Key Concepts
- 1How was Horace Danby caught?
- 2How was Horace Danby caught?
- 3How was Horace Danby caught?
- 4How was Horace Danby caught?
- 5How was Horace Danby caught?
- 6How was Horace Danby caught?
- 7How was Horace Danby caught?
- 8How was Horace Danby caught?
Important Formulas & Facts
A woman pretending to be the house owner tricked Horace into opening the safe without gloves. She took all the jewels. His fingerprints were found everywhere. Nobody believed his story about the mystery woman.
A woman pretending to be the house owner tricked Horace into opening the safe without gloves. She took all the jewels. His fingerprints were found everywhere. Nobody believed his story about the mystery woman.
A woman pretending to be the house owner tricked Horace into opening the safe without gloves. She took all the jewels. His fingerprints were found everywhere. Nobody believed his story about the mystery woman.
A woman pretending to be the house owner tricked Horace into opening the safe without gloves. She took all the jewels. His fingerprints were found everywhere. Nobody believed his story about the mystery woman.
A woman pretending to be the house owner tricked Horace into opening the safe without gloves. She took all the jewels. His fingerprints were found everywhere. Nobody believed his story about the mystery woman.
A woman pretending to be the house owner tricked Horace into opening the safe without gloves. She took all the jewels. His fingerprints were found everywhere. Nobody believed his story about the mystery woman.
A woman pretending to be the house owner tricked Horace into opening the safe without gloves. She took all the jewels. His fingerprints were found everywhere. Nobody believed his story about the mystery woman.
A woman pretending to be the house owner tricked Horace into opening the safe without gloves. She took all the jewels. His fingerprints were found everywhere. Nobody believed his story about the mystery woman.
Must-Know Questions
Q1What was Horace Danby's unusual hobby?
Horace Danby's hobby was collecting rare and expensive books. Despite being a respectable locksmith, he financed his book collection by robbing one safe every year. He would plan meticulously, study the house for two weeks, and steal just enough to buy books for the year.
Q2How did the lady in red deceive Horace Danby?
The lady in red (who was actually another thief) deceived Horace by pretending to be the owner of Shotover Grange. When she caught Horace breaking into the safe, she: (1) Acted calm and confident, as if she belonged there. (2) Claimed she needed her jewels urgently for a party. (3) Threatened to call the police if he didn't open the safe for her. (4) Made him open the safe without gloves (leaving fingerprints). (5) Took all the jewels and disappeared. When the real owners reported the robbery, Horace's fingerprints were found everywhere. He was arrested and jailed. The irony is that a thief was robbed by another thief.
Q3Why did nobody believe Horace Danby's story about the lady in red?
Nobody believed Horace because: (1) His fingerprints were all over the safe — clear evidence of his involvement. (2) There was no evidence that such a woman existed — she had planned her deception perfectly. (3) Horace was a known criminal with a record. (4) His story sounded like a desperate excuse. (5) The real owner was a sharp, grey-haired woman — nothing like the young lady Horace described.
Q4Do you think Horace Danby was really a 'respectable' citizen? Justify.
Horace Danby appeared respectable on the surface — he was 50, ran a locksmith business, had two helpers, and was well-liked by neighbours. However, he was not truly respectable because he committed robbery every year. He justified his crimes by saying he only stole from the rich and spent the money on books — but theft is theft regardless of the purpose. A truly respectable person would find honest means to fund their hobbies.
Q5What is the irony in the story 'A Question of Trust'?
The irony is multi-layered: (1) A professional thief (Horace) was outwitted by another thief (the lady in red). (2) Horace planned meticulously for two weeks but was undone in minutes. (3) He left his fingerprints on the safe — something he would never normally do. (4) He couldn't tell the police the truth because no one would believe a thief's story about being robbed by another thief.
Practice A Question of Trust
Reinforce what you just revised with practice questions