Faintly:
“I humbly . . . beg, sir . . . for . . . my Gawd! . . . the lidy’s pardon!”
“And abjectly entreat you to forgive me!”
“And . . . abjec . . . abjec’y entreat . . . you to forgive . . . me!”
“Get up!”
The victim struggled erect. He met the quelling gaze.
“Any repetition of the offence means that my man will wait upon you—and bring a horse-whip!”
The fellow scrambled aside, and raised a quivering hand to his forehead. Captain O’Hagan, swinging his monocle, strode to the stage-door.
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