High School | UP Board – 2025
Lesson: The Midnight Visitor
Author: Robert Arthur
About the Lesson
The Midnight Visitor is a suspenseful and interesting short story. It shows how intelligence and presence of mind are more powerful than physical strength. The story teaches students that calm thinking can save a person even in dangerous situations. The lesson is simple, engaging, and full of surprise, which makes it easy to understand for students.
About the Author – Robert Arthur
Robert Arthur Jr. was an American writer. He is famous for writing mystery and detective stories. He wrote stories for children and adults. His writing style is simple, clear, and full of suspense. He believed that intelligence and clever thinking are more important than force. The Midnight Visitor is one of his most popular stories for students.
Summary of the Lesson
The story The Midnight Visitor is about a secret agent named Ausable and a writer named Fowler. Fowler comes to meet Ausable because he wants to experience the excitement of a secret agent’s life. Fowler expects Ausable to be tall, strong, and smart-looking. But when he meets Ausable, he feels disappointed.
Ausable is fat, slow-moving, and speaks with a strong accent. He lives in a simple hotel room. Fowler feels that Ausable does not look like a secret agent at all. Fowler thinks that his idea of meeting a spy was useless.
One night, Fowler goes to Ausable’s room. When they enter the room, they find a man named Max standing there with a gun. Max is also a secret agent. He has come to steal an important document related to missiles. Max threatens Ausable and orders him to bring the document.
Fowler becomes very scared. He thinks that Ausable will be killed. But Ausable remains calm. He starts talking in a very relaxed way. He complains about the balcony outside his room. He tells Max that it is dangerous because someone can enter the room through it. He also says that this balcony has caused him many problems before.
Max listens carefully and believes Ausable’s story. In reality, there is no balcony outside the room. Ausable is lying, but he speaks with full confidence. Fowler is confused, but he stays silent.
Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. Max becomes nervous. Ausable calmly says that it must be the police. He tells Max that he had already informed the police for protection. Max panics because he thinks he will be caught.
Ausable tells Max to escape through the balcony. Max believes him and quickly jumps out of the window. In reality, there is no balcony, and Max falls to his death.
The knock at the door was actually from a waiter who had come to deliver drinks. Fowler is shocked by what happened. He now understands that Ausable is a very clever agent. Fowler realizes that appearance can be misleading. Though Ausable looks simple and ordinary, he is extremely intelligent.
In the end, Fowler’s opinion about Ausable changes completely. He learns that true strength lies in intelligence, not in physical appearance or weapons.
100 Difficult Words with Meanings
(Format: Word – Pronunciation – Meaning in Hindi)
- Visitor – विज़िटर – आगंतुक
- Secret agent – सीक्रेट एजेंट – गुप्तचर
- Disappointed – डिसअपॉइंटेड – निराश
- Accent – ऐक्सेंट – लहजा
- Balcony – बैलकनी – छज्जा
- Threaten – थ्रेटन – धमकी देना
- Document – डॉक्यूमेंट – दस्तावेज़
- Missile – मिसाइल – प्रक्षेपास्त्र
- Calm – काम – शांत
- Panic – पैनिक – घबराहट
- Confident – कॉन्फिडेंट – आत्मविश्वासी
- Nervous – नर्वस – घबराया हुआ
- Intelligence – इंटेलिजेंस – बुद्धिमत्ता
- Ordinary – ऑर्डिनरी – साधारण
- Appearance – अपीयरेंस – दिखावट
- Misleading – मिसलीडिंग – भ्रामक
- Escape – एस्केप – भागना
- Gun – गन – बंदूक
- Threat – थ्रेट – खतरा
- Dangerous – डेंजरस – खतरनाक
- Clever – क्लेवर – चालाक
- Experience – एक्सपीरियंस – अनुभव
- Surprise – सरप्राइज़ – आश्चर्य
- Confidence – कॉन्फिडेंस – आत्मविश्वास
- Room – रूम – कमरा
- Hotel – होटल – सराय
- Fear – फियर – डर
- Silent – साइलेंट – चुप
- Belief – बिलीफ – विश्वास
- Jump – जंप – कूदना
- Death – डेथ – मृत्यु
- Realize – रियलाइज़ – समझना
- Strength – स्ट्रेंथ – शक्ति
- Weapon – वेपन – हथियार
- Police – पुलिस – पुलिस
- Protection – प्रोटेक्शन – सुरक्षा
- Problem – प्रॉब्लम – समस्या
- Relaxed – रिलैक्स्ड – शांत
- Writer – राइटर – लेखक
- Night – नाइट – रात
- Voice – वॉयस – आवाज़
- Trust – ट्रस्ट – भरोसा
- Situation – सिचुएशन – स्थिति
- Sudden – सडन – अचानक
- Plan – प्लान – योजना
- Trick – ट्रिक – चाल
- Lie – लाइ – झूठ
- Truth – ट्रुथ – सच
- Safety – सेफ्टी – सुरक्षा
- Danger – डेंजर – खतरा
- Mind – माइंड – दिमाग
- Idea – आइडिया – विचार
- Control – कंट्रोल – नियंत्रण
- Action – एक्शन – कार्य
- Shocked – शॉक्ड – हैरान
- Intelligence – इंटेलिजेंस – बुद्धि
- Presence – प्रेज़ेंस – मौजूदगी
- Brave – ब्रेव – बहादुर
- Smart – स्मार्ट – चतुर
- Slow – स्लो – धीमा
- Fat – फैट – मोटा
- Serious – सीरियस – गंभीर
- Thought – थॉट – विचार
- Listen – लिसन – सुनना
- Believe – बिलीव – मानना
- Fall – फॉल – गिरना
- Help – हेल्प – मदद
- Control – कंट्रोल – काबू
- Danger – डेंजर – जोखिम
- Decide – डिसाइड – निर्णय लेना
- Fearful – फियरफुल – डरा हुआ
- Calmly – कामली – शांति से
- Cleverness – क्लेवरनेस – चालाकी
- Ordinary – ऑर्डिनरी – सामान्य
- Strength – स्ट्रेंथ – ताकत
- Weak – वीक – कमजोर
- Life – लाइफ – जीवन
- Death – डेथ – मौत
- Reality – रियलिटी – सच्चाई
- Fiction – फिक्शन – कल्पना
- Lesson – लेसन – पाठ
- Meaning – मीनिंग – अर्थ
- Story – स्टोरी – कहानी
- Writer – राइटर – लेखक
- Reader – रीडर – पाठक
- Example – एग्ज़ाम्पल – उदाहरण
- Idea – आइडिया – सोच
- Truthful – ट्रुथफुल – सच्चा
- False – फॉल्स – झूठा
- Skill – स्किल – कौशल
- Success – सक्सेस – सफलता
- Failure – फेल्योर – असफलता
- Surprise – सरप्राइज़ – चौंकाना
- Message – मैसेज – संदेश
- Thoughtful – थॉटफुल – विचारशील
- Power – पावर – शक्ति
- Brain – ब्रेन – दिमाग
- Focus – फोकस – ध्यान
- Control – कंट्रोल – नियंत्रण
- Victory – विक्ट्री – जीत
Short Answer Questions – The Midnight Visitor
By Robert Arthur
Q1. How did Max die?
Ans- Max died when he jumped out of the window to escape the police. He believed there was a balcony outside. There was no balcony. He fell down and was killed.
Q2. How and why did Max manage to come inside the room?
Ans- Max entered Ausable’s room through the window. He used a rope. He came to steal a secret report from Ausable. He wanted important military information.
Q3. For what reason did Fowler come to meet Ausable? Was he successful in his aim?
Ans- Fowler came to meet Ausable to see real secret work. He expected adventure. In the end, he saw Ausable’s cleverness. So, he was successful in his aim.
Q4. Why did Fowler feel disappointed when he met Ausable?
Ans- Fowler felt disappointed because Ausable looked fat and simple. He did not look like a smart secret agent. Fowler expected danger and excitement, but saw a calm man.
Q5. How did Ausable get rid of Max?
Ans- Ausable frightened Max by telling a false story about a balcony and police. Max got scared. He jumped out of the window to escape and died.
Q6. What was the reaction of Ausable when he saw Max in the room?
Ans- Ausable remained calm when he saw Max. He did not panic. He talked normally. His calm behavior confused Max and helped Ausable control the situation.
Q7. Describe Max as a secret agent.
Ans- Max was a smart and confident secret agent. He was bold and clever. He carried a gun. But he believed Ausable easily and made a serious mistake.
Q8. Who was actually knocking at the door? Was it pre-planned?
Ans- Henry, the waiter, was knocking at the door. It was not pre-planned. Ausable used this chance cleverly to fool Max by saying police had arrived.
Q9. What kind of story was narrated by Ausable about the balcony?
Ans- Ausable told a false story about a balcony outside the window. He said it was used by thieves earlier. The story was made to confuse and scare Max.
Q10. Describe the appearance of Max.
Ans- Max was thin and tall. He had sharp features. He looked serious and confident. He carried a pistol. His appearance showed that he was a dangerous man.
Q11. Why was Ausable confident that Max would never return?
Ans- Ausable knew there was no balcony. He understood Max would jump to escape. He was sure Max would die after falling. So, he was confident Max would never return.
The Midnight Visitor – Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. Initially Fowler was disappointed with Ausable, but in the end his perception was changed. Justify the statement with valid reasons.
Ans- At first, Fowler felt disappointed because Ausable looked fat, slow, and ordinary. He did not seem like a secret agent. But later, Fowler saw Ausable’s sharp mind. Ausable used his intelligence to confuse Max. He saved himself calmly. Fowler then understood that Ausable was a clever and brave agent.
Q2. Sketch the character of Ausable.
Ans- Ausable was a secret agent who looked simple and slow. He was fat and spoke calmly. But he was very intelligent and clever. He did not panic in danger. He used his presence of mind to defeat Max. His thinking was quick. Ausable proved that intelligence is more important than physical strength.
Q3. Max was not as good as Ausable, being an agent. Explain.
Ans- Max looked smart and active. He carried a gun and spoke confidently. But he believed Ausable’s false story about the balcony. He became afraid of the police. He lost control and jumped out of the window. Ausable did not use force. He used intelligence. This proved Ausable was the better agent.
Q4. Someone’s appearance can be misleading. Prove this statement with reference to the story.
Ans- In the story, Ausable looked fat and lazy. Fowler thought he was weak. But Ausable was very smart. He defeated Max easily. Max looked strong and confident. But he was foolish. He trusted Ausable’s lie. This story clearly shows that appearance does not show real ability.
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