owed to go out alone. Their knowledge
of life is limited to the view from the windows of their homes, where
they may be seen looking out on the street scenes below whenever the
shade allows them to stand at the window or on the balcony. No "new
woman" movement of any importance has yet taken place, and though there
are modifications in woman's position in the national life, it is
probable that it will take one if not more generations before women in
Portugal achieve the emancipation which their sisters have attained in
more progressive countries.

In one circumstance, however, woman does take her place by the side of
man, and that is in the bull-ring--not, indeed, in the arena, but in
every part of the amphitheatre, from the worst seats on the sunny side
to the costly boxes in the shade. She takes as great an interest in the
bull-fight as the man, and if she does not shout and swear, or fling her
hat into the ring in her enthusiasm, she delights probably more than the
man in the beauty of the spectacle, and appreciates almost as fully the
feats of skill and daring which give such special attraction to the
national pastime. This is a right royal sport, and as in Portugal the
horrid cruelty which defaces it in Spain is absent, there is no
overwhelming reason why the women should not sit and applaud the
picturesque scene and the exhibitions of pluck and agility shown by the
performers.

The scene is really magnificent, and the enthusiasm of the audience must
be witnessed in order to understand the underlying potentialities of the
Portuguese character. The vile abuse of a bull who will not show fight
is comical to listen to. Probably, in such a case, the bull has been
through it all before, and he does not care to make wild rushes at
cloaks which have nothing substantial behind them. So he paws up the
sand and looks theatrical, but refuses to budge. Then a nimble
_bandarilhero_ faces him, and fixes a pair of _bandarilhas_ in his
neck--one on each side if he can manage it. This is unpleasant, no
doubt, but the bull's former experience tells him that it is not
serious, and not even very painful. It was irritating the first time,
but no well-bred bull should condescend to be upset by such a trifle.
Another pair of _bandarilhas_, and yet another, are fixed into his
shoulders by their barbed points--or the attempt is made to fix them.
Then the bull begins to play the game in a condescending sort of way.
Then the great man, the