1. Chapter Introduction
“The Midnight Visitor” by Robert Arthur is a thrilling detective story that proves that intelligence and presence of mind are more powerful than weapons. The story revolves around Ausable, a secret agent who doesn’t look like one, and how he outwits a dangerous intruder named Max without firing a single shot. It teaches us that one should not judge a book by its cover.
2. Characters Detail
- Ausable: A clever and practical secret agent. Unlike the typical image of a spy, he is very fat and speaks with an American accent. He has a great presence of mind and can cook up convincing stories on the spot.
- Fowler: A young and romantic writer who wanted to meet a secret agent to get inspiration for his stories. Initially, he is disappointed by Ausable’s ordinary appearance and boring surroundings.
- Max: A slender, tall, and dangerous intruder who is also a secret agent. He enters Ausable’s room with a pistol to steal a top-secret report about missiles. He is overconfident and easily fooled.
- Henry: The waiter at the French hotel who arrives at the end with the drinks Ausable had ordered.
3. Full Summary
Fowler’s Disappointment
Fowler, a young writer, meets Ausable, a secret agent. Fowler had imagined spies to be mysterious men who deal in “pistols, drugs in wine,” and beautiful women. Instead, he finds Ausable to be very fat, living in a small, gloomy room on the sixth floor of a cheap French hotel. Fowler feels bored and disappointed by the lack of thrill in Ausable’s company.
The Intruder Max
As they enter Ausable’s room and switch on the light, they are shocked to see a man standing in the middle of the room with a small automatic pistol. It was Max. Max had come to steal a very important report about new missiles that Ausable was supposed to receive that night. Max threatened to kill them if they didn’t cooperate.
Ausable’s Clever Story: The Balcony
Instead of panicking, Ausable remained calm. He acted annoyed and started complaining about a “balcony” outside his window. He claimed that this was the second time someone had entered his room through that balcony. He explained that the balcony actually belonged to the next apartment but extended under his window. Max believed this story completely, though there was no balcony at all.
The Sudden Knocking
Suddenly, there was a loud knocking at the door. Ausable smiled and told Max that it must be the police. He claimed that he had asked the police to check on him because the report he was expecting was very important. Max became extremely nervous and panicked. He didn’t want to get caught by the police.
The Fatal Leap
Driven by fear of the police, Max decided to hide on the “balcony” until the police left. He climbed out of the window and jumped down, expecting to land on the balcony. However, since there was no balcony, Max fell from the sixth floor to his death with a loud scream. When Ausable opened the door, it was not the police, but Henry, the waiter, with the bottle of wine and two glasses that Ausable had ordered earlier. Fowler was amazed at Ausable’s intelligence and realized how he had used a simple lie to eliminate a dangerous enemy.
4. Multiple Choice Questions (10 MCQs)
Q1. Who is the author of “The Midnight Visitor”?
(a) Ruskin Bond | (b) Robert Arthur | (c) H.G. Wells | (d) James Herriot
Answer: (b) Robert Arthur
Q2. What was Ausable’s profession?
(a) A writer | (b) A secret agent | (c) A waiter | (d) A police officer
Answer: (b) A secret agent
Q3. Why was Fowler disappointed in Ausable?
(a) Ausable was poor | (b) Ausable was very fat and ordinary | (c) Ausable was rude | (d) Ausable didn’t have a gun
Answer: (b) Ausable was very fat and ordinary
Q4. On which floor was Ausable’s room located?
(a) First floor | (b) Third floor | (c) Sixth floor | (d) Ground floor
Answer: (c) Sixth floor
Q5. Who was the intruder in Ausable’s room?
(a) Henry | (b) Fowler | (c) Max | (d) A policeman
Answer: (c) Max
Q6. What was Max holding in his hand?
(a) A knife | (b) A report | (c) A pistol | (d) A bottle of wine
Answer: (c) A pistol
Q7. What did Ausable say was outside the window?
(a) A garden | (b) A balcony | (c) A ladder | (d) A police car
Answer: (b) A balcony
Q8. Who was actually knocking at the door?
(a) The police | (b) The hotel manager | (c) Henry, the waiter | (d) Max’s friend
Answer: (c) Henry, the waiter
Q9. Why did Max jump out of the window?
(a) To kill Ausable | (b) To run away from the police | (c) To hide on the balcony | (d) Both (b) and (c)
Answer: (d) Both (b) and (c)
Q10. How many aeroplanes or other agents were mentioned at the end?
(a) None | (b) Many | (c) Two | (d) Only Max
Answer: (a) None
5. Short Answer Questions (35 Words)
Q1. How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
Ans. Unlike typical secret agents who are smart and mysterious, Ausable is very fat and lives in a small, dull room. He doesn’t look like a spy at all, but he is extremely clever and has a great presence of mind.
Q2. Why did Max enter Ausable’s room?
Ans. Max was another secret agent who entered Ausable’s room using a passkey. He wanted to steal an important report concerning some new missiles that was to be delivered to Ausable that night.
Q3. How did Ausable react to see Max in his room?
Ans. Ausable remained perfectly calm. He did not show any fear. Instead, he sat down and started complaining about the non-existent balcony, using it as a psychological tool to trap Max.
Q4. What was the “balcony” story told by Ausable?
Ans. Ausable told Max that there was a balcony just below his window that belonged to the next apartment. He claimed it was a nuisance as people had used it to enter his room before.
Q5. Who was actually at the door and what was he carrying?
Ans. Henry, the waiter, was at the door. He was carrying a tray, a bottle of wine, and two glasses that Ausable had ordered when he returned to the hotel.
6. Long Answer Questions (60-70 Words)
Q1. Give a character sketch of Ausable.
Ans. Ausable is a highly intelligent and professional secret agent. Physically, he is very fat and sloppy, which makes him look very ordinary and non-threatening. However, his greatest weapon is his brain. He is a quick thinker who can create convincing lies under pressure. He manages to eliminate a dangerous intruder like Max without using any force, proving that wit is always superior to physical power.
Q2. How did Ausable outwit Max? Describe the plan.
Ans. Ausable used a clever psychological trap to outwit Max. First, he convinced Max that there was a balcony outside the window. Second, when he heard a knock at the door, he claimed it was the police. Terrified of the police, Max panicked and jumped out of the window to hide on the non-existent balcony, falling to his death. Ausable’s plan was based entirely on lies and Max’s fear.
Q3. Why did Fowler feel let down at the beginning, and how did his opinion change later?
Ans. Initially, Fowler felt let down because Ausable did not fit his romanticized image of a spy. There were no guns, no thrills, and no mystery. However, after witnessing how Ausable calmly handled a life-threatening situation with Max and used his intelligence to kill an armed enemy, Fowler’s opinion changed. He was left amazed by Ausable’s brilliance and realized that a spy’s true skill lies in his mind.
Q4. “Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read.” Explain.
Ans. Fowler had read that secret agents are mysterious, tall, and deal with dangerous things like pistols and drugs. Ausable, on the other hand, was very fat, lived in a small, smelly room in a cheap hotel, and spoke with an American accent. He didn’t have any gadgets or bodyguards. This contrast between expectation and reality is what made Fowler feel that Ausable was not a “real” agent.
Q5. What values can we learn from the character of Ausable?
Ans. From Ausable, we learn the value of remaining calm in the face of danger. He teaches us that thinking clearly and having presence of mind can solve even the most difficult problems. He also proves that appearances can be deceptive; one should never underestimate a person based on their looks. His intelligence, patience, and confidence are traits that can help anyone overcome obstacles.
