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NCERT Class 10 English — Chapter 32

A Question of Trust

Victor Canning's ironic crime story of respectable lock-maker and book-collector Horace Danby, who is outsmarted by a clever young female thief at Shotover Grange, shattering the myth of 'honour among thieves'.

Quick Key Takeaways:
The Respectable Thief: 50-year-old unmarried Horace Danby runs a lock business, is respectable, but robs one wealthy safe each year to purchase rare, expensive collector books.
The Meticulous Heist: Studies Shotover Grange for two weeks (servants at movies, wiring, dog Sherry) to rob 15,000 pounds worth of jewels from the drawing room safe.
The Young Woman in Red: Interrupted at the safe by hay fever sneezes; encounters a charming, poised woman posing as the mistress of the house.
The Deception & Arrest: She tricks Horace into cracking the safe bare-handed without gloves; two days later, Horace is arrested and ends up as an assistant prison librarian.
Jump to Concept:1. 1. Plot Turning Points: The Shotover Grange Infiltration & The Great Swindle2. 2. Character Dynamics: Horace Danby vs The Lady in Red3. 3. High-Yield Solved Board Examination Questions (3-Mark & 6-Mark)4. 4. Reference-to-Context (RTC) Solved Extract Drill5. 5. CBSE Examiner Marking Scheme, High-Scoring Vocabulary & Pitfalls
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1. Plot Turning Points: The Shotover Grange Infiltration & The Great Swindle

Plot Summary & Core Themes

Detailed plot summary, sequence of events, and thematic core of A Question of Trust.

• Horace Danby's Secret Life & The Shotover Grange Plan
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The Respectable Burglar: Fifty-year-old Horace Danby was a good, respectable citizen who made locks with two assistants. However, he had an expensive secret: he loved rare, valuable collector books. To fund this passion through a private agent, he robbed exactly one wealthy safe each year, calculating his needs meticulously.
•
Planning the Heist: Horace studied the country house at Shotover Grange for two weeks. He knew the family was in London, the two servants had gone to the cinema, the electrical wiring layout, and that 15,000 pounds worth of jewels were locked in a safe behind a poor painting in the drawing room.
•
The Dog & The Flowers: Horace broke in with his tool bag. He pacified the house dog Sherry by using its name warmly. However, a bowl of flowers on the table triggered his chronic hay fever, causing him to sneeze repeatedly.
• The Lady in Red & The Fatal Fingerprint Mistake
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The Confrontation: While sneezing, a voice spoke from the doorway: 'What is it? A cold or hay fever?' A pretty, young woman dressed in red walked in. She spoke with authoritative poise, stroked the dog Sherry, and picked up a cigarette.
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The Clever Fabrication: She claimed she had returned unexpectedly for a dinner party and wanted to wear her jewels, but had forgotten the safe's combination. She offered Horace a deal: if he cracked the safe for her, she would let him go free without calling the police.
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The Fatal Trap: Eager to please her and desperate to avoid prison, Horace took off his gloves to light her lighter, and then cracked open the safe with his bare hands! He handed her the jewels and walked away happy.
•
The Bitter Irony: Three days later, police arrested Horace at home. His fingerprints were all over the Shotover Grange safe. The real mistress of the house was a 60-year-old grey-haired woman who dismissed Horace's story as nonsense! Horace is now an assistant librarian in prison, getting furious whenever anyone mentions 'honour among thieves'.
📊 A Question of Trust: The Swindle FlowchartVisual Model
A Question of Trust: The Deceptive Honor Among Thieves
Horace Danby's Calculated Heist
•Respectable 50-year-old locksmith rob one safe every year for rare books
•Meticulously plans burglary of Shotover Grange safe
•Hay fever sneezing fit gives away presence in drawing room
The Lady in Red's Clever Trick
•Encounter with poised young woman claiming to be house mistress
•Persuades Horace to open safe without gloves to 'save her jewelry'
•Horace leaves fingerprints and is arrested; true owner was an old woman
Core Concept: The ironic collapse of 'honor among thieves' when outsmarted by a superior con artist

Visual diagram detailing Horace Danby's meticulous burglary plan, the hay fever sneeze, the lady in red deception, and the prison librarian irony.

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2. Character Dynamics: Horace Danby vs The Lady in Red

Character & Literary Analysis

Character sketches, psychological motivations, conflicts, and author's message in A Question of Trust.

• Horace Danby — Meticulous, Naive & Chivalrous
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Gentleman Burglar: Robbed only the rich, never carried weapons, and justified theft with his refined passion for books.
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Fatal Naivety: Believed a fellow thief was the true lady of the house, allowing chivalry and fear to cloud professional caution.
• The Lady in Red — Master Manipulator
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Absolute Poise: Exhibited supreme acting skills, calmness, and psychological control.
•
Exploitation: Used Horace to do the risky criminal work while leaving him to take the blame.
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3. High-Yield Solved Board Examination Questions (3-Mark & 6-Mark)

Topper Solved Q&A

Important past CBSE board questions solved according to official marking criteria.

• 3-Mark Short Answer Question: How did the lady in red deceive Horace Danby into cracking the safe?
•
Topper Model Answer (30–40 Words): The young woman dressed in red acted with absolute confidence and authority, speaking gently to the family dog Sherry to project authentic ownership. She claimed she had forgotten the safe's combination and urgently needed jewels for a party. To escape arrest and please her, a gullible Horace removed his gloves and cracked the safe bare-handed.
• 6-Mark Long Answer / Analytical Question: Analyze the theme 'No honour among thieves' in 'A Question of Trust'.
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The Myth of Criminal Honour: Traditional folklore romanticizes thieves as adhering to an unwritten code of mutual solidarity and ethical respect.
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The Reality of Betrayal: The young female thief ruthlessly manipulated Horace's vulnerability, let him perform the criminal labor, took the jewels, and left his incriminating fingerprints for the police.
•
The Irony of Horace's Fate: Horace ends up in prison as an assistant librarian, bitterly enraged at the myth of 'honour among thieves' because a fellow thief swindled him completely.
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4. Reference-to-Context (RTC) Solved Extract Drill

CBSE Board RTC Mastery

Standard CBSE Reference-to-Context extract with multi-part analytical questions and answers.

• Prescribed NCERT Extract: A Question of Trust
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...'
•
Q1: Who spoke to Horace from the doorway? →\rightarrow A young, attractive woman dressed in red posing as the mistress of Shotover Grange.
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Q2: What medical condition betrayed Horace's presence? →\rightarrow Chronic hay fever triggered by flowers on the table.
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Q3: What was the woman's true identity? →\rightarrow A rival burglar robbing the exact same safe.
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Q4: Name the author. →\rightarrow Victor Canning.
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5. CBSE Examiner Marking Scheme, High-Scoring Vocabulary & Pitfalls

Exam Tips & Marking Rubric

Examiner scoring keys, advanced vocabulary enhancers, and critical pitfall avoidance.

• High-Scoring Vocabulary Bank & Expressive Phrasing
•
Hay Fever: An allergy caused by pollen or dust (His hay fever flared up).
•
Meticulous: Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise (Horace's meticulous planning).
•
Chivalrous: Courteous and gallant, especially toward women (Horace's chivalrous mistake).
•
Incriminating: Making someone appear guilty of a crime (Incriminating fingerprints on the safe).
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Gullible: Easily persuaded to believe something; naive (Horace's gullible nature).
• CBSE Topper Answer Presentation & Common Deduction Traps
•
Core Theme: Emphasize that crime cannot be justified by refined hobbies (collecting rare books).
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Key Mistake: Removing gloves to light her cigarette, leaving fingerprints.
•
Irony: Horace is now an assistant librarian in prison.
Authentic Board Question (3 Marks)Topic: A Question of Trust Character Insight & Thematic Resolution
Analyze the pivotal turning point, character motivations, and underlying moral dilemma in "A Question of Trust". What message does the author convey?

Official CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Breakdown:

Step 1: Context & Character Mindset: Describe the central character's psychological dilemma, circumstances, and initial choices.
1 Mark
Step 2: Turning Point & Narrative Evidence: Detail the crucial incident or conflict that transforms the character, citing specific textual evidence.
1 Mark
Step 3: Author's Message & Human Values: Articulate the moral lesson, societal critique, or value of empathy, integrity, or courage highlighted by the author.
1 Mark
Model Student Answer (Target: Full 3/3 Marks):
To secure full 3 marks on "A Question of Trust" in the CBSE Board Examination:

1. Character Psychology: State the character's underlying motives and initial predicament with textual clarity.
2. Pivotal Narrative Shift: Explain the specific plot development or turning point that challenges the protagonist and leads to character growth.
3. Thematic Resolution: Conclude with the author's essential philosophical viewpoint on human behavior, integrity, and social conscience.
Examiner Mark Deduction Traps:
•Do not merely retell the plot summary; examiners award full marks for psychological analysis of character decisions.
•Incorporate key character vocabulary (e.g., remorse, pride, resilience, empathy, disillusionment) from the NCERT text.

High-Frequency Conceptual Doubts & FAQs

Curated answers to the most common questions asked by Class 10 students.
Horace Danby was a 50-year-old bachelor who ran a successful lock-making business with two assistants. His secret passion was collecting rare, expensive books; to finance this luxury, he meticulously robbed one wealthy safe every year.

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