ROBERT, THE RAKE, AND RUBY.

NZ Truth, Issue 135, 18 January 1908, Page 8

ROBERT, THE RAKE, AND RUBY.

Side Comments on the Seduction. DR. STRONG DISSECTED. Will he Marry Ruby ? AN HONORABLE TIP. (From Melbourne "Truth.")

Sordid, squalid, scarifying as has been\ the Wallace divorce case m most of its shocking and sickening details, it is not to he accepted as an exemplification of the standard of morality prevailing m this country. Bui wer Lytton wrote years ago that "Morality is only to be found m the middle classes." No man of the world would, go so far. No man of even average intelligence would assert that morality is distinctive or characteristic of any of the so-called "classes" into which the community r-as distinguished f.pih " society "-. is divided. Rather is- this terrible illustration of 'marital infelicity and of, on at least one side, supreme and idiotic folly, a photographic representation of the pranks and prurience existing within a certain class which has its being m this and other countries, and which may be aptly termed a sub-society. For as there is - a submerged tenth' m the realms of poverty and destitution, so there is a submerged stratum m what is spuriously and erroneously styled "society." Yet this' region is not "society" in the ordinary acceptation of that term/ It is rather a fringe upon that sphere, and consists of certain persons, who, with a sufficiency, if not an amplitude, of riches, have ample time upon their hands to devote to degrading and erotic pleasures' and self-gratification, and who recognise, m no respect, their obligations as citizens, as parents, as friends. 'Tis not to be assumed that the real '.'society" is entirely free- from the disgraceful and disgusting immorality which occasionally protrudes itself. But m the "sub-spcietv" of which we write, and of which so glaring an example has been portrayed m the Wallace case, the offence aga|nst the community is more gross because more publicly patent, more lamentable" because more displayed. It is the Sodom and Gomorrah of society. It is the Upper Demi-monde. * ,* * ■ ■ . Such was the entourage of "Novar," with its atmosphere of immorality and "swill." Such is to be found m other similar places where there cannot be applied those words, also Lytton's :— "I never plundered my friend and called it Play. I never murdered my friend and called it Honor. I never seduced my friend's wife and called it Gallantry." Of "Play*' and "Honor" m these "sub-society" circles it may be there are littlo or none. Of "Gallantry" there is much. In this "sub-society" of which we are speaking (and without snecial re^spect, tor a moment, to "Novar") afternoon teas, "The Block," motorcar drives and dinners and suppers at "swell" dining-rooms are but the preludes to degradation, destruction, fornication and adultery. Male persons, masquerading as men, within this charmied but most uncharming circle of- the "nouveau riche," and of those who are their vicious and villainous hangers-on, set themselves deliberately to seduce and deflour maidenhood or defile and destroy matronhood. And there arc not wanting m the group sad specimens of female panders and almost procuresses, masquerading as "ladies." who are .equally eager to assist m the awful and atrocious work of defloration and destruction. The Upper Demi-monde exists m every city and every country, m the world. So far as the case under notice has disclosed its revolting details of intrigue and iniquity, there is nothing exhibited to affect the Morality of Melbourne. But the case does seriously affect the stratum of . the Upper Middle Class, which we have characterised as "sub-society" and the Upper Demi-monde. Coming more directly to the Wallace case,- it is another instance of ">how. oft the means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done." The petitioner, Charles Wallace, is a young man with plenty of inherited money. He is, perhaps, of a somewhat ascetic disposition. He had a special penchant for the harmless pastime 08 yachting, and, with his ample means freely indulged his, tastes." It may be that he did not do so much as he, or any other husband similarly situated, should have done to pro- 1 tect his' young, pretty, giddy, and flighty wife from the temptations that inevitably beset a young and pretty woman when she is permitted to drift into the association of "gallant gentleman" and riotous reprobates. Wallace may not have looked after his wife as he should have done. If a youthful and . attractive 'woman (Who, as m this case, has shown hetself to possess no moral ballast) has an inclination to society ; if she, moreover, imagines herself with any appearance of justification to be neglected by her husband, the man cannot he held altogether blameless. But even while that much may be conceded, it is absurd and atrocious to advance the plea that there is any excuse for the wife to go astray and, if not to become an absolute wanton, x% indulge m illicit amours with a favored lover. The decency, if not the sanctity, of the marriage state forbids so much. The decency of society equally forbids 1 it. If it were oth-erwise, no man would be safe if, by^ the exigencies of business or the calls of a favored and rational recreation, he left his wife by day or ij.iglit,

or if, perchance, by like causes, he was absent from her side at bed or -Aboard for two or three days or longer. If this were not the case, men and women might just as well be deemed lower than some species of the beasts of the field, and indulge their passions m a promiscuous fashion. * a a Mr and Mrs Wallace drifted apart admittedly through tho polluted atmosphere of "Novar," where "Sosso," "Hec," and the amorous "Bob" were favored and frequent guests, and where,- wittingly or unwittingly, Mrs Vivian Parker, the shameless hostess, acted as pimp to this man Strong, and as pander to her sister's shame, and ultimate legal damnation m the Divorce Court. Vm I * And this man "Bob" ! ' What shall be said of him ? This delectable Dr. Strong ! This -. member of an honored and honorable profession m which, of necessity, there must be personal l association between physician and patient •! This produce of the educational system of our University ! i Ha ! ha- ! This exemplar of decency ! and decorum and duty for the. bud- j ding students of his Alma Mater! This high-spirited and vevy honor- j able- professional gentleman ! This lordly, courteous, gallant, and parlor and pantry squire of dames ! This precious medical Robert the ftake, who philandered at night m his surgery, fooling about the shapely | ankle of "Rube," with a bandage of lecherous glee 'ad lib., and a pilule of. "professional honor" taken at stated intervals ! This very honorable seducer of another main's wife has had his comb cut, and the fine Collinsstreet feathers pulled out of his cocky tail, until he resembles, and is as bare as a New Year's goose, spitted ' and busted. ,- At last he has reaped as he has sown. ■ He has been branded a living anatomical specimen by the verdict of the jury, as an adulterer," the destroyer of a home, the seducer of a woman's love from its lawful object, tbe denier of a wife, and .the soul-slaughterer of a mother ! Shown by the evidence to be a mean and contemptible rerson, who,, while he used another man's wife for the purposes of his own pleasure, posed as takins: every precaution and care that he could to protect the mockery of her so-called reputation! » * • "Robert the Rake" was extremely careful to protect the "reputation" of his "Ruby.'' "Truth" pretends to be no purist m a matter of perjury to save a woman's deputation. What virile man does ? Though a worn an may not be spotless, no one less than a man would hesitate to commit periury m order to save the reputation of a woman m whose favors he had basked. The recognition of that written Law was the one redeeming feature of Strong m the witness-box —the sworn denial by bim that he committed adultery with Mrs Wallace. But. let us not be too hasty. Do not all the surrounding and proved circumstances demonstrate his desire rather to save the reputation of poor "Bob" than the reputation of poor "Ruby"? * • * * See how this honorable product of the University, this member of a cultured and respected profession, this scion of a prominent city family (whose head, upon whom this prodigal son has brought so , much dishonor and disgrace, is an alderman of Melbourne, and- an accepted representative of the people) ; see how "Bob," this notorious typification of Sir Charles Surface, this Melburnian Don Juan— see, we say, how this courtly, cultured and cultivated ' intriguer treated the woman whom he made the object of his pursuit. Possibly 'he never thought when he set out "running such a rig" that the bricks would come down, and the chickens come home to roost. Look and consider his- cheap eighteen-pennv suppers ordered for the delectation and repast ! of the woman whom be wronged. He was certainly obtaining his pleasure on a frugal basis ; much ' below the ruling tariff which "Truth" is informed by its religious "•editor, runs to about £1 a night. Witness the conduct of this honorable professional gentleman, when he lets out the woman, the wife, whom he has chosen as the object wherewith to gratify his lust, by the back gate of his surgery— just as he would have done a common prostitute whom he might have picked off the streets —amidst the' rubbish, refuse, stinks, and garbage of the back lane ' This honorable and educated gentleman ! * • » "Ruby" was, perhaps, at first, only a fool, a giddy fool, influenced, it may be, and as the evidence clearly demonstrated, by her more experienced sister, the mistress of "Novar." "Bob" was an experienced man of the world. Now he has made himself an Ishmael so far as his profession is concerned. No man' who has any respect towards his woman l . ind would for a moment permit them to go to Dr. Strong's surgery for the purpose of professional consolation or social association with him. No man could do so after the evidence produced m the Divorce Court. If, indeed, it may be suggested as fitting that "Bob" should now find "his" ankle so badly sprained and m such need of constant and prolonged bandaging as to invite the desire to seek fresh woods and pastures new, even if it involved his speedy departure trorh his native country, never to return. The city and the country would be well rid of such a distinguished and honorable member of the medical profession. What did' "Bob" ihin'-- nf Mrs Wallace's reputation, and ■what did he care for it, when she wnt with "Bob" into the pantry at "lovar," and where, if the evidence ot

Mrs Sidey was not perjury, "Bob" was fondling "Ruby's" knee beneath her garments— possibly part of Dr. Strong's code of professional ethics and practice ! a a a Counsel for the respondent, the belligerent Purves, ' with that licence which is so often, and with all respects, so frequently improperly permitted m tlje courts, took occasion to insult and belittle the petitioner. "This thing !" he called the unfortu* nate husband, whose honor had been sacrificed, and whose dishonored wife Purves appeared to defend. "One of those rubbishy boats !" was the way m which the learned King's Counsel referred to Wallace's pleasure crafts, the while he_ (the lawyer) well knew that Wallace's yachts were amongst the most famous m Australian waters — the "Sayonara" and the "Bona," victors m many a contest for the aquatic honors of the south. Such disgraceful and privileged forensic attacks were entirely unjustified. >■ So far as we can see, and judging as between man and man-, the petitioner did more for his wife that ninety-nine out of a hundred would have done, or would have done for any woman. Though m some ways he may have been weak; and spineless, but even if so he was good-natured, and. certainly not vindictive. In his owrf-- way. perhaps a peculiar way. he gave his wife every chance of reform. But the foolish and pitiable woman was "m the toils and lures of the "sub-society," the Upper Demimonde. If she had not been a, particularly foolish and pitiable woman, she would have recognised the chance and taken it. Throughout Wallace conducted his case upon a plane of high honor and decorum. To the woman who had shared his hed and broken up his home he showed nothing of vindictiveness. It was an attitude that scarcely 70 per cent, of men could assume to the woman who hart dishonored them. His Honor the Chief Justice could not refrain from remarking how wholly unjustifiable was the gross attack made upon petitioner by counsel for the respondent. «j * a Upon the other hand, this generous attitude assumed by the petitioner was met by iniquitous counter charges, hurriedly and disgracefully planned, but entirely unproved and fins llv abandoned. "I have never heard of a charge more unwarrantable;" said the Chief Justice. a _ « In the end, also, this outraged- and dishonored husband, doubtless remindful that the erring and fallen woman is still the mother of his child, and that she was once his wife, has consented to make her a handsome allowance,- understood to be at the rate of £500 a year. There is a special generosity m that, notwithstanding that be is a fairly wealthy man. There is, assuredly, no vindictiveness m such action. The allowance, of course, is to be made upon conditions. But those conditions, involving that of chastity until she I re-married, are doubtless prompted, m the mind of the husband whom she has dishonored partly by his former affection for the woman, and partly by his heart-felt desire that she should behave herself as a good woman should. She will have no monetary temptation to do otherwise. a a a What is to become of this unfortunate woman ? If Strong, the honorable member of an honorable profession, be the soul of honor that he would have himself believe 'he is, there is but one course open to him, .md that is to marry the woman. Men of his kidney and his character do not often seek to repair m that fashion the injury and the blighted and blasted hopes and lives they have created. Nor do they seek by any such marriage and a subseriuent life of love and devotion to palliate their amorous wrong-doings. Perhaps, after all, it may he hoped, for her sake, that "Ruby" would be-better advised if she be consulted to have nothing further to do with this delectable snecimen of medical dishonor, "Bob" Strong. There' is no saving but that m such an event he would iret up to his old Robert Rakish tricks a«ain. And so "Truth" leaves him. ~ .