A Question of Trust Class 10 UP Board Question Answer & Summary
Welcome to the complete guide for A Question of Trust class 10 up board question answer. This story, written by Victor Canning, explores the thin line between honesty and deception. If you are preparing for your exams and need an A Question of Trust summary or A Question of Trust class 10 up board mcq, this resource is perfect for you. We provide A Question of Trust class 10 up board answers for all textbook exercises, along with A Question of Trust summary in 200 words and even A Question of Trust summary in 100 words. Students can also find the A Question of Trust class 10 up board pdf preparation notes right here to master this exciting chapter.
Detailed Summary (English & Hindi)
A Question of Trust is a captivating story about Horace Danby, a fifty-year-old locksmith who is generally considered a good and honest citizen. However, Horace is not completely honest; he robs one safe every year to fund his secret passion for collecting rare and expensive books. He is a meticulous planner who prepares for each heist for weeks. This year, he chooses a house at Shotover Grange. He studies its layout, electric wiring, and the family's schedule in London.
During the robbery, Horace’s hay fever triggers a sneeze, alerting a young lady in red who pretends to be the mistress of the house. She tricks Horace into believing she has forgotten the numbers to open her own safe. To avoid being reported to the police, a panicked Horace opens the safe for her without his gloves, leaving his fingerprints everywhere. Two days later, he is arrested. He realizes that the lady was a clever thief herself who outwitted him at his own game.
हिंदी विस्तृत सारांश:
यह कहानी होरेस डैनबी के बारे में है, जो एक 50 वर्षीय ताला बनाने वाला है और समाज में एक सम्मानित नागरिक माना जाता है। लेकिन होरेस का एक गुप्त पहलू है—वह दुर्लभ और महंगी किताबें खरीदने के लिए साल में एक बार चोरी करता है। वह अपनी चोरियों की योजना हफ़्तों पहले से बड़ी सावधानी से बनाता है। इस बार वह 'शॉटओवर ग्रेंज' नाम के घर को चुनता है। चोरी के दौरान, उसे अपनी 'हे फीवर' (एलर्जी) के कारण छींक आ जाती है, जिससे वहाँ एक सुंदर महिला आ जाती है। वह महिला खुद को घर की मालकिन बताती है और होरेस को अपनी बातों में फँसा लेती है। वह होरेस से कहती है कि वह अपनी ही तिजोरी का नंबर भूल गई है। होरेस पुलिस के डर से बिना दस्ताने पहने उसके लिए तिजोरी खोल देता है। दो दिन बाद होरेस पकड़ा जाता है क्योंकि तिजोरी पर उसके उंगलियों के निशान मिलते हैं। उसे बाद में अहसास होता है कि वह महिला भी एक चोर थी जिसने उसे बहुत चतुराई से लूट लिया।
Word Meanings (शब्दावली)
| Word (English) | English Meaning | Hindi Meaning |
|---|
| Rob | To plunder | लूटना |
| Safe | An iron almirah | तिजोरी / सुरक्षित अलमारी |
| Rare | Uncommon | दुर्लभ |
| Citizen | Inhabitant | नागरिक |
| Usually | Often | प्रायः / आमतौर पर |
| Hay fever | A summer ailment caused by pollen | जुकाम / एलर्जी से होने वाला बुखार |
| Tickle | Little touch | गुदगुदाहट |
| Secretly | Without anybody’s knowledge | गुप्त रूप से |
| Remained | Stayed | ठहरा / रहा |
| Stirred | Moved | हिला / हलचल हुई |
| Wondered | Surprised | हैरान हुआ |
| Mentioned | Spoken about | उल्लेख किया / बताया |
| Hindering | Obstructing | बाधा डालना |
| Mended | Repaired | मरम्मत की |
| Kindly | Polite | विनम्र / दयालु |
| Amused | Pleased | प्रसन्न हुआ |
| Hesitated | To be doubtful | हिचकिचाया / संकोच किया |
| Frighten | Afraid | डराना / भयभीत करना |
| Persuaded | Convinced | राजी किया / मनवाया |
| Sneeze | Explosive sound from the nose | छींकना |
| Closely | Nearly | निकटता से / ध्यानपूर्वक |
| Replied | Answered | उत्तर दिया |
| Arrested | Caught | गिरफ्तार किया |
| Rub | To clean by friction | रगड़ना / साफ़ करना |
| Paused | Stopped | रुका / ठहरा |
| Burglar | Thief | चोर / लुटेरा |
| Fireplace | Hearth | अंगीठी / चूल्हा |
| Desperate | Despair | निराश / हताश |
| Tricked | Deceived | धोखा दिया / चाल चली |
Character Sketches (Deep Analysis)
The Meticulous Burglar
1. Horace Danby
Horace Danby is a complex protagonist. At fifty years old, he is a bachelor who leads a successful life making locks. Society views him as a good and honest citizen, but he hides a criminal streak. He is a meticulous planner who studies every detail of a house before robbing it, including its wiring, rooms, and paths. However, he is not a professional criminal; he steals only once a year to fund his expensive passion for rare books. His politeness and trust in others ultimately become his downfall. He is easily manipulated because he values "trust among thieves," failing to realize he is being outwitted by someone cleverer.
The Master Deceiver
2. The Lady in Red
The lady in red is the real culprit and the ultimate antagonist of the story. She is young, pretty, and possesses incredible confidence. She is an exceptional actress; she poses as the mistress of the house with such authority that she even commands the house dog, Sherry, by name. She is colder and more strategic than Horace. She uses Horace’s fear of prison to make him open the safe for her, ensuring she gets the jewels while he takes all the risk and leaves his fingerprints behind. She represents the ultimate "thief against thief" scenario, proving to be far more skilled in deception than Horace.
Top 20+ Important MCQs
1. Who is the author of "A Question of Trust"?
- (A) Robert Arthur
- (B) Victor Canning
- (C) James Herriot
- (D) Ruskin Bond
Correct Answer: (B) Victor Canning
2. How old was Horace Danby?
- (A) About forty
- (B) About fifty
- (C) About sixty
- (D) About thirty
Correct Answer: (B) About fifty
3. What did Horace Danby like to collect?
- (A) Rare paintings
- (B) Old coins
- (C) Rare and expensive books
- (D) Exotic flowers
Correct Answer: (C) Rare and expensive books
4. What was Horace Danby's profession?
- (A) Librarian
- (B) Lock maker
- (C) Painter
- (D) Gardener
Correct Answer: (B) Lock maker
5. Name of the house Horace targeted?
- (A) Shotover Grange
- (B) London Heights
- (C) Green Meadows
- (D) Red Mansion
Correct Answer: (A) Shotover Grange
6. What color dress was the lady wearing?
- (A) Blue
- (B) Black
- (C) Red
- (D) Yellow
Correct Answer: (C) Red
7. Horace suffered from which ailment?
- (A) Fever
- (B) Hay fever
- (C) Asthma
- (D) Headache
Correct Answer: (B) Hay fever
8. Who was Sherry?
- (A) The lady's friend
- (B) The owner's son
- (C) The house dog
- (D) A servant
Correct Answer: (C) The house dog
9. How much were the jewels worth?
- (A) Five thousand pounds
- (B) Ten thousand pounds
- (C) Fifteen thousand pounds
- (D) Twenty thousand pounds
Correct Answer: (C) Fifteen thousand pounds
10. Why did Horace open the safe without gloves?
- (A) To help the owner
- (B) Because of a panic
- (C) To impress the lady
- (D) He forgot them in the garden
Correct Answer: (B) Because of a panic
Textbook Exercises (Expanded Answers)
Q1. What does Horace Danby like to collect?
Horace Danby is a man of refined tastes who enjoys collecting rare and expensive books. He is a fifty-year-old locksmith who leads a respectable life, but his income from making locks is not enough to afford his high-end hobby. Consequently, he turns to theft, robbing one carefully selected safe every year to acquire the funds needed to buy these valuable books through a secret agent.
Q2. Why does he steal every year?
Horace Danby steals once every year specifically to satisfy his passion for collecting rare books. He is not a professional thief in the sense that he steals for basic needs; rather, he plans his heists meticulously so that the loot is enough to last him for twelve months and allow him to purchase the books he loves. He prepares for weeks by studying the target house’s wiring, garden, and even the family's schedule.
Q3. Who is the real culprit in the story?
The real culprit is the young lady in the red dress who encounters Horace at Shotover Grange. Although Horace entered the house with criminal intent, she outwitted him by posing as the mistress of the house. She utilized Horace’s fear of the police to make him break open the safe for her, handing over the jewels while he left his own fingerprints behind, leading to his eventual arrest.
Q4. Discuss the "presence of mind" shown by the lady in the story. (Value Based)
The lady in red displayed extraordinary presence of mind and acting skills. She did not panic when she found a burglar in the house; instead, she used her firmness and confidence to convince him that she belonged there. She even called the dog by its name and threatened to call the police, forcing Horace into a defensive position. Her ability to think quickly allowed her to get the jewels without any personal risk, successfully deceiving a seasoned planner like Horace.
Detailed Long Answer Questions (Full Coverage)
इमेज में दिए गए सभी महत्वपूर्ण 'Think about it' और 'Talk about it' प्रश्नों के विस्तृत उत्तर नीचे दिए गए हैं:
Q1. "Horace Danby did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read." Compare Horace with agents like Sherlock Holmes or James Bond.
According to the story, Horace Danby was a fifty-year-old lock maker who lived a quiet and respectable life. He was not a fit, muscular, or dashing figure like James Bond. While traditional fictional agents like Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot use sharp observation and deduction to catch criminals, Horace himself was a criminal, albeit an unusual one. He had a sloppy fat body and suffered from hay fever, which eventually became the reason for his failure. In the beginning, he looks like a "stupid fellow" who wastes his time in music halls, far removed from the high-tech and high-action world of secret agents.
हिंदी भावार्थ: होरेस डैनबी उन जासूसों जैसा बिल्कुल नहीं था जिनके बारे में हम फिल्मों (जैसे जेम्स बॉन्ड) में देखते हैं। वह एक 50 वर्षीय ताला बनाने वाला था जिसे 'हे फीवर' की बीमारी थी। वह फिट और फुर्तीला होने के बजाय एक साधारण इंसान जैसा दिखता था।
Q2. How does the lady manage to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the lady of the house?
The lady in the red dress was an exceptionally clever thief and a good planner. She managed to deceive Horace by showing immense firmness and confidence in her voice. She called the dog, Sherry, by its name to prove she was the owner. She even suggested Horace go to a doctor for his hay fever, acting with maternal or authoritative care. She convinced him that she had forgotten the numbers of the safe and needed the jewels for a party. Her calm acting and natural behavior trapped Horace completely, as he was too panicked to think rationally.
हिंदी भावार्थ: वह महिला बहुत चालाक थी। उसने कुत्ते को उसके नाम से पुकारा और इतनी आत्मविश्वास से बात की कि होरेस को लगा वह सच में घर की मालकिन है। उसने अपनी बातों से होरेस को पूरी तरह भ्रमित कर दिया।
Q3. "Horace Danby was good and respectable — but not completely honest." Why is this description apt for him?
Horace Danby led a successful business making locks and was well-liked in society. He was a good-natured person who didn't trouble anyone else. However, he cannot be called "completely honest" because he committed a major robbery once every year. He was a "clever thief" who planned his work minutely for weeks. He broke into safes not for survival, but to fulfill his hobby of reading rare and expensive books. Thus, his character is a mix of social respectability and a secret criminal life.
हिंदी भावार्थ: होरेस समाज में एक सम्मानित व्यक्ति था, लेकिन वह पूरी तरह ईमानदार नहीं था क्योंकि वह अपनी महंगी किताबों के शौक के लिए साल में एक बार चोरी करता था।
Q4. Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?
No doubt, Horace was a meticulous planner who studied every detail of Shotover Grange for two weeks, including its wiring, garden, and paths. However, he faltered because he did not expect anyone to be in the house. He was intelligently tricked by the lady thief. His biggest mistake was **removing his gloves** to light a cigarette/lighter for her, just to impress her or show politeness. This left his fingerprints on the safe, which eventually led to his arrest. He failed to recognize a fellow thief and trusted her blindly in a moment of panic.
हिंदी भावार्थ: होरेस ने सब कुछ प्लान किया था, लेकिन वह उस महिला की चतुराई को नहीं समझ पाया। उसने बिना सोचे-समझे अपने दस्ताने उतार दिए, जिससे उसके फिंगरप्रिंट तिजोरी पर रह गए और वह पकड़ा गया।
Q5. Do intentions justify actions? Should Horace be excused because he stole for books?
The old saying "Honesty is the best policy" remains true even today. No action can be justified merely by good intentions. Horace Danby stole to buy rare books, which might seem like a "noble" reason, but stealing is a crime regardless of the purpose. He broke the law and the trust of society. In a civilized society, we cannot allow individuals to commit illegal acts to satisfy their personal hobbies. Therefore, his action of stealing can never be justified, and he deserved the punishment he received.
हिंदी भावार्थ: ईमानदारी सबसे अच्छी नीति है। किताबों के लिए चोरी करना भी गलत है। किसी भी गलत काम को अच्छे इरादे के नाम पर सही नहीं ठहराया जा सकता।
Exam Special (Board Focus)
Assertion (A): Horace Danby was not a typical thief.
Reason (R): He was a meticulous planner who leading a respectable life making locks and only stole to buy books.
Ans: Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Assertion (A): Horace Danby was easily tricked by the lady.
Reason (R): He was panicking due to his hay fever and his fear of being caught by the police.
Ans: Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why was Horace arrested if he didn't take the jewels?
He was arrested because his fingerprints were found all over the safe. He had opened it for the lady without wearing gloves, thinking she was the owner.
2. What did Horace Danby study for two weeks?
He studied the house at Shotover Grange, specifically its rooms, electric wiring, its path, and its garden.
3. Who was the lady Horace met at the house?
She was a young and pretty lady thief who posed herself to be the wife of the owner of the house.
4. What is hay fever?
It is a disorder affecting the nose and throat, caused by an allergy to pollen or dust.
5. Does Horace Danby believe in "honor among thieves"?
Yes, but he gets very angry when anyone mentions "honor among thieves" after being betrayed by the lady thief.
