The Midnight Visitor

Hello, my dear students! Welcome to today's English lesson. I am so happy to see you all here, ready to learn something new and exciting. Today, we are going to study a very interesting chapter from your NCERT textbook Footprints Without Feet. The chapter is titled "The Midnight Visitor" and it is a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat! So let's begin, shall we?

Now, students, before we start reading the story, let me tell you a little bit about what to expect. This is a suspense story, which means it is full of twists and turns, unexpected events, and clever tricks. The main character is a secret agent named Ausable, and he is not at all what you might expect a secret agent to look like. The story also teaches us about something very important called "presence of mind" - the ability to think quickly and act wisely in dangerous situations. This is a skill that can help you throughout your life, not just in stories but in real life too. So pay close attention, because by the end of this lesson, you will understand every detail of this story and be able to answer all the questions in your textbook.

Let us begin by understanding the characters in the story. The main character is Ausable, who is described as a secret agent or spy. Now, students, when you think of a secret agent, what image comes to your mind? Perhaps you think of someone tall and handsome, someone who moves silently, someone who wears dark clothes and carries hidden weapons, someone who can climb buildings and jump from rooftops. You might have seen movies like James Bond, where the hero is always cool, smart, and physically fit. But Ausable is completely different from this image, and that is what makes this story so interesting.

Ausable is described as fat - very fat, in fact. He speaks with an American accent even though he lives in Paris and speaks French and German. He is not mysterious at all; in fact, he lives in a small room on the sixth floor of a gloomy French hotel. The room is musty, which means it smells old and damp, and it is certainly not a romantic or exciting place. So when Fowler, a young writer who came to meet Ausable because he wanted to experience adventure, sees the room, he feels very disappointed. He had imagined secret meetings in dark corners, messages passed by beautiful women, dangerous pursuits through the streets of Paris. Instead, he gets a fat, wheezing man who gets telephone calls for appointments!

Now, students, let me explain some important words here. The word "wheezily" means speaking with difficulty in breathing, making a whistling sound. Ausable has some kind of breathing problem, which adds to his un-heroic appearance. The word "prosaic" means ordinary or dull - so the telephone call that Ausable receives is very ordinary, not exciting at all. And "sloppy" here means carelessly dressed - Ausable does not look like someone who takes care of his appearance.

But here is an important lesson, students: appearances can be deceiving. Just because someone does not look like what we expect does not mean they are not capable or talented. Ausable may not look like a typical secret agent, but he certainly has the brains to be one!

Let us continue with the story. Ausable notices that Fowler is disappointed, and he is honest about it. He tells Fowler that he had expected excitement and adventure but got only a dull evening. However, Ausable then says something very interesting - he tells Fowler that soon an important paper will come to him, a paper that several men and women have risked their lives for, and that paper may affect the course of history. He asks Fowler, "In that thought is drama, is there not?" This means that even though the situation looks dull on the outside, there is drama in knowing that important things are happening behind the scenes.

Now, students, this is a good time to think about how stories work. The author is building up tension here. We know something important is going to happen, but we do not know what. This is called foreshadowing - when the author gives us hints about what is coming next.

Just as Ausable finishes speaking and switches on the light, something dramatic happens! Fowler sees a man standing in the middle of the room with a small automatic pistol in his hand. This is the first authentic thrill of the day for Fowler - meaning it is the first truly exciting thing that has happened. The man's name is Max, and he is another secret agent, but he is on the opposite side - he is a spy from the enemy group.

Now, students, let me describe Max for you. He is slender, which means he is thin and lean. He is a little less than tall, so he is of average height. His features suggest the countenance of a fox - this means he looks clever and cunning, like a fox is supposed to be in stories. The word "crafty" means clever in a sneaky way. So Max looks like someone who can trick others easily. But besides the gun, there is nothing especially threatening about his appearance - he does not look like a dangerous criminal, which might surprise you.

Max demands the report about new missiles - missiles are weapons that can be directed remotely or automatically, like rockets. He says he thought he would take the report from Ausable because it would be safer in his hands than in Ausable's. This tells us that the report is very valuable and contains important information about weapons.

Now, here is where the story gets really interesting. Ausable does not panic. Instead, he moves to an armchair and sits down heavily - remember, he is fat, so sitting down is not an easy task for him! And then he says something very clever. He complains about the management of the hotel and mentions that this is the second time in a month that somebody has gotten into his room through the balcony. This is the first time we hear about the balcony, and it becomes very important later in the story.

Fowler looks at the window and sees that it is an ordinary window, and the night is pressing blackly against it - this is a poetic way of saying it is very dark outside.

Now, Max says something interesting. He says he entered with a passkey, which is a special key that can open many different doors. He did not know about the balcony, and he says it might have saved him some trouble had he known. This is important - Max does not know about the balcony!

Ausable then explains about the balcony. He says the room used to be part of a large unit, and the next room used to be the living room. That room had the balcony, which now extends under Ausable's window. You can get onto it from the empty room two doors down, and somebody did get in that way last month. The management promised to block it off but they haven't done it yet. This is a very detailed and convincing explanation, and it sounds very believable.

Now, students, pay close attention here. This is where Ausable's cleverness comes in. He is making up a story about the balcony - or is he? We will find out later. But the important thing is that Max believes him, and this belief will be crucial for what happens next.

Max tells Fowler and Ausable to sit down because they have to wait for half an hour - actually, Ausable says thirty-one minutes because the appointment was for twelve-thirty. Max also asks how Ausable learned about the report, and Ausable wishes he knew how the enemy got the information. But Max says no harm has been done because he will get the report back tonight.

Then, suddenly, there is a knocking at the door! Fowler jumps in surprise, but Ausable just smiles and says, "That will be the police." He explains that he thought such an important paper should have extra protection, so he told the police to check on him to make sure everything was all right.

Now, students, think about what happens here. Max is in the room with a gun, threatening Ausable and Fowler. Suddenly, there is a knock at the door, and Ausable says it is the police. What would you do if you were Max? You would be nervous, right? You would not want to be caught by the police with a gun in your hand! And that is exactly what happens to Max. His face turns black with anger - this is an expression meaning he became very angry. He backs swiftly towards the window and swings a leg over the sill. He tells Ausable to send the police away or he will shoot.

The knocking becomes louder and a voice calls out, "Mr Ausable! Mr Ausable!"

Max keeps his gun pointed at Ausable and Fowler while he climbs out of the window. He uses his free hand to support himself on the frame, then swings his other leg over the window-sill. And then, as he drops, he screams once, shrilly - meaning he lets out a high-pitched cry of pain or surprise.

The door opens, and a waiter stands there with a tray, a bottle, and two glasses. He says, "Here is the drink you ordered for when you returned," and sets the tray on the table, uncorks the bottle, and leaves the room.

Students, can you guess what happened? There were no police! The waiter was just delivering the drink that Ausable had ordered. This was all part of Ausable's plan. He had arranged for the waiter to come at that time and knock on the door, pretending to be the police or at least creating a disturbance. And Max, believing that there was a balcony outside the window, jumped out thinking he could escape. But there is no balcony! That is why Max screamed - he realized too late that he was falling from the sixth floor of the hotel!

Now, let me explain the ending. Fowler is white-faced - he has turned pale from shock. He stammers, "But... the police..." and asks about the man on the balcony. Ausable tells him that Max won't return because there is no balcony. This is the twist ending of the story - the balcony was a complete fiction, a story that Ausable made up to trick Max. Ausable had thought up this plan on the spot, taking advantage of the situation. He knew that Max had entered through a passkey, not a balcony, so he used this information to create a believable story about a balcony that Max could use to escape. When Max heard the police coming, he panicked and tried to escape through the "balcony" - but there was no balcony, only empty space and a fall to the ground below.

Now, students, this is what we call "presence of mind" - the ability to think quickly and act calmly in a dangerous situation. Ausable did not have a weapon, he was not physically strong, but he used his intelligence to trick the enemy and save himself and Fowler. This is a very valuable lesson for all of us - that sometimes the brain is more powerful than brawn.

Now, let us go through the important vocabulary from the chapter. Let me explain each word so that you understand them completely.

"Romantic" means imaginative or having a fantastic view of reality. In the story, Fowler had a romantic view of what a secret agent's life is like.

"Passably" means just well enough or tolerably well. Ausable speaks French and German passably - he can communicate but not perfectly.

"Espionage" is the word for spying - the activity of being a secret agent and gathering information about other countries or organizations.

"Prosaic" means ordinary or dull - the telephone call was prosaic, not exciting.

"Chuckled" means laughed quietly, without opening your mouth. Ausable chuckles to himself when he sees Fowler's disappointed face.

"Wheezed" means spoke breathing noisily and heavily, as Ausable does because of his weight and breathing problems.

"Missiles" are weapons directed by remote control or automatically - in the story, the report is about new missiles.

"Shrilly" means piercingly or in a high pitch - Max screamed shrilly when he fell.

Now, students, let us answer the "Read and Find Out" questions from your textbook. These are important because they test your understanding of the story.

The first question is: "How is Ausable different from other secret agents?"

Students, let me explain this clearly. Ausable is different from other secret agents in several ways. First, he is fat - very fat, in fact. Most secret agents in books and movies are tall, slim, and physically fit. Second, he has an American accent even though he lives in Paris and speaks French and German. Third, he lives in a small, musty room on the sixth floor of a gloomy hotel, not in a fancy hideout or secret headquarters. Fourth, he does not have mysterious meetings or exciting adventures - he gets ordinary telephone calls for appointments. Fifth, he wheezes when he speaks because of his weight and breathing problems. All of this makes him seem very ordinary and unexciting, which is exactly why Fowler is disappointed when he meets him. But as we learn from the story, looks can be deceiving, and Ausable is much smarter and more capable than he appears.

The second question is: "Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?"

Fowler is a young writer who has come to meet Ausable because he wants to experience the excitement of the secret agent world. He had read about secret agents and expected to meet a mysterious, romantic figure involved in espionage and danger. His first authentic thrill of the day is when the light comes on and he sees a man standing halfway across the room with a small automatic pistol in his hand. This is the first truly exciting thing that happens to him - before this, everything had been dull and disappointing.

The third question is: "How has Max got in?"

Max got in through a passkey. A passkey is a special key that can open many different doors. Max explains that he did not know about the balcony, so he used a passkey to enter the room. He did not climb in through the balcony because he did not know it existed.

The fourth question is: "How does Ausable say he got in?"

Ausable says that somebody got into his room through the balcony. He explains that the room used to be part of a larger unit, and the next room had a balcony that now extends under his window. He says that someone got in through the balcony last month, and the management promised to block it off but did not do so. However, as we learn at the end, this story about the balcony was a fabrication - there is no balcony. Ausable made up this story to trick Max.

Now, students, let us move on to the "Think about it" questions. These are discussion questions that will help you understand the story better and think about its deeper meanings.

The first question is: "'Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read.' What do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion? Discuss in groups or in class some stories or movies featuring spies, detectives and secret agents, and compare their appearance with that of Ausable in this story."

Students, let me help you understand this question and give you a good answer. In books and films, secret agents are usually portrayed as tall, handsome, physically fit individuals who are good at fighting and can handle dangerous situations. They often wear sophisticated clothing and use high-tech gadgets. They are usually calm under pressure and never show fear. Some famous examples from English fiction include Sherlock Holmes, who is a detective rather than a secret agent but is known for his sharp intellect and ability to solve mysteries; Hercule Poirot, the famous Belgian detective with his distinctive mustache and egg-shaped head; and Miss Marple, an elderly woman who solves crimes by observing human nature. In movies, James Bond is perhaps the most famous secret agent - he is always well-dressed, drives fancy cars, and has access to the latest technology. He is also known for his physical abilities and combat skills.

Now, compare this with Ausable. He is fat, not physically fit at all. He wheezes when he speaks, indicating health problems. He lives in a small, ordinary room in a gloomy hotel, not in a luxurious hideout. He does not have high-tech gadgets or fancy equipment. He does not look or act like a typical secret agent at all. But as the story shows, he is cleverer than any of these fictional agents - he manages to outwit Max without any weapons, simply by using his intelligence and presence of mind. This tells us that appearances can be deceiving and that true capability is not always visible on the outside.

The second question is: "How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room? Look back at his detailed description of it. What makes it a convincing story?"

This is a very important question, students, because it helps us understand how Ausable tricked Max. Let me explain how he did this.

First, Ausable mentions the balcony at exactly the right moment - right after Max has entered the room through a passkey. When Max says he did not know about the balcony, Ausable uses this opportunity to launch into a detailed explanation. He says the room used to be part of a large unit, and the next room used to be the living room. That room had the balcony, which now extends under his window. He says you can get onto it from the empty room two doors down, and somebody did get in that way last month. He also says the management promised to block it off but hasn't done so yet.

What makes this story convincing? Several things. First, it is very detailed - Ausable gives specific information about how the room used to be arranged, which makes it sound like a true story. Second, it is plausible - it is possible for a hotel to have rooms that were once connected and then divided. Third, it explains a real security concern - Ausable complains that this is the second time someone has gotten in through the balcony, which makes it seem like a genuine problem. Fourth, Ausable tells the story calmly and with irritation, as if he is genuinely annoyed with the hotel management. He does not seem nervous or suspicious, which makes Max believe him. Fifth, the timing is perfect - Max has just entered using a passkey, so he is already thinking about how people can enter the room. Ausable's story about the balcony fits into this context perfectly.

The third question is: "Looking back at the story, when do you think Ausable thought up his plan for getting rid of Max? Do you think he had worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning? Or did he make up a plan taking advantage of events as they happened?"

This is a question that requires careful thinking, students. Let me analyze what happens in the story.

When Max first appears, Ausable is surprised but does not panic. He asks Max why he is there and what he is doing in his room. Then he complains about the hotel management and mentions the balcony. This is the first time the balcony is mentioned. At this point, does Ausable have a complete plan? Probably not. He is probably just trying to understand the situation and buy some time.

Later, when Max says they have to wait for half an hour for the report, Ausable mentions that the appointment was for twelve-thirty. This gives us a clue about the time - it is around midnight, which is why the story is called "The Midnight Visitor."

Then the knocking comes at the door. This is when Ausable says, "That will be the police." But is this really planned? Or is he improvising? It seems more likely that Ausable is improvising. He had probably arranged for the waiter to bring drinks, but he used the situation to create a story about the police. When Max backs towards the window and says he will wait on the balcony, Ausable does not correct him - he lets Max believe in the balcony. This is when the plan fully forms in his mind. He realizes that if Max believes in the balcony, he will try to escape through it when he thinks the police are coming. And since there is no balcony, Max will fall.

So, students, the answer is that Ausable did not have a complete plan from the beginning. He thought of it as events unfolded. He used the information that Max had entered through a passkey (not a balcony) to create a false story about the balcony. Then he used the knock at the door to create panic. And he let Max believe in the balcony so that Max would try to escape through it. This is a perfect example of thinking on your feet - using whatever happens around you to your advantage.

Now, let us move on to the "Talk about it" questions. These are designed to help you apply the lessons from the story to real-life situations.

The first question is: "In this story, Ausable shows great 'presence of mind,' or the ability to think quickly, and act calmly and wisely, in a situation of danger and surprise. Give examples from your own experience, or narrate a story, which shows someone's presence of mind."

Students, for this question, you need to think about times when you or someone you know responded quickly and wisely in a dangerous or surprising situation. Let me give you some examples to help you think.

One common example is when someone notices a fire and quickly alerts others, helps people evacuate, or tries to put out the fire if it is small. Another example is when someone is walking on the road and sees a vehicle coming towards them quickly - they might jump aside or signal to the driver. Another example is when someone is being attacked or robbed and manages to escape by thinking quickly about what to do. In everyday life, presence of mind can also mean staying calm during an exam when you cannot answer a question - you might skip it and come back later, or you might think of a creative answer.

You might have heard stories about people who saved others from drowning, or who helped someone who was choking, or who prevented an accident by acting quickly. These are all examples of presence of mind. The key is to stay calm, think about your options, and choose the best course of action even when you are under pressure.

The second question is: "Discuss what you would do in the situations described below. Remember that presence of mind comes out of a state of mental preparedness. If you have thought about possible problems or dangers, and about how to act in such situations, you have a better chance of dealing with such situations if they do arise."

Let me discuss each situation with you, students.

First, a small fire starts in your kitchen. What should you do? The most important thing is to stay calm. If the fire is small, you might try to put it out with a fire extinguisher or by covering it with a damp cloth or sand. But if the fire is growing quickly, you should evacuate immediately and call the fire department. You should not try to fight a large fire yourself. You should also turn off the gas or electricity if it is safe to do so. It is important to have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and to know how to use it. This is an example of being mentally prepared - if you have thought about what to do before a fire happens, you will be able to act quickly and correctly.

Second, a child starts to choke on a piece of food. This is a medical emergency. If the child can cough, encourage them to keep coughing - this is the body's way of trying to clear the airway. If the child cannot cough, speak, or breathe, you need to act immediately. You should perform the Heimlich maneuver - stand behind the person, place your fist above their navel, and give quick upward thrusts. For a young child, you might need to hold them upside down and give back blows. This is why it is important to learn these techniques beforehand - you cannot afford to think about what to do when a child is choking.

Third, an electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks. This is dangerous because it could cause an electric shock or a fire. You should immediately turn off the power at the main switch or unplug the appliance if it is safe to do so. Do not touch the appliance with wet hands or while standing on a wet floor. If sparks are coming out and there is a risk of fire, evacuate the area and call for help. Being prepared means knowing where your main power switch is and how to turn it off quickly.

Fourth, a bicycle knocks down a pedestrian. This is an accident situation. The first thing you should do is check if the pedestrian is injured. If they are hurt, you should call for medical help immediately. If the accident was serious, you should also inform the police. Do not try to move an injured person unless they are in immediate danger (like on a busy road). It is important to take responsibility for the situation and not run away. Being prepared means knowing basic first aid and knowing emergency numbers.

Fifth, it rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours. This could lead to flooding, especially in low-lying areas. What should you do? You should stay informed about weather updates through radio, television, or phone. If you live in an area prone to flooding, you should have an emergency plan - know which areas are safe, have important documents and valuables in waterproof containers, and be ready to evacuate if necessary. You should also be careful about diseases that can spread through contaminated water after floods. Being prepared means having an emergency kit with essential supplies like food, water, medicines, and flashlights.

Sixth, a member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time. This can be worrying, especially if it is late at night or if the person was going somewhere far away. What should you? You should try to contact them on their phone. If you cannot reach them, you should try to find out if anyone else knows where they are. You should also consider whether there might be a reasonable explanation - maybe their phone battery died, or they decided to stay somewhere else. But if you are genuinely concerned for their safety, you should inform the police. It is important not to panic but to think logically about what to do.

Now, students, I want you to notice something important about all these situations. In each case, being prepared beforehand makes a big difference. If you know basic first aid, you can help someone who is choking. If you know where your main power switch is, you can quickly turn off electricity during an emergency. If you have thought about evacuation routes during floods, you can act quickly when flooding occurs. This is why presence of mind is not just about being smart or quick-thinking - it is also about being prepared. The more you think about possible dangers and how to handle them, the better you will be able to respond when those situations actually occur.

Now, students, let me also tell you about the "Suggested reading" section at the end of your chapter. Your textbook suggests three short stories that you might enjoy reading. "After Twenty Years" by O. Henry is a famous short story about two friends who meet after twenty years and discover something surprising about each other. "The Stolen Bacillus" by H.G. Wells is a story about a scientist who steals a dangerous bacterium, but there is a twist at the end. "The Face on the Wall" by E.V. Lucas is another interesting story. These are all classic short stories that will help you appreciate the art of storytelling and the surprise endings that many authors use.

Finally, students, let me explain the Haiku section at the end of your chapter. Haiku is a form of poetry that originated in Japan. It is a very compact form of poetry, usually consisting of three short lines. The most common pattern is 5-7-5 syllables - five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. Haiku poems often focus on nature, simple moments, or sudden insights. They try to capture a single moment or image in a very few words.

The first Haiku in your book is by Matsuo Basho, the most famous Haiku poet. It says:

An old pond! A frog jumps in — The sound of water.

This is a beautiful image - we can almost hear the splash of the frog jumping into the pond. It captures a simple moment in nature and makes us think about the sound of water, the movement of the frog, and the peacefulness of the pond.

The second Haiku is by Issa, another famous Japanese Haiku poet. It says:

Right at my feet — and when did you get here, snail?

This is a playful Haiku that makes us smile. The poet is surprised to find a snail right at his feet and wonders when it arrived. It shows how Haiku can find beauty and interest in the smallest creatures.

Students, you can try writing your own Haiku! Think about something you see in nature or a simple moment in your daily life, and try to capture it in three lines with 5-7-5 syllables. It is a fun way to practice poetry and to start noticing the small things around you.

Now, students, we have come to the end of our lesson. Let me give you a complete summary of everything we have learned today.

In this chapter, "The Midnight Visitor," we learned about Ausable, a secret agent who does not look like a typical secret agent. He is fat, speaks with an American accent, and lives in a small, ordinary room. His guest, Fowler, is disappointed because he expected excitement and adventure. But then Max, an enemy spy, enters the room with a gun and demands an important report about missiles. Ausable remains calm and cleverly tricks Max by making him believe there is a balcony outside the window. When a waiter comes to the door (pretending to be the police), Max panics and tries to escape through the balcony. But there is no balcony - it was all a story that Ausable made up. Max falls from the window, and Ausable reveals that there were no police, only the waiter he was expecting.

We learned important vocabulary words like "espionage," "passkey," "prosaic," "wheezy," and "shrilly." We also learned about the literary techniques used in the story, like foreshadowing and suspense. We discussed how Ausable showed great presence of mind by thinking quickly and using the situation to his advantage. We answered all the "Read and Find Out" questions, the "Think about it" questions, and the "Talk about it" questions. We also learned about Haiku poetry and discussed how to handle various emergency situations.

The most important lesson from this chapter is that intelligence and presence of mind are more powerful than physical strength or appearances. Ausable was able to outwit a dangerous enemy simply by thinking quickly and staying calm. This is a lesson that will serve you well throughout your life - no matter what challenges you face, staying calm and thinking clearly will always help you find a solution.

Thank you for listening to this lesson, students. I hope you enjoyed learning about "The Midnight Visitor" as much as I enjoyed teaching it. Remember to read the story again on your own and to practice answering the questions. Until next time, take care and keep learning!