A Question of Trust : SEBA / SMEBA / NCERT CLASS 10 ENGLISH SOLUTIONS (FOOTPRINT WITHOUT FEET)

SEBA / SMEBA / NCERT CLASS 10 ENGLISH SOLUTIONS (FOOTPRINT WITHOUT FEET)

CHAPTER  : A QUESTION OF TRUST

 

A Question of Trust

 

Question and Answers

 ASSAM CLASS 10 (SEBA / NCERT / CBSE) English

দশম শ্রেণী ইংরাজী

পাঠ : A QUESTION OF TRUST (বিশ্বাসের একটি প্রশ্ন)

লেখক - Victor Canning

 

A QUESTION OF TRUST (বিশ্বাসের একটি প্রশ্ন)

 

পূর্বকথা:

ইহা কথিত আছে যে একজন চোরকে ধরিতে হইলে অন্য একজন চোরকে নিয়োগ করিতে হয়। কিন্তু ইহাও বলা হয় যে চোরদের মধ্যে মর্যাদা আছে। কোন কথাটি এই গল্পটি চরিতার্থ করিয়াছে?

 

Word Meanings (শব্দার্থ)

Hay fever - গ্রীষ্মকালে হয় এমন জ্বর; Rare - দুর্লভ; Experience - মূল্যবান; Secretly – গোপনভাবে; Autumn – শরৎকাল; Finger prints - আঙ্গুলের ছাপ; stirred – উত্তেজিত হইল; Tickle - সুড়সুড়ি; Sneeze - হাঁচি; Burgler alarm - চোরের আগমন জানানোর ঘণ্টা; Poorly – দুর্বলভাবে; Safe - মূল্যবান বস্তু রাখার সিন্দুক; Nodded - মাথা নাড়িল; Hesitated - ইতস্ততঃ করিল; Persuaded - বিশ্বাস করাইয়াছিল; Desperate - বেপরোয়া; Take off -খুলিয়া ফেলিল; Glove - দস্তানা; mended – সারানো; Grey haired – রূপালী চুল; Sharp-tounged – রূঢ়, তীক্ষ্ণ মুখের; Profession - পেশা বা বৃত্তি।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 1):

সকলে হোরেস ডানবিকে একজন ভাল, সৎ নাগরিক বিবেচনা করিত। সে প্রায় পঞ্চাশ বৎসর বয়সের এবং অবিবাহিত এবং একজন চৌকিদারের সঙ্গে বসবাস করিত যে তাহার স্বাস্থ্য নিয়া চিন্তিত। প্রকৃতপক্ষে গ্রীষ্মকালের জ্বর ছাড়া সে স্বাভাবিকভাবে সুস্থ এবং সুখী। সে তালা প্রস্তুত করিত এবং এই ব্যবসায়ে এত সফল হইয়াছিল যে তাহাকে দুইজন সহকারী নিয়োগ করিতে হইয়াছিল। হ্যা, হোরেস ডানবী একজন ভাল এবং সন্মানীয় ব্যক্তি ছিল কিন্তু সম্পূর্ণরূপে সৎ ছিল না।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 2):

পনের বৎসর পূর্বে সে জেলখানার গ্রন্থাগারে তাহার জীবনের প্রথম এবং শেষ শাস্তি ভোগ করিয়াছিল। হোরেস দুষ্প্রাপ্য ও মূল্যবান গ্রন্থ ভাল পাইত। সেইজন্য সে প্রতি বৎসর এক এক টাকা বা অলংকার রাখা সিন্ধুক চুরি করিত। প্রতি বৎসরে সে কাজগুলি করার জন্য সতর্কভাবে পরিকল্পনা করিত। সে যথেষ্ট পরিমাণে এবং একজন দালালের মাধ্যমে গোপনে তাহার ভাল লাগা বইগুলি ক্রয় করিত।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 3):

এখন, জুলাই মাসের উজ্জ্বল রৌদ্রে হাটার সময় তাহার দৃঢ় বিশ্বাস জন্মেছিল যে এইবারও সে ডাকাতি করার ক্ষেত্রে সফল হইবে! সে শ্বভার গ্রাঞ্জে অবস্থিত ঘরটির কোঠাগুলি, ইহার বৈদ্যুতিক সংযোগী তারসমূহ, ইহার রাস্তা-ঘাট এবং বাগান চাহিয়া চাহিয়া দুই সপ্তাহ ধরিয়া অধ্যয়ন করিয়াছিল। আজ বিকালবেলা চাকর দুইজন তাহাদের লণ্ডনে থাকার সময় গ্রাঞ্জে ছিলনা, সিনেমা দেখিতে গিয়াছিল। হোরেস তাহাদিগকে যাইতে দেখিয়াছিল এবং সে আনন্দ অনুভব করিয়াছিল যদি গ্রীষ্মকালের জ্বরের জন্য নাকে একটু একটু সুড়সুড়ি ছিল। বাগানের পশ্চাৎভাগের দেওয়াল হইতে বাহির হইয়া আসিয়াছিল, তাহার যন্ত্রপাতিগুলি একটি থলিতে সাবধানে ভরাইয়া পিঠে নিয়াছিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 4):

গ্ৰাজ্জের সিন্ধুকে প্রায়ে পনের হাজার পাউণ্ড মূল্যের অলংকারাদি ছিল, এইগুলি যদি একটি একটি করিয়া বিক্রয় করে সে কমপক্ষে পাঁচ হাজার পাউণ্ড পাইবে বলিয়া আশা করিল। এই টাকা তাহাকে এক বৎসর সুখী রাখিবে। আগামী শরৎকালে , তিনটি অতি মনোগ্রাহী গ্রন্থ বিক্রীর জন্য প্রকাশ পাইবে। এখন যেহেতু টাকা হাতে আসিবে, সেইগুলি সে কিনিতে পারিবে।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 5):

বাড়ির তত্ত্বাবধায়ক রান্নাঘরে বাহিরের দিকে দরজার আংটায় চাবিটি ঝুলাইয়া রাখিয়াছিল, তাহা সে দেখিতে পাইল। সে এক জোড়া দস্তানা পরিদান করিয়াছিল, চাবিটি মিলিল এবং দরজাটি খুলিল। সে সর্বদা সতর্ক ছিল যাহাতে তাহার আঙুলের ছাপ কোথাও না পরে।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 6):

রান্নাঘরে একটি ছোট কুকুর শুইয়া ছিল। ইহা উত্তেজিত হইয়াছিল, চিৎকার করিতেছিল এবং বন্ধুত্বমূলকভাবে লেজ নাড়াইতেছিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 7):

সেই স্থান হইতে প্রস্থান করার সময় বলিল, “সব কিছু ঠিক আছে, শ্বেরী।” কুকুরকে শান্ত করার জন্য আপনাকে শুধু তাহার সঠিক নামে ডাকিতে হইবে এবং স্নেহ করিতে হইবে।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 8):

সন্ধুকটি বৈঠকখানায় একটি বিবর্ণ চিত্রের পিছনে ছিল। ক্ষণিকের জন্য তারেস আশ্চর্য হইয়া চিন্তা করিয়াছিল যে, তাহার গ্রন্থ সংগ্রহ করা ছাড়িয়া চিত্র সংগ্রহ করা উচিত। কিন্তু সেইগুলি কোঠায় প্রচুর জায়গা দখল করে। ছোট একটি কোঠায় গ্রন্থই বেশী ভাল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 9):

টেবিলের ওপর একটি বড় ফুলের পাত্র ছিল এবং হোরেস তাহার নাকে সুড়সুড়ি অনুভব করিতেছিল। সে ধীরে ধীরে হাঁচি মারিতেছিল এবং তারপর তাহার থলিটি নামাইয়া রাখিল। সে সাবধানে তাহার যন্ত্রগুলি সাজাইয়া রাখিল। চাকরদের ফিরিয়া আশা পর্যন্ত তাহার হাতে চার ঘণ্টা সময় ছিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 10):

সন্ধুকটি খোলা সহজ কাজ ছিল না। মোটের উপর বলিতে গেলে সারা জীবন ধরিয়া তালা এবং সিন্ধুকের সঙ্গে কাজ করিয়া কাটাইয়াছিল। চোর ধরার ঘণ্টাটি অতি সাধারণভাবে নির্মিত ছিল। সে হলঘরে ঢুকিয়া গেল ঘণ্টাটির তার কাটার জন্য। সে ঘুরিয়া আসিল এবং ফুলের গন্ধ পুনরায় তাহার নাকে লাগায় সে জোরে হাঁচি মারিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 11):

হোরেস ভাবিয়াছিল, “মানুষগুলি কত মূখ হইয়া যায় যখন মূল্যবান বস্তু তাহাদের কাছে রাখিয়া যায়। একটি ম্যাগাজিনে প্রকাশিত প্রতিটি কোঠা এবং প্রতিটি ছবির সঙ্গে ঘরটির বিষয়ে বিশদ বিবরণ লিখা হইয়াছিল। লিখক ইহাও উল্লেখ করিয়াছিলেন যে ছবিটি সিন্ধুকটিকে গোপন করিয়া রাখিয়াছিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 12):

কিন্তু হোরেস দেখিল যে ফুলগুলি তাহাকে তাহার কার্য সমাধা করিতে প্রতিবন্ধকতার সৃষ্টি করিয়াছিল। রুমাল দিয়া সে মুখ ঢাকিয়া নিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 13):

তারপর প্রবেশ করে একটি লোকের কণ্ঠস্বর শুনিতে পাইল, “ইহা কি? সর্দিজ্বর না সর্দিতে মাথা কামড়ানোর জ্বর?”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 14):

হোরেস কিছু ভাবিয়া নেওয়ার পূর্বেই তাহার মুখ হইতে বাহির হইল, “ইহা সর্দি লাগা মাথা ধরার জ্বর।” এবং পুনরায় হাঁচি বাহির হইতে দেখা গেল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 15):

কণ্ঠস্বর চলিতেছিল, “আপনি জানেন, বিশেষ চিকিৎসা করিয়া এই রোগ হইতে আপনি আরোগ্য লাভ করিতে পারেন যদি আপনি শুধু খুজিয়া পান কোন গাছটি আপনার জ্বরের কারণ হইয়াছে। আমি মনে করি চিকিৎসককে দেখানোটা বেশী ভাল হইবে, আপনি যদি আপনার কাজে গুরুত্ব প্রদান করেন। আমি ঘরের একেবারে উপর হইতে আপনার হাঁচি মারার শব্দ শুনিতে ছিলাম।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 16):

ইহা ছিল শান্ত, প্রিয় এবং দৃঢ়তার সঙ্গে বলা কণ্ঠস্বর। একজন মহিলা প্রবেশদ্বারে দাড়াইয়াছিল এবং শেরী তাহার শরীর ঘষিতেছিল। সে এক যুবতী ছিল, খুব সুন্দরী এবং লাল কাপর পরিয়াছিল। সে চুল্লীর দিকে হাঁটিয়া যাইতেছিল এবং সেখানে থাকা অলংকারগুলি সংকোচিত করিতেছিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 17):

সে বলিল, “শান্ত হও শ্বেরী। যে কোন লোক ভাবিয়াছিল যে আমি এক মাসের জন্য ঘর হইতে বাহিরে ছিলাম। সে হোরেশের দিকে চাহিয়া হাসিতেছিল এবং বলিল—“ যাহা হউক, আমি যথাসময়ে ফিরিয়া আসিয়াছি যদিও আমি একজন চোরের দেখা পাইব বলিয়া আশা করি নাই।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 18):

হোরেসের আশা জাগিয়া উঠিল কারণ তাহার সঙ্গে হওয়া সাক্ষাত তাহাকে আনন্দিত হইতে দেখা গিয়াছিল। যদি বা যথাযথভাবে আচরণ করিতে পারে তাহা হইলে সে বিপদ এড়াইয়া চলিতে পারিবে। সে উত্তরে বলিয়াছিল, “আমি এই পরিবারের একজন সদস্যের সাক্ষাৎ আশা করি নাই।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 19):

সে মাথা নাড়িল, “আমি বুঝিতে পারিয়াছি আপনি আমাকে দেখার পর কি অসুবিধায় পরিয়াছেন। এখন আপনি কি করিবেন?”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 20):

হোরেস বলিল, “আমি প্রথমে ভাবিয়াছিলাম এখান হইতে পালাইয়া যাই।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 21):

সে বলিল, “নিশ্চয়, আপনি তাহা করিতে পারিলে কিন্তু আমি পুলিশকে টেলিফোনে ডাকিব এবং তাহাদের আপনার বিষয়ে জানাইব। সঙ্গে সঙ্গে তাহারা আপনাকে আটক করিবে।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 22):

হোরেস বিলল, “নিশ্চয়ই আমি টেলিফোনের তারগুলি কাটিয়া দিব এবং ইহার পরে”– সে বলিতে ইতস্ততঃ করিতেছিল। তাহার মুখে হাসি দেখা গেল। “আমি নিশ্চিত যে কিছু সময়ের জন্য আপনি আমার কিছুই করিতে পারিবেন না। (কাজ শেষ করার জন্য) কয়েক ঘণ্টাই যথেষ্ট।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 23):

তাহার দিকে যে গম্ভীরভাবে চাহিয়াছিল এবং বলিল, “আপনি আমাকে আঘাত করিবেন?”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 24):

হোরেস থামিল এবং তারপর বলিল, “আমি মনে করি আমি যখন সেই কথাটি আপনাকে বসিয়াছিলাম তখন আপনাকে ভয় দেখানোর চেষ্টা করিয়াছিলাম।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 25):

সে বলিল, “আপনি আমাকে ভয় দেখান নাই।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 26):

হোরেস প্রস্তাব দিয়াছিল, “ইহা ভাল হইবে যে আপনি ভুলিয়া যান যে। আমার সঙ্গে আপনার কখনও দেখা হইয়াছিল। আমাকে যাইতে দিবেন।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 27):

 “আপনাকে যাইতে দিব কেন? আপনি আমাকে লুণ্ঠন করিতেছিলাম। আমি, যদি আপনাকে যাইতে দেই আপনি অন্যান্য লোকদের ঘরে চুরি করিবেন। আপনার মত লোকদের হইতে সমাজকে রক্ষা করিতেই হইবে।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 28):

হোরেস হাসিল, “এইরূপ মানুষ আমি না যে সমাজকে ভয় প্রদান করে। আমি চুরি করি শুধু সেই লোকগুলি হইতে যাহাদের প্রচুর পরিমাণে টাকা-পয়সা আছে। আমি খুব ভাল কারণে চুরি করি এবং জেলের কথা চিন্তা করিতে আমি ঘৃণা করি।।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 29):

সে উচ্চস্বরে হাসিল, সে অনুনয়-বিনয় করিল এবং ভাবিল যে তাহাকে বুঝাইতে সক্ষম হইয়াছে। সে বলিল, “দেখুন আপনার নিকট হইতে কিছু চাওয়া আমার অধিকার নাই, কিন্তু আমি নিরূপায়, কিন্তু আমি আশাহত। আমাকে নাইতে দিবেন এবং আমি প্রতিজ্ঞা করিতেছি এই ধরণের কাজ আমি কখনও করিব। সত্য সত্যই বলিতেছি।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 30):

তাহাকে খুব ঘনিষ্ঠভাবে লক্ষ্য করিয়া সে চুপচাপ থাকি তারপর সে বলিল, “আপনি কারাগারে যাইতে সত্যিই ভয় পান, তাই না?”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 31):

সে মাথা নাড়িয়া নাড়িয়া তাহার কাছে আসিল এবং বলিল, “আমি সর্বদা অসৎ প্রকৃতির লোকদের ভাল পাইতাম।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 32):

টেবিল হইতে সে একটি রূপালী বাক তুলিয়া নিল এবং তাহা হইতে একটি সিগারেট উঠাইয়া নিল। তাহাকে সন্তুষ্ট করিতে আগ্রহী হইয়া সে তাহাকে সাহায্য করিতে পারে বলিয়া ভাবিয়া হোরেস দস্তানা জোড়া খুলিল এবং তাহাকে যে নিজের লাইটারটা দিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 33):

লাইটারটি জ্বালাইয়া তাহার দিকে আগাইয়া সে বলিল, “আপনি আমাকে যাইতে দিবেন।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 34):

সে বলিল, “হ্যা, যাইতে দিব। যদি শুধু আমার জন্য আপনি কিছু করেন।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 35):

সে বলিল, “আপনার বলা যে কোন কাজ।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 36):

সে বলিল, “লণ্ডনে যাওয়ার পূর্বে আমি আমার স্বামীকে প্রতিশ্রুতি দিয়াছিলাম আমার অলংকারগুলি বেঙ্কে রাখিয়া যাইব। কিন্তু আমি ঐগুলি সিন্ধুকে রাখিয়া দিয়াছিলাম। আজ রাত্রিতে একটি উৎসবে (পার্টিতে) আমি এইগুলি পরিতে চাই। সেইজন্য এইগুলি নিব বলিয়া আসিয়াছিলাম কিন্তু..........।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 37):

হোরেস হাসি মারিয়া বলিল, “আপনি সিন্ধুকটি খোলার নাম্বার ভুলিয়া গিয়াছিলেন, তাই না?”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 38):

যুবতী উত্তর দিল, “হঁ্যা।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 39):

সে বলিল, “ইহা শুধু আমার হাতে ছাড়িয়া দেন এবং এক ঘণ্টার মধ্যে অইগুলি পাইয়া যাইবেন। কিন্তু সিন্ধুকটি আমাকে ভাঙ্গিয়া ফেলিতে হইবে।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 40):

সে বলিল, “ঐ ব্যাপারে আপনি চিন্তা করিবেন না। আমার স্বামী একমাস ধরিয়া এখানে থাকিবেন না এবং সেই সময়ের মধ্যে আমি সিন্ধুকটি মেরামত করিয়া ফেলিব।”

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 41):

এবং এক ঘণ্টার মধ্যে হোরেস সিন্ধুকটি খুলিয়া ফেলিল, তাহাকে অলংকারগুলি দিল এবং আনন্দ চিত্তে বাহির হইয়া গেল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 42):

কৃপাময়ী যুবতীকে দেওয়া প্রতিশ্রুতি সে দুইদিন ধরিয়া পালন করিয়াছিল। যাহা হউক, তৃতীয় দিন সকাল বেলা তাহার আকাঙ্খিত গ্রন্থের কথা মনে পরিল এবং সে জানিয়াছিল যে অপর একটি সিন্ধুক খুঁজিয়া পাইতে হইবে। কিন্তু সে পরিকল্পনা আরম্ভ করার কোন সুযোগ পাইল না। দ্বিপ্রহরের পূর্বেই শ্বভার গ্রাঞ্জে হওয়া অলংকার চুরির দায়ে পুলিশ তাহাকে গ্রেপ্তার করিল।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 43):

যেহেতু সে দস্তানা ছাড়া সিন্ধুকটি খুলিয়াছিল, তাহার আঙ্গুলের ছাপ সম্পূর্ণ কোঠাটির মাঝে ছিল' এবং কেহই বিশ্বাস করে নাই যখন সে বলিল যে ঘরের মালিকের স্ত্রীর কথা অনুসারে সে তাহার জন্যই সিন্ধুকটি খুলিয়াছিল। সাদা চুলের, তীক্ষ্ম ভাষিণী স্ত্রী যাহার বয়স ষাট বৎসর ছিল, বলিয়াছিল যে গল্পটি ভিত্তিহীন অর্থহীন।

বাংলা অনুবাদ (পারা 44):

হোরেস এখন জেলের সহকারী গ্রন্থাগারিকু হিসাবে কাজ করিতেছে। সেই লাবণ্যময়ী, চতুরে যুবতীর কথা সে প্রায়ই ভাবে যে তাহার মত একই পেশায় ছিল এবং তাহাকে চালাকী করিয়া ঠকাইয়াছিল। কোন ব্যক্তির মুখে চোরের মধ্যে মর্যাদা কথাটি শুনিলে সে সত্যি সত্যিই ক্রুদ্ধ হইয়া উচিত।

CLASS 10 ENGLISH FOOTPRINT WITHOUT FEET

 CHAPTER : A QUESTION OF TRUST

 

 

 Short Summary: 

 

This story is about a thief who gets a taste of his own medicine. Horace Danby can be termed as a thief with a difference. He steals only once in a year. He is fond of books and spends most of his booty on buying books. He plans meticulously before attempting a burglary. During his burglary attempt at a big house, he gathers all the necessary information and enters the house for stealing from the safe. He is cheated by a lady thief, who claims herself to be the owner of the house. Finally, Horace ends up in prison only to repent at the way he was deceived by a person from his own profession.

 

Revision Notes Chapter 4 A Question of Trust

 

Chapter Sketch

Horace Danby collects rare books, and finances his hobby by breaking safes. This year, however, he is caught by a pretty young lady claiming to be the wife of the house owner. She tricks him into opening the safe and handing her the jewels. Horace is later arrested for the jewel robbery.

 

About the Characters

 

Horace Danby : He is a lock-opening expert who is caught for a jewellery robbery by trusting a woman who pretended to be a family member of the owner.

The Unknown : Woman She is a smart thief who uses Horace’s lock-opening skills to rob the jewellery from a safe.

 

OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER

Horace Danby: A Businessman and an Unusual Thief :

Horace Danby had a good reputation in society. He was about fifty years old and unmarried. He ran a business of making locks and had two helpers. But Horace was not totally honest. He loved rare and expensive books. Horace robbed a safe every year to finance his expensive hobby. He was now going for committing a robbery.

 

Horace Plans a Theft :

For two weeks Horace had studied the country house at Shotover Grange, whose owners normally lived in London. He wanted to burgle the jewellery lying in the safe in this house. Horace entered the house when the servants were away. He had an allergy to flowers called hay fever. He started sneezing. Then he heard a lady’s voice. She told him a cure for the sneeze.

 

Horace Meets a Young and Pretty Lady :

Then a young and pretty lady appeared in the doorway. She was young and pretty. His first thought was to run, as the lady told him that she would telephone the police. Horace told her to let him go and forget she ever saw him.

 

Lady’s Condition for Horace’s Freedom :

The lady put one condition for letting Horace go. She told him that she had promised her husband to take her jewels to the bank. She had, however, left the jewels in the safe, as she wanted to wear the jewels in a party that night. She came down to get them, but had forgotten the number combination to open the safe. So she needed his help to break open the safe. So Horace opened the safe for her and handed her the jewels to get his freedom.

 

Horace Got Arrested :

After two days a policeman arrested him for the jewel robbery at Shotover Grange. Horace’s fingerprints were found all over the room. He had opened the safe without using his gloves. He told the police that the lady of the house had told him to open the safe. But the actual lady was a sixty year-old woman. She said that Horace’s story was nonsense. Then Horace realised that the pretty young woman was also a jewel thief who had used his skill to steal the jewels.

Horace is now assistant librarian in prison. He often thinks of the charming and clever young lady. She was in the same profession as him. She had simply tricked him. So he gets angry when anyone talks about “honour among thieves”.

Chapter Highlights

 

1.      Horace Danby, who ran a business of making locks, had a good reputation in society. But he was not totally honest.

2.   His hobby was collecting rare and expensive books. Horace robbed one safe every year to finance his costly hobby.

3.   Horace had been studying the country house at Shotover Grange, whose owner normally lived in London, as he wanted to burgle the jewellery, worth about 15000 pounds, lying in the safe in this house.

4.   Horace entered the house when the servants were away. But Horace started sneezing because he had an allergy to flowers called hay fever.

5.     Suddenly he heard a young lady’s voice saying that she could cure him. He then saw her appear in the doorway.

6.    His first thought was to run, as the lady told him that she would telephone the police. Horace told her to let him go and forget she ever saw him.

7.    . The lady agreed on one condition – he should open the safe for her, as she had to wear the jewels in the safe for a party the same night, but she had forgotten the combination to open the safe.

8.    So Horace opened the safe for her and handed her the jewels to get his freedom.

9.   After two days Horace was arrested for the jewel robbery at Shotover Grange. Horace’s fingerprints were found, as he had opened the safe without using his gloves.

10.     When he told the police that the lady of the house had asked him to open the safe, he was surprised to learn that the actual lady was a 60-year old woman. Horace then realised that the young woman was also a jewel thief who had used his skill to steal the jewels.

11. Horace is now in prison. He understands now that the charming and clever young lady had simply tricked him.

 

WORD MEANINGS

 

The given page nos. correspond to the pages in the prescribed textbook.

Word	Meaning
PAGE 20
housekeeper	person looking after the domestic work in a house
hay fever	disease affecting the nose and throat caused by allergy to pollen or dust
respectable	regarded as good by people
served	spent
sentence	punishment
safe	strong locked box storing valuable items
Grange	big house in a rural area
tickle	itching
PAGE 21
make him happy	keep him satisfied
fingerprints	marks left by fingers
wondered	thought
room	space
burglar alarm	alarm to warn about thieves
hindering	delaying
PAGE 22
one with firmness in it	determined
ornaments	decorations
inconvenience	trouble
get you	arrest you
PAGE 23
hate the thought of	don’t like
des’perate	without any hope
wrong kind of people	criminals
mended	repaired
PAGE 24
look for	steal from/rob
sharp-tongued	using harsh, or critical language
charming	friendly and likeable
in the same profession	doing the same work
honour	respect for each other

 

Question & Answers A Question of Trust

 

Long Summary

Horace Danby : He was generally considered to be a good and respectable citizen. He was a fifty year old bachelor. He lived with a housekeeper. He was an expert lock maker. However, he was not completely honest. He had been to prison, fifteen years ago for stealing jewels. He had no desire to become honest. He was careful lest he should run into difficulties for his dishonesty.

Horace Danby hated prison. He was heartily fond of rare and expensive books. He used to commit one theft a year on the average. The stolen money lasted for the year. He chose the house at Shotover Grange to commit his next burglary. He studied the design of the house carefully for a fortnight. He found that the family had gone to London and the servants to the movies. He broke into the house one afternoon. He hoped to get fifteen thousand pounds worth of jewels from the safe. The jewellery would enable him to buy the books he wanted. He put on his gloves. He took the key from its usual place. He pacified the pet dog by addressing it with love. He reached the safe, placed in the drawing room behind a painting. He was suffering from hay fever. The smell of the flowers at the table made him sneeze.

Just then, a young beautiful woman in red clothes entered the house. She posed to be the mistress of the house. She suggested him that he should see a doctor if he was serious about his work. His sneezing had brought her down from the top of the house. She thanked her stars that she had returned in time not expecting to see a burglar in the house. To avoid trouble, Horace started conversing with her in a pleasant manner. He replied that he too had not expected to find her there. She got furious when he asked her to let him go. She threatened to get him arrested. The thought of going to prison made Horace shudder. He pledged that he would never repeat such kind of thing if he was let off.

The woman took a cigarette from a silver box. Horace took off his gloves and held his lighter towards her. She promised to let him go if he did something for her. Horace readily consented to the proposal. The woman said that she had come to take her jewels as she had to attend a party. She had forgotten the numbers to open the safe. She bade Horace to open it. She would get the safe repaired. Horace broke the safe open and gave her the jewels. Then he was allowed to go.

Horace’s fingerprints were found on the safe. He was arrested for the jewel robbery on the third day. The house lady was an aged woman of sixty. He realised that he was befooled by a lady who was also a thief.

 

Questions & Answers

 

Question 1: Did you begin to suspect, before the end of the story, that the lady was not the person Horace Danby took her to be? If so, at what point did you realise this, and how?

Answer: It is difficult to guess before the story ends. The incidence of the lady calming the dog gives some hint but it is not strong enough. Her statement of getting the safe repaired can make some reader to think but this can also be a case of fear of a strict husband.

 

Question 2: What are the subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the lady of the house? Why doesn’t Horace suspect that something is wrong?

Answer: Her confident walk, her act of touching up her make-up and the ease with which she picks cigarette from the right place are enough to deceive anybody. Horace was too frightened to think properly so he didn’t suspect anything.

 

Question 3: “Horace Danby was good and respectable — but not completely honest”. Why do you think this description is apt for Horace? Why can’t he be categorised as a typical thief?

Answer: Danby’s habits were not typical of a thief. He was fond of books. He used to steal only once in a year so he was never stealing more than his needs. Act of theft is still a crime no matter how good a thief behaves, so Danby can’t be termed as completely honest. He is not a regular offender like other thieves so he can’t be categorized as a typical thief.

 

Question 4: Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?

Answer: Horace Danby failed to get enough information about real occupants of the house. He seems to be too occupied with collecting information about house map, wiring and location of valuable things. Although he was smart enough to know the dog’s actual name but overlooked getting identity of each and every occupants of the house. Once he was in problem then probably his clever mind gave way to carelessness leading him to open the safe without wearing gloves.

 

Question 5: Do you think Horace Danby was unfairly punished, or that he deserved what he got?

Answer: He deserved what he got. A crime is a crime no matter if it is committed a hundred times or just once.

 

Question 6: Do intentions justify actions? Would you, like Horace Danby, do something wrong if you thought your ends justified the means? Do you think that there are situations in which it is excusable to act less than honestly?

Answer: “Ends do not justify means”, this is a very old and time tested saying. For own benefit nobody should harm others. But this world doesn’t function on idealism. There are many examples of people duping people for quick gains. These acts should be deplored and dealt with severely.

 

 

Extract Based Questions

(4 marks each)

 

Question 1. Fifteen years ago, Horace had served his first and only sentence in a prison library. He loved rare, expensive books. So he robbed a safe every year. Each year he planned carefully just what he would do, stole enough to last for twelve months, and secretly bought the books he loved through an agent.

(a) What does Horace like to collect ?

(b) Why does he steal every year ?

(c) Which word in the above extract means the same as ‘with a lot of alertness’ ?

(d) What is strange in the passage ? 

Answer:
(a) Horace like to collect rare and expensive books.

(b) He steals every year to enable himself to make his both ends meet and to purchase expensive books.

(c) ‘carefully’.

(d) Stealing of expensive books.

 

Question 2. Now, walking in the bright July sunshine, he felt sure that this year’s robbery was going to be as successful as all the others. For two weeks he had been studying the house at Shotover Grange, looking at its rooms, its electric wiring, its paths and its garden. This afternoon the two servants, who remained in the gange while the family was in London, had gone to the movies.

(a) What made Horace feel sure of his success ?

(b) Why had he been studying the house at Shotover Grange ?

(c) Which word in the above extract means the same as ‘observing carefully’ ?

(d) Where had the servants gone ? 

Answer:
(a) Horace felt sure of his success because he had planned his work carefully.

(b) He had been studying the house at Shotover Grange because it was his next target to be burgled.

(c) ‘studying’.   

(d) The servants had gone to the movie.

 

Question 3.  His fingerprints, for he had opened the safe without gloves, were all over the room, and no one believed him when he said the wife of the owner of the house had asked him to open the safe for her. The wife herself, a gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty, said that the story was nonsense.

(a) Though Horace Danby was a brilliant thief, he was befooled ? Who befooled her ?

(b) How was he befooled ?

(c) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘a place where all the valuable are kept in lock’ ?

(d) Does the ‘title’ of the story match ? 

Answer:
(a) The lady in the red befooled her.

(b) That lady pretended to be the owner of the house and made him open the safe without gloves, leaving his fingerprints.

(c) ‘safe’. 

(d) Yes, it does as Horace opened safe in trust.

Short Answer Type Questions

(30-40 words & 3 marks each)

 

Question 1. ‘Horace Danby was good and respectable but not completely honest.’ Is this an apt description of Horace? If yes, why ? 

Answer: Yes, Horace was good but not completely honest. He loved expensive books. So, he stole once a year. He was not aggressive by nature but only submissive as seen in the case of lady thief in red.

 

Question 2. Horace was no ordinary thief. How can you say this. 

OR
What was the passion of Horace Danby and how did he satisfy it ? 

Answer: Horace Danby was not an ordinary thief. He loved rare and expensive books. So he robbed a safe every year and through an agent secretly bought the books he loved.

 

Question 3. How did Danby prepare for the robbery at Shotover Grange ? 

Answer: Danby studied the complete situation of the house, i.e., electric wiring, paths and garden. He collected knowledge about family. He knew all the movements of the servants. He always kept his tools ready.

 

Question 4. Horace Danby was interested in the books, not in the painting. Why ? 

Answer: Horace Danby was fond of reading the rare type of books. For a moment, he thought to collect paintings from the small house but he could not, as the books were better in that small house.

 

Question 5. Horace sneezed. Why did he do it ? 

Answer: Horace did not sneeze deliberately, rather he suffered from an attack of hay fever. There was a big bowl of flowers kept in the drawing room that caused him to sneeze.

 

Question 6. What went wrong when Horace Danby robbed at Shotover Grange ? 

Answer: While Horace Danby was inside the house, the lady in red came and announced that she was the owner of the house. Her appearance was such that he was fooled. She asked him to open the safe for her. Horace left his finger prints all over there. Hence, he was arrested.

 

Question 7. Describe the lady in red. (A Questions of Trust). 

Answer: She was young and smart theif. She was very graceful and impressive. She spoke to Horace in an authoritative voice as if she was the mistress of the house. 

 

Question 8. Why was Horace arrested when he had not stolen anything ? 

Answer: Horace was arrested because his finger prints were all around the safe since he had opened the safe bare-handed. 

 

Long Answer Type Questions

(100-120 words & 8 marks each)

 

Question 1. What was the passion of Horace Danby and how did he satisfy it ?

Answer: Horace Danby was a good and respectable citizen. He normally remained hale and hearty except for the attacks of hay fever which he usually had in summers, But there was another aspect of his personality. He was not completely honest. If he had a passion for something, it was rare and expensive books. He loved them. To satisfy his passion, he used to rob a safe every year. Each year he planned the robber carefully and then would steal enough to last for twelve months. His passion led him to buy the books secretly through an agent and thus satisfy himself.

 

Question 2. Give the character sketch of Horace Danby.

Answer: Horace Danby was a fifty year old bachelor, who was considered to be a good and respectable citizen. However, he was not completely honest. He was very fond of rare and expensive books. He was a very good planner as he delves deep into the minute, details. Horace was never caught for stealing. He stole only rich people and never hurt anyone. He also never carried a weapon.

 

Question 3. Give the reasons which made Horace Danby commit a theft at Shotover Grange.

Answer: Horace chose Shotover Grange because it had a safe, consisted fifteen thousand pounds worth of jewels. He robbed a safe only once a year and stole an amount that would last for one year and nothing more. He also had the building plan of the house. Horace was in strong need of money to buy new books as he was great reader of rare books.

 

Question 4. Why was Horace Danby arrested although he failed to rob at Shotover Grange ?

Answer: When Horace was about to approach the safe, a lady in red came and announced that she was the owner of the house, her appearance was such that Horace was fooled. He became eager to please her. He had earlier taken off his gloves to hold the lighter to her cigarette and with his gloveless hands opened the safe. So his fingerprints were found on the safe and he was arrested two days later.

 

Question 5. Horace Danby gets annoyed when anyone talks about ‘Honour among thieves’. Comment.

Answer: Horace Danby was a good and respectable citizen but he was not completely honest. He had a strong passion for books. So he robbed once a year only from the rich to buy books. On one of such attempt, he was fooled by a lady thief who was very clever and mean. Horace realized this fact only when he was arrested for the robbery.

 

Question 6. “Horace had some hope because she seemed to ve amused at meeting him.” Why did Horace feel so ? Did he think the young lady was compassionate towards him ? Did he find her free f rom bias ? Discuss the values Horace should have imbided for a better understanding of the person in about 80-100 words.
Answer: Horace thought the young lady was compassionate towards him. He found her freedom town biasness Horace should have imbided a better understanding and he should have been aware.

 

Value Based Question

 

Question 1. Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why ? 

Answer: Horace Danby had collected all the information about the owner and servants and studied the house carefully. He always planned his work well and was always alert. When the lady in red came and announced that she was the owner of the house, her appearance was such that he was fooled. When she took a cigarette from a silver book, Horace took off his gloves and held his lighter towards her. When opening the safe to get her jewels, he forgot to put on the gloves and so, his fingerprints were found on the safe and he was arrested two days later. The owner of the house was an aged lady of sixty and he had been fooled by that young lady.

 

Extra Questions -A Question of Trust

Extract Based Questions [3 Marks each]

 

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1. So he robbed a safe every year. Each year he planned carefully just what he would do, stole enough to last for twelve months, and secretly bought the books he loved through an agent.

(a) Who is ‘he’ in the above extract? (b) Why did ‘he’ rob only one safe every year?

(c) Find the word from the extract that means the opposite of ‘openly’.

(d) What is the present tense of ‘stole’?

Answer:
(a) ‘He’ in the above extract is Horace Danby.

(b) He robbed only one safe every year because he robbed just enough to satisfy his hobby of buying and collecting rare and expensive books. Otherwise, he was just an honest lock-maker.

(c) The word is ‘secretly’.  (d) Its present tense is ‘steal’.

 

Question 2. A small dog was lying in the kitchen. It stirred, made a noise, and moved its tail in a friendly way. 

(a) What is the name of the dog mentioned in the above extract?

(b) In which house is the kitchen referred to located?

(c) Find a word from the passage that means the same as ‘cordial’.

(d) What is the opposite of ‘friendly’?

Answer:
(a) The name of the dog mentioned in the above extract is Sherry.

(b) The kitchen referred to is located in Shotover Grange.

(c) The word is ‘friendly’.  (d) Its opposite is ‘hostile’.

 

Question 3. The voice went on, “You can cure it with a special treatment, you know, if you find out just what plant gives you the disease. I think you’d better see a doctor, if you’re serious about your work.”

(a) Whose voice is referred to in the above extract?  

(b) What disease was the voice referring to?

(c) Find a word from the passage that means the same as ‘ailment’.

(d) What part Of speech is the word ‘it’ in the extract?

Answer:
(a) The voice referred to in the above extract is of the young lady who pretended to be a member of the household.

(b) The disease the voice was referring to was hay fever, with which Horace Danby was afflicted.

(c) The word is ‘disease’.           

(d) ‘It’ is a pronoun.

 

Question 4. She laughed, and he begged, thinking that he had persuaded her, “Look, I have no right to ask you for anything, but I’m desperate.”

(a) Who are ‘she1 and ‘he’ in the above extract?                  

(b) Why did ‘he’ say that he was desperate?

(c) Find a word in the passage that means the same as ‘convinced’.

(d) What is the opposite of ‘persuaded’?

Answer:
(a) ‘She’ is young lady who Horace met in the house and ‘he’ is Horace Danby.

(b) Horace was desperate because he had been caught stealing and did not want to go to prison.

(c) The word is ‘persuaded’.               

(d) Its opposite is ‘dissuaded’

 

Short Answer Type Questions

[2 Marks each]

 

Question 1. Whom did Horace Danby see in the kitchen? How did they greet each other? What tact did Horace apply there? 

Answer: Horace Danby saw the family dog, Sherry, in the kitchen. The dog greeted Horace by stirring, making a noise and wagging its tail in a friendly way. Horace greeted the dog by tactfully calming it down, calling it by its name and showing love to it.

 

Question 2. How did Danby prepare for the robbery at Shotover Grange? 

or
How did Horace Danby plan his robberies? 

Answer: Danby always planned his robberies meticulously. He prepared for the robbery at Shotover Grange by studying the house, the electric wiring, paths and garden. He knew that the family normally lived in the city and knew about the movement of the servants, who had gone out that afternoon. He had kept his tools ready, packed in a bag.

 

Question 3. What was the passion of Horace Danby and how did he satisfy it? 

Answer: The passion of Horace Danby was collecting rare and expensive books. To satisfy this passion, he needed money and arranged it by robbing one safe every year and then secretly buying the books through an agent.

 

Question 4. Describe the safe at Shotover Grange.

or
Where was the safe at Shotover Grange? What was there inside it? What did Horace expect to get if he sold them one by one? 

Answer: The safe at Shotover Grange was kept in the drawing room behind a poor painting and had jewels worth about 15000 pounds kept in it. It had a poorly built burglar alarm, but could be opened only through a specific code. Horace expected to get 5000 pounds if he sold the jewels one by one.

 

Question 5. How can you say that Horace Danby was good and respectable but not completely honest?

Answer: Horace Danby was good and respectable because he was an expert in his profession of making locks. However, as he loved collecting rare and expensive books, he robbed a safe every year to finance the purchase of these books through an agent. Thus he was not completely honest

 

Question 6. How did flowers hinder Horace in his work? 

Answer: Flowers hindered Horace in his work because he had hay fever, a disorder affecting the nose and throat, caused by allergy to pollen or dust. Due to this problem, whenever he came close to flowers, he began to sneeze’ and could be caught. He had to cover his face.

 

Question 7. Why was Horace Danby sure that his robbery at Shotover Grange woukhbe a successful one? 

Answer: Horace Danby was sure that his robbery at Shotover Grange would be a successful one because he had studied the house, the drawing room where the safe was kept, the wiring and its garden. He had also studied the movement of the servants, so he had planned well, thus ensuring that nothing could go wrong.

 

Question 8. Why does Horace Danby get angry when anyone talks about ‘honour among thieves’?

Answer: When anyone talks about ‘honour among thieves’, Horace Danby gets angry because the young lady who cheated him was also a thief, yet did not follow this saying.

 

Question 9. What are the subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the mistress of the house?

Answer: The subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the mistress of the house are her grace, charm, comfort level, knowledge, persistence, way of talking confidently and familiarity with the household. She even threatens to get him arrested, which convinces Horace Danby that she is genuine.

 

Question 10. What did Horace Danby wonder about for a moment? What did he think and decide? 

Answer: On seeing the poor painting in front of the safe, Horace Danby wondered for a moment whether to collect pictures instead of books. But then, he thought that books were better in a small house like his, as paintings took up too much room.

 

Question 11. What did Horace do every year and why?

Answer: As Horace was fond of rare, expensive books, he stole a safe every year, to have just enough money to last twelve months for buying such books to his heart’s content.

 

Question 12. Whom did Horace meet at Shotover Grange? How did the meeting affect his plans?

Answer: Horace met a young, pretty woman dressed in red at Shotover Grange. She pretended to be the owner’s wife and deceived him into breaking open the safe to remove the jewels for her. She threatened even to call the police. This meeting adversely affected his plans, as he was not able to get away with the jewels.

 

Long Answer (Value Based) Type Questions

[8 Marks each]

 

Question 1. What precautions did Danby take to avoid arrest? What blunder did he commit in his last venture?

Answer: To avoid arrest, Danby always studied all aspects of the safe he had targeted that year thoroughly, including the habits of the owners and servants, the layout of the house, any burglar alarms etc. He carried a set of select tools to break open safes and always wore gloves, so that he left behind no fingerprints.

In his last venture at Shotover Grange, he committed the blunder of not wearing gloves while cracking open the safe, probably because he was distracted by the young lady threatening to call the police, thus leading to his arrest soon afterwards.

 

Question 2. Why was Horace Danby arrested although he failed to profit from the robbery at Shotover Grange?

Answer: Horace Danby was arrested although he failed to profit from the robbery at Shotover Grange, because he broke open the safe to give the lady in red the jewels, thinking her to be the wife of the owner who had forgotten the number combination to open the safe. Actually he wanted to escape scot-free, as he had been caught red-handed by the lady and wanted to keep her happy. However, his fingerprints were all over the room, as he had forgotten to wear his gloves while opening the safe. Thus he was arrested soon afterwards.

 

Question 3. Horace was clever but the lady in red was cleverer. Do you agree with this statement? Justify your answer.

Answer: Yes, I agree with this statement. Horace was clever, as he planned the robbery carefully, studied the target, took the proper tools and also took his gloves, to ensure leaving no fingerprints. But the young lady in red had all the necessary information, and, posing as the mistress of the house, exploited Horace’s fear on being discovered, tricked him into cracking open the safe and handing her the jewels. She even ensured that Horace left his fingerprints at the site, as she distracted him by picking up a cigarette which Horace offered to light after removing his gloves. Thus the lady outwitted him.

 

Question 4. Would you do something wrong (i.e. commit a crime) if you thought that the ends justify the means? Do you think that there are certain situations you can be excused for acting dishonestly? 
Answer: Yes, intentions do justify actions. If something wrong is done unintentionally, it may be pardoned. However, it cannot be excused if it is carried out even when knowing it is wrong. As Horace had the intention to rob the safe by breaking it open, his crime is intentional. Although he had good intentions in helping the lady (who he thought was the mistress of the house), his crime cannot be excused. Breaking open the safe cannot be justified at all. There may be certain situations when you can be excused for acting dishonestly, but this is not so in Horace’s case.

 

Question 5. Horace was a successful thief because he carefully planned his robberies. Should we call him a successful thief and still appreciate his work? Why or why not? 

Answer: Yes, as a thief, Horace is successful because he carefully planned his robberies and completes them well. He was living his life as a good and honest citizen. However, the wealth he gathered due from his successful robberies did not belong to him. By stealing other people’s valuables, he may have become successful but he is actually a criminal. He may be efficient in – conducting his’-crimes so that he is successful, but we still cannot appreciate his work.

 

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