Many people pity them, and I always did it myself and never charged anything; but it is doubtful if this compassion is valued.

While we were in India some good-hearted Europeans in one of the cities proposed to restrict a large park to the use of zenana ladies, so that they could go there and in assured privacy go about unveiled and enjoy the sunshine and air as they had never enjoyed them before.

The good intentions back of the proposition were recognized, and sincere thanks returned for it, but the proposition itself met with a prompt declination at the hands of those who were authorized to speak for the zenana ladies.

Apparently, the idea was shocking to the ladies--indeed, it was quite manifestly shocking.

Was that proposition the equivalent of inviting European ladies to assemble scantily and scandalously clothed in the seclusion of a private park?
It seemed to be about that.
Without doubt modesty is nothing less than a holy feeling; and without doubt the person whose rule of modesty has been transgressed feels the same sort of wound that he would feel if something made holy to him by his religion had suffered a desecration.