The telephone rang in the stately home of Lord Armstrong in North Yorkshire, England and his butler answered the call.

'It's me. Please go to my wife's bedroom and tell her that I'll be home late from the club.'
I'm sorry, Milord, her ladyship is already asleep.'

'Then wake her and tell her, while I hold the 'phone,' the caller demanded.
'Yes, Sir,' the butler replied.

The butler returned and said, 'My Lord, her ladyship's door was locked, and when I knocked, a man's voice told me to go hell.'

The caller then ordered gruffly, 'Damn them! Get a rifle from my collection, break down the door, and shoot them both.'

'Yes, Sir,' the butler responded.

A few minutes later, the butler returned to the 'phone and reported, 'My Lord, I tried my best. I killed your wife, but as I was about to shoot the man, he jumped through the window and into the garden, and ran away.'

The confused caller then said, 'Eh, what garden? There's no garden next to my bedroom window.'

'In that case, Sir, I am afraid you dialled a wrong number. Good day.'


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII