The supper was an absolute and complete failure; the guests displayed the forced gaiety and real depression, and constrained absentmindedness, of genuine and hopeless boredom.

He glanced through them casually, but with an absentmindedness which did not escape his housekeeper when she came in.

I regret to disturb you, Major,"here his glance rested blankly upon the rich golden-brown surface of Clem's omelette, and it seemed to me that the thread of his intention was broken for an instant by a fit of absentmindedness.

He had long fits of absentmindedness, during which he was deaf to every noise.

He had been thinking of Nora, and, ashamed of his absentmindedness, he left them tying up their bundles and went towards the shore, stopping many times to admire the pale arch of evening sky with never a wind in it, nor any sound but the cries of swallows in full pursuit.

My aunt is highly amusing with her absentmindedness, but I should not care to have her for a fellow-conspirator.