The author, Somerset Maugham, opens by explaining that he calls this story a novel only because he doesn’t know what else to call it. It ends with neither a death nor a marriage, so it hardly seems like a story at all. He frames it as a personal account of people he knew and interacted with. Maugham informs the reader he is about to tell the story of a young man—Larry Darrell—whom he encountered at intervals over the course of many years. He chooses to tell the story of this particular young man not because Larry is famous—in fact, Larry will likely leave no impression on the world when he is gone from it—but because Maugham is impressed with Larry’s character. There’s something about him, both strong and sweet, that may yet spread a subtle influence like the ripples of a stone dropped in still water.

The first character Maugham introduces is Elliott Templeton. Elliott is a wealthy American living primarily in Paris where he cultivates the company of the wealthy, the titled, and the influential in European society. He is invariably agreeable and entertaining to everyone in the upper social set, and if a wealthy or noble family should be in financial straits, Elliott can be trusted to discreetly buy and resell some of their valuables so that no one need ever hear of it.