Rohit Yadav
Read and Find Out
1. What does Horace Danby like to collect?
Answer
Horace Danby liked to collect rare and expensive books.
2. Why does he steal every year?
Answer
He stole every year so that he could buy the rare and expensive books that he loved to collect. Each year, he planned carefully, stole enough to last twelve months, and secretly bought the books, through an agent.
Read and Find Out
3. Who is speaking to Horace Danby?
Answer
A lady standing in the doorway was speaking to Horace Danby. She was young and pretty and was dressed in red. She said she had come just in time, or else her family would have been robbed by Horace. She, thus, pretended to be one of the members of the family living at Shotover Grange.
4. Who is the real culprit in the story?
Answer
The real culprit was the woman who pretended to be a member of the family living at Shotover Grange. She tricked Horace into believing her, and cleverly took away all the jewels that were kept in the safe.
Think about It
1. Did you begin to suspect, before the end of the story, that the lady was not the person Horace Danby took her to be? If so, at what point did you realize this, and how?
Answer
Yes, one does begin to suspect before the end of the story that the lady was not the person Horace Danby took her to be. She was unusually calm on seeing Horace. This seemed strange enough. When she did not call the police, and instead asked Horace to take out all the jewels from the safe, even if it meant breaking it open, it seemed suspicious. Moreover, it also seemed unlikely that she would forget the numbers to open the safe. Therefore, it was evident, before the story ended, that the lady was not the person Horace had taken her to be.
2. What are the subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the lady of the house? Why doesn’t Horace suspect that something is wrong?
Answer
Her confident walk, her act of touching up her make-up, and the ease with which she picks cigarettes from the right place are enough to deceive anybody. Horace was too frightened to think properly so he didn’t suspect anything.
3. “Horace Danby was good and respectable − but not completely honest”. Why do you think this description is apt for Horace? Why can’t he be categorized as a typical thief?
Answer
“Horace Danby was good and respectable − but not completely honest”. This description is apt for Horace. He was about fifty years old. He robbed only rich people, and his purpose was to buy rare and expensive books with the money. He stole only once a year. The intention of buying books was good. However, the fact that he stole to achieve this end showed that he was not completely honest. He cannot be categorized as a typical thief because he did not steal to eat or drink. He had a house. He made locks, had two people to help him, and was successful in his business. He only stole enough money to buy the books. For a couple of days, he even kept his promise to the lady he met at Shotover Grange by not stealing or planning any robbery.
4. Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still, he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?
Answer
Horace Danby failed to get enough information about the real occupants of the house. He seems to be too occupied with collecting information about house maps, wiring, and the location of valuable things. Although he was smart enough to know the dog’s actual name but overlooked getting the identity of each and every occupant of the house. Once he was in problem then probably his clever mind gave way to carelessness leading him to open the safe without wearing gloves.
Talk about It
1. Do you think Horace Danby was unfairly punished, or that he deserved what he got?
Answer
He deserved what he got. A crime is a crime no matter if it is committed a hundred times or just once.
2. Do intentions justify actions? Would you, like Horace Danby, do something wrong if you thought your ends justified the means? Do you think that there are situations in which it is excusable to act less than honestly?
Answer
“Ends do not justify means”, is a very old and time-tested saying. For their own benefit, nobody should harm others. But this world doesn’t function on idealism. There are many examples of people duping people for quick gains. These acts should be deplored and dealt with severely.
MCQs
Question 1.
What does Horace do in jail?
(a) Clean floor
(b) Assistant Librarian
(c) Typist
(d) Accountant
Answer
(b) Assistant Librarian
Question 2.
Why did the woman want him to break the lock of the safe?
(a) she wanted him to steal
(b) she had forgotten the numbers
(c) she wanted to see if he could break it
(d) none of these
Answer
(b) she had forgotten the numbers
Question 3.
What color dress was the woman wearing?
(a) red
(b) black
(c) green
(d) white
Answer
(a) red
Question 4.
Where had the servants gone?
(a) doctor
(b) movie
(c) shopping
(d) to meet relatives
Answer
(b) movie
Question 5.
What was Horace allergic to?
(a) dust
(b) smell of flowers
(c) pollen
(d) milk
Answer
(b) smell of flowers
Question 6.
What did the lady say about his story?
(a) it was nonsense
(b) it was true
(c) it was a joke
(d) none of the above
Answer
(a) it was nonsense
Question 7.
What was the piece of evidence against him?
(a) his lighter
(b) his gloves
(c) his fingerprints
(d) all of the above
Answer
(c) his fingerprints
Question 8.
How does he justify his act?
(a) by saying he steals for a good reason
(b) by saying he steals only from those who already have plenty
(c) by saying he is not harming the society
(d) all of the above
Answer
(d) all of the above
Question 9.
Was he able to frighten her?
(a) yes
(b) no
(c) he didn’t try to
(d) none of the above
Answer
(b) no
Question 10.
Who is talking to Horace?
(a) servant
(b) sherry
(c) Horace himself
(d) none of the above
Answer
(b) sherry
Question 11.
“How _____ people are when they own valuable things, Horace thought”
(a) selfish
(b) foolish
(c) lucky
(d) fortunate
Answer
(b) foolish
Question 12.
Where was the safe?
(a) bedroom
(b) kitchen
(c) bathroom
(d) drawing room
Answer
(d) drawing room
Question 13.
Where did the family who lived in the Grange go?
(a) London
(b) Las Vegas
(c) Los Angeles
(d) none of the above
Answer
(a) London
Question 14.
How old was he?
(a) about 40
(b) about 50
(c) about 60
(d) none of the above
Answer
(b) about 50
Question 15.
What did everyone think about Horace Danby?
(a) good
(b) honest
(c) both of these
(d) none of these
Answer
(c) both of these
Question 16.
Why did Horace take off his gloves?
(a) to break the safe
(b) to leave that place
(c) to light the lighter
(d) to give her the jewels
Answer
(c) to light the lighter
Question 17.
How was Horace in his business of lockmaking?
(a) failure
(b) very successful
(c) not took interest
(d) was in a big debt
Answer
(b) very successful
Question 18.
When Horace was busy doing his work of theft, what thing proved a hindrance in his work?
(a) the dog Sherry
(b) flowers
(c) the lady
(d) the heat of the day
Answer
(b) flowers
Question 19.
Sherry was the name of ————
(a) a servant
(b) dog at Shotover Grange
(c) a safe in the Grange
(d) the lady in red
Answer
(b) dog at Shotover Grange
Question 20.
What did the young lady threaten to do?
(a) to inform the police
(b) to let Sherry loose at him
(c) to raise alarm
(d) to call the neighbors
Answer
(a) to inform the police
Question 21.
Where did Horace decide to make a theft this time?
(a) Montex Grange
(b) Shotover Grange
(c) Westbury Grange
(d) Mintunbury Grange
Answer
(b) Shotover Grange
Question 22.
Horace Danby was fond of:
(a) watching movies
(b) listening to music
(c) going to public parks
(d) reading rare and expensive books
Answer
(d) reading rare and expensive books
Question 23.
Horace Danby ————-
(a) was unmarried
(b) was going to be married
(c) had one son
(d) had two sons and a daughter
Answer
(a) was unmarried
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