She received him with tranquil graciousness, and thanked him for his coming.
'I hope you have spent your winter profitably in Paris,' she said.
'There is a great deal to be learnt there if you go into the right circles.' Maulevrier told her that he had found much to learn, and that he had gone into circles where almost everything was new to him.

Whereupon his grandmother questioned him about certain noble families in the Faubourg Saint Germain who had been known to her in her own day of power, and whose movements she had observed from a distance since that time; but here she found her grandson dark.

He had not happened to meet any of the people she spoke about: the plain truth being that he had lived altogether as a Bohemian, and had not used one of the letters of introduction that had been given to him.
'Your friend Mr.Hammond is with you, I am told,' said Lady Maulevrier, not altogether with delight.
'Yes, I made him come; but he is quite safe.

He will bolt like a shot at the least hint of Lesbia's return.

He doesn't want to meet that young lady again, I can assure you.' 'Pray don't talk in that injured tone.