noon
Amory had lately received several alarming letters from Mr. Barton -- the Lake Geneva house was too large to be easily rented ; the best rent obtainable at present would serve this year to little more than pay for the taxes and necessary improvements ; in fact , the lawyer suggested that the whole property was simply a white elephant on Amory 's hands . Nevertheless , even though it might not yield a cent for the next three years , Amory decided with a vague sentimentality that for the present , at any rate , he would not sell the house . This particular day on which he announced his ennui to Tom had been quite typical . He had risen at noon , lunched with Mrs. Lawrence , and then ridden abstractedly homeward atop one of his beloved buses . `` Why should n't you be bored , '' yawned Tom . `` Is n't that the conventional frame of mind for the young man of your age and condition ? '' `` Yes , '' said Amory speculatively , `` but I 'm more than bored ; I am restless . ''