no way to treat a lady

I began to be sensible the liberty Mr. Bloodmoney was taking was neither civil nor manly—nay, on the contrary, that it was indecorous and brutal; and that it became me to rescue the affrighted beauty from his clutches. . . . I ran to her assistance; and, not knowing in what better way to proceed, I took advantage of the instability of my entertainer's footing to trip up his heels, and so lay him upon the floor, assuring him, as I did so, by way of apology, that "that was no way to treat a lady."