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The Midnight Visitor NCERT Solutions
Read and Find out (Page 14)
Q1. How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
Ans. Ausable was a secret agent with a difference. Generally, secret agents are believed to be like James Bond. They are smart, they are trigger-happy and crack-shots. They are surrounded by ‘dark-eyed beauties’. However, Ausable was a very fat and sloppy man. In gestures and appearance, he didn’t fit any description of a secret agent.
Q2. Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?
Ans. Fowler is a young and romantic writer. He wants to write a book on detectives. He comes to meet Ausable. Fowler gets disappointed when he meets Ausable. He doesn’t in any form look like a secret agent. But soon, Fowler gets his first authentic thrill of the day. When he sees a young man standing halfway across the room holding a small automatic pistol in his hand, the real thrill starts.
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Read and Find out (Page 15)
Q1. How has Max got in?
Ans. Max entered Ausable’s room by using a passkey. He entered the room in his absence. When Ausable switched on the light, he found Max standing halfway in the room holding a pistol in his hand.
Q2. How does Ausable say he got in?
Ans. Actually, Ausable gets in his room as he has been normally getting in every day—through the door. However, just to confuse Max, he says that it is the second time in a month that someone has got into his room through that nuisance of the balcony.
Think About It (Page 18)
Q1. “Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read.” What do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion? Discuss in groups or in class some stories or movies featuring spies, detectives and secret agents, and compare their appearance with that of Ausable in this story. (You may mention characters from fiction in languages other than English. In English fiction, you may have come across Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Miss Marple. Have you watched any movies featuring James Bond?)
Ans. Definitely, Ausable didn’t fit any description of a secret agent. Fowler, the young and romantic writer was rather disappointed to see such fat and sloppy man as a secret agent.
In books and films, the secret agents are exceptionally smart. They are well dressed. They move about in long and costly cars. They usually have a hat on their heads, wear black goggles. They wear long coats and gloves in their hands. They are always surrounded by ‘dark-eyed’ beauties. They shoot more often than they talk. Fowler is disappointed because he finds no such quality of a secret agent in Ausable. In English fiction, we come across such smart and sharp characters like Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple.
Yes, I have watched movies featuring James Bond. Films like ‘Dr. No’, ‘Goldfish’, 007 with Love’ which present secret agents with exceptionally sharp features and minds.
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Q2. How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room? Look back at his detailed description of it. What makes it a convincing story?
Ans. Ausable might not be physically smart but he possessed an exceptionally sharp brain. He was a wonderful secret agent. He found Max standing halfway across the room holding a small automatic pistol in his hand. It was a challenge to outsmart Max. Ausable at once cooked up a story. He told that his balcony had become a big nuisance. It was the second time someone had entered his room through the balcony. It was not his balcony but belonged to the next apartment.
Ausable wanted to trap Max in. He wanted Max to go near the window in panic and jump out of it. He presented the cooked up story in such a simple, natural and convincing manner that Max couldn’t help but believe it. The moment Max jumped out of the window, Ausable got rid of his crafty enemy.
Q3. Looking back at the story, when do you think Ausable thought up his plan for getting rid of Max? Do you think he had worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning? Or did he make up a plan taking advantage of events as they happened?
Ans. When Ausable switched on the light, he found a young man holding a small automatic pistol in his hand. He was Max, a crafty rival who had the countenance of a fox. The moment Ausable saw his rival, he thought of getting rid of him. There was no pre-planning. He made up a plan taking advantage of events as they happened. He cooked up a story regarding the balcony outside the window. It was a very smart plan of confusing Max and forcing him to jump out of the window. The false report of the police knocking at the door made Max panic and he quickly jumped out of it. He gave Max no time to think and got rid of him just according to his instantly made up plan.
Talk About it (Page 18)
Q1. In this story, Ausable shows great ‘presence of mind,’ or the ability to think quickly and act calmly and wisely, in a situation of danger and surprise. Give examples from your own experience, or narrate a story, which shows someone’s presence of mind.
Ans. No doubt, Ausable was an absolute master of any situation and knew how to exploit it to his advantage. He had a great presence of mind and the ability to think quickly. Even in a situation of danger and surprise, he acted wisely and calmly. I, too remember an incident where the presence of mind saved a life in a very dangerous situation. One day, we were playing in the courtyard. We were four friends. We were having a jolly time. Suddenly, Anil cried, “Oh! Oh!” His hand touched an exposed electric wire. He was crying and another friend rushed to save him. My presence of mind worked. I knew that both of them would be in trouble. So, I took a log of wood and hit on Anil’s hand. The electric wire and Anil’s hand were disconnected. No doubt, Anil got a little injury but his life was saved. I also saved another life being endangered.
Q2. Discuss what you would do in the situations described below. Remember that presence of mind comes out of a state of mental preparedness. If you have thought about possible problems or dangers, and about how to act in such situations, you have a better chance of dealing with such situations if they do arise.
- A small fire starts in your kitchen.
Ans. In case of fire in the kitchen, don’t panic. If you don’t show your presence of mind, it can lead to disastrous consequences. The most inflammable thing in the kitchen is the gas cylinder. First of all, close the regulator and open the windows. Moving it to a safer place may prevent it from bursting or blasting. Similarly, we should cut off the main line of electricity.
- A child starts to choke on a piece of food.
Ans. In such a situation, instead of creating a panic, use your mind immediately. If a child starts to choke on a piece of food, we must pat him slowly but repeatedly on his back. Immediately give him water to drink. Warm water may be more beneficial. Rubbing his back would certainly comfort the child.
- An electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks.
Ans. If an electrical appliance starts to hiss and give out sparks, it can be quite dangerous. Immediately, cut off the main switch. Throwing water in case of fire can prove to be dangerous.
- A bicycle knocks down a pedestrian.
Ans. If a bicycle knocks down a pedestrian, first of all, we should take the man to a safe place. Otherwise, he can be knocked down again. If he is hurt, take him to the nearest hospital for treatment. If we inform the members of his family, then, they will themselves take charge of the situation.
- It rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours.
Ans. If it rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours, we should take care of the following things. (i) All drains and outlets must be cleared. (ii) All doors and windows must be closed so that rainwater may not come in. (iii) If there is water logging near the house, arrangements for pumping the water must be made with the help of the concerned authorities.
- A member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time.
 Ans. If a member of our family does not return home at the usual or expected time, we tend to get restless and panicky. We must at once contact all his friends, colleagues and relatives, to find out where he can be at that time. If no response is there, then the local police should be informed.
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