Lesson-1

A Triumph of Surgery

Introduction to the lesson

This is the storey of Tricki, a dog who is the pet of a wealthy lady named Mrs. Pumphrey. She adores her dog and is unable to refuse him anything he desires. Tricki enjoys eating cream cakes and chocolate. So, one day, while Mrs. Pumphrey and Tricki are out for a walk, the narrator notices them and stops to talk. While speaking with Mrs. Pumphrey, he realises that she has been overfeeding Tricki and also giving him foods that he should not eat, causing Tricki to resemble a bloated sausage. Tricki soon became ill, and Mrs. Pumphrey was forced to seek assistance from Mr. Herriot (narrator). She does not want to send him away, but Mr. Herriot has suggested that he be hospitalised for 15 days. The plot then shifts to how he recovers.

A Triumph of Surgery Summary

The storey begins when Mrs. Pumphrey, a wealthy lady, goes for a walk with her dog. A nearby veterinary doctor who knows the lady notices the dog and is astounded to see that it resembles a bloated sausage with a leg at each end. He advises her to stop feeding him unhealthy foods, but Mrs. Pumphrey is powerless to refuse him. Soon after, he becomes ill, and the doctor is summoned. Mr. Herriot, the narrator, then takes Tricki, the dog, to the hospital despite knowing that Mrs. Pumphrey is not ready to leave her dog and nearly faints just hearing these words. Then he brings the dog with him and makes a bed for him in his surgery. For the first two days, the dog does not move much and does not eat anything. He looks around and whimpers a little on the second day. He begged to be let out on the third day and began playing with the bigger dogs when he was. On the third day, he also licked the bowls of the other dogs clean.

Then his condition began to improve rapidly. He began fighting for his food with other dogs. When Mrs. Pumphrey found out, she began sending him eggs because she assumed Tricki was recovering from an illness and needed energy foods. Mr. Herriot and his colleagues began eating those eggs for breakfast in the morning. Mrs. Pumphrey then began sending in bottles of wine to improve Tricki's blood, which Mr. Herriot consumed once more. He used to drink two glasses before lunch and a few more while eating. Then, when she began sending in bottles of brandy for Tricki, Mr. Herriot realised that he would really like to keep Tricki as a permanent guest in the surgery. Mr. Herriot used to be ecstatic every morning because he had two extra eggs. Then a few glasses of wine in the afternoon, followed by brandy at night to round out the day. But then he made a wise decision and called Mrs. Pumphrey because she was very concerned, and Tricki was ready to be taken back home. Tricki jumped into the car, overjoyed to see his mistress. Mrs. Pumphrey stated that she would never be able to repay him for what he had done, and that his surgery had been a success because Tricki was now cured.

A Triumph of Surgery Explanation

I was really worried about Tricki this time. I had pulled up my car when I saw him in the street with his mistress and I was shocked at his appearance. He had become hugely fat, like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner. His eyes, bloodshot and rheumy, stared straight ahead and his tongue lolled from his jaws.Mrs Pumphrey hastened to explain, “He was so listless, Mr Herriot.He seemed to have no energy. I thought he must be suffering from malnutrition, so I have been giving him some little extras between meals to build him up, some malt and cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night to make him sleep — nothing much really.”“And did you cut down on the sweet things as I told you?”“Oh, I did for a bit, but he seemed to be so weak I had to relent. He does love cream cakes and chocolates so. I can’t bear to refuse him.”I looked down again at the little dog. That was the trouble. Tricki’s only fault was greed. He had never been known to refuse food; he would tackle a meal at any hour of the day or night. And I wondered about all the things Mrs Pumphrey hadn’t mentioned.“Are you giving him plenty of exercise?”“Well, he has his little walks with me as you can see, but Hodgkin,the gardener, has been down with lumbago, so there has been no ring-throwing lately.”

• Mistress- a woman in a position of authority or control.
• Bloated- excessive in size or amount.
• Sausage- an item of food in the form of a cylindrical length of minced pork or other meat encased in a skin, typically sold raw to be grilled or fried before eating.
• Bloodshot- (of the eyes) inflamed or tinged with blood, typically as a result of tiredness.
• Rheumy- watery.
• Lolled- sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way.
• Hastened- be quick to do something.
• Listless- lacking energy or enthusiasm.
• Malnutrition- lack of proper nutrition
• Cod liver oil- oil pressed from the liver of cod
• Relent- become less severe or intense.
• Lumbago- pain in the muscles and joints of the lower back.

The narrator begins by telling us how concerned he was about Tricki, his pet dog. Mr. Herriot, the narrator, comes to a complete stop when he sees Tricki and his mistress on the road. The narrator is astounded to see Tricki because he resembles a bloated sausage. He has gained a lot of weight, and his eyes are red and watery. Mrs. Pumphrey, Tricki's owner, begins to explain. She told Mr. Herriot that she suspected Tricki was malnourished because he lacked energy and excitement. She told him that, in addition to his regular meals, she used to give him malt, cod liver oil, and a bowl of Horlicks at night to help him sleep. Despite the fact that she gave him so much to eat, she claims that she doesn't give him much to eat.

The narrator then asks her if she cut down on his sweets as he had requested, to which she responds that she did for a while but that she felt he was getting weaker as a result of which she had to stop being so harsh with him. She also claims that she is unable to refuse him cakes and chocolates because they are his favourites. The narrator finally understood Tricki's predicament. The dog was a glutton who could eat at any time of day. He did not know how to say no to food when his stomach was full. The narrator also reflected on all the things Mrs. Pumphrey would not have mentioned that she fed Tricki. The narrator asked Mrs. Pumphrey again if Tricki was exercising, and she replied that she does take him out for walks every now and then, but he is not doing his ring throwing exercise because the gardner who takes him out to play is not coming these days due to pain in his lower back.

I tried to sound severe: “Now I really mean this. If you don’t cut his food right down and give him more exercise he is going to be really ill.You must harden your heart and keep him on a very strict diet.”Mrs Pumphrey wrung her hands. “Oh I will, Mr Herriot. I’m sure you are right, but it is so difficult, so very difficult.” She set off, head down, along the road, as if determined to put the new regime into practice immediately.I watched their progress with growing concern. Tricki was tottering along in his little tweed coat; he had a whole wardrobe of these coats —for the cold weather and a raincoat for the wet days. He struggled on,drooping in his harness. I thought it wouldn’t be long before I heard from Mrs Pumphrey.The expected call came within a few days. Mrs Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his favorite dishes;and besides, he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting. Didn’t want to go for walks, didn’t want to do anything.I had made my plans in advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be hospitalized for about a fortnight to be kept under observation.The poor lady almost swooned. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. But I took a firm line. Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him; in fact, I thought it best to take him without delay and followed by Mrs Pumphrey’s wailings, I marched out to the car carrying the little dog wrapped in a blanket.

• Severe-  very great; intense.
• Regime- a system or ordered way of doing things.
• Tottering- move in a feeble or unsteady way.
• Tweed- a rough-surfaced woolen cloth
• Wardrobe- a large, tall cupboard or recess in which clothes may be hung or stored.
• Harness- a set of straps and fittings
• Distraught- very worried and upset.
• Bouts- a short period of intense activity of a specified kind.
• Rug- a floor covering
• Panting- breathing with short, quick breaths; out of breath.
• Fortnight- a period of two weeks.
• Swooned- a partial or total loss of consciousness
• Wailings- crying with pain, grief, or anger.
• Marched-  walk quickly and with determination.

The narrator tried to convince Mrs. Pumphrey that if she did not control Tricki's eating habits and increase his exercise, he would become ill soon. He advised her to be firm and strict with him, and to put him on a diet. Mrs. Pumphrey conceded that, while she knew Mr. Herriot was correct, it was too difficult for her to refuse him anything. But then she left, as if she was now fully prepared to follow the new routine. Mr. Herriot stood there watching them walk away, his gaze fixed on Tricki, who was walking unsteadily. Tricki's tweed coat drew the narrator's attention as well. He had a closet full of these coats, as well as a raincoat for rainy days. This line also implies that Mrs. Pumphrey was a wealthy lady because she had so much money to spend on her dog. But the narrator knew he'd be getting a call soon about Tricki's illness, and it did. After a few days, the call came. Mrs. Pumphrey was furious because Tricki was refusing to eat anything, including his favourite dishes, and was vomiting frequently. He didn't want to do anything at all.

The narrator, as a veterinary doctor, knew that the only way to get Tricki well was to get him out of the house for a few days. He then suggested to Mrs. Pumphrey that Tricki be hospitalised and kept under observation for 15 days. Mrs. Pumphrey nearly passed out when she heard this. She was convinced that if Tricki did not see her every day, he would perish. But the narrator stuck to his guns. He informed her that this was their only option because Tricki was gravely ill. The narrator reasoned that it was best to avoid any delays and get him to the hospital as soon as possible. He went to their house, and despite Mrs. Pumphrey's tears because she did not want her dog to leave her, he took the dog, wrapped it in a blanket, and loaded him into the car.

The entire staff was roused and maids rushed in and out bringing his day bed, his night bed, favorite cushions, toys and rubber rings, breakfast bowl, lunch bowl, super bowl. Realizing that my car would never hold all the stuff, I started to drive away. As I moved off, Mrs Pumphrey, with a despairing cry, threw an armful of the little coats through the window. I looked in the mirror before I turned the corner of the drive; everybody was in tears. Out on the road, I glanced down at the pathetic little animal gasping on the seat by my side. I patted the head and Tricki made a brave effort to wag his tail. “Poor old lad,” I said. “You haven’t a kick in you but I think I know a cure for you.”

At the surgery, the household dogs surged round me. Tricki looked down at the noisy pack with dull eyes and, when put down, lay motionless on the carpet. The other dogs, after sniffing round him for a few seconds, decided he was an uninteresting object and ignored him.

I made up a bed for him in a warm loose box next to the one where the other dogs slept. For two days I kept an eye on him, giving him no food but plenty of water. At the end of the second day he started to show some interest in his surroundings and on the third he began to whimper when he heard the dogs in the yard. When I opened the door, Tricki trotted out and was immediately engulfed by Joe, the greyhound, and his friends. After rolling him over and thoroughly inspecting him, the dogs moved off down the garden. Tricki followed them, rolling slightly with his surplus fat. Later that day, I was present at feeding time. I watched while Tristan slopped the food into the bowls. There was the usual headlong rush followed by the sounds of high-speed eating; every dog knew that if he fell behind the others he was liable to have some competition for the last part of his meal.

• Roused- cause to stop sleeping.
• Maids- a female domestic servant.
• Rushed- done or completed too hurriedly; hasty.
• Supper- an evening meal, typically a light or informal one.
• Despairing- showing loss of all hope.
• Glanced- take a brief or hurried look.
• Patted- touch quickly and gently with the flat of the hand.
• Wag- (especially with reference to an animal's tail) move or cause to move rapidly to and fro.
• Surged- move suddenly and powerfully forward or upward.
• Motionless- not moving; stationary.
• Sniffing- the action of drawing in air audibly through the nose.
• Whimper- make a series of low, feeble sounds expressive of fear, pain, or unhappiness.
• Trotted- run at a moderate pace with short steps.
• Engulfed- sweep over (something) so as to surround or cover it completely.
• Slopped- spill or flow over the edge of a container, typically as a result of careless handling.
• Liable-  likely to do or to be something.

The maids were then roused from their slumber and instructed to remove all of Tricki's belongings. His belongings included a day bed, a night bed, favourite cushions, toys, rubber rings, a breakfast bowl, a lunch bowl, and a snack bowl. Mr. Herriot was aware that so much of his belongings would not fit in his car, so he began rushing things. Mrs. Pumphrey threw a lot of coats Tricki used to wear in the car as the doctor was leaving with Tricki. As the narrator turned the car, he noticed through the rearview mirror that everyone was crying. He stroked the helpless animal, who reacted by wagging his tail. The narrator then thought and told Tricki that he knew Tricki didn't have any energy, but he was sure he could make him feel better.

When they arrived at the hospital, all of the other dogs gathered around the doctor. Tricki looked at everyone, and when the doctor placed him on the carpet, he couldn't move. The other dogs sniffed him and decided that he was a very uninteresting object and that it was pointless to stand there, so they left. The narrator then made Tricki a bed in a warm box with the other dogs. The narrator kept him on water and nothing else for two days. On the second day, he wandered around looking at the surroundings, and on the third day, he made noise to let the hospital staff know that he, too, wanted to go out with the other dogs. When the narrator opened the door, Tricki rushed out, surrounded by Joe, a greyhound, and his friends. After another moment of sniffing him, they all went to the garden, and Tricki followed them. Later that evening, the narrator was present at dinner and was watching everyone, especially Tristan as he slopped the food. They were all eating quickly because they knew that if they didn't finish quickly, the other dog would come to eat their meal after he finished his.

When they had finished, Tricki took a walk round the shining bowls,licking casually inside one or two of them. Next day, an extra bowl was put out for him and I was pleased to see him jostling his way towards it.From then on, his progress was rapid. He had no medicinal treatment of any kind but all day he ran about with the dogs, joining in their friendly scrimmages. He discovered the joys of being bowled over, trampled on and squashed every few minutes. He became an accepted member of the gang, an unlikely, silky little object among the shaggy crew, fighting like a tiger for his share at mealtimes and hunting rats in the old hen-house at night. He had never had such a time in his life.All the while, Mrs Pumphrey hovered anxiously in the background,ringing a dozen times a day for the latest bulletins. I dodged the questions about whether his cushions were being turned regularly or his correct coat worn according to the weather; but I was able to tell her that the little fellow was out of danger and convalescing rapidly.The word ‘convalescing’ seemed to do something to Mrs Pumphrey.She started to bring round fresh eggs, two dozen at a time, to build upTricki’s strength. For a happy period my partners and I had two eggs each for breakfast, but when the bottles of wine began to arrive, the real possibilities of the situation began to dawn on the household.It was to enrich Tricki’s blood. Lunch became a ceremonial occasion with two glasses of wine before and several during the meal.

• Licking- pass the tongue over (something) in order to taste, moisten, or clean it.
• Pleased- feeling or showing pleasure and satisfaction,
• Jostling- push, elbow, or bump against (someone) roughly, typically in a crowd.
• Scrimmages- a confused struggle or fight.
• Trampled- tread on and crush.
• Squashed- flat, soft, or out of shape as a result of being crushed or squeezed with force.
• Shaggy- long, thick, and unkempt.
• Hovered- remain poised uncertainty in one place or between two states.
• Anxiously-  feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.
• Dozen- 12 in number
• Bulletins- a short official statement or broadcast summary of news.
• Convalescing- recover one's health and strength over a period of time after an illness or medical treatment.

When everyone had finished their meals, Tricki went around inspecting the gleaming bowls and licking a few of them. The next day, an extra bowl was placed for him, and the narrator was pleased to see him running towards it. Then he started getting better quickly. He didn't need any medications and spent the entire day playing with the other dogs. They used to play with each other, collide, walk over each other, and squash each other. All of the other dogs accepted him as a family member, despite the fact that he was very different from the others in that he was well cared for by his owner and the others were not. He also used to fight for his food with other dogs that were much bigger than him. He would also hunt rats in the henhouse at night. He was having a good time because he had never done anything like this before.

Mrs. Pumphrey had been calling more than twelve times a day to inquire about Tricki. Mr. Herriot used to avoid questions about coats, beds, and so on. But he assured her that Tricki was doing well and recovering quickly. Mrs. Pumphrey wished Tricki a speedy recovery. She began sending him two dozen eggs every day, but Mr. Herriot and his partners would only have two eggs for breakfast. Mrs. Pumphrey then began sending in bottles of wine to improve the quality of the blood. Mr. Herriot made it a habit to drink two glasses of wine before lunch and a few more afterward.

We could hardly believe it when the brandy came to put a final edge on Tricki’s constitution. For a few nights the fine spirit was rolled around, inhaled and reverently drunk. They were days of deep content, starting well with the extra egg in the morning, improved and sustained by the midday wine and finishing luxuriously round the fire with the brandy. It was a temptation to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest, but I knew Mrs Pumphrey was suffering and after a fortnight, felt compelled to phone and tell her that the little dog had recovered and was awaiting collection.

Within minutes, about thirty feet of gleaming black metal drew up outside the surgery. The chauffeur opened the door and I could just make out the figure of Mrs Pumphrey almost lost in the interior. Her hands were tightly clasped in front of her; her lips trembled. “Oh, Mr Herriot, do tell me the truth. Is he really better?” “Yes, he’s fine. There’s no need for you to get out of the car — I’ll go and fetch him.” I walked through the house into the garden. A mass of dogs was hurtling round and round the lawn and in their midst, ears flapping, tail waving, was the little golden figure of Tricki. In two weeks he had been transformed into a lithe, hard-muscled animal; he was keeping up well with the pack, stretching out in great bounds, his chest almost brushing the ground. I carried him back along the passage to the front of the house. The chauffeur was still holding the car door open and when Tricki saw his mistress he took off from my arms in a tremendous leap and sailed into Mrs Pumphrey’s lap. She gave a startled “Ooh!” And then had to defend herself as he swarmed over her, licking her face and barking. During the excitement, I helped the chauffeur to bring out the beds, toys, cushions, coats and bowls, none of which had been used. As the car moved away, Mrs Pumphrey leaned out of the window. Tears shone in her eyes. Her lips trembled. “Oh, Mr Herriot,” she cried, “how can I ever thank you? This is a triumph of surgery!”

• Brandy- a strong alcoholic spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice.
• Constitution- the composition of something.
• Reverently- with deep and solemn respect.
• Temptation- the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise.
• Compelled- bring about (something) by the use of force or pressure.
• Awaiting- wait for (an event).
• Gleaming- reflecting light, typically because very clean or polished.
• Chauffeur- a person employed to drive a private or hired car.
• Clasped-  grasp (something) tightly with one's hand.
• Trembled- shake involuntarily, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty.
• Fetch- go for and then bring back (someone or something) for someone.
• Hurtling- move or cause to move at high speed, typically in an uncontrolled manner
• Midst- in the middle of.
• Lithe-  thin, supple, and graceful.
• Startled- feeling or showing sudden shock or alarm.
• Swarmed- move somewhere in large numbers.
• Shone- a quality of brightness produced

Mrs. Pumphrey began bringing in brandy. Mr. Herriot couldn't believe Mrs. Pumphrey actually wanted them to give Tricki brandy at the time. They distributed it amongst themselves. Mr Herriot used to be very happy some days because he would start his day with extra eggs, then have a few glasses of wine in the afternoon, and then end the day with brandy in the evening. Mr. Herriot was tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest at the surgery because of all the things that were being sent for him. He really wanted Tricki to stay with them forever, but then he realised that Mrs Pumphrey, who was like a mother to Tricki, was in a lot of pain and desperately wanted Tricki to return soon. Tricki was ready to return home after 15 days, so Mr. Herriot called Mrs. Pumphrey to come pick him up. A long black car arrived outside a few minutes later. Mrs. Pumphrey was sitting inside, nervous and excited, when the chauffeur opened the door. With trepidation in her voice, she inquired if Tricki was truly better, to which the doctor replied positively. Mr. Herriot then went inside to find Tricki.

Mr. Herriot went to the garden behind the house and saw all the dogs running around, with Tricki sitting between them. In just two weeks, he had made a complete recovery. He appeared to be in better health, playing with the other dogs and his chest was touching the ground. Within two weeks, he had developed into a strong, muscular dog. When Mr. Herriot brought Tricki to the front of the house, he noticed that the chauffeur was still holding the car door open, and Tricki was overjoyed to see his mother-like mistress. He bolted and jumped into Mrs. Pumphrey's lap, licking her face and barking in delight. While all of this was going on, the chauffeur and Mr. Herriot moved all of his belongings to the car, which had not been used during the treatment in the previous 14 days. When Mrs. Pumphrey was about to leave, she leaned out the window and told Mr. Herriot, with tears in her eyes, that she couldn't thank him enough for what he'd done. "This is a triumph of surgery!" indicated that Tricki's treatment had been successful.

About the Author

The plot revolves around a 15-year-old thief who changes his name every month to avoid detection by the police and former employers. This time, he went by the name Hari Singh. Anil, a 25-year-old writer, is the other character in the storey. The thief approaches Anil and asks if he can work for him. The storey unfolds as the thief betrays Anil by committing a theft but later retracts his actions.

The Thief’s Story Summary

The plot revolves around two distinct characters. One is a 15-year-old thief, and the other is a 25-year-old man who is watching a wrestling match somewhere. Anil is the name of the person who is watching the game. The thief approaches Anil and begins talking to him because he feels he hasn't robbed anyone in a few days and believes it would be simple to rob a simple person like Anil. They begin to converse, and Anil inquires about the thief's name. Hari Singh, the thief, introduces himself. This is not his real name because he changes it every month to avoid his ex-employers or the police. Then they started talking about wrestlers, and Anil was about to leave when Hari called and asked if he could work for Anil. Anil stated that he will not be able to pay him but will be able to feed him if he knows how to cook. Hari lied about knowing how to cook. Anil escorted Hari to his room, which was located above a candy store. Hari prepared a meal that was terrible because Anil refused to eat it. Hari was asked to leave by Anil, but he tried to please Anil. Hari smiled his most attractive smile, and Anil couldn't stop laughing at him. Anil agreed to teach Hari to cook, write complete sentences, and add numbers. Hari was grateful because he knew that once he learned to read and write, he would be able to rob people indefinitely.

The narrator used to enjoy working for Anil because he could make him tea in the morning and then go out to buy groceries for the day. He also used to steal 1 rupee from the money given to him every day to buy groceries. Anil was aware that he used to steal, but he was unconcerned.

Anil used to make money by doing odd jobs. Sometimes he borrowed money, and other times when he had money, he would lend it to others. He used to go out with his friends to celebrate whenever he got money.

Anil came in one day with a bundle of notes and informed Hari that he had sold a book to a publisher. He hid the money beneath his bed's mattress at night. Hari realised he had been working for Anil for more than a month and had not stolen anything except the one rupee he kept from the grocery money every day. Hari had numerous opportunities to steal because he also had the key to the room. But he was surprised by Anil's trust in him because he had never met such a trusting person before. This trust issue was preventing Hari from robbing Anil because Hari believed that robbing a careless person like Anil wouldn't make much of a difference because he might not even notice that he had been robbed, which took all of the fun out of the job. Then he considered stealing Anil's money, justifying himself by saying that if he didn't steal money from Anil, he would waste it on his friends, and Anil didn't pay him for the work that he did.

Hari then awoke in the middle of the night and crept quietly to Anil's bed. He steals the money and decides to leave the city on the 10:30 Lucknow Express. When he arrived at the station, the train had begun to move away from the platform. He could have easily caught the train, but he hesitated for reasons he didn't understand. He counted the money before arriving at the station, and it was 600 rupees in 50 rupee notes. With that much money, he could live a lavish lifestyle for two to three weeks. Hari was alone at the train station after the train had left. He was without a place to sleep at night. The only person he knew was Anil, whom he had also looted. He was sitting on a park bench when it began to rain, so he moved under the clock tower. Then he noticed the notes had gotten wet. He realised that learning to read and write would enable him to obtain a much more respectable and honest job that would pay him far more than these few hundred rupees. He then decided to return to Anil's house.

He entered the room and replaced the money. He awoke a little late the next morning, and Anil had already made his tea. Aniul gave Hari a 50 rupee note because he had been paid for some work and would be paid on a regular basis. Hari took the note in his hand and noticed that it was still wet from the rain the night before. Hari realised Anil had learned of his wrongdoing, but he felt no sadness, anger, or guilt. The narrator smiled beautifully, and it was genuine happiness because he knew he had saved himself from going down the wrong path.

The Thief’s Story Lesson and Explanation

I was still a thief when I met Anil. And though only 15, I was an experienced and fairly successful hand. Anil was watching a wrestling match when I approached him. He was about 25 — a tall, lean fellow — and he looked easy-going, kind and simple enough for my purpose. I hadn’t had much luck of late and thought I might be able to get into the young man’s confidence. “You look a bit of a wrestler yourself,” I said. A little flattery helps in making friends. “So do you,” he replied, which put me off for a moment because at that time I was rather thin. “Well,” I said modestly, “I do wrestle a bit.” “What’s your name?” “Hari Singh,” I lied. I took a new name every month. That kept me ahead of the police and my former employers. After this introduction, Anil talked about the well-oiled wrestlers who were grunting, lifting and throwing each other about. I didn’t have much to say. Anil walked away. I followed casually. “Hello again,” he said. I gave him my most appealing smile. “I want to work for you,” I said. “But I can’t pay you.”

• Lean- thin
• Flattery- excessive and insincere praise
• Modestly- in an unassuming manner; without vanity or arrogance.
• Employers- a person or organization that employs people.
• Grunting- make a low, short guttural sound.
• Appealing- attractive or interesting.

The storey begins with the meeting of the two main characters, Anil and the thief. The thief is the story's narrator. According to the thief, he was quite skilled at stealing. The thief approached Anil while he was watching a wrestling match. Anil, 25, was a tall, lean, and easygoing man. The thief had not committed any thefts in the previous few days because he had not had the opportunity. He thought Anil would be a good person to steal from. So he considered becoming acquainted with him. The thief then said to Anil that he looks like a wrestler himself. He said this to gain his trust by flattering him. Anil responded that even the thief resembled a wrestler, which offended him because he was very thin at the time. The thief replied modestly that he did wrestle occasionally. Anil inquired about his name, and the narrator lied, claiming that his name was Hari Singh. To avoid the police and his ex-employers, the narrator used to change his name every month. They then began talking about the well-oiled wrestlers they were watching on the screen. Because he didn't know much about wrestling, the narrator didn't have much to say. As Anil was leaving, the narrator approached him again and asked if he wanted to work for him. The narrator approached him with the most charming smile he could muster. Anil informed him that he would be unable to compensate him for his efforts.

I thought that over for a minute. Perhaps I had misjudged my man. I asked, “Can you feed me?” “Can you cook?” “I can cook,” I lied again. “If you can cook, then maybe I can feed you.” He took me to his room over the Jumna Sweet Shop and told me I could sleep on the balcony. But the meal I cooked that night must have been terrible because Anil gave it to a stray dog and told me to be off. But I just hung around, smiling in my most appealing way, and he couldn’t help laughing. Later, he patted me on the head and said never mind, he’d teach me to cook. He also taught me to write my name and said he would soon teach me to write whole sentences and to add numbers. I was grateful. I knew that once I could write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve. It was quite pleasant working for Anil. I made the tea in the morning and then would take my time buying the day’s supplies, usually making a profit of about a rupee a day. I think he knew I made a little money this way but he did not seem to mind.

• Misjudged- form a wrong opinion or conclusion about.
• Balcony-a platform enclosed by a wall or balustrade on the outside of a building, with access from an upper-floor window or door.
• Terrible- extremely bad or serious.
• Patted- touch quickly and gently with the flat of the hand.
• Pleasant- giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment.
• Supplies- a stock or amount of something supplied or available for use.

Hari had not expected this response and reasoned to himself that he had misjudged Anil because he had assumed Anil had a lot of money. The narrator then asked if he could feed him, to which Anil immediately replied, "Hari can cook." Hari lied once more, saying 'yes.' Anil responded by saying that if Hari could cook, he could feed him. They both went to Anil's room, which was located above the Jumna sweet shop.

Anil also told Hari that he could sleep on the balcony if he wanted to. According to the narrator, Anil's mean must have been terrible because he had to give it away to a stray dog. Then he told Hari to go to sleep, but Hari decided to stay a little longer. Hari's smile was so charming that Anil couldn't stop laughing when he saw him. After a while, Anil patted Hari on the head and told him he would teach him to cook. He also showed him how to write his name and promised to teach him how to write sentences and add numbers soon. Hari was grateful for what Anil had planned because he knew that once he knew how to write, there would be no limits to his work. Hari had a good time working for Anil. He used to make him tea in the morning and then go out to get groceries for the day. He'd also keep 1 rupee in his pocket every day from the money Anil gave him for groceries. Anil was aware that he was taking a rupee every day, but he didn't mind. He wasn't bothered by it.

Anil made money by fits and starts. He would borrow one week, lend the next. He kept worrying about his next cheque, but as soon as it arrived he would go out and celebrate. It seems he wrote for magazines — a queer way to make a living! One evening he came home with a small bundle of notes, saying he had just sold a book to a publisher. At night, I saw him tuck the money under the mattress. I had been working for Anil for almost a month and, apart from cheating on the shopping, had not done anything in my line of work. I had every opportunity for doing so. Anil had given me a key to the door, and I could come and go as I pleased. He was the most trusting person I had ever met. And that is why it was so difficult to rob him. It’s easy to rob a greedy man because he can afford to be robbed, but it’s difficult to rob a careless man — sometimes he doesn’t even notice he’s been robbed and that takes all the pleasure out of the work. Well, it’s time I did some real work, I told myself; I’m out of practice. And if I don’t take the money, he’ll only waste it on his friends. After all, he doesn’t even pay me.

Anil was asleep. A beam of moonlight stepped over the balcony and fell on the bed. I sat up on the floor, considering the situation. If I took the money, I could catch the 10.30 Express to Lucknow. Slipping out of the blanket, I crept up to the bed. Anil was sleeping peacefully. His face was clear and unlined; even I had more marks on my face, though mine were mostly scars. My hand slid under the mattress, searching for the notes. When I found them, I drew them out without a sound. Anil sighed in his sleep and turned on his side, towards me. I was startled and quickly crawled out of the room. When I was on the road, I began to run. I had the notes at my waist, held there by the string of my pyjamas. I slowed down to a walk and counted the notes: 600 rupees in fifties! I could live like an oil-rich Arab for a week or two.

• Fits and Starts- not working on something consistently
• Borrow- take and use (something belonging to someone else) with the intention of returning it.
• Lend- grant to (someone) the use of (something) on the understanding that it will be returned.
• Queer- strange; odd.
• Bundle- a collection of things or quantity of material tied or wrapped up together.
• Tuck- push, fold, or turn (the edges or ends of something, especially a garment or bedclothes) so as to hide or secure them.
• Line of work-  the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
• Beam- a ray or shaft of light.
• Crept- move slowly and carefully in order to avoid being heard or noticed.
• Drew- pull or drag
• Sighed- emit a long, deep audible breath expressing sadness, relief, tiredness.
• Startled- feeling or showing sudden shock or alarm.

Anil did not have a consistent source of income because he earned money through a variety of activities. He didn't have a set job. According to the narrator, Anil used to be concerned about his paychecks all the time, but whenever he received one, he would go out with friends and celebrate. The narrator recalls writing for magazines in the past. The narrator also thinks it's an odd way to make money. Then, one evening, Anil came home with money and informed Hari that he had just sold a book to a publisher. Anil placed the money under his mattress before going to bed, and Hari observed him doing so. Hari reasoned that he had been working for Anil for nearly a month and had not cheated him except for the one rupee he used to take out daily. The narrator also believes that he had every opportunity to steal because Anil had given him the key to his room and allowed him to come and go whenever he pleased. Hari had placed the most trust in him. Hari had never been trusted by anyone in his life. This was the only thing preventing Hari from stealing because Hari believed that it is much easier to rob a greedy man because he has the capability or money to be robbed and is aware of what he has lost, but for a careless man like Anil, it was pointless to steal because they sometimes don't even realise they have been robbed. Also, Hari believes that if no one finds out that he has been robbed, there is no point in robbing him. Then Hari decided to begin by doing some work. He hadn't robbed anyone in a very long time. He also justified his theft of Anil's money by telling himself that if he didn't, Anil would waste it on his friends. He also believed he had a right to the money because Anil never paid him for the work he used to do.

Hari began his work while Anil was sleeping. Because of the moonlight streaming in through the window, there was a sliver of light over Anil's bed. Hari sat on the floor, planning to leave the city on the 10:30 p.m. Lucknow Express train if he took the money. Hari then crept towards the bed, slowly slipping his hand inside the mattress. He looked at Anil, who was sleeping peacefully with not a single line on his face, and Hari, whose face was riddled with scars. He realised that, despite being much younger than Anil, he had such a bad appearance because of his incorrect thinking. Anil, on the other hand, was carefree and thought well of others, which is why he had such a nice face. Hari then slid the notes out without making a sound. In his sleep, Anil took a breath and rolled onto his side. He was directly facing Hari, which frightened him, and Hari quickly exited the room. Hari began running as soon as he left the room and was on the road, and he had kept the notes in his pyjamas. He'd tied it with a pyjama string. Hari then slowed down and counted the notes after a while. He had 12 notes of 50 rupees each, totaling 600 rupees. Then Hari realised that with this much money, he could live like an Arabian sheikh for at least two weeks.

When I reached the station I did not stop at the ticket office (I had never bought a ticket in my life) but dashed straight to the platform. The Lucknow Express was just moving out. The train had still to pick up speed and I should have been able to jump into one of the carriages, but I hesitated — for some reason, I can’t explain — and I lost the chance to get away.

When the train had gone, I found myself standing alone on the deserted platform. I had no idea where to spend the night. I had no friends, believing that friends were more trouble than help. And I did not want to make anyone curious by staying at one of the small hotels near the station. The only person I knew really well was the man I had robbed. Leaving the station, I walked slowly through the bazaar. In my short career as a thief, I had made a study of men’s faces when they had lost their goods. The greedy man showed fear; the rich man showed anger; the poor man showed acceptance. But I knew that Anil’s face when he discovered the theft, would show only a touch of sadness. Not for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust. I found myself in the maidan and sat down on a bench. The night was chilly — it was early November — and a light drizzle added to my discomfort. Soon it was raining quite heavily. My shirt and pyjamas stuck to my skin, and a cold wind blew the rain across my face.

• Dashed- Quickly ran towards something
• Carriages- any of the separate sections of a train that carry passengers.
• Hesitated- pause in indecision before saying or doing something.
• Deserted- (of a place) empty of people.
• Curious- eager to know or learn something.
• Robbed- take property unlawfully from (a person or place) by force or threat of force.
• Bazaar- market
• Maidan- a park
• Drizzle- light rain falling in very fine drops.

When Hari arrived at the station, he went straight to the platform without purchasing a ticket because he had never purchased a ticket in his life. He'd never travelled without a ticket. When he arrived at the platform, the Lucknow Express, on which he needed to travel, was just leaving. He could have easily jumped and boarded one of the carriages because the train was still moving slowly. However, he did not do so. He paused. Even he didn't understand why he had that hesitation inside him and couldn't board the train. After the train had left, Hari found himself alone on the empty platform. Hari had no idea where he would spend the night. He didn't have any friends to whom he could turn because he used to believe that friends were more trouble than they were helpful. He didn't want to stay in any of the small hotels because it would draw attention to him. He only knew one person well, and he had also robbed him. Hari was thinking about his observations as a thief as he walked through the bazaar after leaving the station. In a short career, he had realised that while everyone – from rich to poor – has different reactions to losing their possessions, Anil would only be slightly sad. That would be because he has lost trust in Hari, not because he has lost his money. He would be disappointed that he had placed so much trust in someone and that person had betrayed him.

Hari was out walking when he came across a park. He sat down on a bench. Because it was November, the night was a little chilly, and the drizzle added to Hari's discomfort. Hari's shirt and pyjamas became soaked as it began to rain heavily. Hari's face was being blown cold by the wind.

I went back to the bazaar and sat down in the shelter of the clock tower. The clock showed midnight. I felt for the notes. They were damp from the rain. Anil’s money. In the morning he would probably have given me two or three rupees to go to the cinema, but now I had it all. I couldn’t cook his meals, run to the bazaar or learn to write whole sentences any more. I had forgotten about them in the excitement of the theft. Whole sentences, I knew, could one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal — and sometimes just as simple to be caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else. I should go back to Anil, I told myself, if only to learn to read and write. I hurried back to the room feeling very nervous, for it is much easier to steal something than to return it undetected. I opened the door quietly, then stood in the doorway, in clouded moonlight. Anil was still asleep. I crept to the head of the bed, and my hand came up with the notes. I felt his breath on my hand. I remained still for a minute. Then my hand found the edge of the mattress, and slipped under it with the notes. I awoke late next morning to find that Anil had already made the tea. He stretched out his hand towards me. There was a fifty-rupee note between his fingers. My heart sank. I thought I had been discovered. “I made some money yesterday,” he explained. “Now you’ll be paid regularly.” My spirits rose. But when I took the note, I saw it was still wet from the night’s rain. “Today we’ll start writing sentences,” he said. He knew. But neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything. I smiled at Anil in my most appealing way. And the smile came by itself, without any effort.

• Shelter- a place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger.
• Clock Tower- a tower, typically forming part of a church or civic building, with a large clock at the top.
• Midnight- twelve o’clock at night.
• Damp- slightly wet.
• Cinema- a theatre where films are shown for public entertainment.
• Hurried- done in a hurry; rushed.
• Undetected- not detected or discovered.
• Clouded- make or become less clear or transparent.

Hari then returned to the bazaar and sat under the shelter of the clock tower to avoid getting wet. By the clock tower, it was 12 p.m. Hari examined the notes and discovered that they were wet. Then Hari realised it was Anil's money, and if he hadn't stolen it, Anil would have surely given him 2-3 rupees to go to the movies. But now that he'd stolen it, he had everything. He'll never be able to make tea or do groceries for Anil again, and he'll never be able to learn to write complete sentences. He had not anticipated that he would lose everything in the excitement of stealing the money. He knew that if he could learn to read and write, he could earn a lot more money than these few hundred rupees, and he could do it honestly. He knew how easy it was to steal something from someone, but he also knew how easy it was to get caught. He knew that if he learned to read and write, he would undoubtedly grow into a large and respected man one day. Then Hari told himself that if he wanted to learn to read and write, as well as become a big man one day, he should return.

Hari returned to Anil's room, nervous because he knew it was much more difficult to return stolen items without being caught than it was to steal them in the first place. Hari went to the hallway and stood there while the moonlight fell over the bed. Anil was still sound asleep. Hari reached for the notes near the head of the bed. As he approached the mattress, he could feel Anil's breath on his hand. Hari paused for a moment before finding the edge of the mattress and slipping the notes beneath it. Hari awoke a little late the next morning, and Anil had already made the tea. Anil extended his hand towards Hari, holding a 50 rupee note. Hari believed he had been apprehended. Anil then abruptly explained that he had made some money the day before and was giving him 50 rupees. He also stated that he would be paying Hari on a regular basis. Hari was overjoyed, but when he took the note in his hand, he noticed that it was still wet from the night before. He also told Hari that he would teach him how to write complete sentences the next day. Hari realised Anil had learned that he had stolen money and kept it. But the amazing thing was that he didn't let it show on his face or in his words. Hari smiled at Anil once more in his most appealing manner, and Anil's smile followed suit without any effort on his part.

About the Author

Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is a British-Indian author. He lives in Landour, Mussoorie, India, with his adopted family. His contribution to the growth of children's literature in India has been recognised by the Indian Council for Child Education. In 1992, he received the Sahitya Academy Award for his novel in English, Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra. In 1999, he was awarded the Padma Shri, and in 2014, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Lesson-3

The Midnight Visitor

Introduction to the lesson

The plot revolves around a secret agent named Ausable who spends an evening with a writer named Fowler who expects a lot of adventure because he is meeting a secret agent. Instead, when he meets Ausable, he becomes bored because the events that transpired were exactly the opposite of what he had anticipated. Ausable's ability to get rid of his unexpected guest demonstrates his expertise as a secret agent.

The Midnight Visitor Summary

Ausable, a witty secret agent, is the protagonist of the storey. He spent the evening with a writer named Fowler because Fowler was interested in spending time with a secret agent, but when he spends time with Ausable, he realises that he is the polar opposite of what he had imagined and that he is a bore. Ausable then told Fowler that he had been thinking incorrectly and that he would soon be looking at a report that would change the course of the country's future. Then Ausable takes Fowler to his room, and when they walk in, there is a man with a gun named Max standing there. He told them to relax until the missile reports arrived in 30 minutes, as he was there to steal the reports. This was the first of many adventures that Fowler had anticipated when he thought about meeting a secret agent. While they were talking, Ausable began with a storey about how a guy had entered from the balcony below his room last month. During this conversation, a loud knock was heard at the door. Ausable stated that it had to be the police because he wanted them to check on him after a while in order to make the reports that were coming in extra secure. Max, pointing his gun at them, stated that he would be waiting on the balcony and that Ausable should send the cops away or else he would shoot them and risk being apprehended by the cops. Max jumps out the window as the doorknob is turned, and a loud scream is heard. The door opens, and a waiter enters, stating that he has brought the wine that Mr. Ausable had requested. He leaves, leaving the bottle, tray, and glasses on the table. Fowler is taken aback and inquires about the police, to which Ausable responds that there are none. Then Fowler inquired about the person who was waiting outside the window, to which Ausable replied that the person would not return and that there was no balcony there. This demonstrates Ausable's quick wit, as he took advantage of the situation and made Max nervous, causing him to jump out the window without thinking and without looking down. He would have died if he had jumped from the hotel's top floor. This is how Ausable outwitted Max and escaped a dangerous situation.

The Midnight Visitor Lesson and explanation

AUSABLE did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read. Following him down the musty corridor of the gloomy French hotel where Ausable had a room, Fowler felt let down. It was a small room, on the sixth and top floor, and scarcely a setting for a romantic adventure. Ausable was, for one thing, fat. Very fat. And then there was his accent. Though he spoke French and German passably, he had never altogether lost the American accent he had brought to Paris from Boston twenty years ago. “You are disappointed,” Ausable said wheezily over his shoulder. “You were told that I was a secret agent, a spy, dealing in espionage and danger. You wished to meet me because you are a writer, young and romantic. You envisioned mysterious figures in the night, the crack of pistols, drugs in the wine.” “Instead, you have spent a dull evening in a French music hall with a sloppy fat man who, instead of having messages slipped into his hand by dark-eyed beauties, gets only a prosaic telephone call making an appointment in his room. You have been bored!” The fat man chuckled to himself as he unlocked the door of his room and stood aside to let his frustrated guest enter. “You are disillusioned,” Ausable told him. “But take cheer, my young friend. Presently you will see a paper, a quite important paper for which several men and women have risked their lives, come to me. Someday soon that paper may well affect the course of history. In that thought is drama, is there not?”

• Musty- having a stale, mouldy, or damp smell.
• Corridor- a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms.
• Gloomy- dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening.
• Scarcely- only just; almost not.
• Accent- a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one associated with a particular country, area, or social class.
• Passably- just well enough; tolerably well
• Espionage- spying
• Envisioned- imagine as a future possibility; visualize.
• Sloppy-  carelessly dressed
• Prosaic- : ordinary
• Chuckled- : laughed quietly, without opening his mouth
• Disillusioned- disappointed in someone or something that one discovers to be less good than one had believed.

Ausable, according to Fowler, did not appear to be a secret agent at all. He was following Ausable to his room through a smelly and slightly frightening corridor. His room was on the sixth floor of the hotel, on the top floor. Ausable was a large man with an American accent, despite the fact that he had lived in Paris for the previous twenty years and spoke a little French and German. Then Ausable tells Fowler that despite being told that he would be meeting a secret agent, a spy agent who has dealt with danger, crime scenes, and drugs, Fowler was disappointed. He had to spend the evening in a music hall with an old, ill-dressed, extremely fat man who used traditional methods of communication rather than beauties delivering to him. He then declared that Fowler was tired of him. Ausable gave way to Fowler as soon as he opened the door to his room. He walked into the room, shut the door, and turned on the light. Then Ausable informed Fowler that he had been thinking incorrectly, and that the best was yet to come, as they would soon come across a paper for which many men and women had risked their lives, and that report was critical.

As he spoke, Ausable closed the door behind him. Then he switched on the light. And as the light came on, Fowler had his first authentic thrill of the day. For halfway across the room, a small automatic pistol in his hand, stood a man. Ausable blinked a few times. “Max,” he wheezed, “you gave me quite a start. I thought you were in Berlin. What are you doing here in my room? Max was slender, a little less than tall, with features that suggested slightly the crafty, pointed countenance of a fox. There was about him — aside from the gun — nothing especially menacing. “The report,” he murmured. “The report that is being brought to you tonight concerning some new missiles. I thought I would take it from you. It will be safer in my hands than in yours.” Ausable moved to an armchair and sat down heavily. “I’m going to raise the devil with the management this time, and you can bet on it,” he said grimly. “This is the second time in a month that somebody has got into my room through that nuisance of a balcony!” Fowler’s eyes went to the single window of the room. It was an ordinary window, against which now the night was pressing blackly.  “Balcony?” Max said, with a rising inflection. “No, a passkey. I did not know about the balcony. It might have saved me some trouble had I known.”

• Authentic- of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine.
• Halfway- at or to a point equidistant between two others.
• Wheezed- spoke breathing noisily and heavily
• Slender-  gracefully thin.
• Countenance- a person’s face or facial expression.
• Menacing- suggesting the presence of danger; threatening.
• Murmured- say something in a low or indistinct voice.
• Missile- : weapons directed by remote control or automatically
• Raise the devil- make a noisy disturbance.
• Grimly- in a very serious, gloomy, or depressing manner.
• Nuisance- a person or thing causing inconvenience or annoyance.
• Balcony- a platform enclosed by a wall or balustrade on the outside of a building, with access from an upper-floor window or door.
• Inflection- a change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number, case, and gender.
• Passkey- a master key.

Ausable then closed the door behind him and turned on the light. As soon as the light was turned on, Fowler felt his first thrill of visiting a secret agent, as he noticed a man standing across the room with an automatic pistol. Ausable recognised the man as Max and inquired as to what he was doing in his room when he should have been in Berlin. Max was thin, a little short, and had a fox's face. Except for the gun he was holding, he appeared to be harmless. Max stated that he wanted the report on the missiles that Ausable had been waiting for because he thought he could keep it more safely. This is said to create humour as he just wanted the reports for his own benefit. Ausable sat down on a chair and started speaking that he would definitely have a fight with the management of the hotel as this was the second time that someone had climbed up from the balcony of the room. Then Fowler looked towards the window and saw that it was an ordinary window and that it was pretty much dark outside. Max said that he came through the masterkey and did not know about the balcony. Had he known about it his work would have become much easier.

“It’s not my balcony,” Ausable said with extreme irritation. “It belongs to the next apartment.” He glanced explanatorily at Fowler. “You see,” he said, “this room used to be part of a large unit, and the next room — through that door there — used to be the living room. It had the balcony, which extends under my window now. You can get onto it from the empty room two doors down — and somebody did, last month. The management promised to block it off. But they haven’t.” Max glanced at Fowler, who was standing stiffly not far from Ausable, and waved the gun with a commanding gesture. “Please sit down,” he said. “We have a wait of half an hour, I think.” “Thirty-one minutes,” Ausable said moodily. “The appointment was for twelve-thirty. I wish I knew how you learned about the report, Max.” The little spy smiled evilly. “And we wish we knew how your people got the report. But no harm has been done. I will get it back tonight. What is that? Who is at the door?” Fowler jumped at the sudden knocking at the door. Ausable just smiled. “That will be the police,” he said. “I thought that such an important paper as the one we are waiting for should have a little extra protection. I told them to check on me to make sure everything was all right.”

• Glanced- take a brief or hurried look.
• Explanatorily- serving to explain
• Stiffly- in a manner that is not relaxed or friendly.
• Waved- move to and fro with a swaying motion while remaining fixed to one point.
• Commanding- having a position of authority.
• Gesture- a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning
• Evilly- morally wrong or bad

Ausable went on to say that it wasn't his balcony that people had tried to enter through, but rather the balcony of the apartment next door. He then began explaining to Fowler that his room was once part of a larger unit, and the room next to his room was once a living room. Then he explained that it had a balcony that extended all the way to his room's window. Then he explained that in order to get to his room, one had to go to the empty room two rooms away and climb up the balcony. Then he revealed that someone climbed up the balcony last month as well. He also informed Fowler that management had assured him that it would be blocked, but they had yet to do so. Max turned to face Fowler, who was standing nearby Ausable. Max motioned for Fowler to take a seat because the report had not yet reached Ausable. Ausable jokingly stated that the report would arrive in 31 minutes rather than 30 minutes. The report was supposed to arrive around 12:30 a.m. Ausable expressed regret that he did not know how Max learned about the report's arrival. Max smiled wickedly and expressed his desire to know how Ausable and his team obtained the report. He also stated that nothing had happened to the report because he would take it directly from Ausable to his team. Then there's a knock on the door, and Max panics. The knock on the door also frightens Fowler. Ausable responded to Max's question about who was at the door by saying that it had to be the police because he had asked them to check on him after a while because he thought the report he was about to receive was important and demanded extra attention. He had requested that the police check on him on a regular basis to ensure that everything was fine.

Max bit his lip nervously. The knocking was repeated. “What will you do now, Max?” Ausable asked. “If I do not answer the door, they will enter anyway. The door is unlocked. And they will not hesitate to shoot.” Max’s face was black with anger as he backed swiftly towards the window. He swung a leg over the sill. “Send them away!” he warned. “I will wait on the balcony. Send them away or I’ll shoot and take my chances!” The knocking at the door became louder and a voice was raised. “Mr Ausable! Mr Ausable!” Keeping his body twisted so that his gun still covered the fat man and his guest, the man at the window grasped the frame with his free hand to support himself. Then he swung his other leg up and over the window-sill. The doorknob turned. Swiftly Max pushed with his left hand to free himself from the sill and drop to the balcony. And then, as he dropped, he screamed once, shrilly. The door opened and a waiter stood there with a tray, a bottle and two glasses. “Here is the drink you ordered for when you returned,” he said, and set the tray on the table, deftly uncorked the bottle, and left the room. White-faced, Fowler stared after him. “But…” he stammered, “the police…” “There were no police.” Ausable sighed. “Only Henry, whom I was expecting.” “But won’t that man out on the balcony…?” Fowler began. “No,” said Ausable, “he won’t return. You see, my young friend, there is no balcony.”

• Hesitate- to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination
• Swiftly- moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity; fleet; rapid
• Sill- the horizontal piece or member beneath a window, door, or other opening.
• Shrilly- piercingly; in a high pitch
• Deftly- dexterous; nimble; skillful; clever
• Uncorked- to draw the cork from
• Stammered- to speak with involuntary breaks and pauses, or with spasmodic repetitions of syllables or sounds
• Sighed- to let out one’s breath audibly, as from sorrow, weariness, or relief

As the knocking continued, Max became concerned about the situation, and Ausable asked him what he planned to do next. Ausable went on to say that the door was unlocked and that if he didn't let him open it, the cops would come in anyway and would definitely shoot if they saw him with a gun. Max was enraged by the situation and fled as quickly as he could. The knocking on the door became more insistent, and someone outside called for Mr. Ausable twice. Max sat on the window sill, facing inside, so his gun could still be pointed at Mr. Ausable and Fowler. Max then sat on the window sill with both legs outside, holding the window sill. When the doorknob turned, Max assumed that the police were on their way in, so he jumped from the window sill to land on the balcony, letting out a loud and shrill scream. When the door opened, there was a waiter standing there with a tray, a bottle of wine, and two glasses. He walked in, kept everything on the table, and said it was the bottle Ausable had ordered. He carefully removed the cork from the bottle and walked away. Fowler had no idea what had happened and stammered that where were the cops, to which Ausable replied that there were no cops and that he knew it was Henry, the waiter, and that he was only expecting him. Then Ausable inquired about the man outside the window, to which Ausable replied that he would never return because there was no balcony and Max had fallen to the ground from the building's top floor.

About the Author

Robert Jay Arthur Jr. (November 10, 1909 – May 2, 1969) was a speculative fiction writer best known for his work on The Mysterious Traveler radio series and his series of young adult novels The Three Investigators. Arthur was twice nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Radio Drama by the Mystery Writers of America. He also wrote scripts for television shows such as The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Lesson-4

A Question of Trust

Introduction to the lesson

The plot revolves around a man named Horace Danby, who is 50 years old and is thought to be a good and honest man by everyone around him. He used to make locks and earn enough money to hire two servants to help him. He was imprisoned about 15 years ago for committing robberies every year. This year, when he goes to a house for robbery, he meets a woman who claims to be the house's owner. Later, when he leaves and is arrested after 2-3 days, he discovers the truth about that lady.

A Question of Trust Summary

The plot revolves around a 50-year-old man who manufactures locks and lives with his housekeeper. He is a good citizen, but he is not an honest one because he commits a robbery every year. He plans his robberies so that the money he gets from them lasts him at least a year and allows him to buy rare and expensive books. He purchases these books because he enjoys collecting rare and expensive books. He intends to rob a grange known as Shotover Grange. He takes all of the information about the house, such as where the family had gone, how many servants were in the house, what the name of the dog was, the wiring in the house, the safe in the house, and even how much money was in the safe. The real twist in the storey occurs when he arrives at the grange to commit a robbery and is met by a woman claiming to be the owner's wife. She offers him the option of forgetting she had seen him if he opens the safe for her because she has forgotten the code to the safe and needs to go to a party. He has no idea he is opening the safe for another thief and that she is not the true owner of the house. He leaves happily, believing that he is safe, but he is unaware that he has opened the safe for someone else, and that he has done so without wearing his gloves. Three days later, a police officer arrives and arrests him, claiming that his fingerprints were discovered at the Shotover Grange. He then realises that he had been duped by a lady who was also a thief and came from a similar background to his. He is imprisoned and works as an assistant librarian. He is enraged whenever someone mentions honour among thieves because he was duped by a member of his own community.

A Question of Trust Lesson and explanation

EVERYONE thought that Horace Danby was a good, honest citizen. He was about fifty years old and unmarried, and he lived with a housekeeper who worried over his health. In fact, he was usually very well and happy except for attacks of hay fever in summer. He made locks and was successful enough at his business to have two helpers. Yes, Horace Danby was good and respectable but not completely honest. Fifteen years ago, Horace had served his first and only sentence in a prison library. He loved rare, expensive books. So he robbed a safe every year. Each year he planned carefully just what he would do, stole enough to last for twelve months, and secretly bought the books he loved through an agent. Now, walking in the bright July sunshine, he felt sure that this year’s robbery was going to be as successful as all the others. For two weeks he had been studying the house at Shotover Grange, looking at its rooms, its electric wiring, its paths and its garden. This afternoon the two servants, who remained in the Grange while the family was in London, had gone to the movies. Horace saw them go, and he felt happy in spite of a little tickle of hay fever in his nose. He came out from behind the garden wall, his tools carefully packed in a bag on his back.

• Citizen-  a legally recognized subject or national of a state or commonwealth, either native or naturalized.
• Housekeeper- a person employed to manage a household.
• Hay fever- an allergy caused by pollen or dust in which the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose are inflamed, causing running of the nose and watery eyes.
• Sentence- the punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court, or fixed by law for a particular offence.
• Safe- a strong fireproof cabinet with a complex lock, used for the storage of valuables.
• Grange- a country house with farm buildings attached.

Horace Danby was 50 years old, unmarried, and shared his home with his housekeeper. The housekeeper was concerned about his health. He was fit and healthy, but he suffered from hay fever in the summer. He used to make locks and make enough money to hire two people to help him with his work. Everyone thought he was a good and honest citizen, but no one knew he had gone to jail about 15 years ago and served his sentence in the prison library. From there he developed an interest in rare and expensive books. This year, during the summers of July, he was confident that he would be able to steal as easily without being caught as he did every other summer. He studied the house for more than two weeks, paying close attention to the smallest details such as the electric wiring, paths, and garden area. The servants who were supposed to stay at home when the family went to London went out to see a movie on that particular day. When Horace saw them leave, he was relieved rather than concerned about the tickle in his nose caused by hay fever. He then walked away with a bag containing his tools.

There were about fifteen thousand pounds worth of jewels in the Grange safe. If he sold them one by one, he expected to get at least five thousand, enough to make him happy for another year. There were three very interesting books coming up for sale in the autumn. Now he would get the money he wanted to buy them. He had seen the housekeeper hang the key to the kitchen door on a hook outside. He put on a pair of gloves, took the key, and opened the door. He was always careful not to leave any fingerprints. A small dog was lying in the kitchen. It stirred, made a noise, and moved its tail in a friendly way. All right, Sherry, Horace said as he passed. All you had to do to keep dogs quiet was to call them by their right names, and show them love. The safe was in the drawing room, behind a rather poor painting. Horace wondered for a moment whether he should collect pictures instead of books. But they took up too much room. In a small house, books were better. There was a great bowl of flowers on the table, and Horace felt his nose tickle. He gave a little sneeze and then put down his bag. He carefully arranged his tools. He had four hours before the servants returned. The safe was not going to be hard to open. After all, he had lived with locks and safes all his life. The burglar alarm was poorly built. He went into the hall to cut its wire. He came back and sneezed loudly as the smell of the flowers came to him again. How foolish people are when they own valuable things, Horace thought. A magazine article had described this house, giving a plan of all the rooms and a picture of this room. The writer had even mentioned that the painting hid a safe! But Horace found that the flowers were hindering him in his work. He buried his face in his handkerchief.

• Pounds- basic monetary unit of the UK, equal to 100 pence.
• Autumn- the season after summer and before winter, in the northern hemisphere from September to November and in the southern hemisphere from March to May.
• Stirred- move or cause to move slightly.
• Tickle-  in a way that causes mild discomfort or itching and often laughter.
• Sneeze- make a sudden involuntary expulsion of air from the nose and mouth due to irritation of one’s nostrils.
• Burglar- a person who commits theft.
• Hindering- make it difficult for (someone) to do something or for (something) to happen.

According to Horace, the grange's safe contained approximately £15,000 in jewels. He reasoned that if he sold them one by one, he'd make at least 5000 pounds, which would keep him happy and content for a year. He also considered the three books that would be released in the autumn and realised that he would now have the funds to purchase them. He noticed the grange's housekeeper hang the keys on the hook outside the kitchen door. He took the key while wearing a glove to avoid leaving fingerprints. He used to be very careful about fingerprints when he opened the grange door. He then noticed a small dog dozing in the kitchen. The dog shifted his weight, made a noise, and then moved his tail in a friendly manner. Horace then said, alright Sherry, which was the dog's name. He knew that calling dogs by their names and showering them with affection was the best way to keep them quiet.

The grange's safe was hidden behind a painting in the drawing room. When he saw the painting, he decided that he should collect paintings rather than books, but then decided that it would be better to collect books in a small house because pictures required more space. As he moved forward, he noticed a bowl of flowers on the table. Because of his hay fever and the smell of the flowers, his nose was tickling. He gathered his tools and calculated that he had about 4 hours until the housekeepers arrived. The safe would not have been difficult to open because he had grown up with safes and locks, and the house's burglar system was inadequate. He went into the hall to cut the burglar alarm wires. As the smell of the flowers hit him again, he sneezed loudly. As he remembered the entire plan of the house, including the information about the safe, he was thinking to himself how foolish rich people were when they had valuable things. He noticed that the smell of the flowers was constantly making him sneeze loudly, so he did something about it. He wiped his brow with a handkerchief and went about his business.

Then he heard a voice say from the doorway, “What is it?A cold or hay fever?” Before he could think, Horace said, “Hay fever,” and found himself sneezing again. The voice went on, “You can cure it with a special treatment, you know, if you find out just what plant gives you the disease. I think you’d better see a doctor, if you are serious about your work. I heard you from the top of the house just now.” It was a quiet, kindly voice, but one with firmness in it. A woman was standing in the doorway, and Sherry was rubbing against her. She was young, quite pretty, and was dressed in red. She walked to the fireplace and straightened the ornaments there. “Down, Sherry,’ she said. “Anyone would think I’d been away for a month!” She smiled at Horace, and went on, “However, I came back just in time, though I didn’t expect to meet a burglar.” Horace had some hope because she seemed to be amused at meeting him. He might avoid trouble if he treated her the right way. He replied, “ didn’t expect to meet one of the family.” She nodded. “ see what an inconvenience it is for you to meet me. What are you going to do?” Horace said, “My first thought was to run.” “Of course, you could do that. But I would telephone the police and tell them all about you. They’d get you at once.” Horace said, ‘ would, of course, cut the telephone wires first and then…,” he hesitated, a smile on his face,’ would make sure that you could do nothing for some time. A few hours would be enough.” She looked at him seriously. “You’d hurt me?” Horace paused, and then said,’ think I was trying to frighten you when I said that.’”You didn’t frighten me.” Horace suggested, “would be nice if you would forget you ever saw me. Let me go.” The voice was suddenly sharp. “Why should I? You were going to rob me. If I let you go, you’ll only rob someone else. Society must be protected from men like you.” Horace smiled. not a man who threatens society. I steal only from those who have a lot of money. I steal for a very good reason. And I hate the thought of prison. She laughed, and he begged, thinking that he had persuaded her, “Look, I have no right to ask you for anything, but I’m desperate. Let me go and I promise never to do this kind of thing again. I really mean it.” She was silent, watching him closely. Then she said,”You are really afraid of going to prison, aren’t you?” She came over to him shaking her head. “ have always liked the wrong kind of people

• Doorway- an entrance to a room or building through a door.
• Ornaments-a thing used or serving to make something look more attractive but usually having no practical purpose, especially a small object such as a figurine.
• Amused- finding something funny or entertaining.
• Hesitated- pause in indecision before saying or doing something
• Frighten- make (someone) afraid or anxious
• Persuaded- induce (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument.

Then someone from the doorway asked him if he had a cold or hay fever. Horace sneezed again and quickly replied, “ hay fever”. The other person then went on to say that he could cure it if he knew which flower caused the allergy and that if he wanted to be a good thief, he should see a doctor. The other person then stated that his sneezing could be heard from the house's top floor. The tone was firm and calm. He became concerned when he noticed a woman standing in the doorway. The woman was young, attractive, and dressed in red. She approached him and rearranged the decorations on the fireplace. Then she told the dog to stay away and said that people might think she was gone for a month, but she was back in time and didn't expect a burglar to greet her when she returned home. Horace was encouraged when he noticed that the woman was amused rather than alarmed when she saw a burglar. He reasoned that if he treated her well and did nothing wrong, she might let him go. He also joked with her that he didn't expect to see a family member because he assumed there was no one at home. Then she said she realised how much of a bother she was to him and asked him what he would do now.

He responded that at first, he wanted to flee. The woman replied that he could, but she would call the cops and inform them that he was robbing her house, and they would apprehend him. Horace responded that he would obviously cut the telephone wires first, and then do something to her that would prevent her from doing anything for a few hours. She gave him a serious look and asked if he was going to hurt her. Horace responded that he was only saying that to scare her. She was not scared by what he said, and Horace then told her that it was best if she forgot she ever saw him and let him go. Suddenly, she exclaimed in a sharp and loud voice, "Why should she let him go?" Â He was there to rob her, and if she let him go, he'd go rob someone else. She stated that society needed to be safeguarded against people like him. He smiled and stated that he was not a threat to society because he only stole from wealthy people. Furthermore, he stole for a good reason and despised the prospect of going to prison. She laughed at his response, and he begged her not to call the cops. Horace was pleading only because he believed he had persuaded her to let him go. He was pleading with the woman not to call the cops and promising that he would stop robbing people. He made a promise to her and assured her that he meant what he said. She then turned to face him and asked if he was truly afraid of going to prison. She shook her head and stated that she was always drawn to the wrong types of people. (This was a hint to Horace that she, too, was a thief, but he ignored it.)

She picked up a silver box from the table and took a cigarette from it. Horace, eager to please her and seeing that she might help him, took off his gloves and gave her his cigarette lighter. You’ll let me go? He held the lighter towards her. Yes, but only if you’ll do something for me.” “Anything you say.” “Before we left for London, I promised my husband to take my jewels to our bank; but I left them here in the safe. I want to wear them to a party tonight, so I came down to get them, but”, Horace smiled. “You’ve forgotten the numbers to open the safe, haven’t you. Yes, replied the young lady. Just leave it to me and you’ll have them within an hour. But I’ll have to break your safe.” “Don’t worry about that. My husband won’t be here for a month, and I’ll have the safe mended by that time.”  And within an hour Horace had opened the safe, given her the jewels, and gone happily away. For two days he kept his promise to the kind young lady. On the morning of the third day, however, he thought of the books he wanted and he knew he would have to look for another safe. But he never got the chance to begin his plan. By noon a policeman had arrested him for the jewel robbery at Shotover Grange. His fingerprints, for he had opened the safe without gloves, were all over the room, and no one believed him when he said that the wife of the owner of the house had asked him to open the safe for her. The wife herself, a gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty, said that the story was nonsense. Horace is now the assistant librarian in the prison. He often thinks of the charming, clever young lady who was in the same profession as he was, and who tricked him. He gets very angry when anyone talks about “honour among thieves”.

• Jewels- a precious stone.
• Mended- repair (something that is broken or damaged).
• Charming- very pleasant or attractive.
• Profession- a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification.
• Sharp – tongued – (of a person) given to using cutting, harsh, or critical language.
• Honour- high respect; great esteem.

The woman took a cigarette from a silver cigarette box and lit it. Horace reasoned that if he pleased her, she might help him. As a result, he quickly took off his gloves and handed her his cigarette lighter. Then he asked her if she would let him go, pointing the lighter at her cigarette. Yes, she replied, she would let him go, but only if he did something she desired. Horace quickly responded that he would go to any length for her. The lady stated that before leaving for London, she promised her husband that she would deposit all of the jewellery in the bank, but instead left it in the grange's safe. She needed to get to a party right away, but she had forgotten the locker code. Horace said he'd do it but would have to break the locker, to which she replied that he shouldn't worry because her husband won't be back for another month and she'd have it repaired by then. Within an hour, Horace had broken open the safe, given her the jewels, and left happy, thinking he was now safe. For the first two days, he kept his promise to the lady that he would not steal, but on the third day, he began to think about the books he wanted to buy and realised that he would have to look for another locker to steal from. As a result of his arrest, he couldn't even plan his next robbery. Because his fingerprints were all over the Shotover grange, a police officer came to his house and arrested him. When he claimed that the owner's wife had asked him to open the safe, no one believed him. The owner's actual wife was a sixty-year-old woman with a sharp tongue. She dismissed the storey, claiming that she had never met Horace, let alone asked him to open the safe. This means that the young woman who asked Horace to open the safe was a thief who pretended to be the owner's wife. Then Horace went to work as an assistant librarian at the jail and remembered the woman who had duped him and gotten him caught because they were both in the same profession. When someone mentioned honour among thieves, he became enraged.

About the Author

Victor Canning (16 June 1911 - 21 February 1986) was a prolific British novelist and thriller writer who thrived in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. He was a private man who didn't write memoirs and gave only a few newspaper interviews.

 Lesson-5

Footprints without Feet

Introduction to the lesson

Griffin, the protagonist of the storey, is a scientist. He discovers rare chemicals that can render a man invisible while also allowing him to be physically touched and felt. Let us read on to find out how he uses or abuses his powers for his own benefit.

Footprints without Feet Summary

Griffin, the protagonist of the storey, is a scientist. He had been researching ways to make a man invisible and had eventually swallowed certain rare drugs that rendered him invisible. He was first noticed by two boys on a house's staircase, where they could only see his footsteps and began following them. They follow it until the footsteps become too faint to be seen. First, he goes into a mall for warmth because he is cold. He decides to put on some warm clothes and eat something after the stores close.

He first takes a few clothes out of the box and puts them on. Then he eats cold meat and coffee from a restaurant's kitchen. Later, he visits a grocery store, where he eats sweets and drinks wine. He then falls asleep on a quilt pile. He then wakes up in the morning after some of the store employees notice him and begin chasing him. He quickly threw away all of his clothes and became invisible once more. Then he began wandering around London without any clothes again during the cold winters.

He then decides to steal clothes from a theatre company because he knows he'll get something to cover his face there as well. He then steals bandages for his face, dark glasses, a fake nose, and a hat to keep himself covered.

Then he assaults the shopkeeper and steals all of his money. Soon after, he realises that London is too crowded for him to live in this manner and decides to relocate to a remote village. He reserves two rooms at an inn in the village of Iping.

He arrives, and the people of Iping find it strange that a stranger with such an odd appearance has come to stay at an inn during the winter season. When his money runs out, he steals from others and assaults the landlord and his wife when they come to check on his room while he is away. The village constable is then summoned, but not before Mrs. Hall, the landlord's wife, questions him about who he is and what he did to her furniture.

This enrages him, and he decides to show her who he truly is. The people then notice a headless man, and Mr. Jaffers, the constable, discovers that he must arrest a man who lacks a head. They are unable to apprehend Griffin because he takes off all of his clothes and becomes invisible. He even knocks out Jaffers while attempting to catch him.

Footprints without Feet Lesson and explanation

The two boys started in surprise at the fresh muddy imprints of a pair of bare feet. What was a barefooted man doing on the steps of a house, in the middle of London? And where was the man? As they gazed, a remarkable sight met their eyes. A fresh footmark appeared from nowhere! Further footprints followed one after another, descending the steps and progressing down the street. The boys followed, fascinated, until the muddy impressions became fainter and fainter, and at last disappeared altogether.

The explanation of the mystery was really simple enough. The bewildered boys had been following a scientist who had just discovered how to make the human body transparent. Griffin, the scientist, had carried out an experiment after experiment to prove that the human body could become invisible.

 Finally, he swallowed certain rare drugs and his body became as transparent as a sheet of glass — through it also remained as solid as glass. Brilliant scientist though he was, Griffin was rather a lawless person. His landlord disliked him and tried to eject him. In revenge, Griffin set fire to the house. To get away without being seen he had to remove his clothes. Thus it was that he became a homeless wanderer, without clothes, without money, and quite invisible — until he happened to step in some mud, and left footprints as he walked!

• Muddy– covered in or full of mud.
• Imprints– impress or stamp (a mark or outline) on a surface.
• Bare– not clothed or covered.
• Gazed– looked at steadily and intently, especially in admiration, surprise, or thought.
• Remarkable–  worthy of attention; striking.
• Sight– the faculty or power of seeing
• Progressing– move forward or onward in space or time.
• Fascinated– strongly attracted and interested.
• Fainter–  barely perceptible.
• Bewildered– perplexed and confused; very puzzled.
• Eject–   compel (someone) to leave a place.

Two boys became aware of a few muddy imprints of bare feet. They began to wonder what a barefoot man was doing on the steps of a house in the heart of London. They also began to wonder where the man was because he was nowhere to be found. They were startled to notice another footmark. The man was still nowhere to be found. They began to follow the footprints. They followed them until the footprints vanished. They were following a scientist who had discovered a way to make the human body transparent or invisible.

Griffin was the scientist who had spent a long time trying to figure out how to make the human body invisible. One day, he took certain drugs that rendered his body invisible, though it could be felt. Griffin was a lawless individual who had once burned down the house of his landlord who was attempting to kick him out, and then, in order to be invisible, he had to remove his clothes and then roam around without clothes or money. After stepping in some mud, his presence was felt, and his footprints could be seen as he walked.

He escaped easily enough from the boys who followed his footprints in London. But his adventures were by no means over. He had chosen a bad time of the year to wander about London without clothes. It was mid-winter. The air was bitterly cold and he could not do without clothes.

Instead of walking about the streets he decided to slip into a big London store for warmth. Closing time arrived, and as soon as the doors were shut Griffin was able to give himself the pleasure of clothing and feeding himself without regard to expense. He broke open boxes and wrappers and fitted himself out with warm clothes. Soon, with shoes, an overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat, he became a fully dressed and visible person. In the kitchen of the restaurant he found cold meat and coffee, and he followed up the meal with sweets and wine taken from the grocery store. Finally, he settled down to sleep on a pile of quilts. If only Griffin had managed to wake up in good time all might have been well. As it was, he did not wake up until the assistants were already arriving next morning. When he saw a couple of them approaching, he panicked and began to run.

They naturally gave chase. In the end he was able to escape only by quickly taking off his newly found clothes. So once more he found himself invisible but naked in the chill January air.

• Wander– walk or move in a leisurely or aimless way.
• Bitterly– in an angry, hurt, or resentful way.
• Expense– the cost incurred in or required for something.
• Panicked– feel or cause to feel panic.

He easily eluded the boys who had pursued him, but he had many more adventures ahead of him. He'd chosen a bad time to wander around London because it was winter and the air was bitterly cold. For warmth, he decided to stay inside a store. When he went inside the store and closing time arrived, the doors were shut and no one was inside. He ate food and wore new clothes without paying for them. He became visible again because he was wearing shoes, an overcoat, and a hat. He then ate cold meat and coffee he found in the kitchen. He then had sweets and wine from the grocery store. Then he fell asleep on a pile of quilts kept nearby and didn't wake up on time.

When the assistants approached him the next morning, he became nervous and began running away. The assistants then began pursuing him as well. He only escaped because he quickly changed out of his new clothes. In the cold air of January, he was once again invisible and naked, with no money.

This time he decided to try the stock of a theatrical company in the hope of finding not only clothes but also something that would hide the empty space above his shoulders. Shivering with cold he hurried to Drury Lane, the center of the theatre world. He soon found a suitable shop. He made his way, invisible, upstairs and came out a little later wearing bandages around his forehead, dark glasses, false nose, big bushy side-whiskers, and a large hat.

To escape without being seen, he callously attacked the shopkeeper from behind, after which he robbed him of all the money he could find. Eager to get away from crowded London he took a train to the village of Iping, where he booked two rooms at the local inn. The arrival of a stranger at an inn in winter was in any case an unusual event. A stranger of such uncommon appearance set all tongues wagging.

Mrs. Hall, the landlord’s wife, made every effort to be friendly. But Griffin had no desire to talk, and told her, “My reason for coming to Iping is a desire for solitude. I do not wish to be disturbed in my work. Besides, an accident has affected my face.” Satisfied that her guest was an eccentric scientist, and in view of the fact that he had paid her in advance, Mrs. Hall was prepared to excuse his strange habits and irritable temper. But the stolen money did not last long, and presently Griffin had to admit that he had no more ready cash. He pretended, however, that he was expecting a cheque to arrive at any moment.

Shortly afterward a curious episode occurred. Very early in the morning a clergyman and his wife were awakened by noises in the study. Creeping downstairs, they heard the chink of money being taken from the clergyman’s desk. Without making any noise and with a poker grasped firmly in his hand, the clergyman flung open the door. “Surrender!”

• Theatrical– relating to acting, actors, or the theatre.
• Shivering– shaking slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or excited.
• Whiskers– a long projecting hair or bristle growing from the face or snout of many mammals.
• Callously– in a way that shows an insensitive and cruel disregard for others.
• Inn–  a pub, typically one in the country, in some cases providing accommodation.
• Wagging–  move or cause to move rapidly to and fro.
• Solitude– the state or situation of being alone.
• Eccentric–  unconventional and slightly strange.
• Curious– strange; unusual.
• Clergyman– a male priest, minister, or religious leader, especially a Christian one.
• Poker– a metal rod with a handle, used for prodding and stirring an open fire.
• Grasped– seize and hold firmly.

He decided to try on the clothing of the theatrical world this time because he knew he'd find something to cover his face with. As he shivered with cold, he dashed to Drury Lane, the heart of the theatrical world. He entered a shop that met his requirements. He appeared with bandages around his brow, a false nose, side whiskers, and a hat.

He then attacked a shopkeeper and robbed him of all his money because he didn't have any. Then he decided that London was too crowded and went to Iping, a small village nearby. He took the train and reserved two rooms at the nearby Inn. The arrival of a stranger and his stay at the inn on a winter night was unusual in Iping, and everyone began talking about it because Griffin appeared unusual.

Mrs. Hall, the proprietor of the inn where Griffin stayed, made numerous attempts to befriend Griffin, but he refused to speak. He made it clear to her that he had come to Iping for peace and quiet, and that he did not want to be disturbed while working. He also told her that an accident had hurt his face and that he had to cover it.

Mrs. Hall, the landlord's wife, accepted that her new guest was a strange scientist and was willing to overlook his temper and habits because he had paid her in advance. Then came the day when his money was depleted and he had no ready cash for further payment at the Inn. He had to act as if he was waiting for a cheque that could arrive at any time. Then something strange occurred.

Some noises in their study room woke up the clergyman and his wife.

They could hear money being taken from the clergyman's desk as they made their way downstairs. The clergyman held a metal rod in his hand and flung the door open, saying "surrender" as soon as he thought he had caught the thief.

Then to his amazement, he realized that the room appeared to be empty. He and his wife looked under the desk, and behind the curtains, and even up the chimney. There wasn’t a sign of anybody. Yet the desk had been opened and the housekeeping money was missing. “Extraordinary affair!” the clergyman kept saying for the rest of the day. But it was not as extraordinary as the behavior of Mrs Hall’s furniture a little later that morning.

The landlord and his wife were up very early, and were surprised to see the scientist’s door wide open. Usually it was shut and locked, and he was furious if anyone entered his room. The opportunity seemed too good to be missed. They peeped round the door, saw nobody, and decided to investigate. The bedclothes were cold, showing that the scientist must have been up for some time; and stranger still, the clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying about the room. All of a sudden Mrs Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. A moment later the hat on the bedpost leapt up and dashed itself into her face.

Then the bedroom chair became alive. Springing into the air it charged straight at her, legs foremost. As she and her husband turned away in terror, the extraordinary chair pushed them both out of the room and then appeared to slam and lock the door after them. Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs in hysterics. She was convinced that the room was haunted by spirits and that the stranger had somehow caused these to enter into her furniture. “My poor mother used to sit in that chair,” she moaned.“To think it should rise up against me now!” The feeling among the neighbors was that the trouble was caused by witchcraft.

But witchcraft or not, when news of the burglary at the clergyman’s home became known, the strange scientist was strongly suspected of having had a hand in it. Suspicion grew even stronger when he suddenly produced some ready cash, though he had admitted not long before that he had no money. The village constable was secretly sent for.

Instead of waiting for the constable, Mrs. Hall went to the scientist, who had somehow mysteriously appeared from his empty bedroom. “I want to know what you have been doing to my chair upstairs,” she demanded. “And I want to know how it is you came out of an empty room and how you entered a locked room.”

• Affair– an event or sequence of events of a specified kind or that has previously been referred to.
• Furious– extremely angry.
• Peeped-look quickly and furtively at something, especially through a narrow opening.
• Sniff– draw up air audibly through the nose to detect a smell, to stop it running, or to express contempt.
• Leapt- jump or spring a long way, to a great height, or with great force.
• Terror– extreme fear.
• Slam– shut (a door, window, or lid) forcefully and loudly.
• Hysterics– a wildly emotional and exaggerated reaction
• Moaned– make a long, low sound expressing physical or mental suffering
• Witchcraft– the practice of magic, especially black magic; the use of spells.

They were surprised not to see anyone. They looked under the desk, behind the curtains, and up the chimney, but no one was there. Nonetheless, the desk had been opened, and the housekeeping funds had vanished. Because he was taken aback by the incident, the clergyman kept repeating the phrase "extraordinary affair" throughout the day. But what happened to Mrs. Hall's furniture was far more intriguing. Mrs. Hall and her husband awoke very early to find the door to the guest room open.

His room's door was usually closed and locked. If anyone tried to enter his room, he would become enraged. Mrs. Hall did not want to pass up the opportunity. When they noticed that no one was in the room, they decided to investigate. His bedsheets were cold, indicating that he had been awake for some time, and all of the bandages that he used to tie around his face were scattered around the room. Mrs. Hall suddenly heard a sniff close to her ear, and Griffin's hat, which was lying on the bedpost, flung towards her and hit her in the face.

The chair in the room then slammed into Mrs. Hall in the legs. Mrs. Hall and her husband were about to leave the room because they were scared when the chair closed the door and a slamming and locking sound was heard. Mrs. Hall was terrified, and she was on the verge of falling down the stairs. She was convinced that there were spirits in her inn's room and that the stranger had caused this to occur. She grumbled that her mother used to sit in the chair that hit her legs and wondered how it could rise up against her. Mrs. Hall's neighbours believed that witchcraft was to blame for what had occurred.

When word of the burglary at the clergyman's house spread throughout the town, everyone began to suspect the strange scientist. Suspicion grew when he produced ready cash for his payment at the inn despite having previously stated that he did not have money and was waiting for a cheque to arrive. Mrs. Hall did not want to wait for the village constable, who had been summoned. She went straight to Griffin, who had emerged from the inn's empty bedroom. She inquired as to what he had been doing to her chairs and furniture upstairs. She also inquired as to how he got out of the empty bedroom or into the locked bedroom.

The scientist was always quick-tempered; now he became furious. “You don’t understand who or what I am!” he shouted. “Very well — I’ll show you.” Suddenly he threw off bandages, whiskers, spectacles, and even nose. It took him only a minute to do this. The horrified people in the bar found themselves staring at a headless man! Mr Jaffers, the constable, now arrived, and was quite surprised to find that he had to arrest a man without a head.

But Jaffers was not easily prevented from doing his duty. If a magistrate’s warrant ordered a person’s arrest, then that person had to be arrested, with or without his head. There followed a remarkable scene as the policeman tried to get hold of a man who was becoming more and more invisible as he threw off one garment after another. Finally a shirt flew into the air, and the constable found himself struggling with someone he could not see at all. Some people tried to help him, but found themselves hit by blows that seemed to come from nowhere.

In the end Jaffers was knocked unconscious as he made a last attempt to hold on to the unseen scientist. There were nervous, excited cries of “Hold him!” But this was easier said than done. Griffin had shaken himself free, and no one knew where to lay hands on him.

• Horrified– filled with terror; extremely shocked.
• Prevented– keep (something) from happening.
• Magistrate– a civil officer who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offences and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones.
• Knocked– collide with (someone or something), giving them a hard blow.

The scientist became enraged and began yelling that they didn't understand who or what he was, so he decided to show them the truth. He took off his bandages, whiskers, spectacles, and nose. All of this took him less than a minute, and the people in the bar were shocked as they stared at the headless man. Mr. Jaffers, the village constable, was taken aback when he realised he had to arrest a man without a head.

But Jaffers still wanted to do his job because he knew the magistrate wanted him to arrest the person regardless of whether he had a head or not. As he threw away more and more of his clothes, he became increasingly invisible, until, after Griffin removed his shirt, he was nowhere to be found and Jaffers was struggling to apprehend a man who had become completely invisible.

People who tried to help Jaffers were also struggling as they were hit with blows out of nowhere. The invisible man knocked Jaffers unconscious as he made his final attempt to grab the invisible man. Everyone was yelling "hold him" over and over, but Griffin had gotten away from them and no one knew how to catch him.

About the Author

Herbert George Wells (September 21, 1866 – August 13, 1946) was an English author. He wrote dozens of novels, short stories, works of social commentary, satire, biography, and autobiography, as well as two books on recreational war games. Along with Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback, he is now best known for his science fiction novels and is often referred to as the "Father of Science Fiction." 

Lesson-6

The Making of a Scientist

Introduction to the lesson

The plot revolves around Richard H. Ebright, who grew up in the Pennsylvania town of Reading. Collecting things was his hobby because he didn't have much to do there. As a child in kindergarten, he used to collect butterflies. Let's take a look at how this inquisitive child who collected butterflies grew up to become one of the world's greatest scientists.

The Making of a scientist Summary

The chapter 'The Making of a Scientist' tells the storey of the well-known scientist Richard Ebright. Richie, as his mother used to call him, was a naturally inquisitive child. He began collecting butterflies as a child, and by the age of two, he had collected all 25 species found near his hometown. He thought his butterfly collection had come to an end until his mother bought him a book called 'The Travels of Monarch X.' This was a watershed moment in his life, and he became far more interested in dealing with science. He began by tagging butterflies, a task assigned at the end of the book his mother had purchased for him. When he first entered the county science fair with a slide of frog tissue, he was disqualified. Everyone received a prize, except for his project, which did not receive a prize. He was sad, but he also realised that in order to win, he needed to conduct real experiments rather than just make neat and clean models. Then he wrote to Dr. Urquhart at the University of Toronto, asking for project ideas. Throughout high school, he kept himself busy by working on the lengthy list given to him by Dr. Urquhart. Then, for the following year's fair, he chose to investigate the viral disease that killed nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. He reasoned that the cause could be a beetle, so he began raising caterpillars in the presence of beetles, but he got no results. As a result, when he presented his trial experiment at the county science fair, his project was awarded a prize. The following year, he conducted an experiment to demonstrate that viceroy butterflies imitated monarchs. This project also resulted in him receiving awards. Then he began his investigation into the significance of the 12 golden spots on the back of a monarch pupa.

Everyone thought it was just a design, but Dr. Urquhart disagreed. Then Ebright and another brilliant science student collaborated to create a device that could demonstrate that the gold spots were responsible for the release of a hormone required for its growth. He was given the opportunity to work with sophisticated instruments in one of the labs and discovered the chemical structure of the hormone in the gold spots. Then, one day, while looking at a photo of the chemical structure, he solved one of life's most difficult puzzles. He discovered how a cell's DNA is blueprinted. It was a significant breakthrough that was published in a magazine.

He also had many other interests and admired his social studies teacher because he was the one who would always come up with new ideas for him. He excelled at debating, public speaking, and canoeing. He never used to win for the sake of winning or for prizes, but rather to be the best at whatever he did. This chapter demonstrates that being a scientist requires a healthy dose of curiosity, a sharp mind, and a strong desire to win for the right reasons. His mother also played an important role in shaping him as he was the one who supported him throughout his journey and bought him the book 'The Travels of Monarch X,' which piqued his interest in science.

The Making of a scientist Lesson and explanation

At the age of twenty-two, a former ‘scout of the year’ excited the scientific world with a new theory on how cells work. Richard H. Ebright and his college room-mate explained the theory in an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. It was the first time this important scientific journal had ever published the work of college students. In sports, that would be like making the big leagues at the age of fifteen and hitting a home run your first time at bat*. For Richard Ebright, it was the first in a long string of achievements in science and other fields. And it all started with butterflies. An only child, Ebright grew up north of Reading, Pennsylvania. “There wasn’t much I could do there,” he said. “I certainly couldn’t lay football or baseball with a team of one. But there was one thing I could do — collect things.” So he did, and did he ever! Beginning in kindergarten, Ebright collected butterflies with the same determination that has marked all his activities. He also collected rocks, fossils, and coins. He became an eager astronomer, too, sometimes stargazing all night.

• Former- having previously been a particular thing.
• Scout- a member of the Scout Association or a similar organization
• Proceedings- a published report of a set of meetings or a conference.
• Journal- a newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject or professional activity.
• making the big leagues- in a field of tough competition and high rewards, the largest or foremost of its kind. For example- winning an Oscar put the actress in the big league.
• Fossils- the remains or impression of a prehistoric plant or animal embedded in rocks. Astronomer- an expert in or student of astronomy.

Richard H. Ebright and his roommate astounded the world at the age of 22 when they explained how cells work in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. For the first time, this valuable magazine published the work of college students. It was one of many accomplishments that Richard Ebright had later in his life. He claims that it all started with butterflies. Ebright was the only child of his parents and grew up in Pennsylvania. He couldn't have done much there because there were so few people. He claims that because he had no friends to play football or baseball with, he could only do one thing alone: collect things. He had started collecting butterflies, rocks, fossils, and coins when he was in kindergarten. He also used to spend the entire night staring at the stars because he was interested in astronomy.

From the first he had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind. He also had a mother who encouraged his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials, and other equipment and helped him in many other ways. “I was his only companion until he started school,” his mother said. “After that I would bring home friends for him. But at night we just did things together. Richie was my whole life after his father died when Richie was in third grade.” She and her son spent almost every evening at the dining room table. “If he didn’t have things to do, I found work for him — not physical work, but learning things,” his mother said. “He liked it. He wanted to learn.” And learn he did. He earned top grades in school. “On everyday things he was just like every other kid,” his mother said. By the time he was in the second grade, Ebright had collected all twenty five species of butterflies found around his hometown. “That probably would have been the end of my butterfly collecting,” he said. “But then my mother got me a children’s book called The Travels of Monarch X.” That book, which told how monarch butterflies migrate to Central America, opened the world of science to the eager young collector.

• Curiosity- a strong desire to know or learn something.
• Encouraged- give support, confidence, or hope to (someone).
• Equipment- the necessary items for a particular purpose.
• Species- a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
• Monarch butterflies- a large migratory orange and black coloured butterfly that occurs mainly in North America.
• Collector- a person who collects things of a specified type, professionally or as a hobby.

Ebright had a sharp mind and was always eager to learn new things. His mother always encouraged him to study. She used to take him on learning trips and buy him telescopes and other tools to help him learn new things. Until he started school, his mother was his only friend. His mother would bring his friends home after he started school. He and his mother used to spend the night together and do and learn things together. After his father died when he was in third grade, Ebright, nicknamed Richie by his mother, became her entire life and support system. They used to spend a lot of time together in the evenings. If he didn't have anything to do, his mother would assign him a learning task. He used to enjoy the learning assignments that his mother assigned to him because that was exactly what he wanted to do: learn about new things. He was a good student because he did well in class and completed his daily tasks on time. He had collected all 25 species of butterflies found in his neighbourhood by the time he was in second grade. He thought his butterfly collection would have ended if his mother hadn't given him a children's book titled "The Travels of Monarch X." The book described how monarch butterflies migrated to Central America, which was a watershed moment for Ebright because it piqued his interest in science.

At the end of the book, readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations. They were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr Frederick A. Urquhart of the University of Toronto, Canada. Ebright’s mother wrote to Dr Urquhart, and soon Ebright was attaching light adhesive tags to the wings of monarchs. Anyone who found a tagged butterfly was asked to send the tag to Dr Urquhart. The butterfly collecting season around Reading lasts six weeks in late summer. If you’re going to chase them one by one, you won’t catch very many. So the next step for Ebright was to raise a flock of butterflies. He would catch a female monarch, take her eggs, and raise them in his basement through their life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult butterfly. Then he would tag the butterflies’ wings and let them go. For several years his basement was home to thousands of monarchs in different stages of development. “Eventually I began to lose interest in tagging butterflies. It’s tedious and there’s not much feedback,” Ebright said. “In all the time I did it,” he laughed, “only two butterflies I had tagged were recaptured — and they were not more than seventy-five miles from where I lived.”

• Migrations-  seasonal movement of animals from one region to another.
• Adhesive- able to stick fast to a surface or object; sticky.
• Flock- a number of birds of one kind feeding, resting, or travelling together.
• Life cycle- the series of changes in the life of an organism including reproduction.
• Tedious- too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous.

The readers of the children's book that his mother had given him were invited to contribute to the study of butterfly migrations at the end of the book. Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart of the University of Toronto in Canada asked them to tag butterflies. Richie's mother wrote to the doctor, and he was soon affixing adhesive tags to the butterflies' wings. Dr. Urquhart asked anyone who found a butterfly with a tag to send the tag to him. The butterfly-collecting season lasted approximately 6 weeks. Then Ebright realised that if he kept collecting butterflies one by one, he would never be able to collect a large number of them. So he decided to raise a flock of butterflies in his basement as his next step. He used to catch a female butterfly, collect her eggs, and raise them through their life cycles in his basement. Then he would tag the butterflies' wings and release them. For many years, thousands of monarchs had been growing in his basement at various stages of development. He soon lost interest in tagging butterflies because it was a time-consuming and exhausting process. It also elicited little response from him. He claimed that only two of the many butterflies he tagged could be recaptured by humans, and those were only 75 miles away from where he lived.

Then in the seventh grade he got a hint of what real science is when he entered a county science fair — and lost. “It was really a sad feeling to sit there and not get anything while everybody else had won something,” Ebright said. His entry was slides of frog tissues, which he showed under a microscope. He realised the winners had tried to do real experiments, not simply make a neat display. Already the competitive spirit that drives Richard Ebright was appearing. “I knew that for the next year’s fair I would have to do a real experiment,” he said. “The subject I knew most about was the insect work I’d been doing in the past several years.” So he wrote to Dr Urquhart for ideas, and back came a stack of suggestions for experiments. Those kept Ebright busy all through high school and led to prize projects in county and international science fairs. For his eighth grade project, Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral disease that kills nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. Ebright thought the disease might be carried by a beetle. He tried raising caterpillars in the presence of beetles. “I didn’t get any real results,” he said. “But I went ahead and showed that I had tried the experiment. This time I won.” The next year’s science fair project was testing the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs. The theory was that viceroys look like monarchs because monarchs don’t taste good to birds. Viceroys, on the other hand, do taste good to birds. So the more they look like monarchs, the less likely they are to become a bird’s dinner. Ebright’s project was to see whether, in fact, birds would eat monarchs. He found that a starling would not eat ordinary bird food. It would eat all the monarchs it could get. (Ebright said later research by other people showed that viceroys probably do copy the monarch.) This project was placed first in the zoology division and third overall in the county science fair.

• County- region
• Subject- a person or thing that is being discussed, described, or dealt with.
• Stack- a pile of objects, typically one that is neatly arranged.
• Viral- of the nature of, caused by, or relating to a virus or viruses.
• Starling- a gregarious Old World songbird with a straight bill, typically with dark lustrous or iridescent plumage but sometimes brightly coloured.
• Zoology- the scientific study of the behaviour, structure, physiology, classification, and distribution of animals.

He discovered what real science was when he lost at a County science fair when he was in seventh grade. It was a very sad feeling for him to see everyone else win something while he did not. He examined frog tissue slides under a microscope and realised that all of the winners had attempted to conduct an experiment rather than simply making a nice display out of their projects. He had already begun to cultivate a competitive spirit within himself. He'd decided to create a real project for the following year's fair. He realised he knew everything there was to know about insects because he had been studying them for quite some time. He wrote to Dr. Urquhart for ideas, and he responded with a slew of suggestions for his next year's project. He was preoccupied with those ideas throughout high school, and he won numerous awards. In eighth grade, he attempted to discover the cause of a viral disease that wiped out nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. Ebright suspected that the disease was spread by beetles, so he began rearing caterpillars in the presence of beetles.

It was useless, but when he demonstrated that he had attempted such an experiment, he received funding for his project. He experimented with the theory that viceroy butterflies imitate monarchs for a year. He proposed the theory that viceroy butterflies resemble monarchs because monarchs do not taste good to birds, and birds enjoy eating viceroys. As a result, the more the viceroy resembled the monarch, the less likely it was that the viceroy would be eaten by a bird. He wanted to demonstrate in his project whether or not a bird would eat monarch butterflies. He discovered that the sterling bird would prefer to eat a monarch. Later research revealed that the viceroys modelled themselves after the monarchs. This project earned him first place in the Zoology department and third place overall in the county science fair.

In his second year in high school, Richard Ebright began the research that led to his discovery of an unknown insect hormone. Indirectly, it also led to his new theory on the life of cells. The question he tried to answer was simple: What is the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa? “Everyone assumed the spots were just ornamental,” Ebright said. “But Dr Urquhart didn’t believe it.” To find the answer, Ebright and another excellent science student first had to build a device that showed that the spots were producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This project won Ebright first place in the county fair and entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair. There he won third place for zoology. He also got a chance to work during the summer at the entomology laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. As a high school junior, Richard Ebright continued his advanced experiments on the monarch pupa. That year his project won first place at the International Science Fair and gave him another chance to work in the army laboratory during the summer. In his senior year, he went a step further. He grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture and showed that the cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales only if they were fed the hormone from the gold spots. That project won first place for zoology at the International Fair. He spent the summer after graduation doing further work at the army laboratory and at the laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The following summer, after his freshman year at Harvard University, Ebright went back to the laboratory of the Department of Agriculture and did more work on the hormone from the gold spots. Using the laboratory’s sophisticated instruments, he was able to identify the hormone’s chemical structure.

A year-and-a-half later, during his junior year, Ebright got the idea for his new theory about cell life. It came while he was looking at X-ray photos of the chemical structure of a hormone. When he saw those photos, Ebright didn’t shout, ‘Eureka!’ or even, ‘I’ve got it!’ But he believed that, along with his findings about insect hormones, the photos gave him the answer to one of biology’s puzzles: how the cell can ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA. DNA is the substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity. It determines the form and function of the cell. Thus DNA is the blueprint for life.

• Research- the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
• Hormone- a regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action.
• Assumed- suppose to be the case, without proof.
• Ornamental- serving or intended as an ornament; decorative.
• Sophisticated- advanced
• Blueprint-  a design plan or technical drawing.
• Nucleus- the central and most important part of an object, movement, or group, forming the basis for its activity and growth.
• Heredity- the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another.

During his sophomore year of high school, Richard began a research project that led to the discovery of an unknown insect hormone, which later aided him in developing his new theory about the life of cells. The research began with a simple question: what was the purpose of the 12 tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa? The majority of people claimed that the spots were added to make it look more decorative, but Dr. Urquhart did not believe what others claimed. Ebright and another outstanding science student collaborated to create a device that demonstrated that these spots produced a hormone required for the full development of a butterfly from a pupa. Ebright won first place in the County Science Fair and an entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair as a result of this. His project was awarded third place in the category of zoology. He also had the opportunity to work at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research's entomology laboratory. As a high school junior, he continued his work with the monarch pupa, which earned him first place at the International Science Fair. After winning this prize, he was also given the opportunity to work at the army laboratory during the summers.

During his senior year, he tried another experiment in which he grew cells from a monarch's wing in a culture and demonstrated that cells would divide and develop into normal butterfly wing scales if they were treated with the gold spots' hormone. His research won first place at the international fair, and he spent his summer after graduation doing additional research on the subject at the army laboratory and the U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory.

The following summers, he worked on the hormone released by the gold spots at the agriculture department's laboratory. Using the lab's specialised equipment, he determined the chemical structure of the hormone. After one and a half years, Ebright had an idea for his new theory about cell life. He had the idea while looking at X-ray photos of the hormone's chemical structure. He wasn't ecstatic about his discovery right away, but he realised that his years of research on insect hormones had solved one of biology's mysteries. It had solved the mystery of how cells read their DNA blueprints. He discovered that because DNA is found in the nucleus of a cell and controls heredity, it determines the form and function of the cell. As a result, DNA is the blueprint for life.

Ebright and his college room-mate, James R. Wong, worked all that night drawing pictures and constructing plastic models of molecules to show how it could happen. Together they later wrote the paper that explained the theory. Surprising no one who knew him, Richard Ebright graduated from Harvard with highest honours, second in his class of 1,510. Ebright went on to become a graduate student researcher at Harvard Medical School. There he began doing experiments to test his theory. If the theory proves correct, it will be a big step towards understanding the processes of life. It might also lead to new ideas for preventing some types of cancer and other diseases. All of this is possible because of Ebright’s scientific curiosity. His high school research into the purpose of the spots on a monarch pupa eventually led him to his theory about cell life. Richard Ebright has been interested in science since he first began collecting butterflies — but not so deeply that he hasn’t time for other interests. Ebright also became a champion debater and public speaker and a good canoeist and all-around outdoors-person. He is also an expert photographer, particularly of nature and scientific exhibits. In high school Richard Ebright was a straight-A student. Because learning was easy, he turned a lot of his energy towards the Debating and Model United Nations clubs. He also found someone to admire — Richard A. Weiherer, his social studies teacher and adviser to both clubs. “Mr Weiherer was the perfect person for me then. He opened my mind to new ideas,” Ebright said. “Richard would always give that extra effort,” Mr Weiherer said. “What pleased me was, here was this person who put in three or four hours at night doing debate research besides doing all his research with butterflies and his other interests. “Richard was competitive,” Mr Weiherer continued, “but not in a bad sense.” He explained, “Richard wasn’t interested in winning for winning’s sake or winning to get a prize. Rather, he was winning because he wanted to do the best job he could. For the right reasons, he wants to be the best.” And that is one of the ingredients in the making of a scientist. Start with a first-rate mind, add curiosity, and mix in the will to win for the right reasons. Ebright has these qualities. From the time the book, The Travels of Monarch X, opened the world of science to him, Richard Ebright has never lost his scientific curiosity.

• Room mate- a person occupying the same room as another.
• Researcher- a person who carries out academic or scientific research.
• Debater- a person who argues about a subject, especially in a formal manner.
• Canoeist- A canoeist is someone who is skilled at racing and performing tests of skill in a canoe.
• Exhibits- manifest clearly (a quality or a type of behaviour).
• Admire- regard with respect or warm approval.
• Competitive- relating to or characterized by competition.
• Ingredients- a component part or element of something.

Then Ebright and his roommate created drawings and plastic models to demonstrate how it was possible, and later wrote a paper that explained the process. It came as no surprise to those who knew him that he graduated from Harvard with honours and finished second in his class of 1510 students. He then went on to become a graduate student researcher at Harvard University, where he began conducting practical experiments to test his theory. If the theory proved to be correct, it would be a significant step toward understanding the complex system of life, as well as lead to new ideas for preventing certain types of cancer and other diseases. As a result, this demonstrated how his research on the monarch pupa led to a theory about cell life. He had been interested in science since he began collecting butterflies, but this did not deter him from his other interests in life. He was a champion debater, an excellent public speaker, and a capable boat racer (canoeist). He was also an all-around outdoor sportsman as well as a skilled photographer. He excelled at photographing natural and scientific subjects. He spent his extra energy on debating and Model United Nations Clubs because he was a great student and always got good grades. Mr. Richard A. Welherer, his social studies teacher and advisor to both clubs, was another person he admired. Ebright believed his teacher was the right man for the job because he was the one who used to open his mind to new ideas.

His teacher was impressed by the fact that Ebright would put in an extra 3-4 hours of effort at night for the debate research on top of his butterfly research and other interests. He went on to say that he was competitive, but not in a bad way, because he didn't win for the sake of winning, but because he wanted to be the best at whatever he did. This is what distinguishes a good scientist. He requires a first-rate mind, as well as curiosity and a strong desire to win for the right reasons. Richard's interest in science has only grown since his mother gave him the book about monarch migration.

About the Author

Robert W. Peterson (February 11, 1925 – February 11, 2006) was an American newspaper writer who later became a freelance author of magazine articles and books, focusing on sports and scouting. 'Only the Ball Was White,' his 1970 chronicle of Negro league baseball, was hailed by The New York Times as having "recaptured a lost era in baseball history and a rich facet of black life in America." Bowie Kuhn, the baseball commissioner at the time, later credited Peterson's book with "focusing greater attention on the accomplishments of Negro League players," which led to their induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Lesson-7

The Necklace

Introduction to the lesson

The plot revolves around a self-centered woman named Matilda. She is dissatisfied with her life because she desires a wealthy husband, but she is married to a clerk because she comes from a family of clerks and her family is unable to provide dowry. The husband and wife are both invited to a party at the minister's house one day. Matilda, on the other hand, does not have nice clothes or jewels to wear to such a party. Her husband suggests she buy a dress and borrow jewellery from an old friend. She then borrows a necklace from a friend before heading to the party. What happens next teaches the unhappy lady a valuable lesson.

The Necklace Summary

Mme. Matilda Loisel shared an apartment with her husband M. Loisel and was dissatisfied with what life had given her. She was dissatisfied with the shabby walls and worn-out furniture in her apartment. She was also irritated by her husband's reaction to the homemade food, while she fantasised about royal dinners served in exquisite silver dishes. They were neither wealthy nor impoverished. She was forced to marry a clerk in the board of education's office because her family couldn't afford to pay her dowry. Matilda also despised paying visits to her old friend Mme. Jeanne Forestier because she was a wealthy lady whom Matilda envied. Whenever she went to see her, she became depressed and cried for days on end. When her husband got home from work one day, he received an invitation to a party at the house of the minister of public instruction. Matilda, contrary to his expectations, was irritated and angry and threw the card away. She was disappointed because she didn't have anything to wear to such a lavish party. Her husband gave her 400 francs to buy a new dress, money he had been saving to buy a gun to go hunting with his friends. She was disappointed after purchasing the dress because she lacked the necessary jewellery to make herself appear more appealing and attractive. Her husband suggested she borrow jewellery from Mme. Forestier, a friend of hers. When Mme. Loisel went to her friend's house to explain the situation, she showed her the cupboard and told her to take whatever she wanted. Matilda chose a valuable diamond necklace that was kept in a black satin box.

They went to the minister's party, and all the men complimented her on her new dress and jewellery. They returned at four o'clock in the morning. M. Loisel had already passed out in one of the rooms with three other men at that point. They decided to leave but were unable to locate a carriage. After a while of walking, they were met by a carriage that dropped them right outside their door. Matilda realised she was missing the necklace. M.Loisel went out to look for the necklace on the railway tracks. M. Loisel went to the police station, cab offices, and also advertised a reward for whoever returned the necklace. Meanwhile, he told his wife to inform her friend that the necklace's clasp had broken and that he had given it to be repaired. When the necklace could not be found after a week, they decided to replace it with a similar one. They discovered a similar necklace for 36000 francs. Fortunately, M. Loisel had inherited 18000 francs from his father and had borrowed the rest.

It took them ten years to repay all of their loans, and their lives changed dramatically during that time. They downsized to a smaller apartment and got rid of the maid. Matilda prepared the food and did the laundry herself. M. Loisel also worked multiple jobs to repay the loan. Mme. Loisel began to look much older, her hair became unkempt, her voice became louder, and she became a normal person who would carry a basket to the grocery store, butcher store, and fruit store to buy their daily supplies. She ran into her friend Jeanne with a child one day and decided to tell her the truth, explaining how she was indirectly responsible for her aged appearance and living conditions. She explained how she misplaced the borrowed necklace and had to borrow money to replace it. When Jeanne learned of this, she informed Matilda that the necklace she had borrowed was a forgery worth no more than 500 francs.

The Necklace Lesson and Explanation

SHE was one of those pretty, young ladies, born as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. She was simple, but she was unhappy. She suffered incessantly, feeling born for all delicacies and luxuries. She suffered from the poverty of her apartment, the shabby walls and the worn chairs. All these things tortured and angered her. When she seated herself for dinner opposite her husband who uncovered the tureen with a delighted air, saying,

“Oh! the good pot pie! I know nothing better than that…,” she would think of elegant dinners, of shining silver; she thought of the exquisite food served in marvelous dishes. She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She had a rich friend, a schoolmate at the convent, who she did not like to visit — she suffered so much when she returned. She wept for whole days from despair and disappointment. One evening her husband returned elated bearing in his hand a large envelope. “Here,” he said, “here is something for you.”

• Error- a mistake.
• Clerk- a person employed in an office or bank to keep records, accounts, and undertake other routine administrative duties.
• Dowry- an amount of property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage.
• Petty- of little importance; trivial.
• Incessantly- without interruption; constantly.
• Delicacies- fineness or intricacy of texture or structure.
• Shabby- in poor condition through long use or lack of care.
• Tureen- a deep covered dish from which soup is served.
• Pot pie- a savoury pie baked in a deep dish, typically with a top crust only.
• Elegant- graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
• Exquisite- extremely beautiful and delicate.
• Marvellous- causing great wonder; extraordinary.
• Convent- a school attached to and run by a convent.
• Elated- make (someone) ecstatically happy.

Matilda Loisel was a lovely young lady born into a middle-class family of clerks. Her family lacked the financial means to provide a dowry for her marriage. She didn't have any other way to befriend a wealthy man in order to be loved or married to him. As a result of these circumstances, she was forced to marry a clerk in the board of education's office, and she was dissatisfied. She used to believe that fate had been unjust to her and that she deserved much better than what she had received. She used to become enraged and tortured by the state of her apartment. She used to be irritated by the filthy walls and ripped furniture. When her husband praised the home-cooked food served in a simple dish, she fantasised about elegant dinners served in magnificent dishes. She didn't have any expensive jewels or fancy dresses. She had a school friend she didn't want to meet because she was a wealthy lady. She used to cry for days after meeting her, reflecting on the state of her life. Her husband returned home from work one day in a good mood, holding an envelope. He informed her that the envelope was addressed to her and requested that she open it.

She quickly drew out a printed card on which were inscribed these words:
“The Minister of Public Instruction and Madame George Ramponneau ask the honour of M. and Mme Loisel ’ s company. Monday evening, January 18, at the Minister’s residence.” Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she threw the invitation spitefully upon the table murmuring, “What do you suppose I want with that?” “But, my dearie, I thought it would make you happy. You never go out, and this is an occasion, and a fine one! Everybody wishes one, and it is very select; not many are given to employees. You will see the whole official world there.” She looked at him with an irritated eye and declared impatiently, “What do you suppose I have to wear to such a thing as that?” He had not thought of that; he stammered, “Why, the dress you wear when we go to the theatre. It seems very pretty to me…” He was silent, stupefied, in dismay, at the sight of his wife weeping. He stammered, “What is the matter? What is the matter?” By a violent effort, she had controlled her vexation and responded in a calm voice, wiping her moist cheeks, “Nothing. Only I have no dress and consequently I cannot go to this affair. Give your card to some colleague whose wife is better fitted out than I.” He was grieved, but answered, “Let us see, Matilda. How much would a suitable costume cost, something that would serve for other occasions, something very simple?” She reflected for some seconds thinking of a sum that she could ask for without bringing with it an immediate refusal and a frightened exclamation from the economical clerk. Finally she said, in a hesitating voice, “I cannot tell exactly, but it seems to me that four hundred francs ought to cover it.”

• M.- Mr. in French
• Mme.- Mrs. in French
• Delighted- feeling or showing great pleasure.
• Spitefully- showing or caused by malice.
• Murmuring- a low or indistinct continuous sound.
• Stammered- speak with sudden involuntary pauses and a tendency to repeat the initial letters of words.
• Stupefied- make (someone) unable to think or feel properly.
• Dismay- concern and distress caused by something unexpected.
• Weeping- shedding tears.
• Vexation- the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried.
• Affair- an event or sequence of events of a specified kind or that has previously been referred to.
• Colleague- a person with whom one works in a profession or business.
• Grieved- feel intense sorrow.
• Francs- the basic monetary unit of France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and several other countries

She quickly took out the printed card, eager to find out what it was about. It was a Ministerial invitation. The couple had been invited to a dinner party at the minister of public instruction's home. M. Loisel expected her to be delighted, but she became enraged and threw the card while murmuring something. She inquired of her husband as to what he desired she do with the card. He responded that he had assumed she would be pleased because she rarely went out and this was a rare occasion to which only a few employees were invited. He also informed her that she would be meeting a large number of people from his office at the event. Matilda inquired as to what she could wear to such a grand occasion. He stammered because he hadn't considered that. He first asked her to wear the dress she wore when they went to the movies, but as she was crying, he inquired about the situation. She wiped her wet cheeks and calmly replied that she couldn't be a part of such a grand affair and that he should give the card to another colleague whose wife was better than hers. He felt bad for his wife when he saw her crying and asked her how much a simple dress that she could wear on other occasions would cost. She devised a figure that would not be refused by him and would not frighten the poor clerk. She then stated that she would be able to afford a dress for 400 Francs.

He turned a little pale, for he had saved just this sum to buy a gun that he might be able to join some hunting parties the next summer, with some friends who went to shoot larks on Sunday. Nevertheless, he answered, “Very well. I will give you four hundred francs. But try to have a pretty dress.” The day of the ball approached and Mme Loisel seemed sad, disturbed, anxious. Nevertheless, her dress was nearly ready. Her husband said to her one evening, “What is the matter with you? You have acted strangely for two or three days.” And she responded, “I am vexed not to have a jewel, nothing to adorn myself with. I shall have such a poverty-stricken look. I would prefer not to go to this party.” He replied, “You can wear some natural flowers. In this season they look very chic.” She was not convinced. “No”, she replied, “there is nothing more humiliating than to have a shabby air in the midst of rich women.” Then her husband cried out, “How stupid we are! Go and find your friend Mme Forestier and ask her to lend you her jewels.” She uttered a cry of joy. “It is true!” she said. “I had not thought of that.” The next day she took herself to her friend’s house and related her story of distress. Mme Forestier went to her closet, took out a large jewel-case, brought it, opened it, and said, “Choose, my dear.” She saw at first some bracelets, then a collar of pearls, then a Venetian cross of gold and jewels of admirable workmanship. She tried the jewels before the glass, hesitated, but could neither decide to take them nor leave them. Then she asked, “Have you nothing more?” “Why, yes. Look for yourself. I do not know what will please you.” Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin box, a superb necklace of diamonds. Her hands trembled as she took it out. She placed it about her throat against her dress, and was ecstatic. Then she asked, in a hesitating voice, full of anxiety, “Could you lend me this? Only this?” “Why, yes, certainly.”

• Pale- light in colour or shade; containing little colour or pigment.
• Larks- a bird
• Anxious- feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome
• Vexed-  annoyed, frustrated, or worried
• Adorn- make more beautiful or attractive.
• Stricken- seriously affected by an undesirable condition or unpleasant feeling.
• Chic- elegantly and stylishly fashionable.
• Shabby- in poor condition through long use or lack of care.
• Midst- in between
• Admirable- arousing or deserving respect and approval.
• Satin- a smooth, glossy fabric, usually of silk, produced by a weave in which the threads of the warp are caught and looped by the weft only at certain intervals.
• Ecstatic- feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement.

M Loisel was hesitant because he had only saved that much money to buy a gun for himself so that he could join the hunting parties with his friends next summer. He told his wife he would give her the money if she bought a nice dress. The big day was approaching, and Matilda was still not feeling well, despite the fact that her dress was almost ready. Her husband asked her again one day why she had been acting strangely for the past few days. Matilda responded that, while she had the dress, she lacked any kind of jewellery or anything else that would make her look more attractive. She stated that if she did not wear any jewellery, she would appear to be a poor person at such a large party. She stated once more that she would rather not attend the party. Her husband responded by saying that she could wear some natural flowers over the dress because they looked really nice and attractive. She replied that she couldn't because it appeared to be very cheap in a party of wealthy people. Her husband then suggested that she go to her friend Mme. Forestier and ask her to lend her some jewellery. Matilda's face brightened as she heard the idea. The next day, she went to Mme. Forestier's house and expressed her concern about the party and the jewellery. Mme. Forestier reached into her closet and took out her jewel box. Mme. Forestier told her she could do whatever she wanted. She first noticed some bracelets, then some pearl collars, and finally a gold and jewel Venetian cross. She couldn't decide what to keep and what to throw away, so she asked Mme. Forestier if she had anything else she could wear. Mme. Forestier responded that she could take a look and choose something suitable for herself. She then noticed a magnificent diamond necklace kept in a black satin box. She took it out with trembling hands and put it on. She was overjoyed with the necklace because it was so lovely. She asked her friend if she could borrow the diamond necklace from her. It was agreed upon by Mme. Forestier.

She fell upon the neck of her friend, embraced her with passion, then went away with her treasure. The day of the ball arrived. Mme Loisel was a great success. She was the prettiest of all — elegant, gracious, smiling and full of joy. All the men noticed her, asked her name, and wanted to be presented. She danced with enthusiasm, intoxicated with pleasure, thinking of nothing but all this admiration, this victory so complete and sweet to her heart. She went home towards four o’clock in the morning. Her husband had been half asleep in one of the little salons since midnight, with three other gentlemen whose wives were enjoying themselves very much. He threw around her shoulders the modest wraps they had carried whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume. She wished to hurry away in order not to be noticed by the other women who were wrapping themselves in rich furs. Loisel detained her, “Wait,” said he. “I am going to call a cab.” But she would not listen and descended the steps rapidly. When they were in the street, they found no carriage; and they began to seek for one, hailing the coachmen whom they saw at a distance. They walked along toward the river, hopeless and shivering. Finally they found one of those old carriages that one sees in Paris after nightfall. It took them as far as their door and they went wearily up to their apartment. It was all over for her. And on his part, he remembered that he would have to be at the office by ten o’clock. She removed the wraps from her shoulders before the glass, for a final view of herself in her glory. Suddenly she uttered a cry. Her necklace was not around her neck. Loisel already half undressed, asked, “What is the matter?” She turned towards him excitedly. “I have — I have — I no longer have Mme Forestier’s necklace.” He arose in dismay, “What! How is that? It is not possible.” And they looked in the folds of the dress, in the folds of the cloak, in the pockets, everywhere. They could not find it. He asked, “You are sure you still had it when we left the Minister’s house?”

• Embraced- hold (someone) closely in one’s arms, especially as a sign of affection.
• Elegant- graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
• Enthusiasm- intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.
• Admiration- respect and warm approval.
• Salons- a reception room in a large house.
• Furs- the short, fine, soft hair of certain animals.
• Detained- keep (someone) from proceeding by holding them back or making claims on their attention.
• Descended- move or fall downwards.
• Hailing- (of a large number of objects) fall or be hurled forcefully.
• Coachmen- a driver of a horse-drawn carriage.
• Shivering- shaking slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or excited.
• Nightfall- the onset of night; dusk.
• Wearily- with extreme tiredness.
• Cloak- a sleeveless outdoor overgarment that hangs loosely from the shoulders.

Matilda affectionately hugged her friend before departing for her home. The party day arrived, and Mme Loisel was appreciated because she was the most beautiful, elegant, and gracious of all. She was overjoyed and overjoyed that all the men were noticing her. She was giddy with excitement and delight, as she was overjoyed with all the attention she had received. At four o'clock in the morning, the couple left the party. M. loisel had already slept in one of the halls at 12 o'clock with three other men whose wives were also enjoying the party. As they were about to leave, M. Loisel threw the wrap around her shoulders. The wrap, which was not particularly attractive, was ruining the elegance of the party dress. She wanted to get out of the party as soon as possible because she didn't want the rich ladies who had wrapped themselves in rich furs to see her in a cheap wrap. This was due to the fact that she had portrayed herself as a wealthy lady by wearing the new dress and diamond necklace. M. Loisel asked her to wait while he called a cab, but she was in a hurry and dashed down the stairs. She didn't want to draw attention to herself. When they got to the street, they looked for a carriage that could take them home, but they couldn't find one. They then noticed a coachman in the distance and began calling him. The coachman did not come to a halt. They continued walking towards the river until they came across a carriage, the kind found in Paris at dusk. They both went up in the carriage as it took them to their home. They were exhausted by that point. Mme. Loisel's enthusiasm and fun had worn off by then. M. Loisel also remembered that he had to be at his office by 10 a.m. She cried as she stood in front of the mirror, removing the wrap to see herself in the beautiful dress and necklace for the last time. It wasn't around her neck. M. Loisel had already undressed and was about to fall asleep when he asked her why she was shouting. She turned to face him, saying that Mme. Forestier's necklace was missing and that it had possibly fallen somewhere. They looked for it in the folds of the dresses, the cloak, and the pockets, but they couldn't find it. M. Loisel then asked her if she remembered wearing it as they left the minister's house.

Yes, I felt it as we came out.” “But if you had lost it in the street, we should have heard it fall. It must be in the cab.” “Yes, it is possible. Did you take the number?” “No. And you, did you notice what it was?” “No.” They looked at each other utterly cast down. Finally Loisel dressed himself again. “I am going,” he said, “over the track where we went on foot, to see if I can find it.” And he went. She remained in her evening gown, not having the force to go to bed. Toward seven o’clock her husband returned. He had found nothing. He went to the police and to the cab offices, and put an advertisement in the newspapers, offering a reward. She waited all day in a state of bewilderment before this frightful disaster. Loisel returned in the evening, his face pale; he had discovered nothing. He said, “Write to your friend that you have broken the clasp of the necklace and that you will have it repaired. That will give us time.” She wrote as he dictated. At the end of a week, they had lost all hope. And Loisel, older by five years, declared, “We must replace this jewel.” In a shop of the Palais-Royal, they found a chaplet of diamonds, which seemed to them exactly like the one they had lost. It was valued at forty thousand francs. They could get it for thirty-six thousand. Loisel possessed eighteen thousand francs, which his father had left him. He borrowed the rest. He made ruinous promises, took money from usurers and the whole race of lenders. Then he went to get the new necklace, depositing on the merchant’s counter thirty-six thousand francs. When Mme Loisel took back the jewels to Mme Forestier, the latter said to her in a frigid tone, “You should have returned them to me sooner, for I might have needed them.”

• Cast down- sad or worried
• Gown- a long elegant dress worn on formal occasions.
• Bewilderment- a feeling of being perplexed and confused.
• Frightful- very unpleasant, serious, or shocking.
• Clasp- grasp (something) tightly with one’s hand.
• Dictated- state or order authoritatively.
• Chaplet- a garland or circlet for a person’s head.
• Ruinous- disastrous or destructive
• Usurers-  a person who lends money at unreasonably high rates of interest.
• Latter – denoting the second or second mentioned of two people or things.
• Frigid- stiff or formal in behaviour or style.

Mme. Loisel stated that she remembered having it on because she felt it while leaving the minister's house. M. Loisel stated that if it had fallen on the street, they would have heard the sound of it falling, but they did not, implying that it must have fallen in the cab. To this, she replied that it was possible that what he said was correct and asked him if he had written down the licence plate number of the car. They'd both missed the carriage's licence plate. They were disappointed by what had just occurred, so M. Loisel dressed up once more to go look on the tracks where they were walking. She stayed at home in her evening gown while her husband searched for the necklace. M. Loisel returned around 7 a.m. and announced that he had found nothing. He also went to the police and cab offices to inquire about it, and he placed an ad in the newspaper offering a reward to whoever returned it. Mme. Loisel waited all day for her husband to return, and when he did, he said he couldn't find the necklace. M. Loisel instructed his wife to notify Mme. Forestier that they had given the necklace for repair because the hook had broken. They decided to buy another necklace for Mme. Forestier after searching for it for nearly a week and failing to locate the original. They then began looking for a necklace similar to the one they had lost and discovered one in a shop at Palais- Royal. The necklace was 36000 francs with a 4000 franc discount. M. Loisel possessed approximately 18000 francs, which had been left to him by his father prior to his death. He borrowed the rest of the money from various lenders. He then paid the full price for the new necklace at the store. When Mme. Loisel returned the necklace to her friend, she was told that she should have returned it sooner because she, too, needed it.

Mme Forestier did not open the jewel-box as Mme Loisel feared she would. What would she think if she should perceive the substitution? What should she say? Would she take her for a robber? Mme Loisel now knew the horrible life of necessity. She did her part, however, completely, heroically. It was necessary to pay this frightful debt. She would pay it. They sent away the maid, they changed their lodgings; they rented some rooms in an attic. She learned the odious work of a kitchen. She washed the dishes. She washed the soiled linen, their clothes and dishcloths, which she hung on the line to dry; she took down the refuse to the street each morning and brought up the water, stopping at each landing to catch her breath. And, clothed like a woman of the people, she went to the grocer’s, the butcher’s and the fruiterer’s, with her basket on her arm, shopping, haggling to the last sou of her miserable money. The husband worked evenings, putting the books of some merchants in order, and nights he often did copying at five sous a page. And this life lasted for ten years. At the end of ten years, they had restored all. Mme Loisel seemed old now. She had become a strong, hard woman, the crude woman of the poor household. Her hair badly dressed, her skirts awry, her hands red, she spoke in a loud tone, and washed the floors with large pails of water. But sometimes, when her husband was at the office, she would seat herself before the window and think of that evening party of former times, of that ball where she was so beautiful and so flattered. How would it have been if she had not lost the necklace? Who knows? How singular is life, and how full of changes! How small a thing will ruin or save one! One Sunday as she was taking a walk in the Champs-Elysees to rid herself of the cares of the week, she suddenly perceived a woman walking with a child. It was Mme Forestier, still young, still pretty, still attractive. Mme Loisel was affected. Should she speak to her? Yes, certainly. And now that she had paid, she would tell her all. Why not? She approached her. “Good morning, Jeanne.” Her friend did not recognise her and was astonished to be so familiarly addressed by this common personage. She stammered, “But, Madame — I do not know — you must be mistaken—” “No, I am Matilda Loisel.” Her friend uttered a cry of astonishment, “Oh! my poor Matilda! How you have changed!”

• Perceive- become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand.
• Substitution- the action of replacing someone or something with another person or thing.
• Necessity- the state or fact of being required.
• Frightful- very unpleasant, serious, or shocking.
• Lodgings- temporary accommodation.
• Attic- a space or room inside or partly inside the roof of a building.
• Odious- extremely unpleasant; repulsive.
• Haggling- dispute or bargain persistently, especially over the cost of something.
• Sous- small value coin in France
• Crude- in a natural or raw state; not yet processed or refined.
• Awry- out of the normal or correct position
• Pails- a bucket.
• Flattered- lavish praise and compliments on (someone)
• Singular- denoting or referring to just one person or thing.
• Astonished- greatly surprised or impressed; amazed.
• Personage- a person (used to express importance or elevated status).

Mme. Loisel had expected her friend to open and inspect the necklace. Mme. Loisel was concerned about what would happen if her friend found out about the necklace's replacement. She couldn't blame herself for being a thief. Mme. Loisel realised how bad life could get. She knew they would have to pay back the loan they had taken out for the necklace at any cost, so they began to cut back on their spending and save more. They fired the maid, moved to a new house, and rented rooms on a building's roof. She now had to learn the exhausting and monotonous tasks of the kitchen, such as dishwashing and cooking food. She washed clothes and hung them to dry on the line. She used to walk down the street every morning to get some water. With the little money she had, she used to dress like a regular person and go to the grocery store, butcher shop, and fruit shop with a basket to buy necessities. The husband was also in a bad way because he used to work extra hours in the evenings and often did copying work at night for a pittance of 5 sous per page. They did this for ten years and paid off their debt during that time. Mme. Loisel had evolved into a hardworking member of the poor household by this point. She had begun to appear old, with her hair unkempt, her hands red, and her habit of speaking in a loud voice. When her husband went to work, she would often sit next to the window and think about the party at the minister's house to make herself feel better. She used to be pleased with how lovely and elegant she looked that day. She fantasised about how her life would have turned out if she hadn't misplaced the necklace. She used to think about how unpredictable life can be and how one small step can change someone's life.

She was walking down the Champs-Elysees one day, unwinding from the week's stress, when she noticed a lady walking with a child. Mme. Forestier was the young, pretty, and attractive lady. Mme. Loisel began to consider whether she should approach her. She decided that since she had returned the necklace and paid off all of her debts, there was no reason not to talk to her. Mme. Loisel approached her and said, 'Good morning, Jeanne.' Mme. Forestier was perplexed because she couldn't recognise the person but assumed she was familiar because only her close friends called her by that name. She informed her that she may have gotten the wrong person and that she was looking for someone else. Mme. Loisel, on the other hand, introduced herself to her old friend, and Jeanne Forestier was surprised to see her in such a poor and changed state.

“Yes, I have had some hard days since I saw you; and some miserable ones — and all because of you …” “Because of me? How is that?” “You recall the diamond necklace that you loaned me to wear to the Minister’s ball?” “Yes, very well.” “Well, I lost it.” “How is that, since you returned it to me?” “I returned another to you exactly like it. And it has taken us ten years to pay for it. You can understand that it was not easy for us who have nothing. But it is finished and I am decently content.” Mme Forestier stopped short. She said, “You say that you bought a diamond necklace to replace mine?” “Yes. You did not perceive it then? They were just alike.” And she smiled with proud and simple joy. Mme Forestier was touched and took both her hands as she replied, “Oh! My poor Matilda! Mine were false. They were not worth over five hundred francs!”

• Recall- bring (a fact, event, or situation) back into one’s mind; remember.
• Loaned- lend (a sum of money or item of property).
• Decently- in a way that conforms with generally accepted standards of respectable or
• moral behaviour.
• Content- in a state of peaceful happiness.

She then admitted that she had had some difficult days since their last meeting. She claimed that Mme. Forestier was to blame for her miserable life. Mme. Forestier then asked Matilda how she was responsible for her bad days, to which Matilda replied that she had misplaced Forestier's necklace. Mme. Forestier replied that it was not possible because she had given it back to her. Matilda responded that she had purchased a similar necklace and that they had been repaying the debt for the previous ten years. She also stated that they were not wealthy enough to purchase such an expensive necklace. Matilda went on to say that their debt was now paid off and that she was content with whatever she had. Jeanne was taken aback and asked Matilda if she had purchased a diamond necklace solely to replace her lost necklace, to which she replied, 'yes.' Mme Forestier was moved, and while holding her in her arms, she revealed that the necklace she had borrowed from Mme. Forestier was a forgery, and it was worth no more than 500 francs.

About the Author

Lesson-8

The Hack Driver

The Hack Driver Summary

The story's narrator explains that after graduating, he began working for a well-known law firm in the city. He was employed there as an assistant clerk. He was dissatisfied with his job of serving summons because he had to deal with difficult situations on occasion. One day, he was assigned the task of serving summons on Oliver Lutkins, a key witness in a case. He lived in New Mullion, a small town.

The narrator was very excited to visit a small and beautiful town, but his excitement was dashed by the town's dull appearance. He noticed a cheerful and nice hack driver standing on the platform. He approached him and inquired about Oliver Lutkins, as he was new to town and wanted to locate him. The driver informed him that Oliver was a nasty man who owed a lot of people money. He also deceived the lawyer into telling him that he needed Lutkins for some court case.

Both parties agreed to a deal in which he agreed to hire Bill's hack and go on the hunt for Lutkins. Bill somehow traps the lawyer in his storey, and they travel to various locations in search of Lutkins. He always requests that the lawyer remain behind. They go to Fritz's in order to catch Lutkins while he is playing poker. However, he informs them that he has gone to Gustaff for a shave. They were unable to meet him at Gustaff's and were told that he was seen in the pool room. Someone else mentioned that he left the poolroom after purchasing cigarettes.

Bill described Lutkins as cunning and assumed he had gone to Gray's for a shave. In the afternoon, Bill offered to buy him lunch from his wife because it would be less expensive than going out to eat. They ate lunch at Wade's Hill, which was a stunning location. By that point, the clerk had been completely won over by Bill's pleasant and upbeat demeanour. He'd even started comparing village dwellers to city dwellers. Later, based on information obtained from one of Lutkins' friends, they went to look for him at his mother's house.

The lady there was dreadful, and they had to flee as she was about to attack them with a hot iron rod. Finally, the lawyer had to leave without serving Lutkins with the summons. The next day, he was severely reprimanded by his chief and sent back to New Mullion with a companion who knew Lutkins. When they arrived at the station, the clerk was overjoyed to tell them that Bill had been so helpful in their search for Lutkins.

At this point, his companion revealed that the hack driver was none other than Lutkins himself. The clerk felt terrible and embarrassed about being duped by a villager.

The Hack Driver Lesson and Explanation

AFTER graduating with honours, I became a junior assistant clerk in a magnificent law firm. I was sent, not to prepare legal briefs, but to serve summons, like a cheap private detective. I had to go to the dirty and shadowy corners of the city to seek out my victims. Some of the larger and more self-confident ones even beat me up. I hated this unpleasant work, and the side of city life it revealed to me.

I even considered fleeing to my hometown, where I could have been a real lawyer right away, without going through this unpleasant training period.

• Magnificent: glorious, majestic
• Legal briefs: A written legal document
• Summons: court order
• Detective: investigator
• Shadowy: dark, dim
• Unpleasant: horrible

The narrator begins by stating that after graduating with honours, he was chosen for a position as a junior assistant clerk in a well-known law firm. Instead of preparing legal documents like a lawyer, he had to deliver court orders to various people he referred to as his victims. He said this because he had to deal with many awkward situations in which he was beaten up by them.

They did so in order to avoid having to comply with court orders. As a result, the narrator expresses his dissatisfaction with his job. He despised it so much that he considered fleeing to his hometown, where he could work as a real lawyer rather than a clerk.

So I rejoiced one day when they sent me out forty miles in the country, to a town called New Mullion, to serve summons on a man called Oliver Lutkins. We needed this man as a witness in a law case, and he had ignored all our letters.

• Rejoiced: happiness, joy
• Witness: viewer, observer

One day, the narrator was overjoyed to learn that he had a forty-mile trip to make to a location forty miles away from where he lived. He claims that the town he was required to visit was New Mullion. He had to come here to serve summons (court orders) on a man named Oliver Lutkins. Oliver Lutkins was a witness or observer in a case, and the firm required him for that case, but he had consistently ignored the letters sent by the law firm.

When I got to New Mullion, my eager expectations of a sweet and simple country village were severely disappointed. Its streets were rivers of mud, with rows of wooden shops, either painted a sour brown, or bare of any paint at all. The only agreeable sight about the place was the delivery man at the station. He was about forty, red-faced, cheerful, and thick about the middle. His working clothes were dirty and well-worn, and he had a friendly manner. You felt at once that he liked people.

• Eager: impatient
• Expectation: belief, supposition
• Disappointed: upset
• Agreeable: pleasing, nice

The narrator's excitement about visiting a village washed away when he arrived in New Mullion. It happened because the village did not live up to his expectations. The streets were in disrepair because they were strewn with mud. The shops were also uninteresting. Everything he saw was dull, which made him sad. But then he noticed a delivery man, about forty years old and very cheerful.

He appeared to be very friendly with other people, according to the narrator. This made him like the delivery man, and he said he was the only person in the village who made him feel good.

“I want,” I told him, “to find a man named Oliver Lutkins.”

“Lutkins? I saw him around here about an hour ago. Hard fellow to catch though — always up to something or other. He’s probably trying to start up a poker game in the back of Fritz’s shop. I’ll tell you, boy — is there any hurry about locating Lutkins?”

• Poker game: a type of card game.

The narrator approached the cheerful delivery man and informed him that he was looking for a man named Oliver Lutkins. The name of the person being searched by the clerk was quickly repeated by the delivery man. He then told him that he had seen Lutkins an hour before. He also told him that finding him was difficult because he was always up to something. Then he told him that Lutkins could be found at Fritz's shop, where he played poker. He also enquired about the importance of finding Lutkins.

“Yes. I want to catch the afternoon train back to the city.” I was very important and secret about it.

“I’ll tell you what. I’ve got a hack. I’ll get it out and we can drive around together and find Lutkins. I know most of the places he hangs out.”

• Hack: A horse drawn vehicle, horse cart
• Hangs out: To spend time doing nothing in particular

The clerk narrator responded that it was critical to locate Lutkins because he needed to return to the city by the afternoon train. The delivery man responded by saying that he had a horse cart and would assist him in finding Lutkins.

He was familiar with all of the places where Lutkins spent his free time.

He was so open and friendly that I glowed with the warmth of his affection. I knew, of course, that he wanted the business, but his kindness was real. I was glad the fare money would go to this good fellow. I managed to bargain down to two dollars an hour, and then he brought from his house nearby a sort of large black box on wheels. He remarked, “Well, young man, here’s the carriage,” and his wide smile made me into an old friend. These villagers are so ready to help a stranger. He had already made it his own task to find Oliver Lutkins for me.

• Glowed: Here, it means impressed
• Affection: love and care for someone
• Bargain: to negotiate the price of something
• Black box on wheels: refers to the horse cart

The delivery man's friendly and caring demeanour impressed the clerk. He claims that even though he was aware that he was attempting to extort money from him, he accepted his offer because he was a very nice man. He accepted the offer because of his pleasant and friendly demeanour, but he cut the deal at two dollars per hour.

Later, the delivery man arrived with his horse cart and invited him to sit. The clerk remembered the kindness and helpfulness of the villagers who helped a stranger and adopted his problem as his own.

He said, “I don’t want to interfere, young fellow, but my guess is that you want to collect some money from Lutkins. He never pays anybody a cent. He still owes me fifty cents on a poker game I was fool enough to play with him. He’s not really bad, but it’s hard to make him part with his money. If you try to collect from him, in those fancy clothes, he’ll be suspicious and get away from you. If you want I’ll go into Fritz’s and ask for him, and you can keep out of sight behind me.”

• Owes: be in a debt/ an obligation to pay money
• Suspicious: doubtful

The delivery man struck up a conversation with the clerk, asking if he needed to return his money to Lutkins. He also informed him that Lutkins had never paid his debts. He, too, had to return the fifty cents he had won in the poker game. The delivery man regretted being a fool who played with Lutkins despite being aware of his habit of not paying his bills.

Later, he advised him not to appear in front of Lutkins because his fancy clothes might cause Lutkins to doubt him and give him an opportunity to flee. So he told him to follow him to Fritz's shop.

I loved him for this. By myself, I might never have found Lutkins. With the hack driver’s knowing help, I was sure of getting my man. I took him into my confidence and told him that I wanted to serve the summons on Lutkins — that the man had refused to be a witness, when his information would have quickly settled our case. The driver listened earnestly. At the end, he hit me on the shoulder and laughed,”Well, we’ll give Brother Lutkins a little surprise.”

• Hack Driver: the one drives a horse cart or hack
• Confidence: trust, belief
• Earnestly: sincerely

While the hack driver was hard at work for him, he revealed the truth about his search. He informed him that Lutkins was a witness in a crucial case, but he was not assisting them by providing details. Lutkins' information could aid them in quickly resolving the case. The driver took all of this seriously and then hit the clerk on the shoulder, telling him that they would surprise Lutkins by catching him and completing the clerk's task.

“Let’s start, driver.”

“Most folks around here call me Bill or Magnuson. My business is called ‘William Magnuson Fancy Carting and Hacking’.”

“All right, Bill. Shall we proceed to Fritz’s”.

“Yes, Lutkins is just as likely to be there as anywhere. Plays a lot of poker. He’s good at deceiving people.” Bill seemed to admire Lutkins’ talent for dishonesty. I felt that if he had been a policeman, he would have caught Lutkins respectfully, and jailed him with regret.

• Proceed: to begin
• Deceiving: cheating
• Admire: praise, appreciate
• Regret: to be sorry

They begin their hunt for Lutkins. On the way, the hack driver introduced himself as Bill or Magnuson and stated that his company was "William Magnuson Fancy Carting and Hacking." The clerk responded in a friendly manner that he and Bill should now begin their search mission. Bill also mentioned that Lutkins enjoyed playing poker and praised his ability to defraud others.

This made the clerk think about Bill and how, if he had been a cop, he would have apprehended Lutkins in a very respectful manner. Not only that, but he would have felt bad if he had put that man in jail.

Bill led me into Fritz’s. “Have you seen Oliver Lutkins around today? Friend of his looking for him,” said Bill cheerily.

Fritz looked at me, hiding behind Bill. He hesitated, and then admitted, “Yes, he was in here a little while ago. Guess he’s gone over to Gustaff’s to get a shave.”

“Well, if he comes in, tell him I’m looking for him.”

• Cheerily: happy
• Hesitated: be in two minds, stall
• Admitted: confess

Bill accompanied the clerk to Fritz's shop and inquired about Oliver Lutkins. He attempted to appear natural by stating that a friend had come to meet him. He did this in order to force Fritz to reveal the truth about Lutkins. Fritz was perplexed at first, but then he explained that Lutkins had been there a few hours before, but he had left for Gustaff's shop, where he had gone for a shave. After receiving the information, Bill asked Fritz to notify Lutkins that he was looking for him.

We drove to Gustaff’s barber shop. Again Bill went in first, and I lingered at the door. He asked not only the Swede but two customers if they had seen Lutkins. The Swede had not. He said angrily, “I haven’t seen him, and don’t care to. But if you find him you can just collect that dollar thirty-five he owes me.” One of the customers thought he had seen Lutkins walking down Main Street, this side of the hotel.

• Lingered: waited around
• Swede: a native or inhabitant of Sweden, or a person of Swedish descent.

They then went to Gustaff's store. Bill went inside the shop first, and the clerk waited outside for him. They had to face the hairdresser's wrath because Lutkins had not paid his thirty-five dollars. One of the customers, however, informed them that he had seen Lutkins on the main street near the hotel.

As we climbed back into the hack, Bill concluded that since Lutkins had exhausted his credit at Gustaff’s he had probably gone to Gray’s for a shave. At Gray’s barber shop we missed Lutkins by only five minutes. He had just left — probably for the poolroom. At the poolroom it appeared that he had just bought a pack of cigarettes and gone out. So we pursued him, just behind him but never catching him, for an hour till it was past one o’clock. I was hungry. But I had so enjoyed Bill’s rough country opinions about his neighbours that I scarcely cared whether I found Lutkins or not.

• Concluded: draw the judgement
• Exhausted: used up, finished
• Poolroom: A place to play pool, a betting shop
• Scarcely: hardly

When they were about to re-climb the hack, Bill suspected Lutkins had gone to Gray's barber shop because his credit limit with Gustaff had expired. When they arrived at Gray's shop, they discovered that Lutkins had just left the place five minutes before. They decided to go to the poolroom (a betting shop), but they were informed that he had left after purchasing cigarettes.

As a result, their efforts to apprehend him were futile. It had been almost an hour. The clerk was hungry at one o'clock in the afternoon. But Bill's cheerfulness and knowledge of the villagers were so appealing to him that he didn't bother looking for Lutkins.

“How about something to eat?” I suggested. “Let’s go to a restaurant and I’ll buy you lunch.”

“Well, I ought to go home to the wife. I don’t care much for these restaurants — only four of them and they’re all bad. Tell you what we’ll do. We’ll get the wife to pack up a lunch for us — she won’t charge you more than half a dollar, and it would cost you more for a greasy meal in a restaurant — and we’ll go up to Wade’s Hill and enjoy the view while we eat.

• Greasy meal: oily food

The clerk inquired about Bill's plans for lunch. He offered to buy them both lunch at the restaurant. Bill responded that there were only four restaurants in the area, and none of them were particularly good. He promised to get food from his wife. Bill also advised the clerk to purchase a food parcel from his wife because he would only have to pay half a dollar, which was far less than the price of the restaurant meal, which was oily and unappealing. He also suggested that they both go up Wade's hill for a nice view while they ate their lunch.

I know that Bill’s helpfulness to the Young Fellow from the City was not entirely a matter of brotherly love. I was paying him for his time; in the end I paid him for six hours (including the lunch hour) at what was then a very high price. But he was no more dishonest than I. I charged the whole thing to the firm.

But it would have been worth paying him myself to have his presence. His cheerful country wisdom was very refreshing to a country boy like me who was sick of the city. As we sat on the hilltop, looking over the pastures and creek which slipped among the trees, he talked of New Mullion, and painted a picture in words of all the people in it.

He noticed everything, but no matter how much he might laugh at people, he also understood and forgave their foolishness. He described the minister’s wife who sang the loudest in church when she was most in debt. He commented on the boys who came back from college in fancy clothes. He told about the lawyer whose wife could never succeed in getting him to put on both a collar and a tie on the same day. He made them all live. On that day I came to know New Mullion better than I did the city and to love it better.

• Pastures: grassland
• Creeks: a stream or minor tributary

The narrator claims that he knew Bill wasn't helping him because he was kind, but because he was making money off of him. He was paid for the six hours he spent with the clerk, including the lunch hour spent sitting idle on a hilltop. He was fine with it because his law firm would cover all of his expenses. As a result, he perceived it as dishonesty on his part. In any case, he was delighted to be in the company of such a cheerful individual as Bill.

They could see the beautiful grasslands and streams flowing through them while sitting on the hilltop. They were very attractive to the clerk, who was also a villager who disliked city life. Bill told him everything there was to know about New Mullion. He explained everything and everyone in such a way that he felt as if it had all happened right in front of his eyes. Bill told him about the minister's wife, who used to sing so loudly in church whenever she was in debt (liability to pay off your credit or loans).

This means she prayed to God for help with her problems. Then there were the college boys who would dress so formally, and the lawyer's wife who would always fail in her attempt to make her husband wear both the collar and the tie on the same day. The narrator claims that Bill's knowledge of his village neighbours made him fall in love with the small town of New Mullion. He claims that he now knows almost everything about this location, whereas he was previously unaware of the city in which he lived.

Bill didn’t know about colleges and cities, but he had travelled around a lot of the country, and had had a lot of jobs. From his adventures he had brought back a philosophy of simplicity and laugher. He strengthened me.

We left that peaceful scene of meadows and woods, and resumed our search of Oliver Lutkins. We could not find him. At last Bill cornered a friend of Lutkins and made him admit what he guessed,“Oliver’s gone out to his mother’s farm, three miles north.” We drove out there, laying plans.

• Adventures; exploit or event
• Philosophy: ideology, beliefs
• Meadows: field, pasture
• Resumed: restart
• Cornered: forced into a place or situation

Bill knew nothing about colleges or cities, possibly because he never had the opportunity to visit them. But he knew everything about the villages and small towns because he had worked in them in various capacities. By taking advantage of these locations, he received his ideology of simplicity and cheerfulness as a gift. He tried to persuade the narrator that they would undoubtedly catch Lutkins. They both exited the lovely fields and resumed their search.

Finally, Bill coerced one of Lutkin's friends into admitting that Lutkin had fled to his mother's house, which was three miles from New Mullion. As a result, they both prepared to drive to Lutkin's mother in order to locate him.

“I know Oliver’s mother. She’s a terror,” Bill sighed. “I took a trunk out there for her once, and she almost took my skin off because I didn’t treat it like a box of eggs. She’s about nine feet tall and four feet thick and quick as a cat, and she sure can talk. I’ll bet Oliver heard that somebody’s chasing him, and he’s gone on there to hide behind his mother’s skirts. Well, we’ll try her. But you’d better let me do it, boy. You may be great at literature and law, but you haven’t had real training in swearing.”

Bill told him he knew Oliver's mother because he once took a trunk delivery for her. She was enraged at herself for not taking proper care of her trunk, so she treated him harshly. He described her physical appearance as nine feet tall and four feet thick, with the quickness of a cat.

He went on to say that the Lutkins must have learned that they were looking for him, which is why he fled to his mother's house to hide. He also suggested that the narrator let him deal with the mother because he doubted the clerk's ability to extract the truth from the lady's mouth.

We drove into a poor farmyard; we were faced by an enormous and cheerful old woman. My guide bravely went up to her and said, “Remember me? I’m Bill Magnuson, the carter and hackman. I want to find your son, Oliver.”

“I don’t know anything about Oliver, and I don’t want to,” she shouted.

• Enormous: huge

When they arrived at the farmland, they were greeted by a large, cheerful old lady. Bill bravely approached her and introduced himself as Bill Magnuson, telling her that he was looking for her son Oliver. The lady responded by yelling that she knew nothing about him.

“Now, look here. We’ve had just about enough nonsense. This young man represents the court in the city, and we have a legal right to search all properties for this Oliver Lutkins.”

Bill made me sound very important, and the woman was impressed. She retired into the kitchen and we followed. She seized an iron from the old-fashioned stove and marched on us shouting. “You search all you want to — if you don’t mind getting burnt first.” She shouted and laughed at our frightened retreat.

• Represents: Be appointed to act on behalf of or speak for someone
• Retired: Here, went inside
• Seized: grabbed, snatched
• Frightened: afraid or anxious
• Retreat: pull back

Bill became stern with the lady, saying that they had been through difficult and perplexing times, and then introduced her to the clerk by stating that he was a person appointed by the city court. He also stated that they had obtained the legal authority to search her home in order to locate Oliver Lutkins.

The clerk was pleased because Bill was treating him with respect, and even the lady seemed impressed by him. She entered the kitchen, and they both followed her. To their surprise, she took a hot iron from the stove and threatened to burn them. She laughed as they took a step back in fear.

“Let’s get out of here. She’ll murder us,” Bill whispered. Outside, he said, “Did you see her smile? She was laughing at us.” I agreed that it was pretty disrespectful treatment. We did, however, search the house. Since it was only one storey high, Bill went round it, peering in at all the windows.

We examined the barn and stable; we were reasonably certain that Lutkins was not there. It was nearly time for me to catch the afternoon train, and Bill drove me to the station.

• Whispered: murmured
• Disrespectful: rude, impolite
• Examined: to look or consider a person or place
• Barn: outhouse, shelter
• Stable: A place where horse is tied up

Bill muttered to the clerk to leave because the lady's reaction was so horrible. He agreed that the woman's behaviour was extremely impolite. Despite this, they were able to search the entire house, including the outhouse and the stable (a place where horse is tied). Because it was a single-story structure, they were able to search the entire structure but were unable to locate Lutkins. As the clerk was running late for his train, Bill drove him to the station.

On the way to the city I worried very little over my failure to find Lutkins. I was too busy thinking about Bill Magnuson. Really, I considered returning to New Mullion to practise law. If I had found Bill so deep and richly human, might I not grow to love Fritz and Gustaff and a hundred other slow-spoken, simple, wise neighbours? I pictured an honest and happy life beyond the strict limits of universities and law firms. I was excited. I had found a treasure. I had discovered a new way of life.

While returning to the city, the narrator was not disappointed in his failure to deliver summons to Lutkins; rather, he was pleased. He was still thinking about Bill Magnuson and wished he could return to New Mullion and begin his practise there. He had a special bond with all the villagers, including Fritz and Gustaff, whom he regarded as humble speakers and wise neighbours.

He imagined a life that was honest, simple, and joyful, which he had not encountered within the confines of his university or law firm. He was overjoyed, as if he had discovered some kind of treasure and a new way of life.

But if I did not think much about Lutkins, the office did. I found them all upset. Next morning the case was coming up in the court, and they had to have Lutkins. I was a shameful, useless fool. That morning my promising legal career almost came to an end before it had begun.

• Shameful: disgraceful
• Promising: hopeful

Though the narrator was unconcerned about finding Lutkins, his company was. When he was unable to serve the summons, the people in the area became very upset. Being called shameful and useless was an insult to him. He felt like it was his last day at work because his career was coming to an end.

The Chief almost murdered me. He hinted that I might do well at digging ditches. I was ordered back to New Mullion, and with me went a man who had worked with Lutkins. I was rather sorry, because it would prevent my loafing all over again with Bill.

• Hinted: suggest
• Digging: to till
• Ditches: a drain or trench
• Loafing: spend time in idle way

The narrator's boss was furious with him. He treated him so badly that the clerk thought he was going to murder him. Not only that, but he also suggested that he be hired to till a drain or something. He was sent back to New Mullion with a man who had previously worked with Lutkins. The clerk was upset not because of what had occurred, but because he would miss the opportunity to spend time with Bill.

When the train arrived at New Mullion, Bill was on the station platform, near his cart. Strangely enough, that old tigress, Lutkins’ mother was there talking and laughing with Bill, not quarrelling at all. From the train steps I pointed Bill out to my companion and said, “There’s a fine fellow, a real man. I spent the day with him.”

He helped you hunt for Oliver Lutkins?”
“Yes, he helped me a lot.”
“He must have; he’s Lutkins himself.”

• Companion: associate, partner
• Hunt: search for

When the narrator and his new companion arrived at New Mullion station, they saw Bill on the platform. But, much to his (narrator's) surprise, Bill was conversing and laughing with Lutkin's mother, whom the narrator compared to a tigress because of her rude behaviour. He then informed his partner that it was Bill, a kind man who assisted him in his search for Lutkins. But he was taken aback by the companion's response, which revealed that the man who assisted him in finding Lutkins was none other than Lutkins himself.

What really hurt me was that when I served the summons, Lutkins and his mother laughed at me as though I were a bright boy of seven. With loving kindness they begged me to go with them to a neighbour’s house for a cup of coffee.

“I told them about you and they’re anxious to look at you,” said Lutkins joyfully. “They’re about the only folks in the town that missed seeing you yesterday.”

• Begged: To request
• Anxious: concerned, worried
• Folks: people

The narrator was taken aback by the fact that both the mother and son were laughing at him when he served the summons on Lutkins. Not only that, but they invited him to join them for coffee at a neighbor's house because they were the only people in the village who hadn't seen him the day before when he was looking for Lutkins, despite the fact that Lutkins was riding with him in the hack.

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