blessed."

V

BEHIND THE OPENING DOOR IN TUNIS

The lot of a Tunisian woman is probably a brighter one than that of many
of her Moslem sisters who have not the privilege of living under the
enlightened rule of a European government.

It is not possible for her, under existing circumstances, to have the
perfect liberty of European women, but should justice not be granted by
an Arab tribunal, she has always the right of appeal to the French
authorities, who take care to see that the laws are rightly
administered.

The English-speaking race, accustomed to greater freedom for its women
than any other on the face of the earth perhaps, would find it hard to
be shut up in an Arab house, taking no long country walks, joining in no
outdoor games, knowing nothing of the pleasures of shopping expeditions,
having no literary pursuits, and meeting no men outside the circle of
their relatives; and indeed it is a sadly narrow life. But we must
remember that our Moslem sisters have never known anything better, and
the majority are perfectly contented with things as they are. To
thoroughly appreciate and make a right use of liberty, one must be
trained, there must be education to meet its responsibilities, and
without this its effects would be disastrous. To an Arab lady who never
goes out otherwise than closely veiled, it would be a far greater trial
to walk through the streets with face exposed, than to the European to
cover herself.

Much has been said about the hardships of the woman's being locked in
during her husband's absence from the house. This is not infrequent and
does appear somewhat prison-like; but it is often done solely as a
protection. I knew one woman who preferred to be thus locked in, but
arranged with her husband that on the days of my visits the key should
not be turned on her. And the doors of Arab houses are always so
constructed that, even when locked, they can be opened from inside on an
emergency though they cannot be reclosed without the key.

When I came to this country some twelve years ago, the thing that most
struck me in visiting Arab houses was the cheerfulness and even gaiety
of the women. I had a preconceived picture in my mind of poor creatures
sitting within prison walls, pining to get out, and in utter misery.

Nothing of the kind! What did I find? Laughter, chatter, the distraction
of periodic visits to saints' tombs, or that centre of social
intercourse--the bath. Old women,