the patchwork chapters of excitement and
surprise were to be affected by the hours of conversation
enjoyed by these two men, the one urbanely Western, the
other dynamically Eastern, in the rooms of that rambling
white house overlooking the plains of Kabul.

Lady Humphrys had supervised the interior decora-
tion, and had imbued the rooms with an atmosphere of
England*

There were bright chintzes and comfortable, brilliant
cushions. There were feminine touches everywhere, and
flowers from the great terraces in every corner. Not the
least of the pioneering triumphs of women in the East
have been their skill in transporting a little bit of
England into their drawing-rooms. In this pleasant
house there was the spirit of England. It was an oasis.

Am&nullah must have been impressed. The Legation's
sense of permanence was intended as a compliment to
him, and it did nothing but increase his confidence. The
arrival of Lady Humphrys, and the wife of another
English official, deepened that trust* He could point to
the British Legation as an indication of the hopes enter-
tained in other countries for his progress and ultimate
victory.

He pressed on ever faster with his schemes, even under
the shadow of bankruptcy.

Though diplomatic circles were horrified at the
slightest discussion of the encouragement given to
Amanullah by the British representative in Kabul, it is
an undoubted fact that the King gained fresh confidence
after every visit to his friend Sir Francis, Relations

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