NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 4 A Question of Trust

NCERT Solutions for CBSE Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 4 A Question of Trust are provided here. This story is written by Victor Canning and includes many questions that are important for exams. We have solved all the NCERT questions of the lesson with a detailed explanation that help students to complete their assignments & homework. We have provided NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 4 A Question of Trust in PDF format so that you can download them for offline use.

Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 4 NCERT Questions and Answers

Read and Find Out (Page No. 20)

Question 1. What does Horace Danby like to collect?

Answer: Horace Danby likes to collect rare and expensive books.

Question 2. Why does he steal every year?

Answer: He stole every year so that he could buy the rare and expensive books that he loved to collect. Each year, he planned carefully, stole enough to last twelve months, and secretly bought the books, through an agent.

Read and Find Out (Page No. 22)

Question 1. Who is speaking to Horace Danby?

Answer: A lady standing in the doorway is speaking to Horace Danby. She was young and pretty and was dressed in red. She said she had come just in time, or else her family would have been robbed by Horace. Thus she pretended to be one of the members of the family living at Shotover Grange.

Question 2. Who is the real culprit in the story?

Answer: The real culprit in the story was the young woman who pretended to be a family member living at Shotover Grange. She tricked Horace Danby to believe her and managed to convince him to open the safe for her, in return she would let him go without informing the police. Thereafter, she took away all the jewels that were kept in the safe.

Think About It (Page No. 25)

Question 1. Did you begin to suspect, before the end of the story, that the lady was not the person Horace Danby took her to be? If so, at what point did you realise this, and how?

Answer: Yes, we begin to suspect before the end of the story that the lady was not the person Horace Danby took her to be. She was unusually calm on seeing Horace. This seemed strange. When she did not call the police, and instead asked Horace to take out all the jewels from the safe, even if it meant breaking it open, it seems suspicious. Moreover, it seemed highly unlikely that she would forget the number combination to open the safe. Therefore, it was evident, before the story ended, that the lady was not the person Horace had taken her to be.

Question 2. What are the subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the lady of the house? Why doesn’t Horace suspect that something is wrong?

Answer: The lady managed to deceive Horace Danby into thinking that she was the lady of the house with her subtle ways. She was dressed up pretty well, just like the lady of the house would be dressed. Also, her manner of talking calmly, the way in which she petted the dog, and her going to the fireplace to straighten the ornaments there showed her familiarity with the place. She regulated her tone and voice according to the situation.

Sometimes, she talked in a kind voice. At other times, she spoke in a serious manner. She would laugh occasionally, and then, suddenly, her voice would become sharp. She spoke about how society should be protected from men like Horace. Because of all these things, Horace could not suspect that she was not the lady of the house. He was nervous himself, and was scared of getting caught. The moment he saw that she would let him go, he quickly broke open the safe for her, and promised not to rob again. According to the narrator, he was a ‘good, honest citizen’. This was why Horace could not suspect anything.

Question 3. “Horace Danby was good and respectable – but not completely honest”. Why do you think this description is apt for Horace? Why can’t he be categorised as a typical thief?

Answer: Horace’s habits were not typical of a thief. He was fond of books. He used to steal only once in a year, so he was never stealing more than his needs. However, an act of theft is still a crime, no matter how well a thief behaves, so this description is apt for Horace. He can’t be categorised as a typical thief because he is not a regular offender like other thieves.

Question 4. Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?

Answer: Horace Danby failed to get enough information about the real occupants of the house. He seems to be too occupied with collecting information about the house map, wiring and location of valuable items. Although he was smart enough to know the dog’s actual name, he overlooked getting information about the occupants of the house. When he landed in trouble with the appearance of the young lady, his clever mind gave way to carelessness, leading him to open the safe without wearing gloves.

Think About It (Page No. 25)

Question 1. Do you think Horace Danby was unfairly punished, or that he deserved what he got?

Answer: Yes, Horace Danby deserved to be punished. After all a crime is a crime, no matter whether it is committed for one’s own selfish interest or to benefit someone else.

Question 2. Do intentions justify actions? Would you, like Horace Danby, do something wrong if you thought your ends justified the means? Do you think that there are situations in which it is excusable to act less than honestly?

Answer: “Ends do not justify means”, is a very old and time-tested saying. For their own benefit nobody should harm others. But this world doesn’t function on idealism. There are many examples of people tricking people for quick gains. These acts should be deplored and dealt with severely.