A Question of Trust Summary Class 10 English Footprints without Feet Chapter 4

Key Points of the Story

• Horace Danby, a seemingly respectable man, is revealed to be a skilled thief who steals to fund his book collection.
• He meticulously plans his annual robberies, ensuring enough loot to sustain his lifestyle for a year.
• Horace targets a wealthy house, Shotover Grange, with the intention of stealing jewels.
• Unexpectedly, he encounters the young lady of the house during the robbery.
• After a twist of events, Horace ends up aiding the lady in retrieving her jewels from the safe.
• Despite her promise of letting him go, Horace is eventually caught by the police due to leaving fingerprints at the crime scene.
• He ends up as an assistant librarian in prison, reflecting on his past actions and the deception he faced.

Detailed Summary

However, despite his outward appearance of respectability, Horace harbors a secret: he is a thief who steals from safes to fund his love for rare and expensive books. Every year, Horace plans a meticulous robbery, ensuring he steals enough to sustain himself for the next twelve months while discreetly purchasing the books he desires through an intermediary. In this particular year, he sets his sights on the safe at Shotover Grange, where he believes there are jewels worth around £15,000. Horace plans to sell these jewels to finance the purchase of three intriguing books he has his eye on. On the day of the planned robbery, while the house's servants are away at the movies, Horace makes his move. He carefully observes the house, noting the locations of key items and the layout. With his tools packed, he enters the house through the kitchen door, using a key he retrieved from where the housekeeper had hung it. Inside, he encounters a friendly dog named Sherry, whom he quiets by addressing it by name. Moving to the drawing room, Horace locates the safe hidden behind a painting. 

Despite a momentary consideration of collecting paintings instead of books, he decides that books are more suitable for his living space. As he begins to work on the safe, he faces distractions such as a bouquet of flowers causing his hay fever to act up. Just as he is about to crack the safe, a young woman unexpectedly appears in the doorway. She engages Horace in conversation, revealing that she is the owner of the house's valuable jewels. Initially, Horace tries to negotiate his way out of the situation, but the woman sees through his intentions. However, she surprises Horace by striking a deal with him: she will let him go if he helps her retrieve the jewels she had forgotten the safe combination for. Horace agrees and successfully opens the safe, retrieves the jewels, and departs as promised. For a couple of days, he keeps his word, but eventually, his desire for more books leads him to consider another theft. Before he can act on this plan, he is arrested by the police for the jewel robbery at Shotover Grange. Despite his claims that he was assisting the owner's wife, his fingerprints and the wife's denial lead to his conviction. Now serving as an assistant librarian in prison, Horace reflects on his encounter with the clever young lady who outsmarted him. He grapples with feelings of anger and betrayal, disillusioned by the idea of "honour among thieves." In conclusion, the chapter follows Horace's elaborate theft plan, his unexpected encounter with the house's owner, and the twist of fate that lands him in prison, serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of his criminal actions.

Theme/ Message

• Deception: The theme of deception is prominent as characters deceive each other for personal gain.
• Morality: The story explores moral dilemmas and the consequences of unethical actions.
• Redemption: Horace's transformation and acceptance of his fate hint at themes of redemption and consequences.

Message:

• Crime Doesn't Pay: The story conveys the message that crime and deceit ultimately lead to negative consequences.
• Appearance vs. Reality: It highlights how appearances can be deceptive and how people may not always be what they seem.
• Moral Integrity: Upholding moral values and integrity is essential to avoid the pitfalls of dishonesty and crime.

Difficult Words

1. Unmarried - not married
2. Burglar - a person who commits burglary
3. Consequences - results or effects of an action or condition
4. Deception - the act of deceiving someone
5. Dilemma - a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives
6. Redemption - the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil
7. Ethical - relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these
8. Transformation - a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance
9. Integrity - the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
10. Pitfalls - hidden or unsuspected dangers or difficulties