Once a wealthy dilettante and affable man-about-town, after his accident Hildred becomes an eccentric recluse who spends his days poring over old books and maps and associating with a more eccentric character, Mr. Wilde, the "Repairer of Reputations" of the story's title.
Initially, Hildred was a wealthy and charming figure in society, but after his accident, he became a solitary person who devotes his time to studying old books and maps and forms an unusual bond with Mr. Wilde, known as the "Repairer of Reputation".