I saw that my noble lord was furious, but that mood suited me as well as
another, so I continued to sit on the end of the table.

"So I hear, sir," he said, striding up to me, "I hear that you have
taken possession of my place without so much as 'by your leave'?"

"That's so," I answered.

"Haven't you done enough mischief here, without coming to insult me by
your presence?"

"Not quite. I've a little more to do before I've finished."

"Jim," said the woman (in such a weary voice), "don't put yourself about
over such a person. Better ring the bell for the servants and have him
turned out of doors."

I looked round at her. She tried an insolent smile, but it broke down
badly, and then his lordship strode up to me with quivering lips.

"Look here, sir," he said. "Aren't you ashamed to show your face in my
house?"

"I'm not," I replied. "But before I leave it, I believe _you'll_ be
ashamed to show your face anywhere."

"Damn it, sir! Will you do me the honour to tell me why you are here?"
said his lordship, with fury in his looks.

"Certainly. That's exactly what I've come for," I said, and then I
stated my business without more ado.

I told him what he had done to the woman who was ten thousand times too
good to be his wife-torturing her with his cruelties, degrading her with
his infidelities, subjecting her to the domination of his paramour, and
finally striking her in the face like a coward and a cur.

"Liar!" he cried, fairly gasping in his rage. "You're a liar and your
informant is a liar, too."

"Tommy," I said, "will you step outside for a moment?"

Tommy went out of the room at once, and the woman, who was now looking
frightened, tried to follow him.

I stopped her. Rising from the table, I stepped over to the door and
locked it.

"No, madam," I said. "I want you to see what takes place between his
lordship and me."

The wretched woman fell back, but the man, grinding his teeth, came
marching up to me.

"So you've come to fight me in my own house, have you?" he cried.

"Not at all," I answered. "A man fights his equal. I've come to _thrash
you_."

That was enough for him, he lifted his hunting-crop to strike, but it
didn't take long to get that from his hand or to paralyse the arm with
which he was lunging out at me.

And then, seizing him by the white stock at his throat, I thrashed him.
I thrashed him as I should have thrashed vicious ape. I thrashed him
while he fumed and foamed, and