Class 10 English - HARYANA
Supplementary: A Question of Trust
Supplementary: A Question of Trust by Victor Canning is a captivating story about Horace Danby, a meticulous and respectable lock smith who commits a robbery once a year to fund his expensive hobby of collecting rare and expensive books. This chapter highlights the irony that even a clever thief can be outsmarted by someone who appears to be an equal or superior criminal. For BSEH board exams, this chapter is crucial for testing reading comprehension, character analysis of Horace Danby and the lady in red, and moral themes such as honor among thieves and the betrayal of trust.
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Horace Danby's Character
Horace is about fifty years old, unmarried, and generally considered a respectable citizen. However, he suffers from hay fever in summer and secretly commits one carefully planned robbery every year to buy rare books.
The Safe at Shotover Grange
Horace plans his robbery at Shotover Grange for months, studying the electric wiring, the house, the garden, and even the safe containing jewels worth fifteen thousand pounds.
The Clever Young Lady
While robbing the house, Horace is interrupted by a young, attractive woman dressed in red who poses as the mistress of the house, cleverly convincing Horace to open the safe for her.
The Twist in the Plot
Believing he is helping the owner of the house, Horace opens the safe without wearing gloves and hands over the jewels, only to be arrested two days later because his fingerprints were found all over the room.
Irony and Theme
The title 'A Question of Trust' is deeply ironic. Horace trusted the young woman in red, assuming she was trustworthy, but she turned out to be another professional thief who duped him completely.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Haryana Board (BSEH) Class 10 English exams, this chapter frequently appears in the supplementary reader section. It typically carries 3 to 5 marks through short answer questions and sometimes long-answer value-based questions testing character traits or the moral lesson of the story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Horace Danby steal every year?
Horace steals once a year not out of greed, but to buy rare and expensive books that he loves to collect.
Who was the young lady in red?
The young lady was not the owner of the house, but another clever burglar who tricked Horace into opening the safe for her.
How was Horace Danby finally caught?
Horace was caught because he took off his gloves to open the safe and left his bare fingerprints all over the room, which the police easily traced.
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