Collected Short Stories: Volume 1 (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)
W. Somerset Maugham
Language: English
Pages: 448
ISBN: 0140185895
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
These 30 short stories, comprising Somerset Maugham's first collection, are set in locations ranging from England, France and Spain to the silver sands of the South Pacific. They include "Rain," "The Three Fat Women of Antibes," "The Voice of the Turtle," and "Before the Party."
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
remained quietly sitting in his chair. ‘If he’s fainted, you’re not helping him to recover by crowding round him,’ he said acidly. Mrs Craig turned her head and gave him a look of bitter hatred. ‘I’ll ring up the doctor,’ said Miss Gray. ‘No, I don’t think that’s necessary,’ I said. ‘He’s coming to.’ I could feel his pulse growing stronger, and in a minute or two he opened his eyes. He gasped when he realized what had happened, and tried to struggle to his feet. ‘Don’t move,’ I said. ‘Lie
scarcely yet quite awake. He smiled at the concern in Campion’s voice. ‘Don’t worry. These fellows know all about it. They know exactly what to do. We may get a bit splashed.’ But while they were saying these few words the Bore came nearer, very quickly, with a roar like the roar of an angry sea, and Izzart saw that the waves were much higher than he had thought. He did not like the look of them and he tightened his belt so that his shorts should not slip down if the boat were upset. In a
boat, and then the boy came back. ‘They saw us capsize, Tuan,’ he said, ‘and they came as soon as the Bore passed. There’s a long-house on the other side. If you will cross the river they will give us sarongs and food and we can sleep there.’ Izzart for a moment felt that he could not again trust himself on the face of the treacherous water. ‘What about the other tuan?’ he asked. ‘They do not know.’ ‘If he’s drowned they must find the body.’ ‘Another boat has gone up-stream.’ Izzart did
wish the rain would stop for a moment,’ said Mrs Macphail. ‘I could try to make the place comfortable with more heart if the sun were shining.’ ‘Oh, if you wait for that, you’ll wait a long time. Pago-Pago is about the rainiest place in the Pacific. You see, the hills, and that bay, they attract the water, and one expects rain at this time of year anyway.’ She looked from Macphail to his wife, standing helplessly in different parts of the room, like lost souls, and she pursed her lips. She saw
children. They ought to be here.’ Mackintosh turned to the natives. ‘Stay where you are. He wants you. But be silent.’ A faint smile came over the old man’s white face. ‘Come nearer,’ he said. Mackintosh bent over him. His eyes were closed and the words he said were like a wind sighing through the fronds of the coconut trees. ‘Give me another drink. I’ve got something to say.’ This time Mackintosh gave him his whisky neat. Walker collected his strength in a final effort of will. ‘Don’t