These dread words struck Joseph to silence. Nathaniel went upstairs, clinging to the handrail, once more a helpless cripple.
"Oh dear!" said Joseph ridiculously. "I never thought they would be in anyone's way, Nat!"
Nathaniel returned no answer, but dragged his painful way upstairs to his bedroom. Mathilda heard a door slam, and laughed.
Joseph looked round quickly. "Tilda! I thought you'd gone up! Oh dear, dear, did you see what happened? Most unfortunate!"
"I did. I knew those steps of yours would be the death of someone."
Joseph picked them up. "Well, my dear, I don't want to tell tales out of school, but Nat's a naughty old man. He deliberately knocked them over! All that fuss!"
"I could wish that you hadn't left them there." Mathilda said. "Lumbago, I feel, will be our only topic of conversation this evening."
He smiled, but shook his head. "No, no, that isn't quite fair! He has got lumbago, you know, and it is very painful. We must put our heads together, you and I, Tilda."
"Not me," said Mathilda vulgarly.
"My dear, I'm relying on you. Nat likes you, and we must smooth him down! Now, I'll just put these steps out of harm's way, and then we'll think what can be done."