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Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset), 1874-1965

"The Magician"

It became current opinion in other pursuits that he
did not play the game. He did nothing that was manifestly unfair, but was
capable of taking advantages which most people would have thought mean;
and he made defeat more hard to bear because he exulted over the
vanquished with the coarse banter that youths find so difficult to
endure.
What you would hardly believe is that, when he first came up, he was a
person of great physical attractions. He is now grown fat, but in those
days was extremely handsome. He reminded one of those colossal statues
of Apollo in which the god is represented with a feminine roundness
and delicacy. He was very tall and had a magnificent figure. It was
so well-formed for his age that one might have foretold his precious
corpulence. He held himself with a dashing erectness. Many called it an
insolent swagger. His features were regular and fine. He had a great
quantity of curling hair, which was worn long, with a sort of poetic
grace: I am told that now he is very bald; and I can imagine that this
must be a great blow to him, for he was always exceedingly vain.


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