The Verger
William
Somerset Maugham
(Summary)
Maugham’s short story “The Verger” is a story of
a man, Albert Edward Foreman. He has been a verger in St. Peter’s Neville
Square Church for sixteen years, with great dedication. He is disturbed with
the arrival of new vicar in the church because he wants everything to be
perfect and when he comes to know that Foreman is an illiterate, he immediately
asks the verger to learn reading and writing. The vicar feels that things like
ability to read and write reflect the good character of St. Peter’s.
The
vicar offers, Foreman, three months grace period to become a literate, but he
refuses the proposal saying that he cannot learn to read and write at this age.
The
vicar announces that the parish has decided to quit him from the service
because Foreman is not literate. For Foreman, this decision of the priest is a
great blow. He had thought that the appointment was for life, but suddenly he
becomes unemployed after a long service of sixteen years. He doesn’t want to
demean himself by accepting any domestic services other than the divine church
service.
When
Foreman leaves the church, he is very much upset and deeply distressed. Instead
of heading towards his home, He takes a wrong turning. He walks along the long
road, deeply thinking about his next move. He has got a small amount of money
but not enough to meet all his family requirements without doing anything. He
is a non-smoker but when he feels distressed and tired, he enjoys a cigarette.
He feels like having a cigarette which would comfort him. He cannot find a
cigarette shop in the long street. It sounds strange to him. He thinks that a
tobacco shop in such a place would be profitable. His plan comes to execution
the very next day. He rents a suitable shop and starts his tobacco business. It
goes well. He makes profit and within ten years he opens ten branches
throughout London. He becomes a great businessman and bank balance rises up to
thirty thousand pounds.
One-day
the manager of the bank advises him to invest his amount in some safe
securities. Albert says, that he does not want to take risk and want his money
safe in the bank. Moreover, he does not know how and in which securities he can
invest. The manager replies that he is there to look after his investment and
the only thing he has to do is put his signature. After setting up the
business, Albert has learnt to sign. He asks the manager how he could know
where he is investing. The manager says that he can read the document and then
put his signature on that. Albert confesses that he is an illiterate.
The
manager is astonished at his confession. Without knowing how to read or write
Albert has amassed a huge sum. What he could have done if he were a literate
and educated. But Albert humbly answers him that if he knows how to read and write,
he would be a verger at St. Peter’s Neville Square and nothing more.
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