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प्रश्न
Trace the thoughts that went on in the mind of the narrator when picture after picture was put up and sold at the auction.
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उत्तर
The author was enthusiastically participating in the bid at Christie with very little money on him. He sailed smoothly for a long time raising the stakes on many paintings and carefully staying behind other competitors. It was fun watching till he got trapped in a net, set by his own tongue. When one particular painting was offered for 4000 guineas, the bidders maintained an uncomfortable silence when the author heard himself foolishly saying “and fifty”. The auctioneer banged the hammer finalizing the deal in the narrator’s favor.
It was then the narrator realized with alarm that he had no money on him. Suddenly he lost interest in fun bidding. He started thinking fast for a way out of the tight comer he had created for himself. Many small and big paintings were offered and sold out fast. The Barbizon pictures were selling fast like hot cakes for 2000 to 3000 guineas. The author was running over the names of friends, relatives, and even money lenders who might bail him out of the tight comer. He even speculated on the possibility of confessing his poverty to the staff of Christie and request them to put up the picture again for sale. Such a genuine mistake could have been rectified at the early stages of the auction. As he had enthusiastically participated in the bid for many paintings,
the auctioneers wouldn’t buy his justification for the “genuine mistake”. As bidders stood in a queue to hand in their cheques/cash to collect their paintings, the narrator stood deliberately at the end. He never felt such a fool or had colder feet all his life.
“People do not wish to appear foolish; to avoid the appearance of foolishness, they are will to
remain actually fools but wait in patience for the right time
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Have you ever lost or misplaced anything of value due to forgetfulness?
At times, instances of forgetfulness may land us in a tight spot or in a difficult situation. Therefore, we need to find ways to remember what we have to do or carry with us. One suchway is to make a mental checklist that we can verify before starting any activity.
Now discuss with your partner and think of some practical ideas to overcome forgetfulness, in your day-to-day activities.
| e.g. setting an alarm | |
What does Lynd actually wonder at?
Name a few things that a person remembers easily.
What is the commonest type of forgetfulness, according to Lynd?
Who are the citizens of ‘dreamland’? Why?
What made people wonder about the absentmindedness of their fellowbeings?
Why, according to Lynd, should taking medicines be one of the easiest actions to remember?
Many of us have unused, old but valuable items at home. If we wish to get rid of them, we can sell them at an auction. Items like paintings, jewels, household articles, vehicles, even houses can be auctioned.
The flowchart below will help you understand how an auction is conducted.
How had the author managed the auction without getting involved in the deal?
What came as a shock to the author?
What did the falling of the hammer indicate?
What made the friend laugh heartily?
What kind of excuses did the narrator think he could make?
How does the narrator describe the man who approached him?
Barbizon refers to a ______.
The narrator heard his own voice saying, ‘and fifty’. What does this suggest?
What was the bidder’s offer to the narrator?
Form a meaningful summary of the lesson by rewriting the numbers in the correct sequence:
| a) The narrator had only 63 pounds with him and did not know how to manage the situation. | |
| b) The narrator thought of all his relations from whom he could borrow. | |
| c) Unfortunately he had made the highest bid. | |
| d) The narrator entered Christie’s as his friend persuaded him to visit the saleroom. | |
| e) Every time someone else made a higher bid and the narrator was not caught. | |
| f) The narrator on a sudden impulse added 50 more guineas, to the amount offered. | |
| g) His friend joined him then but left immediately unable to control his laughter. | |
| h) He even thought of borrowing from moneylenders and considered the possibility of confessing the truth to the staff at Christie’s. | |
| i) The picture was declared sold to the narrator. | |
| j) After some time a picture was put up and a bid for 4000 guineas was raised. | |
| k) A sudden stroke of luck befell the narrator when he heard that the gent who had made the bid of 4000 guineas would offer him the additional 50 guineas and buy the picture. | |
| l) The narrator kept bidding just for fun. | |
| m) The picture was given away to the other bidder and the narrator was saved from humiliation. | |
| n) His friend had left the place roaring with laughter at the narrator’s predicament. | |
| o) The narrator was quite happy at the offer but demanded 100 guineas instead of the 50. Now there was no need for him to make any payment. |
What was the role of scholars and poets in olden days?
Universities develop broad-mindedness. How does Dr. Radhakrishnan drive home this idea?
According to the speaker, how should Universities mould the students of the present day?
Students are instilled with some of the essential values and skills while at the universities. Enumerate them.
Common men contribute to the maintenance of institutions of higher education. Explain this statement.
What were the contents of Bryson’s bag?
What did Bryson wish to avoid in his life?
Why doesn’t Bryson seem to be able to do easily what others seem to? Give a few reasons.
‘… But, when it’s my own - well, I think hysterics are fully justified’ – How?
Can a clumsy person train himself/ herself to overcome shortcomings? How could this be done?
