Short and Long Answer: English | Footprints with Feet| A Question of Trust | CBSE 10th Grade Board Exam Past 15years Questions with Answer

Chapter: A Question of Trust

📚 Book: Footprints Without Feet
✍️ Author: Victor Canning
🔍 Type: Mystery / Irony / Crime

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🔹 A. Short Answer Questions (2–3 marks | 30–40 words)

1. Who was Horace Danby? What was his secret hobby?

Answer:
Horace Danby was a 50-year-old locksmith known for his honest work. However, he had a secret hobby — stealing once a year to buy rare and expensive books that he loved collecting.

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2. How did the lady in the red deceive Horace Danby? (CBSE 2014)

Answer:
The woman pretended to be the lady of the house and tricked Horace into opening the safe for her. She said she had forgotten the number and didn’t want the police involved. After getting the jewels, she vanished.

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3. Why did Horace Danby rob only once a year? (CBSE 2017)

Answer:
He robbed only once a year to buy expensive books that he loved. He believed that one theft a year was enough to fund his passion without attracting attention or getting caught.

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4. Why was Horace Danby confident that his robbery attempt would be a success?

Answer:
Horace had carefully studied the house, knew the family was away, had details about the alarm, and planned everything in advance. His overconfidence led to his downfall.

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5. Why was Horace arrested, although he had opened the safe under compulsion? (CBSE 2012)

Answer:
Horace was arrested because the real owner reported the theft. He couldn’t prove he had been tricked by another thief posing as the owner, and the police didn’t believe his story.

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6. What did Horace Danby do in prison? (CBSE 2015)

Answer:
In prison, Horace was respected as a locksmith, but he was not happy. He still talked about how a “nice-looking young lady” tricked him and led to his arrest.

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🔹 B. Long Answer Questions (5–6 marks | 100–120 words)

1. Describe how Horace Danby was tricked and what it reveals about trust and deception. (CBSE 2018)

Answer:
Horace Danby was a careful thief who robbed only once a year to buy rare books. This time, he broke into a wealthy house with a well-prepared plan. While opening the safe, he was caught by a woman who posed as the lady of the house. She cleverly convinced him that she had forgotten the combination and didn’t want to call the police. Trusting her, Horace opened the safe. Later, it was revealed she was a thief too, and Horace was arrested. The story highlights how even smart people can be deceived. It teaches us that trust should not be given blindly and crime, no matter how small, leads to consequences.

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2. “Even though Horace is a thief, we feel sorry for him.” Do you agree? Why or why not? (CBSE 2011, 2016)

Answer:
Yes, we do feel sorry for Horace Danby. Although he was a thief, he was not greedy or violent. He only stole once a year to buy rare books. He was careful, polite, and believed in doing things peacefully. But his biggest mistake was trusting someone too easily — a woman who turned out to be a smarter thief. She used his own honesty against him and tricked him into doing her work. He got caught and she got away. The reader sympathizes with him because he became a victim of deception, despite his careful planning. His arrest makes us realise that crime, even when done “harmlessly,” never pays.

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3. Horace Danby was a good man but not a good thief. Explain. (CBSE 2019)

Answer:
Horace Danby lived like a respectable man and ran a successful locksmith business. However, he secretly stole once a year to fund his passion for rare books. He thought he was clever and careful. But when he was tricked by a woman pretending to be the owner of the house, he blindly trusted her. He opened the safe for her and ended up in jail. A truly good thief would never have been so careless or easily fooled. Horace’s emotions and his belief in “being kind” made him vulnerable. This proves that while Horace may have been a good person, he lacked the cunning and alertness to be a good thief.

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4. How does the story “A Question of Trust” show that crime does not pay? (CBSE 2020)

Answer:
The story highlights the truth that crime never pays. Horace Danby was intelligent and had planned the robbery in detail. Yet, he was deceived by someone smarter and more cunning. The woman, who was also a thief, used his trust against him and got away with the jewels. Horace, despite his intentions of committing only one theft a year for a good reason, was arrested. The court did not believe his story and he had to serve time in prison. The story uses irony to show that no matter how clever a thief thinks he is, he will eventually be caught. It sends a strong message that dishonest actions lead to unpleasant consequences.

CBSE Class 10 English Literature: “A Question of Trust” Short & Long Answer Questions with Solutions (Reflecting patterns from past CBSE Board Exams)

Part A: Short Answer Questions (3 Marks)

1. Question: Horace Danby was a meticulous planner, but he still failed. Why?
   Answer: Horace Danby was indeed a meticulous planner, having studied the house at Shotover Grange, its rooms, wiring, and even the dog’s name for weeks. However, he failed because he underestimated the cunning and intelligence of the young woman who was also robbing the house. He was deceived by her sophisticated appearance and quick wit, assuming she was the lady of the house. His confidence in his plan and her deceptive charm led him to unwittingly open the safe for her, ultimately leading to his arrest. (Expected in Board Exams)
2. Question: How did the ‘lady in red’ manage to trick Horace Danby into opening the safe for her?
   Answer: The ‘lady in red’ managed to trick Horace by projecting an aura of authority and ownership. She entered the house unexpectedly, dressed elegantly, and spoke with calm confidence, immediately convincing Horace that she was the owner’s wife. She feigned forgetfulness about the safe’s combination and even threatened to call the police, pressuring Horace. Her cleverest move was to claim a sudden allergy attack and ask Horace to get her cigarettes, providing the perfect excuse for him to take off his gloves and leave fingerprints while she watched him open the safe. (Expected in Board Exams)
3. Question: Why did Horace Danby only rob rich people and not cause any harm to them?
   Answer: Horace Danby robbed only rich people because his motive was not greed for wealth, but a peculiar desire to sustain his passion for rare and expensive books. He needed enough money to buy these books discreetly. He was not a typical criminal; he genuinely disliked violence and causing harm. His limited annual robberies were carefully planned to ensure he wouldn’t get caught and that no one would be hurt, fitting his somewhat respectable image as a good, honest citizen in society. (Expected in Board Exams)
4. Question: What makes the title “A Question of Trust” apt for the story?
   Answer: The title “A Question of Trust” is highly apt because the entire story revolves around a fundamental breakdown of trust and deception. Horace Danby, the thief, trusts the ‘lady in red’ implicitly, believing her to be the legitimate owner of the house, which leads him to his downfall. Ironically, the reader also initially trusts Horace’s perspective, only to realize by the end that the woman he trusted was a more cunning criminal than him. The story constantly challenges the reader’s and the characters’ trust in appearances and intentions. (Expected in Board Exams)

Part B: Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)

1. Question: Horace Danby was an experienced and meticulous thief. Despite his careful planning, he made a crucial error that led to his downfall. Discuss the irony of his situation and the factors that contributed to his arrest.
   Answer: Horace Danby was indeed an experienced and meticulous thief, known for his careful planning over weeks, including studying blueprints, knowing dog’s names, and understanding house layouts. The irony of his situation lies in the fact that he was outsmarted not by law enforcement or unforeseen circumstances, but by another criminal who was far more cunning and deceptive than himself. He, a professional burglar, became a victim of a more intelligent thief.Several factors contributed to his downfall:
   • Overconfidence and Predictability: Horace had a predictable pattern of robbing once a year and had successfully avoided arrest for 15 years. This likely led to a degree of overconfidence, making him vulnerable.
   
   
   • Deception by the ‘Lady in Red’: This was the most crucial factor. The young woman’s impeccable disguise as the lady of the house, her sophisticated demeanor, and her quick wit completely disarmed Horace. She played on his gentlemanly instincts and his aversion to violence, making him believe he was helping the legitimate owner.
   
   
   • His Obsession with Books: His singular passion for rare and expensive books made him take risks and clouded his judgment. He was so focused on acquiring money for his books that he overlooked the inconsistencies in the woman’s story and behavior.Lack of Suspicion: Horace’s biggest mistake was his lack of suspicion towards the woman. He never doubted her identity or her story, even when she asked him to do something (open the safe for her) that was highly unusual and self-incriminating. His belief that she was the owner made him comply readily.
   
   
   • Leaving Fingerprints: Under pressure and believing he was following the owner’s instructions, Horace removed his gloves to open the safe. This left his fingerprints, providing undeniable evidence for the police.
   Ultimately, Horace’s downfall was a direct consequence of his trust in appearances and his inability to recognize a superior criminal mind, making his meticulous planning futile.
   
2. Question: The story “A Question of Trust” skillfully employs irony throughout. Discuss how irony is used to build suspense and deliver a surprising twist at the end.
   Answer: The story “A Question of Trust” masterfully uses irony to create suspense and deliver a powerful, surprising twist, challenging the reader’s assumptions about trust, crime, and justice.
   • Situational Irony: The most prominent irony is situational. We are introduced to Horace Danby as a seemingly respectable, good, and honest citizen who happens to be a thief. The irony deepens when this “gentleman thief” is outsmarted by a younger, equally elegant, but far more ruthless thief. The expectation is that a meticulous thief like Horace would be caught by the police, but instead, he is fooled by someone who is also a criminal.
   
   
   • Dramatic Irony: There’s an element of dramatic irony where the reader is initially led to believe that Horace might be caught or that the woman is genuinely the owner. Horace’s detailed internal monologues about his plan and how he plans to evade capture build this false sense of security. The audience is kept in the dark about the woman’s true identity, creating suspense about whether Horace will succeed or be caught by the real owner.
   
   
   • Verbal Irony (Subtle): The woman’s calm and authoritative demeanor, coupled with her casual demands to Horace, contains subtle verbal irony. She speaks as if she genuinely owns the house and is merely forgetful, when in reality, she is manipulating Horace with every word. When she tells him, “You’ll help me, won’t you?” there’s a deeper, ironic meaning as he literally helps her steal.
   
   
   • The Twist: The climax of the story relies entirely on the ironic reveal. Horace ends up in prison, not for the robbery he intended to commit, but for a robbery orchestrated by another thief, whose identity he mistakenly trusted. He becomes a pawn in her scheme, providing her with the jewels and leaving his own fingerprints as evidence. The final reveal that the ‘lady in red’ was also a thief, and had successfully fooled Horace and escaped, provides the ultimate ironic twist, leaving the reader with a sense of shock and amusement at Horace’s misfortune and the cleverness of his adversary.
   Thus, irony is interwoven into the plot, character interactions, and the ultimate resolution, making the story a clever commentary on appearances being deceptive and the unexpected nature of trust in the world of crime.