Our short story comes from a writer was was extremely popular in the 1930s. 'The Verger' is a story by Somerset Maugham, a British playwhight, novelist and short story writer, who here explores class tensions and changes in society.Albert Edward Foreman is a verger since sixteen years. He like his job and do it as good as he can. Recently the vicar has died and a new one had been appointed. Albert Edward regretted his predecessor because the new one always wanted to control everything. The vicar has a special talent, which is to make babies stop crying when he is holding them. He wants to talk to Foreman. He is surprised to see the two churchwardens with him. He seems for him, that the two men did what the vicar want, but don’t agreed with him. Before being a verger, Foreman was a servant in very good houses. The vicar told Foreman, that he has heard that he couldn’t read or write. Foreman confirms it. The vicar told him, that it is impossible to have a verger who cannot read and write. Foreman doesn’t want to learn, so he will have to go. He was polite until he was outside of the church, there he became sad. He doesn’t want to be servant again, because now he has been his own master. He wants a cigarette but cannot found a shop anywhere.
The next day he opens a little shop and set up a business as a tobacconist and newsagent. Albert Edward did very well. With the time he opens more shops and becomes richer. One day the banker told him, that he should invest all his money. The only thing he has to do is to sign the transfers, but because he can’t read that becomes a problem. The banker is very surprised to see that this successful man can’t read or write. He is wondering what he would now been, if he could read and write. Albert Edward answered that he would be a verger.
