He was liked far better than he was respected.

People spoke of him as "that goat Osterman," or "that fool Osterman kid," and invited him to dinner.

He was of the sort who somehow cannot be ignored.

If only because of his clamour he made himself important.

If he had one abiding trait, it was his desire of astonishing people, and in some way, best known to himself, managed to cause the circulation of the most extraordinary stories wherein he, himself, was the chief actor.