Class 10 English Notes Chapter 4 (A Question of Trust) – Foot Prints Without Feet Supp. Reader Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 4, 'A Question of Trust' by Victor Canning. This story is quite interesting, presenting a unique kind of thief and exploring themes of deception and irony. For your government exam preparation, pay close attention to character details, plot twists, and underlying themes.

Detailed Notes: A Question of Trust

1. Introduction & Synopsis:
The story revolves around Horace Danby, a seemingly respectable locksmith who commits one safe robbery each year to finance his expensive hobby of collecting rare books. His meticulous planning for a robbery at Shotover Grange goes awry when he encounters another, more cunning thief who outwits him.

2. Character Sketch: Horace Danby

• Profession & Appearance: A locksmith, about fifty years old, unmarried, and generally considered a good, honest citizen (except for his secret annual robberies).
• Personality:
  • Meticulous Planner: Carefully plans his robberies, studying the target house, routines, wiring, and safe location for weeks.
  • Lover of Rare Books: His primary motivation for theft is to buy rare and expensive books. This is his passion and weakness.
  • Suffers from Hay Fever: This is a crucial detail. His sneezing due to flower pollen plays a role in the plot.
  • Not a Hardened Criminal: He dislikes the thought of prison and is easily flustered when confronted. He sees himself as different from common criminals.
  • Naive/Easily Deceived: Despite his careful planning, he trusts the lady in red based on her appearance and confident demeanor. He misjudges her completely.
  • Believes in 'Rules': He operates under his own code (robbing only the wealthy, once a year) and perhaps naively expects a certain 'honour' even in dishonest situations.

3. Character Sketch: The Lady in Red

• Appearance: Young, pretty, dressed elegantly (in red), confident, and acts with authority, perfectly playing the part of the lady of the house.
• Personality:
  • Cunning & Manipulative: Quickly sizes up Horace and exploits his fear, his assumptions, and his 'gentlemanly' hesitation.
  • Confident & Calm: Remains cool under pressure, even when caught seemingly red-handed by Horace (though the situation is reversed).
  • Sharp & Observant: Notices Horace's fear and uses it. Understands how to use her appearance and story (forgotten combination, needing jewels for a party) to manipulate him.
  • Professional Thief: She is the real, ruthless professional in the story, unlike Horace. She leaves no clues and successfully gets away with the jewels.
  • Represents Deception: Her entire persona is a facade designed to trick Horace.

4. Plot Summary - Key Events:

• The Plan: Horace studies Shotover Grange for two weeks, knowing the family is away and the two servants are out at the movies.
• The Entry: He enters the house, deals with the small dog (Sherry) by calling its name, and anticipates finding the safe behind a painting in the drawing-room.
• The Hay Fever: Pollen from flowers in a bowl makes him sneeze, alerting the lady in red.
• The Encounter: He is confronted by the young lady in red, whom he assumes is the owner's wife.
• The Deception: She spins a convincing story about forgetting the safe combination and needing the jewels. She cleverly plays on Horace's fear of prison and his perception of her as a lady of the house.
• The Mistake: Persuaded by her story and promise not to report him, Horace removes his gloves (to avoid leaving fingerprints for himself, ironically) and opens the safe for her.
• The Escape (Temporary): Horace leaves, feeling relieved and successful.
• The Arrest: Two days later, Horace is arrested. His fingerprints are found all over the opened safe.
• The Revelation: He learns the truth in prison – the real lady of the house was a sixty-year-old, grey-haired woman. The lady in red was another thief who had simply outsmarted him.
• The Aftermath: Horace becomes an assistant librarian in prison, often angered by any mention of 'honour among thieves'.

5. Themes:

• Appearance vs. Reality: The central theme. Horace appears respectable but is a thief. The lady appears to be the owner but is a more skillful thief. Trust based on appearance leads to downfall.
• Irony:
  • A thief (Horace) is robbed by another thief.
  • Horace's meticulous planning is undone by a chance encounter and misplaced trust.
  • He removes his gloves to avoid leaving prints but ends up leaving them precisely because he trusted the wrong person.
  • His belief in some kind of 'honour' or 'rules' in crime is shattered.
• Crime Does Not Pay (Even for 'Gentleman' Thieves): Despite his careful planning and non-violent approach, Horace ends up in prison.
• Human Psychology & Manipulation: The story shows how easily people can be manipulated through their fears, assumptions, and weaknesses (Horace's fear of prison, his respect for 'class', his naivety).

6. Key Details for Objective Questions:

• Target House: Shotover Grange
• Horace's Ailment: Hay Fever
• Dog's Name: Sherry
• Safe Location: Behind a painting in the drawing-room
• Reason for Robbery: To buy rare, expensive books
• Evidence Leading to Arrest: Fingerprints left on the safe
• The Deceiver: A young lady in red (another thief)
• Horace's Job in Prison: Assistant Librarian

7. Conclusion:
The story serves as a cautionary tale about judging by appearances and the fallacy of expecting 'honour among thieves'. Horace Danby, the meticulous planner, is ultimately undone not by police work, but by his own misjudgment and the cunning of a fellow criminal.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. What was Horace Danby's primary motivation for committing robberies?
   a) To live a luxurious life
   b) To pay off gambling debts
   c) To buy rare and expensive books
   d) To support his family

2. Which physical ailment played a crucial role in Horace Danby being discovered inside Shotover Grange?
   a) A persistent cough
   b) Poor eyesight
   c) Hay fever
   d) A limp

3. How did Horace Danby handle the dog, Sherry, upon entering the house?
   a) He gave it drugged meat
   b) He quietly locked it in a room
   c) He called it by its name kindly
   d) He ignored it completely

4. Where was the safe located within Shotover Grange?
   a) In the master bedroom wardrobe
   b) Behind a painting in the drawing-room
   c) Under the floorboards in the study
   d) In the cellar behind a wine rack

5. Who did Horace Danby initially believe the lady in red to be?
   a) A guest of the family
   b) A servant checking the house
   c) The wife of the owner of the house
   d) Another thief planning the same robbery

6. Why did the lady in red claim she needed the jewels from the safe immediately?
   a) She needed to sell them urgently
   b) She wanted to wear them to a party that night
   c) She was planning to run away
   d) She suspected someone else might steal them

7. What crucial mistake did Horace Danby make that led directly to his arrest?
   a) He accidentally triggered a burglar alarm
   b) He left his tools behind at the crime scene
   c) He bragged about the robbery to an acquaintance
   d) He opened the safe without wearing gloves

8. The phrase "honour among thieves" is central to the story's irony. What eventually becomes Horace's reaction to this phrase?
   a) He strongly believes in it
   b) He becomes very angry when he hears it
   c) He writes a book about it
   d) He finds it amusing

9. What was the actual identity of the "lady in red"?
   a) The owner's daughter
   b) A police detective in disguise
   c) A fellow, more cunning thief
   d) A concerned neighbour

10. Which theme is MOST prominently explored in 'A Question of Trust'?
    a) The importance of careful planning
    b) The conflict between love and duty
    c) The unreliability of appearances
    d) The kindness of strangers

Answer Key:

1. c) To buy rare and expensive books
2. c) Hay fever
3. c) He called it by its name kindly
4. b) Behind a painting in the drawing-room
5. c) The wife of the owner of the house
6. b) She wanted to wear them to a party that night
7. d) He opened the safe without wearing gloves
8. b) He becomes very angry when he hears it
9. c) A fellow, more cunning thief
10. c) The unreliability of appearances

Study these notes carefully, focusing on the character motivations and the sequence of events. Understanding the irony is key to appreciating the story fully. Good luck with your preparation!