A Question of Trust: ncert solution Class - 10

Read and find out.

What does Horace Danby like to collect?

Ans: As Horace Danby is fond of reading rare and expensive books, so he likes to collect the same.

Why does he steal every year?

Ans:  He steals every year to meet his expenses to purchase expensive and rare books.

Who is speaking to Horace Danby?

And: A lady posing as an actual mistress of the house is speaking to Horace Danby.

Who is the real culprit in the story?

Ans: The lady who poses as landlady before Horace Danby is the real culprit in the story.

Think about it: page- 25

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?

Ans: Yes, I begin to suspect that the lady was not the person that Horace Danby took her to be. It is because she said, “I have always liked the wrong kind of person”. She also added that she would let him go if he was ready to do something for her in the absence of her husband.

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?

Ans: The subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby are as follows:

(i)She spoke to him with full confidence.

(ii)She smiles while she was speaking to Horace Danby.

(iii)She threatened him by reminding about ‘prison’.

(iv)Her posing as landlady is extraordinary.

In short, these are the reasons why Horace Danby does not suspect that something is wrong.

3. “Horace Danby was good and respectful – but not completely honest”. Why do you think this description is apt for Horace? Why can’t he be categorized as a typical thief?

Ans: Horace Danby was a good and respectful person by his profession, but it is true that he was not completely honest. It is because he used to steal at least once a year which is never considered to be a deed of an honest man. He cannot be categorized as a thief because he was not a professional one. He was a thief for the time being.

4. Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?

Ans: Horace Danby was a meticulous planner, but he faltered because of the following reasons:

(i)He was trapped by the sweet and smiling voice of the lady present in the house.

(ii)He thought that the house was empty, but he found a lady introducing boldly herself as landlady.

(iii) She threatens Horace boldly by reminding him about the prison.

(iv) Danby was in hurry to leave the house, so he did not study the lady carefully.

(v) Had he studies the lady properly he would have been successful in his mission.

Talk about it: Page -25

1. Do you think Horace Danby was unfairly punished, or that he deserved what he got?

Ans: I don’t think Horace Danby was unfairly punished. I think, he deserved what he got. It is because stealing is in any way illegal work. Illegal activities lead to punishment, and so he got it. He would not have been tricked by an unknown thief if he did not go to the house to commit theft.

2. Do intention 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 honesty?

Ans: I do believe that intention justify actions in almost all the cases. Sometimes it happens that the speaker speaks just opposite of what he/she is going to do. It means the intention of the speaker remains a mystery. In the story it is seen that the lady said every thing opposite of what she was going to do. Now at this point one cannot make out the intention of the speaker because it is completely hidden. One can make up an intention with the help of the statement made by an honest man. But still, I believe that there are situations concerned with safety and security of someone’s life and property, in which it is excusable to act less than honesty.