n mind a
perfect child, incapable of taking an interest in anything higher than
dress and trinkets. To her, the great world without was a complete
blank, a sealed book: the field of her observations was bounded by the
four walls of her own abode, while books and society were alike
forbidden. Certainly, if the fruit of the tree of knowledge be evil,
then Arab women should be virtuous indeed, from them it is so well
guarded. Taking my cue from my hostess, and supposing it Arab
politeness, I also made an inspection of her dress, and especially of
her earrings, which had at once attracted my attention on account of
their great size. They were gold hoops of from two to three inches in
diameter, thick and heavy, and set with a mass of stones and pearls. It
seemed marvellous how any human ears could support such pendants. In
effect, I found that they did not do so. The earrings were only sham,
for in reality they were fixed to her head-dress, and were only so
arranged as to appear suspended from the ears.

As a contrast to this visit, Madame Bourguignon asked me if I should
like to see an Arab _menage_ of the humbler order. The family to whose
house she conducted me were neighbors and proteges of hers. From the
outside, this house, like most Arab houses, presented a dead wall broken
only by a doorway. Through this we entered into an unpaved court, where
the family was assembled. The owner or master of the establishment was
squatted upon the dry sandy ground, with three or four young children
sprawling round him, while his _four_ wives were occupied with their
respective duties. Two were suckling babies, one was weaving a kind of
coarse striped material in a primitive loom, while the fourth was
apparently attending to the business of housekeeping. In addition to
these, there were several older children playing among the sand: the
grown-up members of the family were out, I was informed, begging,
working, or perhaps stealing, as they might happen to find opportunity.

The man was not bad-looking, and one or two of the children were almost
pretty, notwithstanding the dirt and swarms of flies that half concealed
their features; but the women! Well, most men would have thought one
such wife enough. I certainly marvelled at any one choosing four, and
also that a man in such circumstances should be able to support so many.
On expressing my surprise to Madame Bourguignon, she exclaimed, "He does
not support them: it is they who suppor