The following passage (paragraph 11) mainly shows that . Now, Carruthers was an idiot. No doubt he (Trysdale) had been guilty (he sometimes did such things) of airing at the club some old, canting Castilian proverb dug from the hotchpotch at the back of dictionaries. Carruthers, who was one of his incontinent admirers, was the very man to have magnified this exhibition of doubtful erudition.

Carruthers speaks Spanish.

Trysdale is prone to overstating his intelligence.

Trysdale knows Castilian proverbs.

Carruthers is easily impressed.