He seemed to have spent much time, and according to himself much money, at the French watering-places and on the Riviera.

I felt sure that it was in France I had already seen him, but where I could not recall.

He was hard to place.

Of people at home and in London well worth knowing he talked glibly, but in speaking of them he made several slips.

It was his taking the trouble to cover up the slips that first made me wonder if his talking about himself was not mere vanity, but had some special object.
I felt he was presenting letters of introduction in order that later he might ask a favor.