“And you,” she went on, turning to Lord Manton, “you are a magistrate besides being a peer.” “Miss Blow,” said Lord Manton, “won’t you come into the library and sit down? We could talk so much more comfortably if we were sitting down. Besides, this is rather a public place for the discussion of private affairs.” He looked past Miss Blow towards the end of the corridor. Something in his expression made Miss Blow turn her head. She saw, gathered in a knot in the hall, the cook, the kitchen-maid, the upper and under house-maid, and Wilkins. All of them, except Wilkins, were grinning. They had forgotten all decency and the respect due to their master. They were eagerly listening to every word Miss Blow said. She allowed herself to be led into the library. “Now sit down,” said Lord Manton. “You must be thoroughly tired out after your long walk yesterday and all this excitement to-day. Will you allow me to offer you a glass of wine and a biscuit? Goddard, ring the bell, like a good man.” “No,” said Miss Blow. “A cup of tea, then? No? Or an egg flip? The cook would have it ready in a moment. I often have an egg flip myself when I’m feeling over-done. It’s an excellent thing, I assure you.” “No,” said Mrs. Blow; “I’ll take nothing--nothing from you. I----” “Well, just allow me to say one word,” said Lord Manton, “before you begin again.” “If you’ve any excuse to make for your behaviour,” said Miss Blow, “make it. I shall listen to you.” “I haven’t,” said Lord Manton. “Not a shred. Nor has Mr. Goddard. Don’t interrupt me, Goddard. You haven’t any real excuse, and you know it. But you mustn’t be too hard upon us, Miss Blow. Try to put yourself in our position, in Mr. Goddard’s position, for I really haven’t anything to do with the business one way or other. It wasn’t his fault about those Members of Parliament. He’s just as sorry about it as anybody else. If he’d known that they intended to run away from their wives he’d have stopped them; but how could he know?” “Oh!” said Miss Blow. “That is the latest theory, is it? Their husbands ran away from them? Do you expect to get any one to believe that? I suppose the husband of that poor woman down in the village ran away from her. I suppose you mean to try and prove that she ill-treated him, that she, a half-starved, delicate woman, bullied a great hulking blacksmith. I suppose you’ll say that Dr. O’Grady ran away from me. Last time I was here you said he ran away from his creditors. When I proved that to be a lie, you have the assurance to say that he ran away from me.”