CHAPTER XXYI. 
A SOCIAL CHAT WITH YUSEF. 
Without exactly claiming to have control over the morals 
of our dragoman, I nevertheless considered it my duty to point 
out to Yusef the evils of those stringent measures adopted by 
the Arabs in their matrimonial relations, and to show him 
how much better it would be to abandon those absurd cus¬ 
toms at once. When the conversation ran on congenial sub¬ 
jects, such as love and war, his sagacity and enthusiasm were 
very remarkable ; and' I was often surprised at the quickness 
of his perception, and the readiness with which he met all 
my arguments. 
“ It seems to me, Yusef,” said I, after we had finished 
breakfast, “that you Arabs are the most barbarous people on 
the face of the earth. Why, even the Hottentots give their 
women some liberty. You, however, not only cover their faces, 
but keep them in a state of abject slavery. How can you ever 
expect to be a virtuous people when your wives are nothing 
but slaves !” 
Yusef (with spirit).—“They are not such slaves as your 
excellency thinks. We shut them up and keep them at home 
when strangers are about—especially gentlemen like your 
excellency, who perform on the flute, and sing songs of an 
inspiring and captivating nature; but, as a general thing, we 
treat them kindly. They exercise power enough over us now, 
and if they had greater liberty they would exercise a good 
deal more.” 
General. —“ Of course they would, and why not ? It is 
the very perfection of civilization when unlimited power is 
given to woman. In America we never think of shutting our 
