become an irrefutable truth: that Aziz’s happiness with her had not been complete without a “bridegroom,” and that Aziz’s love for her had been a partial love, not a whole one. All her thoughts turned upon a single point: was there any way to rekindle the fire of love in Aziz’s heart? ... The only way was the bearing of children. And her mother-in-law had hinted at Beirut and Damascus. What, then, could she have meant by that? Were there in Beirut or Damascus physicians who could make the barren woman conceive
to them, a hearty welcome...
As for the care of the home — woman's natural kingdom — and as for motherhood — woman's natural office — in these I shall never yield an inch.
As for higher university education, I throw it open, both leaves of the door, before woman, for specialization in education and teaching, in medicine, and in the fine arts. As for engineering and law, there I relent and open one leaf of the door — for the women of genius only... and that is a mighty concession...
In closing, I return to welcome woman into the field of politics; perhaps the good that escaped us at the hands of men will come to us this time by way of the women...
Some will say that Mr. Mashnouq has retreated... But it escapes them that Mr. Mashnouq is engaged in politics... and that it is good politics for a man to retreat — above all if he is a husband — before woman's weapons: the spoons, the forks, and the pots... and the wooden clogs!...
and bear? Her mother-in-law had promised to take this matter upon her own shoulders; and she was a seasoned, experienced woman — was it not best to do everything her mother-in-law said? But she had wronged no one in this world — why had the world wronged her? The days had fed her love for Aziz into nothing but flame — why had the fire of Aziz’s love for her died down? She was content with him without children — why was he not likewise content with her? Was it not he who had wronged her — why then should she strive to atone for his wrong? Was it not better to repay him in kind, and to meet coldness with coldness? Was it not better to rebuke her heart into stillness, and to quench with tears the burnings of her love and her pains? But — perhaps! .... perhaps there was some hope in her mother-in-law’s promise. Why not follow the gleam of that hope?
Jamileh remained for a time wavering between doubt and resolve. Her tears would well up to pour, and she would hold them back. And her heart came near to bursting in her breast like a shrapnel-shell, and she would say to it: “Gently, heart! ...”
Woman: Body and Soul
The long-awaited book has appeared
Woman: Body and Soul
By Dr. Georges Hanna
Publishers
Dar al-Ahad — Beirut
To be ordered from the publishers and from the Farajallah Publications Company
Price per copy: 200 piasters, or 230 millimes, or [...] or fils