Frank Saltram is a man who apparently has a towering intellect, but one that manifests itself only in sparkling table-talk. He has a real and power gift to delight with his conversation, particularly when intoxicated, but other than conversation he produces nothing. Saltram also recognises no obligations or duties, is ungrateful and utterly unreliable, and is apparently prone to immoral acts. He lives off others, particularly the Mulvilles, who, convinced of Saltram's genius and genuinely enjoying his talk, host him for months at a time. In the opinion of the unnamed narrator, Saltram is not a deliberate conman; he simply suffers from "a want of dignity". The story revolves around Saltram and a group of people who are fascinated by him. Ruth Anvoy, a young American woman with a wealthy father, comes to Britain to visit her widowed aunt Lady Coxon. There she meets George Gravener, a man with a real intellect and a future in politics, and the two become engaged. She also meets Saltram, and is fascinated and impressed by his talk and intellect, though aware that he has shortcomings of character.