1.
How was Ausable not
fitting as a secret agent? How was Fowler disappointed with Ausable’s physic
and character as a secret agent?
Ans. Ausable was not fitting as a secret
agent. This is because he lived in a room of a French hotel which had a musty
corridor. The room was quite small and was situated on the sixth and the top
floor.
Ausable was a very fat person and his
accent was quite different. He spoke French as well as German. Moreover, he had
never altogether lost the American accent that he had brought to Paris from
Boston twenty years ago. All of these made Fowler disappointed with Ausable’s
physic and character as a secret agent.
2.
How was the evening a
dull one? How did Fowler imagine it to be like?
Ans. Ausable considered that evening a
dull one. It was dull as Fowler, who was a writer, spent his time with a sloppy
fat man, who instead of having messages slipped into his hand by dark-beauties.
Fowler imagined that Ausable would be
like the other spy agents. The hotel room was small and was situated on the top
floor which he didn’t like. He wanted some romantic adventure.
3.
How was the evening
in the French Music Hall?
Ans. The evening in the French Music
Hall was a dull one with a sloppy fat man. The hotel room was small and was
situated on the top floor which he didn’t like. Fowler expected some romantic
adventure
4.
What Shock did both
Ausable and Fowler have on opening the room?
Ans. On opening the room and turning the
lights on, Ausable and Fowler were shocked and it was the first authentic
thrill experience of Fowler on that day. They were shocked by seeing a man
standing and holding a small automatic pistol in his hand.
5.
Who was there inside
the room? Why did the man come? Is he friendly? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans. There was Max inside the room.
Max came for the report that was being
brought to Ausable that concerned about missiles. He considered that the report
would be safer in his hands so he was supposed to take it from Ausable.
6.
How did Max look
like? What does the narrator say about his being menacing?
Ans. Max was slender and a little less
tall. He had crafty features with the pointed countenance.
The narrator said that there was nothing
menacing about him expect the gun on his hand.
7.
What did Max say
about the report? What does he plan here with the report?
Ans. Max said that the report which was
being brought to Ausable that was related to some missiles was to be kept in
his hands for it would remain safe in his hands as compared to that of
Ausable’s.
He planned that he would be taking away
the report from Ausable.
8.
Why will Ausable have
a quarrel with the management?
Ans. Ausable will be having a quarrel
with the management. This is because that was the second time that somebody had
got into his room through the balcony.
9.
How did Fowler react
to the balcony story?
Ans. Fowler thought his words to be real
and believed in him. His eyes went to the single window of the room which was
an ordinary one.
10. What
else did Ausable have a quarrel with the management?
Ans. Ausable told
that the balcony wasn’t his. It belonged to the next apartment. The room in
which he was staying was a part of a large unit and the next room had been used
as a living room. It had the balcony which extended under his room’s window.
Moreover, that was the second time, someone entered his room through the
balcony.
11.
Why do you think Ausable confused Max with puzzling detail of the balcony?
Ans. Ausable told
that the balcony wasn’t his. It belonged to the next apartment. The room in
which he was staying was a part of a large unit and the next room had been used
as a living room. It had the balcony which extended under his room’s window.
12.
What logic did Ausable give for the police to be at the door? Why did Ausable
refer 31 minutes?
Ans. The logic that
Ausable gave for the police was that the police had arrived. He told that if
he would not answer back them, they would enter inside anyway. The door was unlocked and they would not
hesitate to shoot.
Ausable referred 31
minutes because as the appointment was fixed at twelve-thirty.
13.
How did Ausable entice Max to use the window?
Ans. Ausable told
that the police had arrived and if he will shoot him without any hesitation.
The window was the only way for him to escape from there. Max was quite afraid
and his face became black with anger. By this way, Ausable enticed Max to use
the window.
14.
How did Max have a deadly fall from the window?
Ans. Max had no
option when Ausable told that the police was there outside. Ausable had told
him about the balcony while he entered his room. Max had no other way other
than that. He grasped the frame with his hand to support himself.
15.
Who was in reality at the door? Why do you think Ausable told a lie about it?
Ans. In reality, there
was the waiter named Henry at the door. Henry stood there with a tray, a bottle
and two glasses. Moreover, Ausable was expecting him to arrive at that point of
time.
Ausable intentionally
told a lie to Max so as to get rid of him. He was holding a small automatic
pistol and arrived there in order to take the report.
16.
How did the story end in an interesting manner?
Ans. Ausable had lied
to Max about the balcony and not only that also provided the wrong information
about the police. Max, on the other hand, believed in him and went out through
the window. But later it was found that instead of the police, the waiter had
arrived with the tray and glasses. When Fowler asked him about the return of
Max, he replied that there was no balcony at all. By this way, the story ended
in an interesting manner.
Extra
Question (8 marks)
1.
How does the story
break the common myth of a secret agent?
Ans. The story “The Midnight Visitor” by
Robert Arthur breaks the common myth of a secret agent. The secret agents are
believed to be the ideal men. They are often seen smoking. Ausable was quite
different in these aspects. This is because he lived in a room of a French
hotel which had a musty corridor. The room was quite small and was situated on
the sixth and the top floor. He was a very fat person and his accent was quite
different. He spoke French as well as German. Moreover, he had never altogether
lost the American accent that he had brought to Paris from Boston twenty years
ago. All of these made Fowler disappointed with Ausable’s physic and character
as a secret agent.
2.
In what ways was
Fowler upset with Ausable and how would that be at the end?
Ans. In the story “The Midnight Visitor”
by Robert Arthur, Ausable was not that kind of secret agent that Fowler had
imagined. Ausable lived in a room of a French hotel which had a musty corridor.
The room in which he lived was small and was situated on the sixth and the top
floor. He had expected for a romantic adventure. Ausable was a very fat person
and his accent was quite different. He spoke French as well as German.
Moreover, he had never altogether lost the American accent that he had brought
to Paris from Boston twenty years ago. All of these made Fowler disappointed
with Ausable’s physic and character as a secret agent. He didn’t look a bit of
a detective.
But at the end, he was amazed by the
learning about the plan of Ausable which he made at that moment. Ausable had
lied to Max about the balcony and not only that also provided the wrong
information about the police. Max, on the other hand, believed in him and went
out through the window. But later it was found that instead of the police, the
waiter had arrived with the tray and glasses. When Fowler asked him about the
return of Max, he replied that there was no balcony at all. By this way, the
story ended in an interesting manner.
3.
How did Fowler use
diversion and pressure of mind to get rid of Max, the enemy?
Ans. In the story “The Midnight Visitor”
by Robert Arthur, Fowler used diversion and pressure method to get rid of Max,
the enemy in a very different way.
Ausable provided a neat and detailed description of the balcony. He
told that it wasn’t his balcony rather it belonged to the next apartment. The
balcony extends under his window. All these details forced Max to believe in
him. Moreover, he added that it was the second time in a month that somebody
had got into his room through the balcony. This was not pre-planned. He made
Max believe that there was a balcony and he tried to escape through it. But in
reality, there was no police, the waiter came to serve the drinks and there was
no balcony as well. So, Max must have fallen down and had died at the moment.
4.
“Calm head and proper
use of the circumstances lead you to success.”- How does the story reflect the
statement made here?
Ans. The story “The
Midnight Visitor” by Robert Arthur shows that Calm head and proper use of the
circumstances leads to success. When Max arrived with the gun and warned him
about the reports, Ausable dug out a great plan. He kept calm and went on
planning at that moment. Ausable gave a neat and detailed description of the
balcony. He told that the balcony wasn’t his. It belonged to the next
apartment. The room in which he was staying was a part of a large unit and the
next room had been used as a living room. It had the balcony which extended under
his room’s window. Moreover, it was the second time someone entered his room
through the balcony. He warned Max about the police and forced him to leave
through the window. But in reality, there was no police, rather it was the
waiter that arrived over there and there was no balcony as well. He dealt with
Max in a very clever manner.