There seemed so little to take hold of in this reply that he trusted his father would let it pass unquestioned; but Sir Francis was by no means in a mood to suffer anything to escape him, and, in consequence, he pounced upon his son's expression of a belief that his presence could not alter at all what was likely to take place, and, of course, he was the more angry upon the subject, as there was nothing to be angry about. He showed clearly and distinctly that the very idea was insulting to him, that he should have detained his son from Oxford to be present at an examination in which he could take no part, and to witness proceedings which he could in no degree alter. The thing was too absurd, he said, to be put forward except for the express purpose of annoying him, and on this copious theme he went on for nearly half an hour, proceeding slowly in his toilet while he did so, and interrupting constantly the act of dressing for the purpose of showing his son how much he was in error. Charles heard him in perfect silence; not without being a good deal irritated indeed, and feeling his own fiery nature rising up to resist; but he struggled against himself and conquered, though we must acknowledge that the effect upon his mind was to render it irritable and out of sorts for some time after. He thanked his stars, however, when at length he heard the breakfast-bell ring before he had given way to anything that he felt; and his father hearing it also, and not being nearly ready, yet valuing himself highly upon his punctuality, hurried Charles rapidly out of the room to make breakfast, saying, that he knew very well that Lady Tyrrell would not be down. Charles Tyrrell knew the contrary, being perfectly assured that, on the last morning of his stay at Harbury Park, his mother would not fail to be at the breakfast-table, well or ill. He accordingly found her there on his arrival, and before even Mr. Driesen appeared he had an opportunity of explaining to Lady Tyrrell that his journey was put off, and also of giving her a hint of the sort of mood in which his father seemed to be. The moment that she heard what were the facts, Lady Tyrrell determined to make her escape from the breakfast-table, and got away before Sir Francis appeared. As soon as he came down, however, he began to remark on her absence, saying, that he did think, on that day at least, she might have been down. "I suppose she chooses to be unwell," he continued, "but I do think she might have put that off till another morning, when she knew that you were going to Oxford for two or three months." "I have just seen my mother for a moment, sir," replied Charles, "and told her I was not going. Though she was unwell, she intended to have been at breakfast if my departure had not been disarranged."