12th English : The Midnight Visitor
Unit 4.3 > The Midnight Visitor
Warm up
Study the title of the story ‘ The Midnight Visitor’. Discuss in groups what the story is all about.
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’? Discuss in pairs and share your thoughts with the class.
- When we think of a ‘pilot’ the picture of a professional with calm mind enjoying the beauty of the twinkling stars comes to our mind.
- When we think of a traffic policeman, the picture of a duty – minded officer holding the signal board in his hand directing the traffic earnestly comes to our mind.
b. Let us try to picturise people in a few interesting professions (based on common perception there can be exceptions).
Form groups of four and draw a picture of one or two of the following:
- scientist
- soldier
- journalist
In your attempt to sketch you may include the following:
- typical dress
- hair style
- accessories
Glossary
- musty – having a stale smell
- wheezily – with a hissing sound while breathing
- espionage – the practice of spying to obtain information
- sloppy – careless and unsystematic
- prosaic – ordinary, usual
- inflection – modulation, intonation
- sill – a slab of wood or stone at the foot of a window opening or doorway
- deftly – skillfully
1. Answer in a sentence or two the following questions.
a) Mention two features of Ausable that were uncharacteristic of a detective.
Ausable was very fat and his accent was mixed with American accent.
b) What was Ausable waiting for?
Ausable was waiting for a document.
c) Who was the Midnight Visitor? What was the purpose of his visit?
Max, another spy was the Midnight Visitor. He came to get the document from Ausable.
d) How had Max actually entered the room?
Max actually had entered the room with the master key.
e) Did Max’s presence alarm Ausable?
Max’s presence alarmed Ausable but he did not reveal it on his face.
f) How did Ausable describe the balcony and the manner in which one could get into his room through it?
Ausable described that there was a balcony closer to his room and it was placed in such a way that one could enter his room through it. He said that he had already had break-ins through the balcony and he had complained to the management.
g) Where did Max try to hide himself?
Max tried to hide himself in the balcony
h) Who was Henry? Why had he visited Ausable’s room?
Henry was the waiter and he came to Ausable’s room to give the drinks he had ordered.
i) What happened to Max finally?
Max fell down and died.
2. Answer the following questions in about three to four sentences each.
a. Who was Fowler? Why did he meet Ausable?
Fowler was a young writer. He met Ausable to get some ideas about the report on the missile.
b. Why was Fowler initially disillusioned with Ausable?
Ausable did not suit any description of a spy. He was very fat and he had a mixed accent with American accent. His room was on the 6th floor. His behaviour was not like that of a spy. So he was initially disillusioned.
c. Fowler was thrilled when he entered Ausable’s room. Why?
Fowler was thrilled when he entered Ausable’s room because he saw a man standing inside the room with the pistol in his hand. He threatened Fowler and Ausable with the automatic gun. He waved the gun at them and asked them to sit down.
d. How, according to Ausable, had Max entered the room?
According to Ausable, Max had entered the room from the balcony. He said that there was a balcony which belonged to the next apartment but it was closer to his window. One could easily come to his room through the window.
e. How did the three men react to the knocking at the door?
Fowler jumped at the sudden knocking at the door thinking there must be some danger. Ausable just smiled and said that it must be the police that had arrived. He had arranged for them to protect the document. Max bit his lip nervously and was black with anger.
f. Was Ausable really waiting for the police? Give reasons.
Ausable was not waiting for the police. He thought of a plan to escape from Max. He prepared the ground for Max to believe that there was a balcony which could be reached through the window from his room. So when he heard the knock at the door he acted as if he was waiting for the police. Hearing that Max went out through the window and fell down.
3. Answer in a paragraph in about 150 words the following questions.
a. How did Ausable outwit Max?
Ausable spy – Max another spy – Ausable shocked – Max standing in his room – threatened to hand over the document – Ausable composed – said Max broke open the balcony window – Max used master key – had complained to the management about the balcony window – loud knocking – Ausable, police had come – Max, send them away – would hide in the balcony – leapt outside – fell down – no balcony – waiter came
Ausable was a spy but he did not look so. Max was another spy who looked like a spy in every aspect. When Ausable entered his room with Fowler he was a little alarmed to see Max inside his room with an automatic pistol in his hand. He threatened Ausable to hand over the documents to him as soon as they arrived at his room later that night. Playing rather composed Ausable sat down and complained about the balcony window that he thought Max used to break into his room. Max claimed that he used the master key to get inside. Ausable reiterated that he had complained to the management about the balcony window several times and had had previous break-ins. Suddenly, there was a loud knocking at the door. Ausable said that it must be the police that he had arranged to safe keep the documents. Max believed it and got anxious. He asked Ausable to turn them away while he hid in the balcony. As soon as Max leapt outside the window he yelled out of horror as he crashed to the road below. There was no balcony at all and no police man was there. It was the waiter who had knocked at the door.
Intelligence outsmarts villiany
b. Describe the significance of the balcony.
Ausable enterd his room – Max was inside – pistol in hand – hand over the document – Ausable composed – complained balcony widow – Max used master key – had complained about the balcony window – loud knocking – Ausable – police had come – Max jumped out of the window – yelled – fell down – no balcony – waiter came – balcony plan of Ausable.
When Ausable entered his room with Fowler he was a little alarmed to see Max inside his room with an automatic pistol in his hand. He threatened Ausable to hand over the documents to him as soon as they arrived at his room later that night. Playing rather composed, Ausable sat down and complained about the balcony window that he thought Max used to break into his room. Max claimed that he used the master key to get inside. Ausable reiterated that he had complained to the management about the balcony window several times and had had previous break-ins. Suddenly there was a loud knocking at the door. Ausable said that it must be the police that he had arranged to safe keep the documents. Max believed it and got anxious. He asked Ausable to turn them away while hehid in the balcony. As soon as Max leapt outside the window he yelled out of horror as he crashed to the road below. There was no balcony at all and no police man was there. It was the waiter who had knocked at the door. The balcony story was planned by Ausable to escape from Max.
To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.
c. Ausable planned to get rid of Max the very moment he noticed him. Explain with supporting evidence from the story.
Ausable spy – Max a spy – Ausable entered room – Max standing there – hand over the document – – Ausable clever – created a story of balcony – no balcony – water came – said police – Max jumped into non existing balcony
Ausable was a spy but he did not look so. Max was another spy who looked like a spy in every aspect. When Ausable entered his room with Fowler he was a little alarmed to see Max inside his room with an automatic pistol in his hand. He threatened Ausable to hand over the documents to him as soon as they arrived at his room later that night. Ausable was very clever the way a detective should be. He made the plan to get rid of Max from the very beginning which is evident from the story of the imaginary balcony. He knew the waiter would come to deliver his drinks. He planned carefully to create an imaginary policeman, which would have compelled Max to jump on the non-existent balcony.
The difference between stupidity and intelligence is that genius has its limits.
d. Sketch the character of Ausable.
Ausable spy – Fowler a writer – Ausable not look a spy – intelligent – entered room – Max standing there – hand over the document – created a story of balcony – someone else broke the balcony window – Max leaped – fell down – no police no balcony – clever plan.
Ausable was a spy. Fowler, a young writer came to visit Ausable. Ausable did not look like a spy. He was very fat and he talked with an American mixed accent. He was different from other spies who would walk around at night with pistols. But he was very intelligent. When Ausable entered his room with Fowler he was a little alarmed to see Max inside his room with an automatic pistol in his hand. He threatened Ausable to hand over the documents to him as soon as they arrived at his room later that night. In order to escape from Max Ausable created a detailed description of how his office was part of a bigger apartment and how the next room had direct connection with the balcony. His statement that somebody else also broke into his office through that balcony made it a convincing story. As soon as Max leaped outside the window he yelled out of horror as he crashed to the road below. There was no balcony at all and no police man was there. It was the waiter who had knocked at the door. So it is very clear that Ausable was an intelligent spy.
Small minds are concerned with the extraordinary; great minds with the ordinary.
e. Do you think physical appearance matters most for a secret agent? Answer giving reasons in the context of the story ‘The Midnight Visitor.’
Ausable spy no appearance – Max another spy – looked so – Ausable shocked – Max standing in his room – threatened to hand over the document – Ausable composed – said Max broke open the balcony window – Max used master key – had complained to the management about the balcony window – loud knocking – Ausable, police had come – Max, send them away – would hid in the balcony – leapt outside – fell down – no balcony – no police – waiter came – appearance no help
Ausable was a spy but he did not look so. Max was another spy who looked like a spy in every aspect. When Ausable entered his room with Fowler he was little alarmed to see Max inside his room with an automatic pistol in his hand. He threatened Ausable to hand over the documents to him as soon as they arrived at his room later that night. Playing rather composed, Ausable sat down and complained about the balcony window that he thought Max used to break into his room. Ausable reiterated that he had complained to the management about the balcony window several times and had had previous break-ins. Suddenly there was a loud knocking at the door. Ausable said that it must be the police that he had arranged to safe keep the documents. Max believed it and got anxious. He asked Ausable to turn them away while he hid in the balcony. As soon as Max leapt outside the window he yelled out of horror as he crashed to the road below. There was no balcony at all and no police man was there. It was the waiter who had knocked at the door. Max’ appearance as a real spy did help him. So physical appearance does not matter for a secret agent.
Wherever smart people work, doors and unlocked.
f. The unexpected presence of a criminal wielding a gun triggers different reactions in the two men who entered the room. In this light, discuss the appropriacy of the title.
two rival spies – Ausable, Max – Ausable clumsy – Max slender – story full of danger and suspense – Fowler a writer – Ausable expecting a document – entered his room – Max standting there – hand over the document – Ausable composed – midnight visitor changed the story
The story revolves around three characters, two rival spies named Ausable and Max and one mystery writer Fowler. Ausable is a chubby, lethargic, messy and clumsy man while Max is slender and rugged. The story is a short but intriguing insight into the life of a spy which may not be as glamorous as in the movies but still full of danger and suspense.Ausable meets Fowler, a writer fascinated by spies and secrets. Ausable was expecting a sensitive document to arrive that night and so asked Fowler to follow him through the night. When Ausable entered his room with Fowler he was little alarmed to see Max inside his room with an automatic pistol in his hand. Flower was thrilled at the sight of the man. Max threatened Ausable to hand over the documents to him as soon as they arrived at his room later that night. Though Ausable is a little alarmed he played rather composed and sits down. All the incidents happened after the midnight visitor’s visit to Ausable’s room. The story of the balcony and the police was essential because of the presence of the midnight visitor.
Presence of mind overtakes presence of peril.
4. Look at the following expressions used in the story. Match them with their meanings.
| let down | to complain or scold |
| chuckled to himself | try one’s luck / take a risk |
| take cheer | become enraged |
| raise the devil | disappointed |
| black with anger | laughed softly to himself |
| take chances | to be encouraged |
| Ans ; 1 – d, 2 – e, 3 – f, 4 – a, 5 – c, 6 – b | |
5. Based on your understanding of the story, complete the Graphs Organiser (GO) suitably
| Title : The Midnight Visitor | Author : Robert Arthur | ||
In Ausable’s room on the 6th floor |
Ausable, a spy out-wits Max, another spy. | ||
Ausable – spy; Max – spy; Fowler – writer; Henry – waiter |
Max leaps through the window to reach the non-existing balcony and dies |
6. Given below are pictures of fictitious detective characters in English & Tamil short stories.
Match them with the authors who created them.
 |  |
| Shankar Lal Author : Tamizhvanan | Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson Author : Sir Arthur Conan Doyle |
 |  |
| Ganesh, Vasanth Author : Sujatha | Sambu Author : Devan |
 | Hercule Poirot Author : Agatha Christie |
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