The Midnight Visitor – Class 12 English Guide | Engwin.net
Tamil Nadu Class 12 · Unit 4 Supplementary
The Midnight Visitor – Book-Back Answers and Study Guide
Author: Robert A. Arthur, Jr.
Textual questions and answers, paragraph answers, story summary, Tamil summary, activities and glossary for quick revision.
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1. Warm Up
(a) Certain professionals can be identified by their appearance.
What comes to your mind first when you think of a pilot or a traffic policeman?
Answer: A pilot controls and steers an aeroplane. A pilot is often pictured wearing a crisp white uniform with golden stripes on the shoulders and a smart black cap. A traffic policeman regulates vehicles on the road and is commonly pictured in a khaki or white uniform. The officer manages traffic, checks overspeeding and helps prevent accidents.
(b) Picture people in interesting professions.
Form groups and draw one or two of the following professions:
Scientist
Soldier
Journalist
Include typical dress, hairstyle and accessories in your drawing.
(a) Mention two features of Ausable that were uncharacteristic of a detective.
Ausable’s bulky body and his American accent were quite uncharacteristic of a detective.
(b) What was Ausable waiting for?
Ausable was waiting for a highly confidential report.
(c) Who was the Midnight Visitor? What was the purpose of his visit?
Max, a secret agent with a pistol, was the midnight visitor. He came to seize the report on new missiles that was to be delivered to Ausable.
(d) How had Max actually entered the room?
Max had entered Ausable’s room using a duplicate key.
(e) Did Max’s presence alarm Ausable?
No. Ausable was only a little startled, but he was not alarmed. He calmly expressed surprise at seeing Max, who was supposed to be in Berlin.
(f) How did Ausable describe the balcony and the manner in which one could get into his room through it?
Ausable explained that the balcony belonged to the adjoining apartment and extended beneath his window. He said it could be reached from two doors down and that someone had used it the previous month.
(g) Where did Max try to hide himself?
Max attempted to hide himself on the balcony that Ausable had described.
(h) Who was Henry? Why had he visited Ausable’s room?
Henry was the hotel waiter. He entered Ausable’s room to serve drinks that had been ordered earlier.
(i) What happened to Max finally?
Deceived by Ausable’s story of a balcony, Max tried to escape through the window. He jumped from the sixth floor and fell to his death.
Additional Questions
(a) How did Ausable say someone had got in?
To confuse Max, Ausable remarked that it was the second time in a month someone had entered his room through the balcony outside his window.
(b) Was Max deserving of a chance to accomplish a risky task?
No. Max failed to realise that Ausable was tricking him. His overconfidence and lack of caution led to his downfall.
(c) What did so many people risk their lives for?
Many people had risked their lives to obtain a secret report containing vital information about new missiles, which Ausable was expecting.
(d) What did Ausable tell Max when he heard the knock?
Ausable calmly told Max that it must be the police and said that he had requested extra protection because he was expecting highly confidential information that night.
(e) What did Ausable tell Fowler when he said that Max would soon come back from the balcony?
Ausable assured Fowler that Max would never return because there was no balcony outside the window. Max had fallen from the sixth floor.
Fowler was a young journalist who had been assigned to write a column about private detectives. He met Ausable to learn about his work. Fowler was disappointed because Ausable did not look like the glamorous secret agent he had imagined.
(b) Why was Fowler initially disillusioned with Ausable?
Fowler had imagined a detective to be slim, smart and adventurous like James Bond. Ausable was overweight, spoke with an American accent and lived in an ordinary room. This mismatch between expectation and reality left Fowler disillusioned.
(c) Fowler was thrilled when he entered Ausable’s room. Why?
Fowler experienced his first real thrill when Ausable switched on the light and closed the door. He was shocked to see a man standing halfway across the room with a pistol.
(d) How, according to Ausable, had Max entered the room?
Ausable did not reveal the real method of Max’s entry. Instead, he invented a story about a balcony extending beneath his window. He made Max believe that the balcony offered another possible route of escape.
(e) How did the three men react to the knocking at the door?
Fowler was startled by the sudden knock. Ausable smiled calmly and said it must be the police, whom he had asked for extra protection. Max grew nervous and rushed to the window, intending to hide on the balcony.
(f) Was Ausable really waiting for the police? Give reasons.
No, Ausable was not waiting for the police. He had ordered drinks from the hotel waiter, Henry, and was expecting him. When the knock came, Ausable used the opportunity to frighten Max by saying that it was the police.
Additional Questions
(a) Do you think Ausable was a good secret agent? How?
Yes. Ausable proved himself to be a clever secret agent. He did not panic when Max confronted him with a pistol. Instead, he invented a convincing story about a balcony and used the waiter’s knock to mislead Max. His calmness and quick thinking showed that he was an efficient agent.
(b) “Pride before a fall” befits Max. Did he acquire the document? What lesson can we learn?
No. Max did not acquire the document because Ausable outwitted him. Max was overconfident and believed that his pistol gave him an advantage. The story teaches us that pride and overconfidence can lead to downfall, while intelligence and caution are valuable.
(c) How did Max enter the room? Why did he tell this to Ausable?
Max had entered the room through the door using a passkey or duplicate key. He mentioned this because Ausable had described an imaginary balcony entrance. Max clarified that he had used a key and knew nothing about such a balcony.
Ausable was a shrewd and resourceful secret agent. When he found Max in his room with a pistol, he did not panic. He invented a story about a balcony outside his window, claiming that someone had used it to enter the room earlier. This made Max believe that the balcony was real and could serve as an escape route. When Henry, the waiter, knocked at the door, Ausable calmly said that it must be the police and that they might fire if they found Max there. Terrified, Max rushed to the window and jumped, assuming he would land on the balcony. In reality, there was no balcony, and he fell to his death. Thus, Ausable’s quick wit and presence of mind defeated Max without a physical struggle.
(b) Describe the significance of the balcony.
The balcony played a crucial role in Ausable’s plan to deceive Max. When Max entered the room with a gun, Ausable invented a story about a balcony extending beneath his window. Though Max had entered with a passkey, Ausable’s convincing description made him believe that the balcony was real. When a knock was heard, Ausable said that it must be the police. In his panic, Max rushed to the window, thinking he could escape through the balcony. However, the balcony did not exist, and Max plunged from the sixth floor. The imaginary balcony became the central element of Ausable’s trick and proved his intelligence and mastery of psychological deception.
(c) Ausable planned to get rid of Max the moment he noticed him. Explain with evidence.
Ausable relied on wit rather than force. On seeing Max armed with a pistol, he remained calm and devised a plan to mislead him. He pretended to be angry with the hotel management and narrated a convincing story about a balcony used by intruders. He timed his story well, knowing that Henry, the waiter, would soon knock with the drinks. When the knock came, Ausable claimed it was the police. Terrified, Max rushed to the window and jumped, assuming he would land on the balcony. As no balcony existed, he fell to his death. Ausable’s presence of mind ensured Max’s downfall.
(d) Sketch the character of Ausable.
Ausable is the central figure in “The Midnight Visitor”. Physically, he does not resemble a typical detective: he is overweight, speaks with an American accent and lacks glamour. Yet his true strength lies in his intelligence and composure. He remains calm when confronted at gunpoint and quickly invents a believable story to trap Max. His practical nature, quick wit and ability to manipulate a situation show his resourcefulness. Without leaving his room, he outsmarts Max by inventing the balcony and linking the waiter’s knock to the police. His character shows that success depends more on presence of mind than on physical appearance or strength.
(e) Does physical appearance matter most for a secret agent? Give reasons.
Physical appearance may matter for fictional heroes like James Bond, who are portrayed as stylish and glamorous. In reality, a secret agent’s success depends on intelligence, presence of mind and quick thinking. Fowler was disappointed when he first met Ausable, who was overweight, spoke with an American accent and lived in an ordinary hotel room. However, Ausable proved that wit and resourcefulness matter more than appearance. By inventing the story of the balcony and using the waiter’s knock to mislead Max, he outwitted his opponent. The story shows that sharpness of mind, not outward appearance, makes a successful secret agent.
(f) Explain the appropriateness of the title “The Midnight Visitor”.
The title “The Midnight Visitor” is appropriate because Max, a spy armed with a pistol, enters Ausable’s room at a late hour. Fowler is shocked and frightened, while Ausable remains calm. Max has come to steal the secret report about missiles, but Ausable cleverly misleads him with the story of a balcony. When Henry knocks, Ausable claims that it is the police, making Max panic and jump from the window. The unexpected intrusion, the tension it creates and Ausable’s clever response justify the title. The visitor is not a friend but an intruder, and his arrival adds suspense to the story.
Additional Paragraph Questions
(g) What impression do you form of Ausable as a secret agent?
Ausable may not look like a typical secret agent, but he proves himself highly capable. He is overweight, speaks with an American accent and lives in a modest hotel room, which initially disappoints Fowler. Yet his true strengths are intelligence, calmness and presence of mind. Even when Max confronts him with a pistol, Ausable remains composed and invents a convincing story about a balcony. His ability to mislead the enemy without creating suspicion shows his resourcefulness. By outwitting Max, he proves that a good secret agent needs wit and courage more than an impressive appearance.
(h) Why was Fowler disappointed after meeting Ausable? Did his opinion change?
Fowler expected Ausable to be mysterious, stylish and adventurous, like the heroes in spy novels. Instead, he found him overweight and unimpressive, living in an ordinary hotel room. This left Fowler disappointed. However, his opinion changed when he witnessed Ausable’s intelligence in handling Max. Ausable invented the balcony story and used the waiter’s knock to mislead the armed spy. Fowler realised that Ausable’s strength lay in sharp wit and presence of mind, not appearance. By the end, Fowler was impressed by the agent’s cleverness.
Robert A. Arthur, Jr. was a mystery and speculative fiction writer known for “The Mysterious Traveller” radio series and the “Three Investigators” series of novels. He was born on November 10, 1909, and graduated from the University of Michigan. Between 1930 and 1940, his stories appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Argosy All-Story Weekly and Black Mask. He wrote mystery books for children and, with writing partner David Kogan, received two Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America for best radio drama. He died in Philadelphia in 1969.
Ausable, an unusual-looking secret agent, disappoints Fowler, a young journalist who expects spies to be glamorous and adventurous. However, when they enter Ausable’s hotel room, they find Max, a rival spy, waiting with a pistol to steal a secret report about new missiles. Ausable remains calm and invents a story about a balcony outside the window. When someone knocks at the door, he convinces Max that the police have arrived. Frightened, Max jumps out of the window to hide on the imaginary balcony and falls to his death. The visitor is actually Henry, a waiter bringing drinks. Ausable’s quick thinking saves the situation.
Central idea: Presence of mind and intelligence are more powerful than physical strength or weapons.
ஆசபிள் ஒரு ரகசிய உளவாளி. அவரைச் சந்திக்க வந்த எழுத்தாளரான ஃபௌலர், அவருடைய தோற்றத்தைக் கண்டு ஏமாற்றமடைகிறார். அப்போது, புதிய ஏவுகணைகள் பற்றிய ரகசிய அறிக்கையைத் திருடுவதற்காக மேக்ஸ் என்ற ஆயுதம் ஏந்திய உளவாளி ஆசபிளின் அறைக்குள் நுழைகிறான். ஆசபிள், பால்கனி இருப்பதாகப் பொய்யாகக் கூறி மேக்ஸை ஏமாற்றுகிறார். பின்னர் காவல்துறை வந்துவிட்டதாகச் சொல்லி அவனைப் பதற்றமடையச் செய்கிறார். பால்கனியில் இருந்து தப்பிக்க முயன்ற மேக்ஸ் கீழே விழுந்துவிடுகிறான். இவ்வாறு, உடல் வலிமையைவிட அறிவும் சமயோசித புத்தியும் சிறந்தவை என்பதை ஆசபிள் நிரூபிக்கிறார்.
நீதி: ஆபத்தான சூழல்களிலும் பதற்றமடையாமல் சிந்தித்துச் செயல்பட்டால் வெற்றி பெறலாம்.
எளிய ஆங்கிலத்தில் முக்கிய வார்த்தைகள் (தமிழில்)
Agent (உளவாளி): ஒரு அரசாங்கத்திற்காக இரகசியமாக வேலை செய்யும் நபர்.
Spy (உளவாளி): இரகசியமாகத் தகவல் சேகரிக்கும் நபர்.
Report (அறிக்கை): முக்கியமான எழுத்துப்பூர்வ தகவல்.
Missiles (ஏவுகணைகள்): இலக்கை நோக்கிச் செலுத்தப்படும் சக்திவாய்ந்த ஆயுதங்கள்.
தோற்றம் ஏமாற்றக்கூடியது. ஆசபிள் ஒரு வழக்கமான உளவாளி போல் தெரியவில்லை; ஆனால் அவர் மிகவும் புத்திசாலியும் சாமர்த்தியமானவரும் ஆவார். அவர் தனது சமயோசித புத்தியைப் பயன்படுத்தி எதிரியைத் தோற்கடிக்கிறார்.
