The Luncheon

- William Somerset Maugham

About the Author:
Born William Somerset Maugham
25 January 1874
Paris, France
Died 16 December 1965 (aged 91)
Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Education The King's School, Canterbury
• Heidelberg University
Alma mater
• St Thomas's Hospital Medical School

Occupation Playwright, novelist, short-story writer

Vocabulary:
1. Luncheon: formal word for lunch.
2. cemetery: large burial ground
3. anticipated: expected or predicted
4. modest: moderate
5. amicable:friendly
6. trifle: to a small extent
7. francs- the basic monetary unit of France
8. marvel:to be filled with astonishment
9. reassured:say or do something as to remove the doubts and fears of someone
10. promptly: immediately /quickly
11. bill of fare: the menu
12. ruin your palate: to spoil the ability to taste
13. thrust: to push forcefully
14. gaily:in a cheerful and light hearted manner
15. mutton chop: a piece of meat cut from the rib of a sheep(eaten broiled
or fried)

Questions and Answers:

1. The author was not a vindictive man, but said that he had finally had his revenge. Why
does he say so?
Ans- The narrator was not vindictive by nature; however, he felt that he had had his revenge
when he saw the woman after twenty years. Though the lady was not young when the author
met her for the first time;yet she was quite impressive. Foyot’s was an expensive restaurant
whose fare he could ill afford and yet, he took her there for luncheon. The woman had one
delicacy after another, each one of them very expensive. The narrator was so petrified at the
thought of not being able to pay the bill ,that he hardly ate anything. Finally, after the bill was
brought and paid, he found that he had just enough for an adequate tip for the waiter. The lady,
who claimed she never ate more than one thing for lunch, had gorged herself caviar, salmon,
asparagus, peaches, ice -cream and champagne and she kept berating him for eating a heavy
lunch when he had just had a mutton chop. Now, after twenty years, the narrator was quite happy
to see that she had grown grossly overweight for she weighted twenty-one stone. He had had his
revenge at last.

2. Describe the woman in the story. Write about her characteristics. Give examples from
the story.
Ans- The woman was not very young when the narrator met her twenty years ago. She was
talkative and had very expensive tastes. She seemed to be least concerned about the narrator’s
financial constraints as she chose the most expensive dishes at Foyot’s. She was immune to the
narrator’s discomfort as he examined the prices on the menu and did nor even realize why he had
just mutton chop. On the contrary, she advised him to follow her example and not eat too much
meat. She claimed that she never had more than one thing for lunch but she had salmon, caviar,
asparagus, a succulent peach and ice-cream. She had champagne to drink. She completely
drained the money that the narrator had and he just had enough for an adequate tip which she
viewed in poor light. The lady was perhaps waiting to take full advantage of the narrator’s gentle
nature the second time as she greeted him after twenty years at the play. She remembered the
luncheon and so did the narrator, but both did so for different reasons.

3.What was the author’s condition after the luncheon?

A. The meal burnt a deep hole in the pocket of the narrator as he wasn’t left with a single penny
to pay the rent after spending the huge amount for the food at the restaurant.
4. How does the author bring about a twist in the story? How has the author combined
humour in the story?
A. The author brings about a twist in the story by introducing the overweight female friend at
the end. He exposes the false motives of such people who pretend to be abstemious(a person who
eats and drinks in moderation)
The dialogues of the lady and its contradiction to her actions adds a touch of humour in the
story.
5. Read these extracts and answer the questions that follow:
i) ‘Do you remember the first time I saw you?’
a. Who said this and to whom?
Ans- The woman said this to the narrator.
b. What happened when the listener heard this?
Ans- When the listener heard this, he remembered instantly what had happened when he had
taken her to luncheon.
c. Did he have fond memories of that meeting?
Ans- The listener did not have fond memories of the meeting because he had spent all that he had
on the luncheon he had asked her to.
ii) ‘…but if you insist I don’t mind...’
a. Who said this?
Ans- The woman who went on a luncheon with the author said this.
b. Did the listener really insist?
Ans- The listener did not insist whole-heartedly . He had no other alternative than to ask the
waiter if he had any of those giant asparagus as the lady had said that she would be sorry to
leave Paris without having some of those asparagus.
c. How do you think the listener felt?
Ans- The listener-the author had many a times restrained himself from having the delicious
asparagus in order to save money.He must have felt quite dismayed as he knew the asparagus
was horribly expensive and he hardly had any money.

Food ordered by the lady at Foyot’s:

Salmon
Caviar Champagne

Asparagus
Ice-cream and coffee Peaches

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