The Count actually smiles at Childermass when he says that, which is undoubtedly very creepy. There is a certain unconcealed smugness to it, too, as if to say 'maybe so but what can you do about it?'

He seems a little bit less amused by Lambert's question, and is confused at first, as he tries to work out what he's even talking about.

"Ah. The Mother of Invention, you mean? We can't all be judged by the absurdities of our most eccentric."

The Count's style seems to be ignoring questions that it doesn't suit him to answer.