The Midnight Visitor

 Textual Notes for Class 10 English 

Footprints Without Feet - Chapter 3 – The Midnight Visitor

The story "The Midnight Visitor" is about Ausable, a clever secret agent. One day, Ausable and Fowler, a young writer, spent time together. Fowler thought Ausable was a spy dealing with danger, but Ausable was actually chubby-looking. When they went to Ausable's room, they found Max, another spy, with a gun. Ausable made up a story about a balcony to distract Max. Someone knocked on the door, making Max nervous. Max threatened to shoot them and jumped out the window. Later, a waiter brought wine, surprising Fowler. Ausable lied about the police to scare Max. Fowler asked about the balcony, but Ausable admitted it was a made-up story to trick Max.'

1. How is Ausable different from other secret agents?

Ausable was not like other secret agents. He lived in a small room in an old French hotel, not a glamorous place. He was a chubby man with a funny way of speaking. Even though he had been in Paris for a long time, he still had an American accent. Instead of getting secret messages from pretty girls, he just got regular phone calls to set up meetings. He didn't fit the usual spy image. In the story, he tricked Max by making up a story about a balcony and convinced him to jump off the building. That's how he was different from other spies.

2. Who is Fowler, and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?

Fowler was a young and romantic writer who had come to meet Ausable. He experienced his first thrill of the day when he saw an unknown man in Ausable’s room pointing a small automatic pistol towards him and Ausable.

Read and Find Out (Page 15)

1. How has Max got in?

Max had got into Ausable’s room with the help of a passkey or master key.

2. How does Ausable say he got in?

Ausable said that he thought Max might have got into the room through the balcony. He said grimly that it was the second time in a month that somebody had entered his room through that nuisance of a balcony.

Think about it (Page 18)

1.“Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read.” What do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion? Discuss in groups or in class some stories or movies featuring spies, detectives and secret agents, and compare their appearance with that of Ausable in this story. (You may mention characters from fiction in languages other than English. In English fiction you may have come across Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Miss Marple. Have you watched any movies featuring James Bond?)

In stories, spies are often described as handsome and brave, with smooth talk and cool gadgets. They usually have beautiful companions and do daring stunts like in James Bond movies. But not all detectives are like that. Take Feluda, for example, created by Satyajit Ray. Feluda was tall and smart, with keen eyes and great thinking skills. He didn't rely on fancy gadgets or glamorous looks. Instead, he used his brain and sharp eyes to solve mysteries. So, not all spies fit the usual image we see in movies.

2. How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room? Look back at his detailed description of it. What makes it a convincing story?

When Ausable spoke to Fowler, he cleverly described his room as part of a bigger apartment with a living room connected by a door leading to a balcony. He added that someone had broken in through that balcony before. Max believed it right away because Ausable told it so convincingly and stayed calm even in a tense moment. Ausable's ability to think fast and stay composed made Max trust the story even more.

3. Looking back at the story, when do you think Ausable thought up his plan for getting rid of Max? Do you think he had worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning? Or did he make up a plan taking advantage of events as they happened?

Ausable didn't plan beforehand to get rid of Max. Instead, he stayed calm and used the situation to his advantage. He made up a story about a balcony outside the room to make Max believe him. Then, when there was a knock at the door, Ausable claimed he called the police for Max's safety. These actions made Max scared and anxious. Without checking outside, Max panicked and jumped out of the window. Ausable's quick thinking and calm demeanor led to Max's desperate decision.

Talk about it (Page 18-19)

1. In this story, Ausable shows great ‘presence of mind,’ or the ability to think quickly, and act calmly and wisely, in a situation of danger and surprise. Give examples from your own experience, or narrate a story, which shows someone’s presence of mind.

This story is similar to the play 'If I Were You'. In it, Gerrard is held hostage by a criminal. But instead of panicking, Gerrard remains calm and confident. He cleverly tricks the criminal into thinking the police are coming for him. Gerrard then directs the criminal to what he says is the exit, but it's actually a cupboard door. The criminal falls for the trick and gets trapped in the cupboard. Like Ausable, Gerrard uses quick thinking and confidence to outsmart his captor.

2. Discuss what you would do in the situations described below. Remember that presence of mind comes out of a state of mental preparedness. If you have thought about possible problems or dangers, and about how to act in such situations, you have a better chance of dealing with such situations if they do arise.

1. A small fire starts in your kitchen.
2. A child starts to choke on a piece of food.
3. An electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks.
4. A bicycle knocks down a pedestrian.
5. It rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours.
6. A member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time.

You may suggest other such situations.

1. If there's a small fire in the kitchen, cover it with a blanket to cut off air. Check if it's an electrical problem; if so, unplug everything. 

2. Rub a child's back if something's stuck in their throat, but if they struggle to breathe, get medical help.

3. Unplug appliances from the electrical outlet if there's a problem. Later, get an authorized person to fix it.

4. If someone's hurt, give first aid and get help or take them to the hospital if it's serious.

5. Heavy rain can lead to floods. Protect belongings and inform authorities.

6. If someone doesn't come home, check where they might be, like friends' places. If unsure, contact the police for help.