Then he would answer her at cross-purposes, committing the most singular blunders, which he labored afterwards to explain.

But he need not have taken the trouble.

Madame d'Arlange did not perceive her courtier's absence of mind; her questions were of such a length, that she did not care about the answers.

Having a listener, she was satisfied, provided that from time to time he gave signs of life.
When obliged to sit down to play piquet, he cursed below his breath the game and its detestable inventor.

He paid no attention to his cards.
He made mistakes every moment, discarding what he should keep in and forgetting to cut.