This page provides complete study material for The Midnight Visitor Class 10 NCERT solutions, including a detailed summary, character sketches of Ausable, Fowler, and Max, and NCERT-style answers to all important questions. You’ll find explanations of key themes and moral lessons, including the presence of mind concept, plus an analysis of the clever balcony trick that forms the story’s turning point. Whether you need last-minute exam questions, character analysis for essays, or a thorough understanding of plot and meaning, this comprehensive guide covers everything from Footprints Without Feet to help you prepare confidently for your board exams.

midnight visitor summary

English Summary

What if the most “ordinary” spy in a dull hotel room pulled off the smartest trick you’ve ever seen?

This chapter follows a quiet night that turns dangerous when a secret agent named Ausable faces an armed rival, and wins using only calm words and a clever lie. A young writer named Fowler expects action, but discovers that true spy work is slow and smart—until a twist at midnight changes everything.

You walk with Fowler down a musty corridor in a gloomy French hotel, feeling bored because Ausable is fat, slow, and nothing like the spies in books; still, he promises that a very important paper, one that could “affect the course of history,” will reach him tonight, and that sounds exciting at last. The light clicks on, and there stands Max, slim and fox-faced, holding a small pistol, ready to take the missile report that is coming to Ausable at twelve-thirty. Yes, Max is armed and dangerous—but Ausable sits heavily, sighs, and scolds the hotel for the “nuisance of a balcony,” saying it’s the second break-in this month; no, Max didn’t use the balcony this time—he used a passkey—but now he knows there is a balcony under the window, left over from when the suite was larger and shared in the next apartment. Time ticks: “Thirty-one minutes,” Ausable says, while Fowler stands stiffly, and Max waves the gun, telling them to sit because he’ll take the report when it arrives. A sudden knock—“the police,” Ausable smiles, because such a paper needs extra protection; yes, but if Ausable doesn’t open, they will come in, and they won’t hesitate to shoot, he adds calmly, turning the pressure on Max. No, and Max cannot risk it; he backs to the window, swings a leg out, and warns, “Send them away! I’ll wait on the balcony,” promising to shoot if crossed, while the knocking grows louder and a voice calls, “Mr Ausable!” Max twists, keeps the gun on them, lifts the other leg over the sill—pushes free—and drops into the dark with a sharp, high scream. The door opens—not police, only Henry the waiter with a bottle and two glasses for the drink Ausable had ordered, and Fowler, white-faced, stammers, “But…the police…” as Ausable says quietly, “There were no police.” The final turn lands softly: Max will not return, because, as Ausable tells the shocked writer, “there is no balcony.”

Characters

Ausable: Calm, clever secret agent who uses quick thinking and words to defeat danger without force.

Fowler: Young writer, curious and romantic, who learns what real suspense feels like in one shocking minute.

Max: Armed rival spy, confident but careless, who believes a fake balcony and pays for it.

Henry (waiter): Innocent visitor whose timely knock helps Ausable’s bluff work perfectly.

Theme / Moral

True power in danger comes from presence of mind, not looks or weapons; smart thinking can disarm real threats.

Appearances mislead: the “boring” spy wins, the “sharp” gunman falls; calm planning beats panic and pride.

midnight visitor Hindi summary

यह कहानी एक शांत और साधारण रात से शुरू होती है, जो अचानक सस्पेंस और खतरे से भर जाती है। फाउलर, एक युवा लेखक, एक गुप्त अधिकारी औसबेल से मिलने आता है, क्योंकि वह सोचता है कि जासूसों का जीवन रोमांच, पीछा और गोलियों से भरा होता है। लेकिन जब वह औसबेल को देखता है—मोटा, धीमा और बिलकुल साधारण—तो उसे निराशा होती है। उसे लगता है कि ऐसा व्यक्ति जासूस कहलाने लायक भी नहीं।
वे दोनों एक पुराने, अँधेरे और सीलन भरे होटल के कमरे की ओर बढ़ते हैं, जहाँ औसबेल बताता है कि आज रात उसे एक बहुत ही महत्वपूर्ण दस्तावेज़ मिलने वाला है, जो देश का भविष्य बदल सकता है। यह सुनकर फाउलर को लगता है कि अब कहानी में सच में उत्साह और परिवर्तन आएगा।
लेकिन जैसे ही कमरे का दीपक जलता है, वहाँ पहले से ही मैक्स खड़ा मिलता है—पतला, लोमड़ी जैसे चेहरे वाला, हाथ में छोटी बंदूक थामे। वह उसी दस्तावेज़ को छीनने आया है, जो आधी रात के बाद मिलने वाला है। स्थिति बहुत खतरनाक है, पर औसबेल बिलकुल शांत रहता है। वह गहरी साँस लेकर होटल वालों को खिड़की के नीचे बनी बालकनी की परेशानी के लिए कोसता है, और कहता है कि इस महीने यह दूसरी बार कोई घुसा है। वह बताता है कि पहले यह कमरा पास वाले कमरे के साथ जुड़ा हुआ था, इसलिए नीचे एक बालकनी बची हुई है।
मैक्स यह सुनकर पूरी तरह विश्वास कर लेता है कि वहाँ सच में बालकनी है। तभी अचानक दरवाज़े पर ज़ोर की दस्तक होती है। औसबेल मुस्कुराते हुए कहता है कि यह रक्षक दल है—क्योंकि इतने महत्वपूर्ण काग़ज़ की सुरक्षा ज़रूरी है। यदि दरवाज़ा नहीं खोला गया, तो वे लोग ज़बरदस्ती अंदर आएँगे और गोली चलाने से नहीं हिचकेंगे। यह सुनकर मैक्स घबरा जाता है। वह धीमे-धीमे खिड़की की ओर पीछे हटता है, और कहता है कि वह बालकनी पर खड़े होकर प्रतीक्षा करेगा। वह धमकी देता है कि उसे धोखा देने की कोशिश न की जाए।
दस्तक और तेज़ होती जाती है, आवाज़ आती है—“श्रीमान औसबेल!”
डर के कारण मैक्स खिड़की पर चढ़ता है, एक पैर बाहर, फिर दूसरा, और अचानक अँधेरे में नीचे गिर जाता है, साथ ही एक तेज़ और दर्दभरी चीख सुनाई देती है।
दरवाज़ा खुलता है—पर वहाँ रक्षक दल नहीं, बल्कि हेनरी नाम का परिचारक होता है, जो बोतल और दो गिलास लेकर आया है, क्योंकि औसबेल ने पहले पेय मँगवाया था। फाउलर सफ़ेद चेहरा लिए, हकलाते हुए पूछता है—“पर… रक्षक दल?”
औसबेल शांत आवाज़ में उत्तर देता है—
“कोई रक्षक दल नहीं था। और… वहाँ कोई बालकनी भी नहीं थी।”
इस प्रकार, बिना किसी लड़ाई और बिना एक भी गोली चलाए, औसबेल की शांति, समझदारी और बुद्धि ने एक हथियार लेकर आए दुश्मन को हरा दिया।

पात्र (Patra / Characters)

औसबेल – बहुत शांत, धैर्यवान और बुद्धिमान गुप्त अधिकारी, जो समझदारी और चतुराई से बिना हथियारों के भी खतरों को हरा देता है।
फाउलर – एक जिज्ञासु और कल्पनाशील युवा लेखक, जिसे लगता है कि जासूसी काम हमेशा रोमांच और गोलीबारी से भरा होता है, पर आज वह सच्चे सस्पेंस का अनुभव करता है।
मैक्स – घमंडी और अधीर दुश्मन जासूस, जो बंदूक लेकर आता है, पर गलत विश्वास और डर की वजह से अपनी जान गँवा बैठता है।
हेनरी (परिचारक) – एक साधारण सेवक, जिसकी सही समय पर आई दस्तक से औसबेल की योजना पूरी तरह सफल होती है।

विषय / नैतिक शिक्षा (Theme / Moral)

सच्ची शक्ति हथियारों में नहीं, बल्कि शांत दिमाग, समझदारी और स्थिति पर नियंत्रण में होती है।
दिखावा धोखा देता है – साधारण दिखने वाला व्यक्ति भी सबसे बुद्धिमान और विजयी हो सकता है।
अकड़ और घमंड हमेशा पराजय की ओर ले जाते हैं, जबकि धैर्य और चतुर योजना से सबसे बड़ा खतरा भी मिटाया जा सकता है।

midnight visitor Keywords and meanings:

• Ausable – clever secret agent who stays calm
• Fowler – young writer seeking real thrill
• Max – rival spy with a pistol

• Hotel – gloomy French building setting
• Sixth floor – top-floor room location
• Corridor – musty hallway to the room
• Window – place Max tries to escape
• Balcony – fake ledge Ausable invents
• Passkey – master key used to enter
• Report – secret paper on missiles
• Missiles – new weapons in the report
• Police – bluff to scare Max
• Waiter – Henry brings ordered drink
• Twelve-thirty – time of the appointment
• Thirty-one minutes – countdown to delivery
• Scream – Max’s cry as he falls
• Bluff – smart lie to trap Max
• Presence of mind – quick, calm thinking in danger
• Espionage – spying work between agents
• American accent – Ausable’s Boston speech hint
• Music hall – earlier dull evening place
• Management – hotel staff Ausable blames
• Living room – old suite room with balcony
• Empty room – access point “two doors down”
• Automatic pistol – weapon in Max’s hand

midnight visitor Important Phrases 

• “Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent”

• “musty corridor of the gloomy French hotel”
• “small room, on the sixth and top floor”
• “You are disappointed”
• “espionage and danger”
• “the crack of pistols, drugs in the wine”
• “a quite important paper”
• “affect the course of history”
• “a small automatic pistol in his hand”
• “Max, you gave me quite a start”
• “The report that is being brought to you tonight concerning some new missiles”
• “raise the devil with the management”
• “that nuisance of a balcony”
• “It’s not my balcony… It belongs to the next apartment.”
• “You can get onto it from the empty room two doors down”
• “Please sit down”
• “We have a wait of half an hour, I think.”
• “Thirty-one minutes”
• “That will be the police”
• “a little extra protection”
• “they will not hesitate to shoot”
• “Send them away! I’ll wait on the balcony.”
• “Mr Ausable! Mr Ausable!”
• “he screamed once, shrilly”
• “Here is the drink you ordered for when you returned”
• “There were no police.”
• “there is no balcony.”

the midnight visitor question answer

Text based questions and answers

Q1. How is Ausable different from other secret agents?

Answer: Ausable is different because he does not look like a typical secret agent. He is very fat and has an American accent despite living in Paris for twenty years. Unlike the usual image of secret agents as fit and mysterious, Ausable appears ordinary and unthreatening. This helps him stay unnoticed, showing that appearance can be deceptive. This teaches that true skill is more important than looks.

Q2. Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?

Answer: Fowler is a man who reads about secret agents but is disappointed when he meets Ausable because Ausable looks ordinary. Fowler’s first authentic thrill of the day happens when he follows Ausable, expecting excitement but finding none at first. This shows how expectations can differ from reality. It also prepares readers for the story’s surprising events.

Q3. How has Max got in?

Answer: Max has sneaked into the hotel room by surprising Ausable. He is a dangerous secret agent who threatens Ausable with a pistol, demanding a report. Max’s unexpected entry creates tension and danger in the story. It reminds us that threats can arrive suddenly, requiring quick thinking.

Q4. How does Ausable say he got in?

Answer: Ausable says he got into the room like any respectable guest, by registering at the hotel desk and taking the stairs up to his room. This calm and ordinary explanation contrasts with Max’s aggressive behavior. It shows Ausable’s cleverness in masking the danger with normality, making Max underestimate him.

Text based questions and answers

Q1. “Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read.” What do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion? Discuss in groups or in class some stories or movies featuring spies, detectives and secret agents, and compare their appearance with that of Ausable in this story.

Answer: Secret agents in books and films usually look smart, fit, and mysterious, wearing stylish clothes and acting bravely, like James Bond or Sherlock Holmes. Ausable is different because he looks ordinary and fat, which surprises Fowler. This contrast shows that appearances can be misleading and cleverness matters more than looks. It teaches that real courage and skill are not always obvious.

Q2. How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room? Look back at his detailed description of it. What makes it a convincing story?

Answer: Ausable describes the imaginary balcony with great detail, mentioning flowers and a decent view, which makes it feel real to Max. He speaks confidently and calmly, painting a vivid picture. This convinces Max because we tend to believe someone who seems sure about what they say. It shows how confidence and detail can trick people, helping Ausable save himself.

Q3. Looking back at the story, when do you think Ausable thought up his plan for getting rid of Max? Do you think he had worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning? Or did he make up a plan taking advantage of events as they happened?

Answer: Ausable likely did not have a full plan from the start but created it quickly as events unfolded. His calm thinking and quick wit helped him adapt to danger. When Max entered, Ausable used his smart ideas right away, such as inventing the balcony and alerting the police. This shows how staying calm and thinking on your feet can help in emergencies.

Q4. In this story, Ausable shows great ‘presence of mind,’ or the ability to think quickly, and act calmly and wisely, in a situation of danger and surprise. Give examples from your own experience, or narrate a story, which shows someone’s presence of mind.

Answer: Presence of mind means staying calm and acting wisely in sudden danger. For example, if a small fire starts in the kitchen, turning off the gas and using a fire extinguisher quickly can stop it from spreading. Ausable’s quick thinking saved him from Max. Being prepared mentally helps us respond better to emergencies, boosting our confidence and safety.

Q5. Discuss what you would do in the situations described below. Remember that presence of mind comes out of a state of mental preparedness. If you have thought about possible problems or dangers, and about how to act in such situations, you have a better chance of dealing with such situations if they do arise.

1.A small fire starts in your kitchen.

Answer: Quickly turn off the gas or electricity and use a fire extinguisher or water if safe. Call for help if needed.

2.A child starts to choke on a piece of food.

Answer: Encourage the child to cough, and if it doesn’t help, perform the Heimlich maneuver or call for medical help.

3.An electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks.

Answer: Unplug the appliance immediately and switch off the power supply if possible. Avoid touching it directly.

4.A bicycle knocks down a pedestrian.

Answer: Check if the person is hurt and call for medical assistance. Help keep them calm and safe until help arrives.

5.It rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours.

Answer: Stay indoors, avoid flooded areas, and keep emergency supplies ready like food and water.

6.A member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time.

Answer: Try contacting them by phone and inform neighbors or friends. If no response, notify the police.

Midnight visitor Grammar

Do as directed:

• Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read. (Change the verb form to simple present to state a general fact) Do as directed.
• Fowler felt let _____ as he followed Ausable down the musty corridor of the gloomy French hotel. (Fill in with a suitable preposition) Do as directed.
• “You are disappointed,” Ausable said wheezily over his shoulder. (Change into indirect speech) Do as directed.
• It was a small room, on the sixth and top floor. (Change to a yes/no question beginning with “Was…?”) Do as directed.
• Though he spoke French and German passably, he had never altogether lost the American accent. (Rewrite using the modal “still” to show continued state) Do as directed.
• Instead of having messages slipped into his hand by dark-eyed beauties, he got a prosaic telephone call making an appointment in his room. (Change to passive voice for the underlined clause: “dark-eyed beauties slipped messages into his hand.”) Do as directed.
• “Max,” he wheezed, “you gave me quite a start. I thought you were in Berlin.” (Convert to indirect speech in one sentence) Do as directed.
• Max was slender, a little less than tall, with features that suggested the crafty, pointed countenance of a fox. (Rewrite using a comparative degree for “crafty” between Max’s features and those of a fox) Do as directed.
• “The report that is being brought to you tonight concerning some new missiles.” (Begin with: He murmured that…) Do as directed.
• Somebody has got into my room through that nuisance of a balcony. (Change to passive voice) Do as directed.
• It’s not my balcony; it belongs to the next apartment. (Combine the sentences using a relative pronoun) Do as directed.
• “We have a wait of half an hour, I think,” Max said. (Replace the underlined idea with a modal to express future expectation/necessity) Do as directed.
• “That will be the police,” he said. (Rewrite to express possibility using “might”) Do as directed.
• If I do not answer the door, they will enter anyway. (Rewrite using “unless” without changing the meaning) Do as directed.

Editing (Error spotting): Underline and correct one error in each line. Do as directed.

a) The waiter set the tray on table and uncorked the bottle.

b) White-faced, Fowler stare after him.

c) There were no police; only Henry was expect.

16. Omission (Missing words): One word is missing in each line; write the word before/after/inserted. Do as directed.

Ausable said that such an important paper _____ a little extra protection.

He said he _____ them to check on him to make sure everything was all right.

Max bit his lip _____ the knocking was repeated.

17. Gap Filling (Cloze): Fill each blank with one suitable word. Do as directed.

Ausable moved to an armchair and sat _____ heavily. He said he was going to raise the devil _____ the management because somebody had got _____ his room through that nuisance of a balcony. He explained that it was not his balcony; it _____ to the next apartment.

18. Transformation (Negative to affirmative without changing meaning): “Send them away or I’ll shoot and take my chances!” (Rewrite as a negative imperative) Do as directed.

Here are the answers to the grammar questions

1. does not fit

2.down

3.Ausable said wheezily that he was disappointed.

4.Was it a small room on the sixth and top floor?

5.He still had not altogether lost the American accent.

6.Messages were slipped into his hand by dark-eyed beauties.

7.He wheezed that Max had given him quite a start and that he had thought Max was in Berlin.

8.Max’s features were craftier than those of a fox.

9.He murmured that the report was being brought to him that night concerning some new missiles.

10.My room has been got into through that nuisance of a balcony.

11. It is not my balcony which/that belongs to the next apartment.

12.We will have to wait about half an hour. / We should wait about half an hour.

13.He said that might be the police.

14.They will enter anyway unless I answer the door.

15.a) on table → on the table; b) stare → stared; c) expect →expected

16.needed; had told; as

17.down; with; into; belonged

18.Do not keep them here, or I’ll shoot and take my chances. / Do not refuse to send them away.

Midnight visitor Short answer (30–40 words)

Q1. Who was Fowler, and why was he disappointed at first?

Answer : Fowler was a young writer who came to see the exciting life of a spy, but he found Ausable fat, sloppy, and ordinary, and spent a dull evening in a music hall, so he felt let down.

Q2.How was Ausable different from the usual image of secret agents?

Answers :Ausable was very fat, spoke with an American accent, and lived in a small, gloomy hotel room; he did not match the glamorous, dangerous spy image Fowler expected from books and films.

Q3.What gave Fowler his first “authentic thrill” of the day?

Answer :When the lights came on in Ausable’s room, Fowler saw a man, Max, standing with a small automatic pistol in his hand, which shocked and thrilled him.

Q4.Why had Max come to Ausable’s room?

Answer :Max came to take the report about new missiles that was being brought to Ausable that night, saying it would be safer in his own hands.

Q5.What story did Ausable tell about the balcony?

Answer :Ausable said the room once belonged to a larger suite and the balcony now ran under his window from the next apartment; someone had even used it last month, and the management had not yet blocked it off.

Q.6 Why did Max decide to wait on the “balcony”?

Answer :Hearing the knocking and believing Ausable’s claim, “That will be the police,” Max panicked and backed to the window to hide on the balcony till they went away.

Q.7 Who actually came to the door and why?

Answe :It was Henry, the waiter, bringing the drink Ausable had ordered for his return; Ausable had been expecting him, not the police.

Q8.How did Ausable finally outwit Max?

Answer:By calmly inventing the balcony and the police, Ausable tricked Max into jumping out of the window to the non-existent balcony, leading to his fall.

Midnight visitor Long answer (100–120 words)

Q1.Character sketch: How does Ausable use intelligence and presence of mind to handle danger?

Ans. Ausable looks ordinary—fat, wheezing, with an American accent—but he thinks quickly and stays calm under pressure. He controls the scene from the moment he sees Max by sitting heavily and complaining about the “second time in a month” someone entered through the balcony, building a believable backstory linked to the room’s old layout. He times his claim about the police with the knocking and uses specific details like “twelve-thirty” and “Thirty-one minutes” to sound authentic. This cool narration makes Max anxious and pushes him to the window. In the end, Ausable reveals there was no balcony at all, proving that sharp thinking, not force, wins.

Q2. Theme: How does the story play with expectations about spies and real courage?

Ans.The story contrasts romantic ideas of spies—mysterious nights, pistol shots, secret messages—with the dull reality Fowler sees at first. Yet true courage appears in calm thinking, not flashy action: Ausable invents a convincing balcony story and uses the timed knock to create the illusion of police presence. Real skill is mental agility—details about the former suite, the balcony under the window, and a recent break-in make his lie sound true. The twist shows that brains can defeat a gun, and that appearances, like Ausable’s, can hide real power.

Midnight visitor Extract-based questions

Extract 1:

“And as the light came on, Fowler had his first authentic thrill of the day. For halfway across the room, a small automatic pistol in his hand, stood a man.”

Q1.Who is the man, and what does he want?

Ans.The man is Max, another secret agent, who wants to take the missile report being brought to Ausable that night.

Q2.How does Ausable react to seeing him?

Ans.Ausable stays calm, addresses him by name, and begins guiding the conversation with questions and a firm tone.

Extract 2:

“This is the second time in a month that somebody has got into my room through that nuisance of a balcony!”

Q1.Why does this line sound convincing to Max?

Ans. It adds history and detail—“second time in a month”—and ties to a specific feature, making the balcony feel like a real security problem.

Q2. What truth about the room does Ausable mention to support this?

Ans.He says the room used to be part of a larger unit, the next room had the balcony, and it now extends under his window.

Extract 3:

“‘That will be the police,’ he said. ‘I thought that such an important paper … should have a little extra protection.’”

Q1. What effect does this have on Max?

Ans.Max panics, bites his lip, and backs to the window, deciding to hide on the balcony.

Q2.Who actually arrives at the door?

Ans.Henry, the waiter, with a tray, a bottle, and two glasses for the drink Ausable ordered.

Midnight visitor Additional short answers (30–40 words)

Q1. What time was the appointment for the report, and how does Ausable use this detail?

Ans. The appointment was for twelve-thirty; Ausable says “Thirty-one minutes,” adding precision that makes his story about police protection more believable.

Q2. Describe Max’s appearance and how it contrasts with his actions.

Ans. Max is slender, slightly less than tall, with fox-like features; though armed, he appears less menacing and is easily unsettled by Ausable’s calm lies.

Q3.What is the twist ending of the story?

Ans. After Max jumps to the “balcony,” Ausable reveals to Fowler that there is no balcony, proving his entire story was a clever trap.

FAQs