All that day his mother was unable to see him.
She found him asleep in his room at noon and again at two; and when she sought him again he had flown.

But on the Sunday she caught him.
'I hope,' she said, 'you'll stay at home on Tuesday evening.' Hitherto she had never succeeded in inducing him to grace her evening parties by his presence.
'All your people are coming! You know, mother, it is such an awful bore.' 'Madame Melmotte and her daughter will be here.' 'One looks such a fool carrying on that kind of thing in one's own house.

Everybody sees that it has been contrived.

And it is such a pokey, stuffy little place!' Then Lady Carbury spoke out her mind.

'Felix, I think you must be a fool.