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प्रश्न
Sketch the character of Ausable.
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उत्तर
Ausable does not look very handsome, worthy of being called a secret agent or a detective. He is the central character of the story “The Midnight Visitor”. He is not physically very strong. There is nothing elegant or mysterious about him. He is an American who is unable to cover up his American accent when he speaks French and German though he has lived in France for over 20 years. He is practical and shrewd. He is a well-balanced individual. Even at gunpoint, he keeps his cool and instantly cooks up a story to trap the villain, spy Max. He outwits Max without moving from his armchair. He uses his presence of mind. He tells two lies that not only save him and Fowler but also give the momentum for Max to kill himself in an attempt to hide in the non-existent balcony.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
If you are punished for a prank your classmate played, how would you react to the situation?
Why didn’t Makar disclose that he had killed the merchant?
What made Aksionov think that Makar was the real murderer?
What was Aksionov’s realization by the end of the story?
How did Aksionov react when his wife suspected him?
How did the presence of Richard Parker help Pi?
Did Pi want Richard Parker to die? Answer, giving reasons.
We judge people around us, based on their qualities and actions. We brand some people as good and some bad. What qualities, do you think, characterise a gentleman? Some of them may be merely external and some others internal

When we see a few coins scattered on the ground, we would probably pick them up on the sly or walk away ignoring them. What if it was an envelope full of ` 2000 bills? How are people likely to react in such a situation?
Discuss with a partner and share your views.
How is Martha’s strong conviction in Baldwin’s integrity revealed?
John feels Gresham deserves punishment. Why?
When would Baldwin part company with Gresham?
What was Mr. Marshall’s offer to Baldwin?
Based on your understanding of the play, complete the Graphic Organiser given below.

Now match the idioms under column A with their meanings in column B:
| A. IDIOMS | B. MEANINGS |
| save one’s skin | a sudden unexpected event or news |
| make both ends meet | to be the most powerful |
| a bolt out of a clear sky | viewed with suspicion and distrust |
| go to grave | to protect oneself from difficulty |
| have the whip hand | manage one’s expenses within one’s income |
| under a cloud | to exit the world |
What was Ausable waiting for?
Did Max’s presence alarm Ausable?
How did the three men react to the knocking at the door?
Name a few things that make the earth a unique planet.

What do children get ready for at the beginning of the story?
What was Margot waiting for? Why did William say that it was a joke?
Why did the children lock Margot in a closet?
Margot could recall what the sun looked like while the other children could not. Why?
How did the children react when the sun came out after seven years?
What were their feelings towards Margot at the end of the story?
Now read the sentence below. Complete them appropriately with the word you identified from the grid.
William and other children have bullied her and ______her in a closet.
How did Lord Weston ‘defuse’ the ‘infernal machine’?
What was the truth about the crumpled piece of paper?
Group Work
The play revolves around a ‘perceived threat’ and how Lord Weston and Lady Weston react to it. Let’s reverse their roles. Imagine a panic-stricken Lady Weston and a frivolous Lord Weston. Read the following piece of dialogue from the play and rewrite it to suit the changed roles.
| WESTON | My dear, your husband’s life is in grave danger. |
| LADY WESTON | The last time it was in danger you had been eating game pie. What is it this time? |
| WESTON (annihilating her flippancy with one broadside) | Assassination! |
| LADY WESTON | Well, well! You always wanted to be a great man and now you have got your wish! |
| WESTON | What do you mean? |
| LADY WESTON | They don’t assassinate anybody. |
