human
You remember Toomuch, I think, said Abdul.
gpt
I've reconstructed him a little, as you see.
human
The Peace of Allah be upon thine head, said Toomuch Koffi to the Sultan, commencing a deep salaam.
gpt
What wish sits behind thy forehead that thou shouldst ring the bell for this humble creature of clay to come into the sunlight of thy presence? Tell me, O Lord, if perchance--
human
Here, here, interrupted the Sultan impatiently,
gpt
Look in your tablets and see how much our public debt amounts to in American dollars.
human
Multiplication, I heard him murmur,
gpt
Have you got it?
human
Yes.
gpt
And what do we owe, adding it all together?
human
Forty billion dollars,
gpt
Isn't that wonderful! exclaimed Abdul, with delight radiating over his countenance.
human
Who would have thought that before the war! Forty billion dollars! Aren't we the financiers! Aren't we the bulwark of monetary power! Can you touch that in Canada?
gpt
No, I said,
human
Oh, never mind, never mind, said the little man in a consoling tone.
gpt
You are only a young country yet. You'll do better later on. And in any case I am sure you are just as proud of your one billion as we are of our forty.
human
Oh, yes, I said,
gpt
Come, come, that's something anyway. You're on the right track, and you must not be discouraged if you're not up to the Turkish standard yet. You must remember, as I told you before, that Turkey leads the world in all ideas of government and finance. Take the present situation. Here we are, bankrupt--pass me the champagne, Toomuch, and sit down with us--the very first nation of the lot. It's a great feather in the cap of our financiers. It gives us a splendid start for the new era of reconstruction that we are beginning on. As you perhaps have heard we are all hugely busy about it. You notice my books and papers, do you not?