Introduction: A Question of Trust - Class 10 PDF Download

About the Author- Victor Canning 
Victor Canning – A Short Biography    

About the Author

Victor Canning was a famous English writer of novels and thrillers. His thrillers are famous for their romance, mystery and unexpected and highly thrilling endings. In 1965, he began a series of four books that featured a private detective named Rex Carver. 

INTRODUCTION :-

This is a story of two burglars who want to rob the same safe. The name of the first burglar is Horace Danby He goes to rob a safe. There he meets a young lady who pretends herself to be the wife of the owner of the house. But in reality, she is also a burglar. Horace opens the safe for her. He leaves his fingerprints all over the room. The lady enjoys jewels and Horace Danby is arrested by the police. He gets a term in prison. Now he is the assistant librarian in prison. 

The theme of the Story The story 

‘A Question of Trust’ is based on the robbery committed in a house at Shot over Grange. Two professional thieves and burglars come face to face while on the same mission of robbing a safe in the house. Both of them made elaborate preparations to make the theft a complete success. Horace Danby robbed a safe every year only to buy rare and expensive books. He was caught red-handed by a lady in red. The young lady in red was also a thief but she presented herself as the lady of the house. Horace, in confusion, requested her to go away. She threatened to call the police. At last, a compromise was reached. The cost of Horace’s freedom was settled. He was to open the safe and hand over the jewels to her. Horace thought that he was opening the safe for the lady of the house. He handed the jewels over to her and went out happily. He had forgotten to wear his gloves and left his fingerprints on the safe. After two days, Horace was arrested on the basis of those fingerprints left on the safe. A grey-haired sixty years old lady, the wife of the owner of the house stated that Horace’s story was nonsense. 

WORD-MEANINGS 

Citizen = inhabitant (नागरिक )   usually = often (प्राया); except = leaving aside (सिवाय ); Rare = uncommon (दुर्लभ )  expensive = costly (कीमती ); rob = to plunder (लूटना ); safe = an iron almirah (तिजोरी ); hay fever = a summer ailment (जुकाम , गर्मी का बुखार ); secretly = without any body’s knowledge (गुप्त रूप से ); agent = who works for some agency (अभिकर्ता ); bright = shining (चमकदार ); remained = stayed (ठहरा ); movie = film (फिल्म ); in spite of = in addition to (के वाबजूद ); tickle = light touch (हल्का सा प्रकोप ); worth = value (मूल्य ) 
Gloves = covering for the hand (दस्ताने ); fingerprints = signs of fingers (उंगलियों  के निसान ); stirred = moved (हिला ); quiet = silent (शांत ); wondered = surprised (हैरान ); tools = instruments (औजार ); burglar = thief (लुटेरा /चोर ,सेंधमार ); described = gave full account (पूर्ण विवरण दिया ); mentioned = spoken about (उल्लेख किया ); hindering =obstructing (रोकते हुए ); treatment = cure (उपचार ); disease = ailment (बीमारी )