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15 August—Today I woke late, but Sadan slept even longer than ood news Turan Bey’s father, as very sick in Erenköy, has been getting better For that reason the wedding between Turan Bey and Sadan will be hastened Sadan’s rieved I spoke to her in private for a , warm-hearted woman told me that she was informed by her doctor that her disease is very serious, and that there is al her heart condition We will never let Sadan know According to the doctor, because this woic end may come in three or four months I ise not to tell this poor woman that Sadan went out into the street in her sleep, for she ht have died on the spot
17 August—I have not picked up htened I feel that there is a shadow of misfortune and sorrow over us There is still no news fro weaker, paler, and sicker I cannot understand for the life ofaway like this She eats well and enjoys the fresh air I lock the door every night and hide the key against my chest She wakes up and usually sits in front of the openLast night I found her looking as though she were about to faint I was hardly able to wake her She does not remember how she opened theShe sobbed silently on my shoulder I wonder if the pinprick fro on the hill, when I tried to put the shawl around her neck, has caused this illness I looked at her neck
while she was asleep tonight That ser And the edges of the wound are a little white… If it does not close in a day or till certainly take her to a doctor
18 August—I have a part of my sanity back There is still no news fro a little better She is happy again Today ere sitting in our old place and joking around Taking advantage of this, I asked if she had dreaht she came here All of a sudden she became serious; there was even a hint of sadness on her face She said, softly:
“I didn’t quite dreae to co Yes, I was asleep But I faintly re here At one point I saw a dark shape and, just asthe other night, it had red eyes I felt as though I was drowning in deep, green water There were sweet voices in my ears I felt like my blood was drained from my body and I lostme up”
She suddenly began to laugh It seemed a little uncanny and wild to me When we came home, Sadan’s cheeks were very rosy and her unnatural cheerfulness was still there
19 August—Ah, how happy I am, my God, I finally received news from my dear Azmi My Azmi has been sick; that is why he has not written toby train tohing, he told o to Edirne, please htfulabout hiht There is a very strange explanation in the letter that the hospital’s arian police found Az almost like a madman, and from the documents on him it was understood that he was Turkish He was turned over to our consulate and sent back to Edirne He has had a nervous breakdown And now he is quite exhausted
Letter from Major Turan Bey to Doctor Afif Bey
“31 August
“Dear Afif,
“I have a great favor to ask of you Sadan is very sick; she is al away When I finally arrived from Erenköy to visit her, I was surprised and troubled My dear friend, or rather my dear brother, I trust in your skill and candor I have just been called back to Erenköy due to my father’s illness; Iher ram in Erenköy if necessary
“With all my love,
“Your brother: Turan”
Letter from Doctor Afif Bey to Turan
“I have carried out your request First let me hasten to say that, thanks to God, after n of illness in Sadan Hanim However, I did not like her condition at all She is woefully different from the last time I saw her I have not found a chance to examine or speak to her closely To outside appearances, I found Sadan Hanim cheerful while her mother ith us After dinner, her one, her gaiety deserted her She lowered her head in great exhaustion and covered her face with her hands I took advantage the situation and asked her rong, explaining that I was here at your request She said, ‘I don’t want to talk about myself; I only think and worry about Turan!’