A letter to Municipal Commissioner about the dirt and filth lying around lying around your colony

 

NCERT English Class 10th

Chapter 3 — The Midnight Visitor Detailed Summary

Introduction

The Midnight Visitor is a suspenseful and humorous story written by Robert Arthur. The story shows that intelligence and presence of mind are more powerful than physical strength. The main character, Ausable, looks ordinary and fat, but he is actually a clever secret agent.

The story takes place in a hotel room in Paris at midnight. A young writer named Fowler wants to meet a real secret agent and experience adventure. However, he becomes disappointed after meeting Ausable because Ausable does not look like a typical spy. But soon, unexpected events prove how intelligent and fearless Ausable really is.

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Detailed Summary

Fowler Meets Ausable

Fowler was a young writer who had come to meet Ausable, a secret agent. Fowler expected secret agents to be handsome, smartly dressed, and full of action. But Ausable looked very different. He was fat, spoke with a strong American accent, and looked more like an ordinary man than a spy.

Fowler felt disappointed because Ausable did not match his imagination of a secret agent. Ausable noticed Fowler’s feelings and told him that real espionage work was often dangerous and exciting.

At midnight, both of them walked through the corridor of a French hotel towards Ausable’s room. Ausable explained that an important report about new missiles was expected to arrive that night.

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The Unexpected Intruder

When Ausable opened the door of his room, they were shocked to see a man standing inside. The man was Max, another secret agent and enemy spy.

Max was holding a pistol. He wanted to steal the important report that Ausable was supposed to receive. Fowler became frightened because he had never seen such a dangerous situation before.

However, Ausable remained calm and relaxed. Instead of panicking, he began talking normally.

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Ausable’s Clever Lie About the Balcony

Ausable suddenly complained loudly about the balcony outside his room window. He said that this balcony was a big nuisance because someone had entered his room through it earlier too.

Actually, there was no balcony outside the room. Ausable completely invented the story to confuse Max.

Max believed Ausable because Ausable spoke very confidently. Fowler, who did not know the truth, also believed that there was really a balcony outside the window.

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Another Clever Trick

Soon, there was a knock at the door.

Ausable calmly told Max that it was probably the police. He explained that he had asked the police to provide protection because of the important report.

Max became nervous after hearing this. He did not want to get caught by the police.

To escape, Max quickly opened the window and jumped towards the “balcony.”

But there was no balcony at all.

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Max’s Fall

As soon as Max jumped, there was a loud scream outside. Max had actually fallen from the sixth floor of the hotel building.

The knocking at the door was not from the police. It was only the waiter who had come to deliver drinks ordered by Ausable.

Fowler was completely shocked. He finally understood how cleverly Ausable had trapped Max without using any weapon or force.

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Character Sketches

Ausable

• A secret agent

• Very intelligent and calm

• Uses clever thinking instead of physical strength

• Confident and quick-minded

• Proves that appearances can be misleading

Fowler

• A young writer

• Curious and imaginative

• Initially disappointed with Ausable

• Learns that real spies may look ordinary

Max

• Enemy spy

• Dangerous and armed

• Overconfident

• Easily trapped by Ausable’s clever lies

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Themes of the Story

1. Intelligence Over Strength

The story shows that intelligence and presence of mind are more useful than weapons and physical power.

2. Appearance Can Be Misleading

Ausable looked ordinary and fat, but he was extremely smart and capable.

3. Presence of Mind

Ausable saved himself and defeated Max by staying calm during danger.

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Moral of the Story

• Quick thinking can solve dangerous problems.

• Never judge people by their appearance.

• Intelligence is more powerful than physical strength.

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Important Points for Exam

• Author: Robert Arthur

• Main Characters: Ausable, Fowler, Max

• Setting: A hotel room in Paris at midnight

• Important Object: Secret missile report

• Climax: Max jumps from the window believing there is a balcony

• Message: Intelligence and confidence can defeat danger