ABSTRACT
Her phrase “ vacation from purdah” well expresses the trend toward lifting the veil away from the home environ ment, that I have noticed with interesting variations through out the East. The Moslem woman in Lucknow who is in close purdah at home, will break purdah in Bombay or per haps in Kashmir. The Princess o f Bhopal, completely veiled, went on board the steamer in Bombay, sailing for England. But as soon as they left the harbour, she discarded the burqa and was unveiled until she returned. Travelling from Marseilles to Alexandria some years ago I enjoyed very much meeting a charming Egyptian woman from Cairo, who moved about quite freely with her husband, played bridge and chatted freely with a group of Egyptian men. The night before we arrived in Alexandria she informed me that the next morning she would put on the veil, as her husband occupied an important position which made it necessary for her to conform to the established official régime. When I saw her leaving the ship, I realized that she had stepped back completely into the conventions of the East.
