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The Midnight Visitor
A secret agent named Ausable is expecting to receive some important papers in his hotel room. When he arrives with a reporter named Fowler, they find another secret agent, Max, pointing a gun at them, demanding the papers. However, Ausable uses his quick thinking to get rid of Max by convincing him that the room has a balcony outside the window for him to escape on, when in reality there is no balcony. When Max jumps out the fictional balcony, he falls to his demise. Ausable reveals to the shocked Fowler that he outsmarted Max using only his wits and a story.
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The Midnight Visitor
- 1. The Midnight Visitor ByRobert Arthur Created by: Mousmi Majumdar
- 2. Aboutthe Author Robert Arthur(November 10, 1909 – May 2, 1969) wa writer of ’Speculative Fiction’. He is well known for his work wi Mysterious Traveler’ radio series and for writing ’The Investigators’, a series of young adult novels. He even wrote many sc and screenplays for television shows. Arthur was honoured twice by the ’Mystery Writers of America’ with an Edgar Award for Best Radio Drama. He also wrote scripts for television such as ’The
- 3. Introductionto the Chapter Ausableisa secret agent whodeals in espionageand is aboutto receive some very important papers. Maxis another secret agent, who wants those papers for himself, threatens Ausable witha pistol. How does Ausable get rid of Max?
- 4. Characters • Ausable –a secret agent • Max - a secret agent • Fowler - a reporter • Henry - a waiter
- 5. DetailedSummary • TheOpening : Thestory opens with Fowler, a reporter(probablyin need for a good and thrillingnews story), following Ausable, a secret agent, ‘down the musty corridorof a gloomy French hotel’ where Ausablehad a room on the sixthand topfloor.
- 6. DetailedSummary Fowler wonders aboutthephysicalcharismaof allthe secret agents he has read or heard about and compares itwith that of Ausable, who is fat, heavily accented and almosttestudineous. He isactuallydisappointedto be spending time withthis secret agent who seems to have nothing excitingto offer.
- 7. DetailedSummary • Ausable: Ausable, beinga secret agent,has figuredout thatFowler is disappointed in him.He casually throws in thatFowler musthave expected to see mysterious figures, crack of pistols, intoxicatingdrinks, etc. Instead, he spent a dullevening in a French music hallwithAusable whereAusable receives a simple phone call makingan appointmentin his room.
- 8. DetailedSummary He further saidthatalthoughFowlerisdisappointed buthe should cheer up because withina fewminutes,he would witness the transfer of some very important papers for which people have lost their lives and which have thepower to change thecourse of history.
- 9. DetailedSummary • The Room: WhenAusableand Fowler enterthe former’s room and switch on thelights, the scene makes themjump. Fowlerhas his first ‘authenticthrill’ of theday. Halfway across the room, a man is standingwith a gun in his hands which is pointed towards them.
- 10. DetailedSummary • Max: Ausable recognizestheman as Max but doesn’t show any fear on seeing himwith a gun.Max is a slender, shrewd looking manof average height.He is also a secret agent. Ausable asks Max about his purpose for beingin the room. Max answers thathe wantsthose reports thatAusable is about to receive.
- 11. DetailedSummary • The Balcony: Ausableslumps down on his chair and starts talkinggrimly aboutthe management’scarelessness as this was thesecond timein a monthsomeone had climbed into his room throughthe balcony outside. Fowler tries to see where the balcony is but allhe sees is a window against which thedark nightis pressing.
- 12. DetailedSummary Max, visibly surprised,says thathe hasn’tcome throughthe balcony. He has come in usinga pass-key. He would have used thebalcony had he known therewas one. Ausable goes on to mumblethatit’s not his balcony. It belongs to thenextroom. The room inwhichAusable lives used to be a part of a bigger unit.The nextroom used to be theliving room which has the entry to thebalcony. This balcony stillextendsunder hiswindow. Anyone can access thebalcony from an empty room two doors down. The managementhadpromised to block it but they haven’t.
- 13. Ausable’s Room Entrance Window Balcony Door toBalcony Entrance Next Room Entrance Window Empty Room The Layout of the Balcony AccordingtoAusable
- 14. DetailedSummary • The Knock Meanwhile,Maxwaves his gun and commands Fowler to sit because it’s stillsometimebefore thepapers arrive. Suddenly, a knock on the door startles Max. Ausable smiles and calmlysays thatit is thepolice whom he had asked to come because he believed thatthe papers would attract unwantedattentionand wouldrequire extra protection.
- 15. DetailedSummary Ausable asks Maxwhathe would do now since the door is unlocked and thepolice would enter if Ausable doesn’t answer thedoor.
- 16. DetailedSummary • The Hideout: Maxwaves his gunatAusable threateninglyand tells him to send away the police whilehe waits outside on thebalcony. The knock is repeated. Max jumps out of thewindow expectingto find a balcony. As hedrops, he screams once, shrilly.
- 17. DetailedSummary • Henry: The dooropens and Henry, the waiter, comes in witha tray carrying two glasses and a bottle. Hesays that he has brought thewineAusable had ordered upon enteringthe hotel. Henry places thetray on thetable, deftlyuncorks thebottle and leaves.
- 18. DetailedSummary • The Truth: Fowlerisshocked and asks Ausable about thepolice. Ausable replies thattherenever was a police team. It was Henry hewas expecting. Whena scared Fowler starts asking about themanstillhiding on the balcony, Ausable calmly replies that Max isn’t going to return because, again, there never was a balcony!
- 19. Theme 1. Presence ofMind Theultimatemessageof thisstory is thatone mustretain one’s composure in every situation.Wisdom,having a level head and mentalalertnesscan save us fromany adversity. As soon asAusableseesMax,he weavesan imaginarytaleofa balcony and later,indirectly forces Maxto resign tothenon- existentbalcony.Maxfallsand littleis leftfor speculationabout his fate. Ausableuses his presenceofmindand turns an unfavourable situationinto his favour.
- 20. Theme 2. AppearancesareDeceptive One shouldnot judge a person merely by his appearance. Ausable looks fat, unattractive,boring and lazybut he outwits Max and saves the day for all.
- 21.