THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR

 THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR

1. Why did Fowler want to meet Ausable? Why was he disappointed?     

Answer: Fowler was a young romantic writer. He loved adventure and thrill. He was always interested in knowing the lives of secret agents. He wanted to meet Ausable who was on a secret assignment. He was a little disappointed when he found nothing mysterious and romantic in Ausable. Ausable, in fact, was a fat, ordinary person.         

2. Who was Henry? What role did he play in Ausable’s plans?         

Answer: Henry was a waiter at the French hotel where Ausable had a room. He played a vital role in helping Ausable’s plan as it was Henry’s knock at the door which frightened Max as he mistook it to be a policeman at the door. This confusion forced Max to jump from the window assuming it to be a balcony and hence helping Ausable’s plan to get rid of Max.  

3. What did Ausable expect to bring to his room?  

Answer: Ausable expected to get a very important report about missiles, which was to be delivered to him after midnight.  

4. Why was Ausable angry with the hotel’s management?        

Answer: Ausable pretended to be angry with the hotel management because they had not paid any attention to the balcony which was a safety threat for him. In fact, he fabricated a story about the non-existent balcony to trap Max.          

5. How did Max enter the room? Why did he do so?      

Answer: Max entered Ausable’s room through the main door, using a passkey. He wanted to take the important report from Ausable. Therefore, he decided to give a shock to Ausable. He thought it would be easy to overpower Ausable by giving him a shock.                   

6. Was there a balcony outside the window? Give instances from the text in support of your answer.      

Answer: There was no balcony outside the window. The following lines show that there was no balcony:

‘‘And then as he dropped, he screamed once shrilly.’’

‘‘But what about the man on the balcony?” Fowler asked ‘‘No’’ said Ausable, “he won’t ever return.’’ Thus, we know that the man had died after jumping from the 6th floor.                   

7. Did Fowler find this episode thrilling or disappointing? Give a reason for your answer.     

Answer: Fowler found this episode quite thrilling. In the beginning, he was not impressed by the personality of Ausable who did not fit as a secret agent. As he had read about the mysterious figures, the crack of pistols and drugs in wine, the fat Ausable did not impress him much. But he was not able to believe the quick answer and smartness of Ausable. The whole episode appeared to be quite unbelievable.

8. Why did Ausable ask Fowler to cheer up?

Answer: Ausable knew that Fowler wanted to see something mysterious and romantic. Ausable asked him to cheer up as he was going to receive an important report concerning some new missiles. Many people had risked their lives. Therefore, there could be some drama in his room.          

9. What story did Ausable fabricate about the balcony?  

Answer: He told Fowler that the balcony in his room had become a nuisance for him. He told him that his room used to be part of a large unit and through the balcony, anyone could come to his room as the adjoining room was empty.

10. How do you know that Ausable was a clever secret agent?

Answer: Ausable was really a clever secret agent as is evident from the story. He told a false story about the existence of a non-existent balcony. Knowing very well that the waiter was knocking at the door, he told him about the police.

11. Ausable has the ability to think quickly, act calmly and wisely in a situation of danger and surprise. These are some values and skills that save us from danger. How did Ausable use the above skills in the story, ‘The Midnight visitor’?    

Answer:  Ausable wins over a very critical situation by his sheer presence of mind without using any physical force. He was a quick-witted secret agent. He made Max believe that he was scared of finding him inside his room with a pistol in his hand. He befooled him about the balcony, knowing very well that there was no balcony in that room. He fabricated a story about the arrival of the report and the police. When there was a knock at the door, he convinced Max that it was the police. Max got scared and jumped into the non-existent balcony to death. This is how Ausable proved that the presence of the mind is more powerful than physical force. Ausable had the qualities of being calm, quiet and wise in a dangerous situation. These are the values that one can practise in adversity. Ausable overpowered Max because of these qualities.                      

12. What is superior, physical strength or intelligence in a difficult situation? Which one of these values and skills would you stress upon? Why? Elaborate with reference to the story, ‘The Midnight Visitor’.

Answer: Physical strength and intelligence both have their own importance. These are complementary to each other. Intelligence without physical ability is useless and vice versa. But out of the two intelligence is superior. The use of physical strength may lead to violence and bloodshed but the use of intelligence saves one without any bloodshed or violence. In the story ‘The Midnight Visitor’ Ausable wins over a very critical situation by his presence of mind without using physical force. He got rid of another secret agent Max with his intelligence. He proved that the presence of the mind is more powerful than physical force. I would stress upon more on intelligence but will not ignore physical strength at the same time.      

13     How did Ausable get rid of Max? Would you call the act of Ausable a violent act? Do you support violence in the prevention of crime?  

Answer: Max was in Ausable’s room with a pistol in his hand. When there was a knock at the door Ausable convinced Max that it was the police. He excited him to hide on the non-existent balcony. Max, in terror, jumped from the sixth floor and met his end. No, it cannot be called non-violence. Ausable saved himself but led Max to death. He made him jump from the eighth floor. He concocted the story of a non-existent balcony and convinced him to hide there. He trusted him and jumped to death. Violence should never be supported but in the prevention of crime, it is inevitable. We cannot tackle criminals without the use of weapons and violence is inevitable.        

14. Give a brief character sketch of Fowler? What are the values reflected in his character? 

Answer: Fowler is a young romantic writer, who loves reading mysterious stories. He has a fantasy to meet a secret agent or to see mysterious figures in the night, the crack of guns, drugs in wine, etc. He is not much interested in meeting dull people. He gets easily bored and disappointed. Though he is a writer, he is very timid by heart. He easily loses his cool and gets nervous. The moment he enters Ausable’s room and his eyes meet Max with an automatic pistol in his hand, he is thrilled. He is scared, the moment he realises that it is a waiter and not the police who has knocked at the door. He wants to know about the man on the balcony. He has a horrible experience with Ausable tackling risky situations so calmly.             

15. How does Ausable convince Max that there is a balcony in his room? How does his intelligence and presence of mind help him? 

Answer: Ausable had realised that Max had no idea about the balcony in his house. He quickly thought of a plan. When the bearer came to the room and knocked at the door, Ausable fabricated a story to convince Max about the balcony. The moment Max realised the danger, he jumped onto the balcony; which turned out to be fatal. The way Ausable complained about the existence of the balcony which had created a nuisance earlier also, Max could not think it to be wrong and willingly jumped to his death. Ausable was an intelligent secret agent. He could think quickly. He knew that Max was scared and he used his ignorance and foolishness in his own favour. His intelligence and presence of mind helped him in a dangerous and critical situation.     

16. Max was a cunning spy but his carelessness and foolishness proved fatal for him. Do you agree? How do casual carelessness and foolishness spoil our life?      

Answer: Max was no doubt a careless and foolish person who could be termed as a blot on the image of a secret agent. Max was on an important mission to procure a vital report regarding some new missiles. So it becomes obvious that the person assigned such a task should be witty and a perfect planner but Max did not take any pain to inspect the hotel or Ausable’s room in advance. Max fell into the trap of false story and jumped onto a non-existent balcony, which eventually cost him his life.

No doubt Max was also equally clever but he had a flaw in his personality. He trusted his rival without the application of his mind. He fell victim to his carelessness and foolishness. Yes, our carelessness and foolishness may prove fatal.