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    3. The Midnight Visitor - Class 10 - Footprints


    Author: Robert Arthur Textbook: Footprints Without Feet Genre: Spy Fiction / Detective Story

    📝 Summary

    The story revolves around Ausable, an unusual secret agent, and his encounter with an intruder named Max. Ausable is not the typical secret agent—he is fat, sloppy, and seems more like a harmless man than a spy. However, he is sharp-witted and clever, traits that prove more important than physical appearance.

    One night, Ausable and a writer named Fowler (who is curious about the thrilling life of spies) enter Ausable’s hotel room. Fowler is disappointed to see that Ausable is not exciting like the spies in books. Suddenly, they find Max in the room pointing a gun at them. Max wants the important report that Ausable is said to receive that night.

    Instead of panicking, Ausable calmly creates a story that the hotel room has a balcony, and that another spy had once entered through it. He also says that the police were expected to arrive shortly for protection. Max believes both lies. Fearing arrest, he attempts to escape through the balcony (which doesn’t actually exist) and falls to his doom. Ausable’s quick thinking and ability to remain calm saves the day.

    👤 Character Sketches

    1. Ausable

    • Unusual secret agent—fat, slow-moving, calm

    • Not physically impressive but very intelligent and resourceful

    • Uses wit and words to handle danger

    • Master of manipulation and quick-thinking

    • Represents brain over brawn

    2. Max

    • Tall, thin, dangerous intruder

    • Carries a pistol and threatens Ausable

    • Gullible and easily tricked due to lack of presence of mind

    • Represents how overconfidence and haste lead to downfall

    3. Fowler

    • A young writer curious about spies

    • Initially disappointed with Ausable’s appearance

    • Amazed by Ausable’s intelligence and impressed by his calm handling of the situation

    • Acts as the reader’s lens—experiencing the twist like us

    📚 Themes

    Theme

    Explanation

    Intelligence over appearance

    Ausable’s mind is more powerful than physical strength.

    Calm under pressure

    Remaining composed in danger can lead to success.

    Illusion vs. reality

    Ausable creates believable lies to deceive Max.

    Don’t judge a book by its cover

    Fowler assumes spies must look heroic—but Ausable proves otherwise.

    ✨ Literary Devices & Figures of Speech

    • Irony: A spy like Ausable looks like a clumsy man, yet is brilliant in danger.

    • Dramatic irony: We know the balcony doesn’t exist—but Max believes it.

    • Suspense: Built up through Max’s sudden arrival with a gun.

    • Dialogue-based storytelling: The story unfolds completely through conversation.

    • Humour: The way Ausable invents false facts so seriously creates comic relief.

    📖 Title Justification

    The title The Midnight Visitor refers to the intruder Max, who unexpectedly enters Ausable’s room at midnight. His visit is both dramatic and dangerous, creating the central conflict of the story. The title highlights the suspenseful and mysterious nature of this late-night event.

    🔍 CBSE Previous Year Questions

    Year

    Question Asked

    Marks

    2020

    “How did Ausable outsmart Max?”

    3

    2019

    “Why did Max scream and fall?”

    2

    2018

    “Describe the character of Ausable.”

    3

    2016

    “Why was Fowler surprised after the incident?”

    2

    💬 Important Questions & Answers

    Q1. Why was Fowler disappointed after meeting Ausable? Fowler expected an exciting, adventurous spy but found Ausable to be dull, overweight, and ordinary.

    Q2. How did Ausable outsmart Max? Ausable invented a story about a balcony and police arrival. Max, believing it, tried to escape through the imaginary balcony and fell.

    Q3. Why did Max come to Ausable’s room? Max wanted to steal the important report that Ausable was about to receive.

    Q4. What was Ausable’s plan to defeat Max? He remained calm and lied convincingly, using psychological tactics to make Max act out of fear.

    Q5. What lesson does the story teach us? Presence of mind and intelligence are more powerful than weapons or appearances. Q6. What qualities of Ausable helped him turn a dangerous situation into a victory without violence?

    Ausable's calm nature, presence of mind, and clever use of language helped him handle the threat without panic. He created believable lies about a non-existent balcony and the arrival of police, which tricked Max into making a fatal mistake. His intelligence and confidence turned the situation in his favour without any physical confrontation.

    Q7. How does Fowler’s opinion about Ausable change by the end of the story?Initially, Fowler is unimpressed by Ausable’s appearance and lifestyle. He finds him dull and nothing like the spies in novels. However, after witnessing how Ausable cleverly defeats Max using only his wit, Fowler is shocked and deeply impressed. He realizes that Ausable is much smarter and more capable than he had assumed.

    🧠 Value-Based Question

    Q. “Calmness and cleverness can win the most dangerous situations.” Explain with reference to Ausable’s behavior. Despite being threatened by a gun, Ausable remains calm. His intelligence and confidence allow him to manipulate the situation. Instead of fighting Max physically, he uses lies and makes Max panic. His behavior teaches that in crisis, smart thinking is often better than brute force.

    END


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