234 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
usually led to the evil, beauty. Hereupon the barber 
again stepped forward, and taking from the implements 
of his craft a small pair of shears, he dexterously 
applied them to the poor sufferer’s face, and, ere she 
understood his intention, he had severed her nose from 
her face. A slight cry ot pain escaped her, and 
gathering her white chuddur around her, she seated 
herself on the grass, apparently overcome with faint- 
ness, occasioned by her acute mental and bodily suf- 
fering, and the rapid loss of blood which followed the 
last operation. 
This is by no means an uncommon punishment 
for inconstancy in the western provinces of Hindostan. 
I have more than once seen it inflicted ; and in one 
instance it was executed upon the wife of a groom 
in the service of one of my brother officers, when 
there was no proof of the charge, but only of trifling 
conduct. It is a most fallacious idea, which appears 
to be generally received among Europeans, that the 
Hindoos are indifferent to the virtue of their country- 
women, or that they are unable to appreciate the 
charming excellence of modesty. I will venture to 
affirm, without fear of contradiction from those who 
have had sufficient opportunities of forming a fair 
judgment, that except among those classes where the 
females are born to dishonour, there are none among 
civilized nations more scrupulously delicate in these 
matters than are the much libelled Hindoos; and 
more especially the higher castes of them. If it be 
