Philip is attracted to women he finds ... unattractive or ugly. Love arises when he doesn't actually like person in question, or is treated badly. He dumps one ugly but nice woman when the woman he really loves comes back to him, pregnant with another man's baby. She doesn't love him, but needs his help. He is ecstatic. He first falls in love with him because she is rude to him and he wants to get back at her, even though her skin has a weird greenish twinge and she is anemic.
Maugham can't really write the novel as a gay novel at this period of time. The character is not the author, but clearly the emotion of love for someone who is not returning it, and in fact is not even likable, has to be an authentic emotion. Love arises not in spite of the lack of reciprocity and attractiveness but because of these factors.
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