A QUESTION OF TRUST
Who wrote “ A question of trust”
Victor Canning wrote ‘A question of trust’
What does Horace Danby like to collect?
Horace Danby liked to collect rare and expensive books.
Why does Horace Danby steal every year?
Horace Danby steals every year to buy rare and expensive books.
Who is speaking to Horace Danby?
A lady standing in the doorway is speaking to Horace Danby.
Who is the real culprit in the story ‘ A question of trust’
The real culprit in the story ‘A question of trust’ is a woman who pretended to be a member of the family living at Shotover Grange.
Give a brief account of Horace Danby.
Horace Danby was a good, honest citizen he was about fifty years old and unmarried and he lived with a housekeeper. He was usually happy and healthy except for his attack of hay fever in summer. He made locks for his living and he was successful enough in his business. He was a good and respectable man.
How was the woman looked?
The woman was young and pretty and she was wearing a red dress and she had a kindly voice.
What did the woman tell about the jewellery to Horace Danby?
The woman said to horace danby that she had promised her husband that she would take the jewels to their bank, but she left them there in the safe and now she wanted to wear them to a party and that is why she came down to get that.
Why was Horace Danby arrested by the police?
Horace Danby was arrested because of the jewel robbery at Shotover Grange.
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 realize this and how?
Yes, we began 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, it seemed highly unlikely that she forgot 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.
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?
The lady very slyly convinces Horace that she is the lady of the house. Her confidence and manner of presenting her in front of Horace Danby made her look like the lady of the house. She was very comfortable with the dog, which indicates that she is the lady of the house, and the way she was moving in the room and straightening things, as one will do in her own home, and casually took the cigarette box lying on the table- by all these subtle ways she manages to deceive Horace completely.
Horace Danby did not suspect the lady because the lady did not show any hesitation while talking to Horace rather she showed confidence, moreover, Horace was taken aback at being caught and so maybe he was not as alert as he could be.
“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 categorized as a typical thief?
Horace Danby could not be categorized as a typical thief because stealing was neither habit nor his profession. He stole once a year too he wanted to buy rare and expensive books. For the rest of the year, he worked hard as a locksmith.
He was an honest man and also employed two people under him. Thus the description ‘good and respectable but not completely honest, was apt for Horace.
Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still, he flattered. When did he go wrong?
Horace was a meticulous planner and he had been planning and keeping an eye on the house at Shotover Grange. He checked the electric wiring and its paths and garden. But even after much planning, he failed to get enough information about the real occupants of the house. He seems to be much 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 encountered the woman whom he thought to be the lady of the house, his clever mind gave way to carelessness. Leading him to open the safe without wearing the gloves.
In this way even after being a meticulous planner, he failed.
Who was Horace Danby? What type of a man was he?
Horace Danby was a good and respectable citizen. He was about fifty years old but still unmarried. He used to live with a housekeeper. By profession, he was a locksmith and was very successful in his business. He also appointed two helpers in his business. He was usually very well and healthy except for attacks of hay fever. But he was not completely honest. He loved rare expensive books and for these books, he had to rob a safe every year because he had not enough money to buy books.
How did Horace Danby become an assistant librarian in the prison?
Horace Danby was an honest and good person. He was running a lock-making business and it was running very well, but he was not completely honest he had a love for rare and expensive books but he didn't have the money to buy those books, so he used to rob a safe once in every to fulfill his urge of buying those books. But once while robbing a safe, he encountered a very cunning lady, who herself was a thief, tricked Horace, and moreover, she convinced Horace to break the safe for her. Which left Horace’s thumb impression on the safe and he got arrested. It may be due to his love for books he was made the assistant librarian in the prison.
