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A MIDNIGHT VISITOR extra questions and answers

The Midnight visitor important question answer

This blog is from a story titled “A MIDNIGHT VISITOR,” and it’s filled with suspense and unexpected twists. You will also access The MIDINIGHT VISITOR important question and answer .We’ll break it down step by step:

Characters:

1. Ausable: He’s our main character, and he’s not your typical secret agent. He’s described as fat and doesn’t fit the stereotypical image of a spy.He’s been living in Paris for quite some time but still has an American accent.

2. Fowler: He’s a young and romantic writer who has come to meet Ausable with high expectations of thrilling adventures.

3. Max : Max is a slender man who enters Ausable’s room unexpectedly, and he seems interested in a report about new missiles.

Plot:

The story begins with Fowler following Ausable down a gloomy hotel corridor in France. Fowler is disappointed because Ausable doesn’t fit his image of a secret agent. Ausable is overweight and doesn’t have the glamorous, mysterious appearance Fowler expected.

Ausable is aware of Fowler’s disappointment and humorously acknowledges it. He invites Fowler into his room, where he suggests that they will soon be involved in something important and dramatic.

However, as Ausable switches on the lights, they discover Max in the room, holding a gun. Ausable seems surprised to see Max and questions why he’s there. Max explains that he wants to take a report about new missiles from Ausable for safety reasons.

Ausable is annoyed, and the situation becomes tense. He mentions that this is the second time someone has entered his room through the balcony, which belongs to the next apartment. This is an important detail to remember.

Max instructs Ausable and Fowler to sit down and wait for about half an hour, which adds to the suspense.

Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door, and Ausable reveals that he called the police to provide extra protection for the important document they’re waiting for. Max becomes nervous because he doesn’t want the police involved.

Max threatens to shoot if the police enter, and just as he’s about to escape through the window, he screams and disappears. The door opens, but it’s not the police; it’s a waiter delivering a drink that Ausable ordered earlier.

Fowler is confused and worried about the man on the balcony, but Ausable calmly explains that there is no balcony. This revelation leaves us with a surprising twist in the story.

Important  key lines spoken by respective speakers:

Ausable:

    1. “You were told that I was a secret agent, a spy, dealing in espionage and danger.”

    1. “Instead, you have spent a dull evening in a French music hall with a sloppy fat man…”

    1. “Presently you will see a paper, a quite important paper…”

    1. “I’m going to raise the devil with the management this time…”

    1. “The knocking at the door became louder and a voice was raised. ‘Mr. Ausable! Mr. Ausable!'”

    1. “But won’t that man out on the balcony…? There is no balcony.”

Max:

    • “Max, you gave me quite a start. I thought you were in Berlin.”

    • “No, a passkey. I did not know about the balcony. It might have saved me some trouble…”

These lines are attributed to their respective speakers to clarify who is saying what in the text.

Word Meanings

WORD MEANINGS
Musty: Stale, damp, and having a musty odor,
Gloomy: Dark and depressing; lacking in brightness or cheerfulness.
Prosaic Dull, ordinary, or lacking excitement; mundane.
Inflection A change in pitch or tone of voice when speaking
Nuisance Annoyance, inconvenience, or something that causes discomfort or trouble.
Commanding Authoritative or giving orders with authority.
Deftly Skillfully or with dexterity; done in a quick and precise manner
Defeat In this context, it refers to being caught or thwarted in one’s plans
Tense Nervous or anxious
Shrilly In a high-pitched loud, sharp sound
White-faced Describes someone’s face turning pale due to fear.

Important question answer

1: What made the story of the balcony so convincing?
OR
How did Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room?
OR
How did Ausable befool Max about the balcony?
OR
How did Ausable get rid of Max?
OR
How did clever Ausable outwit and get rid of his rival or enemy secret agent Max?

Ausable could cook up any story that could fit in any particular situation. Ausable first showed his annoyance for the problem created by the balcony. Ausable managed to make Max believe that there was a balcony attached to his room by explaining that the room used to be part of a larger unit .The unit had a living room next door, which had a balcony.
Ausable pointed out the next apartment door and mentioned that the balcony extended under his window. He told Max that someone had entered his room through that balcony in the past.So,he had already complained the hotel management team. Although the management promised to block it off, they hadn’t done it. This made Max convince /belief that there was a balcony connected to Ausable’s room. This misinterpretation contributed to the misunderstanding in the scene.

2: Give a description of max conversation with ausable.

Max, a slender man, confronts Ausable with a pistol, seeking a report about missiles .Max confronted Ausable about a report regarding new missiles .
Ausable, expressed his frustration with unwanted visitors entering his room, especially through the balcony. Ausable explained his room’s history.
Ausable explained to Max that the room in which he was staying ,used to be part of a larger unit, and the next room had a balcony that extended under his window. He clarified that someone had accessed his room through that balcony before, many a times. This convinced Max to belief that a balcony was present.
Suddenly, Max became increasingly nervous about the knocking at the door.Fearing it might be the police Max, threatens to shoot. He warned Ausable to sent the police away. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when the knocking turned out to be a waiter delivering a drink order.
Ausable’s revelation that there was no actual balcony ,left Max surprised. The tension in the conversation dissolved as the true nature of the situation became clear.

3: Who is fowler? Give a description of his meeting with ausable.

Fowler is a young writer with romantic ideas. He meets Ausable at a dark hotel in France. At first, Fowler is excited to meet a spy, but his excitement fades. Ausable is a fat man with a strong American accent, not what Fowler expected. Ausable notices Fowler’s

disappointment and jokes about it. Ausable understands Fowler’s disappointment and contrasts it with the image Fowler had formed in his mind – one of mysterious figures, pistols, and wine-laden intrigue. He talks about how their evening wasn’t as exciting as Fowler thought. Even though their time together isn’t exciting, Ausable hints that an important paper might come to him. This paper could change history. This meeting sets up what happens next in the storyThe

the midnight visitor important question answer

4.How did Max go out of Ausable’s room to save himself from the police?

Ans. Max was very nervous to realize that the police were at the door. He went out of the window saying that he would wait in the balcony. He warned Ausable to send the police away . Max also threatened to shoot Ausable. Max blindly believed whatever Ausable mentioned. Max did not confirm about the balcony and stepped out of the window.Instantly, Max had a great fall and faced death.

5.How did Ausable kill Max without using a weapon?

OR

How did Max try to escape? What happened to him?

Ans. Ausable was an intelligent spy. Ausable concocted a very convincing story. He created a fake story of having a balcony under his window. Ausable managed to make Max believe that there was a balcony attached to his room by explaining that the room used to be part of a larger unit .The unit had a living room next door, which had a balcony. Ausable pointed out the next apartment door and mentioned that the balcony extended under his window. He told Max that someone had entered his room through that balcony in the past.So,he had already complained the hotel management team. Although the management promised to block it off, they hadn’t done it. This made Max convince belief that there was a balcony connected to Ausable’s room. This misinterpretation contributed to the misunderstanding in the scene. Max wanted to hide himself on the balcony. He put his leg over the window and jumped on to the balcony. He dropped to the balcony, screamed loudly and died

6.How and why did Max come inside Ausable’s room?

Ans. Max had entered into the room by using a passkey. He had come to collect the secret report about some new missiles . Max was sure that the reports were with Ausable.

7.How was Ausable different from the other secret agents?

Ans. Ausable, unlike other secret agents, was very fat, sloppy person with an accent of German. Fowler was expecting a smart and active agent having messages slipped into his hand by a dark beauty. Whereas, Ausable received a telephone call making an appointment in his room.

8.Why was Ausable confident that Max would never return?

Ans. Ausable had concocted a very convincing story. He knew that what awaited next for Max was a great fall from the sixth floor. Hence, he was confident that Max would never return.

9.Why did Fowler come to meet Ausable? Was he able to achieve his target?

OR

Why did Fowler feel let down when he met Ausable?

OR

Why did Fowler want to meet Ausable? Why was he disappointed?

Ans. Fowler was a young and romantic writer. He had come to meet Ausable to collect information about the life of a secret agent. Fowler was fascinated by such professions. He thought of such people as mysterious and romantic. He had a different picture of a secret agent in his mind. He thought secret agents should look very mysterious and romantic .
The crack of pistols, wine and dark-eyed beauties are normally associated with secret agents but such qualities had nothing to do with Ausable. At first sight,Fowler found Ausable to appear a very fat ,sloppy and boring person. Soon, the later events that took place were really exciting and thrilling for Fowler.

10.Why did so many people risk their lives?

OR

What is the important paper that Ausable talks of?

Ans. Several men and women had risked their lives to get the paper because it had certain important informations about new missiles. The paper was so important that it may affect the course of history.

 

    1. What was someone expected to bring to Ausable’s room?
      Ans. Someone was expected to bring a paper containing important information to Ausable’s room.

    1. Who was in Ausable’s room? What was in his hand?
      Ans. A man named Max was present inside Ausable’s room. He was another secret agent serving for a different team. He had an automatic pistol in his hand.

    1. What did the secret agent tell Max when he heard the knock?
      Ans. He told Max that it would be the police. He said that he had previously called the police for the protection of such an important paper that he was going to receive that night. He wanted to have extra protection for the report.

    1. Did Ausable know that it was the waiter who had knocked at the door?
      OR
      Who was actually knocking at the door? Was it pre-planned?
      OR
      Who actually had knocked at the door of Ausable’s room? Why did he come there?

Ans. Yes, Ausable knew that the man knocking at the door was the waiter. He had ordered him through a telephone downstairs to bring a bottle of wine . Ausable knew that the waiter must have come with the drinks. The waiter had brought the drinks which Ausable had ordered when he arrived in the hotel with Fowler.

 

    1. Was there a balcony outside the window? Give instances from the text insupport of your affiwer.
      Ans. No, actually there was not a balcony outside the window. Ausable had falsely told Max about the balcony. When Max dropped himself to the balcony, he screamed. He fell down to the ground from the sixth floor. In the end, Ausable told Fowler, “”No, he won’t return .”

    1. Did Fowler find this episode, thrilling or disappointing? Give reasons for your answer. Ans. Fowler found this episode very thrilling.He was much surprised by the tactful nature of Ausable.”

He concocted a story about the balcony and the police. He got the intruder, Max, killed without”
firing a shot. It had the thrill and excitement of a James Bond kind of movie.

 

    1. How did Ausable behave to see Max in his room?
      Ans. The moment Ausable saw max inside his hotel room, Ausable remained cool and silent. He was not afraid of Max. Instead, he seemed to be angry with the management of the hotel regarding the balcony below the window of his room.

    1. Describe Ausable.
      OR
      Who was Ausable?
      OR
      What great qualities made Ausable a successful secret agent?
      OR
      How do you know that Ausable was an intelligent secret agent?

Ans. Ausable was a secret agent. He was alert and resourceful. He was a cool- headed person He had a lot of presence of mind. He was a very fat, sloppy person with an accent of German. He was not a romantic figure. He had come to Paris from Boston twenty years ago. He could speak French and German passably. He had a style of his own in the American language. A very important document concerning some new missiles was under his safe custody. He didn’t look like a secret agent as we read in books or see in films. The crack of pistols, wine and dark-eyed beauties are normally associated with secret agents but such qualities had nothing to do with Ausable.

 

    1. How did Fowler have his first authentic thrill of the day?
      Ans. Fowler was already bored after meeting the secret agent, Ausable. But soon, he had his first authentic thrill of the day.The moment Ausable switched on the light, he found a man standing halfway across the room. He had a small automatic pistol in his hand.
      Fowler was stunned/shocked. The man holding the pistol demanded the report concerning some new missiles from Ausable. Thus, Fowler had his first authentic thrill of the day.

    1. Why and how did Max enter Ausable’s room?
      Ans. Max’s entry was not merely accidental. He had entered Ausable’s room through a passkey. When Ausable switched on the light, he found him standing with a small automatic pistol in his hand. He had come to grab a very important paper that was related to some new missiles. Several men and women had already risked their lives to get that report.

    1. Describe Max as a secret agent.
      Ans. Max was a secret agent and a rival and enemy of Ausable.He was slender person.He was little less than tall. He appeared crafty. He had countenance of a fox. There was nothing menacing about him except his pistol. He came to Ausable’s room to steal a very important paper concerning some new missiles. He is outwitted by Ausable and made tojump out of his window.

    1. What was the real story of the balcony below the window of Ausable’s room?

Ans. Actually, there was no balcony below the window of his room. Ausable cooked up a story that the balcony below his room had become a big nuisance. It was the second time that someone had got into his room through it. Actually, he wanted to confuse Max and make him jump out of the window to get rid of him.

 

    1. What position did Max take before he jumped out of the window?

Ans. Max kept his body twisted. In this way, he could keep his gun pointed at Ausable and Fowler. He holded the window frame with his free hand. Next, He swung his other leg up and over the window . The moment he heard the knocking getting louder at the door, he positioned himself to jump out of the window. The moment he jumped ,he had a great fall and faced death.

 

    1. What story did Ausable cook up regarding the arrival of the police? How did it affect Max?
      Ans. Ausable was very quick of mind. His sharp brain could cook up any story that could fit in a particular situation. When Max heard a loud knocking at the door, he got nervous. Ausable told Max that the knocking at the door announced the arrival of the pol ice. After all, he was holding an important paper concerning missiles. He had sought police protection. He had told the police to check on him to make sure that everything was all right, this unnerved and confused Max.

    1. How did Max react when Ausable told him that the loud lmockings at the door were of the police?

Ans. Ausable cooked up the police’s story. He told that he himself had sought the protection of the police. The knockings at the door proves their arrival. Immediately, Max’s face was black with anger. Max swung a leg over the windows and shouted Ausable to send the police away. He threatened Ausable to obey or Max will not take any chance and shoot at him.

 

    1. What happened to Max after he jumped out of the window?
      Ans. At last, the crafty Max was trapped. He was outwitted by the cleverer secret agent Ausable. Ausable, the quick-witted secret agent, made Max believe that there was a balcony below his windowsill. He also made him believe that the knockings at the door was made by the police. The confused, panicked and unnerved Max ju mped out of the window. He cried only for once. That was the end of the crafty rival secret agent and Ausable got rid of him forever.

    1. How do you judge Ausable as a secret agent?
      Ans. Ausable was fat in the body but exceptionally quick in mind and manipulat ions. He might look fat and sloppy but was much more than that. His sharp mind could cook up any story that could fit in a particular situation. The story of the balcony and the police were cooked up only to confuse and unnerve Max. Although he didn’t look like secret agents as described in books or shown in films, he was a highly competent and sharp-witted secret agent.

    1. Why did Max’s face turn black with anger? What did he want Ausable to do?

Ans. Max’s face turned black with anger because he felt that his plan of extracting the important document from Ausable was indanger of failing due to the knocking on the door, which Ausable identified as the police. He wanted Ausable to send the police away.

 

    1. Why did Ausable frame the story of the balcony?

Ans. Ausable knew that Max was scared and he used his ignorance and foolishness in his own favour. He framed or cooked up the story of the balcony to convince max about the balcony which was actually non- existent. It helped Ausable to get out of a dangerous and critical situation safely.

 

    1. The balcony plays a significant role in the story ‘The midnight visitor ‘, How?
      OR
      How did the role of the balcony become significant in the story, “The Midnight Visitor?”

Ans. The significance (importance) of the balcony is very clear in the story.Actually,there is no balcony .Max thought balcony as a means to escape from the police . Ausable created the balcony which did not exist so as to dupe Max.

Founder of Englishfry.com, a captivating and knowledge-driven blog & Founder of Android app/website Studyfunnel.com, an online Mock Test Series Portal. With a wealth of experience spanning over 16+ years, he has excelled as an Ex-professor, Teacher, Author of Book “Island of Illusion”, Website Developer, Graphic Designer,Blogger,Poet, and Creative academic content writer. His tryst in Literature helped him realize his love for writing and telling stories. A tech-savvy language nerd by day and, a passionate writer by night, he now translates his experiences into tales of wisdom served with a side of humor.His widely recognized profound insights ,captivating writing style makes him contribute to prestigious publications and a sought-after authority in the field.

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