to act as my escort, and we found them all in the sitting-room, with its lattice windows at each end, round as large a fire as it was safe to have. The heat was almost overpowering after our brisk drive in the night air.
Osman Noury Bey was obliged to leave me on the threshold, as he could not enter the women's apartments. While the harīm and sex-separation are not now rigidly enforced by the most educated Turks, they have not by any means yet disappeared. I found that the whole "woman" question was really on much the same footing in Anatolia as in other countries; that is, "liberty" varies with education, upbringing, and surroundings. In this house the women were closely veiled and dependent upon their own sex for all their pleasures and companionships. Osman Bey himself is thoroughly liberal-minded and would have allowed his wife full freedom, provided only her hair was covered, but she goes out very little and clearly prefers the old ways. On the other hand, the wife of Djavid Bey, ex-Minister of Finance, goes to private dances; while Halidé Hanoum goes everywhere and has mixed freely with men for many years. Yet I, a woman, have never seen her hair unveiled. While we were waiting for my host's return, I did my best to "make conversation" by signs and gestures, and was really surprised at my success. You can convey far more than one would suppose when you seriously endeavour to make your company understand. I had my book, too, of "conversations in Turkish," and so managed to remark: "The house is large—the fire is warm—I like a warm fire." Had I depended upon the women in Turkey, I might soon have learned something of their language. Our host arrives, and he is kindness and courtesy itself. At about half-past nine, his Excellency asked me when I would like to dine. "Whenever you are ready," I replied. "Oh, no," was the courteous reply, "it is when you
