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AMANULLAH

and the dying. No sooner were the crucifixes cleared
of their dread burdens, than other victims were borne
aloft. There were impalings, and the heads of the
wicked once again adorned the walls of the city. Mr.
Isaacson, telling me later of the scenes in Kabul in those
days just after the accession of Bacha Sachao, told me
that he grew accustomed to the smell of burning flesh,
and the sight of gory heads being carried down the
streets on bayonets. Even the medieval tortures were
revived for the satiation of that general lust for revenge.
Men were boiled in oil. Kabul had indeed gone back
to the Dark Ages.

The Afghan girl students were recalled from Turkey,
whither they had travelled for the education of their
minds. I had cause to remember them well, for I had
written the caption for a picture of them which was
distributed to the Press of India. It was a good picture,
It was intended as propaganda for Amanullah's regime.
In it, the girls were shown standing at a railwa^ station,
dressed in skirts and unveiled, with modern hats on
their pretty heads.

I wrote something to the effect that they were going
to Constantinople for their education, and while there
would doubtless learn the art of the lipstick and the
powder-puff.

The triviality was true, for Afghan girls, led by their
Queen, had already begun the practice of gilding the lily,
but that did not prevent my old newspaper enemy in-
dulging in a violent attack on my morals, mentioning
me by name in aleading article, as obviously I had meant
to imply that the girls were being sent to Constantinople
to learn prostitution!

We replied with the succinct remark that it seemed
a long journey to take to learn a lesson easy enough for
those inclined that way. . . .

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