When you spoke to me about his determination to learn Turkish, I thought he would speedily tire of it, and that when the next galley sailed, his name would be among the list of volunteers for the service.

I am sure, comrades, that there are few, if any, among us who would not infinitely prefer fighting the Moslems to spending our whole time in learning their language; and I for one consider the fact that he has for nine months laboured so incessantly and assiduously that he has come, as Boswell says, to speak it like a native, is even more to his credit than the deed for which he was knighted." This conversation took place at the upper end of the table, and was not heard at the lower end where the younger knights were seated.
"I am not chosen from favour," Gervaise said hotly, to one of his companions who had asserted that this was so.

"I am simply chosen because I can speak Turkish." "How much Turkish can you speak ?" one of them laughed.

Gervaise turned to the Turkish servant behind them, and said, in his language, "Hassan, Sir Giles Trevor wishes to know how well I speak Turkish.

You have heard me talking with Suleiman Ali.