“That’s enough,” said Lord Hastings again. “It looks to me as if you were guilty.”
“If you please, sir,” said Thompson quietly, “will you allow me to ask Smith and Black one question?”
Lord Hastings nodded his head in assent.
“Smith,” said Thompson, “how did I injure my hand?”
“Why,” said Smith, “you miscalculated, and instead of putting it against Black’s head, you put it against the door.”
Thompson turned to Black.
“Is that true?” he asked.
“Yes,” replied Black.
Thompson turned to Lord Hastings.
“That should be enough, sir,” he said quietly.