The Escape
THE ESCAPE
By Somerset Maugham
W. Somerset Maugham, a famous English writer, was born in 1874 in Paris. He received his medical degree, but he never practiced medicine; the ambition to write dominated his entire life. In 1897 "Liza of Lambeth", Maugham's first novel, appeared. It had no success. For the next ten years Maugham wrote and starved. He turned out a steady stream of plays and novels none of which excited much attention. His luck changed in 1907. In that year "Lady Frederic", a comedy of manners, was produced in London. It had a bright, fashionable success. By and by, Maugham became internationally celebrated; his plays were performed all over the world. Now independent and well able to enjoy life Maugham began to travel. He came to know Europe thoroughly and spent long periods in the United States, the South Seas and China. His favorite country was Spain ("The Land of the Blessed Virgin" and "Don Fernando"). In 1915 Maugham published a novel that had been in preparation for many years. Called "Of Human Bondage" it was received by critics with great respect. Over the years, it has become a modern classic. Many popular successes followed its publication: "Ashenden", "Moon and Sixpence", "Cakes and Ale", etc. He died in 1965.
I have always been convinced that if a woman once made up her mind to marry a man nothing but instant flight could save him. Not always that; for once a friend of mine., seeing the inevitable loom menacingly before him, took ship from a certain port (with a toothbrush for all his luggage, so conscious was he of his danger and the necessity for immediate action) and spent a year travelling round the world; but when, thinking himself safe (women are fickle, he said, and in twelve months she will have forgotten all about me), he landed at the selfsame port the first person he saw gaily waving to him from the quay was the little lady from whom he had fled4. I have only once known a man who in such circumstances managed to extricate
By Somerset Maugham
W. Somerset Maugham, a famous English writer, was born in 1874 in Paris. He received his medical degree, but he never practiced medicine; the ambition to write dominated his entire life. In 1897 "Liza of Lambeth", Maugham's first novel, appeared. It had no success. For the next ten years Maugham wrote and starved. He turned out a steady stream of plays and novels none of which excited much attention. His luck changed in 1907. In that year "Lady Frederic", a comedy of manners, was produced in London. It had a bright, fashionable success. By and by, Maugham became internationally celebrated; his plays were performed all over the world. Now independent and well able to enjoy life Maugham began to travel. He came to know Europe thoroughly and spent long periods in the United States, the South Seas and China. His favorite country was Spain ("The Land of the Blessed Virgin" and "Don Fernando"). In 1915 Maugham published a novel that had been in preparation for many years. Called "Of Human Bondage" it was received by critics with great respect. Over the years, it has become a modern classic. Many popular successes followed its publication: "Ashenden", "Moon and Sixpence", "Cakes and Ale", etc. He died in 1965.
I have always been convinced that if a woman once made up her mind to marry a man nothing but instant flight could save him. Not always that; for once a friend of mine., seeing the inevitable loom menacingly before him, took ship from a certain port (with a toothbrush for all his luggage, so conscious was he of his danger and the necessity for immediate action) and spent a year travelling round the world; but when, thinking himself safe (women are fickle, he said, and in twelve months she will have forgotten all about me), he landed at the selfsame port the first person he saw gaily waving to him from the quay was the little lady from whom he had fled4. I have only once known a man who in such circumstances managed to extricate