"Oh, the blood!" she muttered hysterically; "it was streaming!"
Lady Beltham spoke angrily to the major-domo.
"I hate brutality: is the man seriously hurt? I hope not. You ought to have questioned him before assaulting him. No one in my house has a right to use violence. 'Whoso smites with the sword shall perish by the sword'!"
The major-domo heard her in silent astonishment: it was not at all what he expected to be told, in view of all the circumstances.
Lady Beltham went on more gently:
"I suppose I shall have to apologise to this man for your wrong and thoughtless behaviour."
"Apologise?" exclaimed Silbertown in amazement. "Surely your ladyship will not do that?"
"One must not shrink from humiliation when one has been in the wrong," said Lady Beltham, in the pulpit manner she affected. "Tell Walter to come to me."
A few minutes later the porter, a muscular giant of a man, came into the room and made a clumsy bow.
"How was it possible for anyone to get into the house at this time of night?" his mistress enquired coldly.