Review
This is a story of corruption and victimization not really in The Servant class and situated in Tangier, apparently the free port of bought love of all kinds. Arnold Turner, a teacher at a boys' school in England, comes there on a holiday where he's readily spotted for what he is by a middle-aged homosexual, Ewing, who gives Turner the run of his villa and purveys the pleasures of Riffi, a "ferine" little Arab boy of fourteen. Arnold is soon hooked by Riffi to such an extent that he is willing to accept Ewing's proposal and he agrees to return to England and secure for him a young boy whom Ewing can then shape to his likes and needs. Mr. Maugham is a sufficiently accomplished storyteller to keep this midway between a goad and a vise but his tatty little story can scarcely profess to redeem the love that dared not speak its name. (Kirkus Reviews)
