A ' Rescue' and its Sequel

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 21, 23 May 1907, Page 10

A ' Rescue ' and its Sequel

The typical novel usually ends just where (for those whose lot is the common one) life seriously begins— in the merry clangot' of the marriage bells. The sequel oft belies the smiles and sunshine of the wedding day. But* these are things that, for the novelist, are not to be told in Gath. There are other stories a-many upon whose sequel the story-teller rings,\ the curtain down. The Melbourne ' Tribune ' of May 11 has been raising the curtaim upon one of these. It is the story of a ' victim ' who was rescued from ' convent tyranny ' ' by heroic benefactors '. Here is the sequel— which, as the reader* will perceive, is ' wrote sarcastic ' :— . ' A certain victim of convent rapacity and cruelty escaped and took up her abode with a good, kind man who made a bulwark round about her of chamipions of liberty and truth, against which the baffled hosts of priestdoni' and conventdom hurled themselves in vain,

and from which the imos of the local Inquisition slunk back discomfited. While the hero stood in the limelight and the mighty press was busy with his fame, it went well with the distressed damsel, who had nothing to do for all the favors she received— and more especially all she was promised—except to cultivate her imagination and restrain her memory. But after a brief season the press switched the limelight off, and turned itself lo some other temporary sensation. Then tne hero went metaphorically insolvent and hopelessly {bankrupt in re-ga-d to his promises. When the public had ceased to look that way the interesting victim was hustled oR to a " situation " in a family that feared' God and paid 5s a week wages, less fines, which were minutely regulated and scheduled. And the balance remaining was paid, not to the poor ex-victim -of convent rapacity, but to her chivalrous rescuer — doubtless to recoup rescue and succor expenses. The sequel shows a 'brokenhearted girl weeping at the convent p;ates, and imnlor'ing to. be taken back. In order to protect readers from a possible wrong judgment, it might be added the above happenings occurred in Kamschatka or some other place.'' If our readers believe they, can identify the parties, we have no objection. But (with the ' Tribune ') we are ntft responsible for their conclusions. When 'todnd' men ' rescue ' ' distressed damsels ' from ' convent rapacity ', the deliverers (with W. S. Gilbert) commonly ' Strike the concertina's melancholy string, Blow the spirit-stirring heart .like anything ' and, generally speaking, make the welkin also ring. The untold sequel is usually disillusion and sobering though tardy wisdom. And the ' kind man ' finds himself the distressful butt of all the ' kind friends ' who ' told him so '. Those of our readers who have not short memories can easily recall cases in point. According to Coleridge, Satan's 1 Darling sin Is the pride that apes humility '. If he has another ' darling sin ' it is probably the sort of ' charity ' which (unlike that of the- Apostle)) is neither patient nor kind, which envieth, and dealeth perversely, and rejoice th in iniquity, and thinketh evil without investigation or due cause— and (so to speak) goes around spitting at its neighbors. Even well-mean-ing but 'over-precinitate enthusiasm often plays strange pranks before high heaven. "~~~