🕯️ The Midnight Visitor – Summary (Class 10 English)
👤 Author Introduction – Robert Arthur
Robert Arthur (1909–1969) was an American writer and editor known for his detective and mystery stories. His works often featured suspense, wit, and clever twists. In “The Midnight Visitor”, he presents an unusual detective story filled with irony and intelligence, where a calm and clever man defeats a dangerous intruder using only his quick thinking.
Image: Ausable’s apartment at midnight
📖 Expanded Summary in English
The story “The Midnight Visitor” revolves around Mr. Ausable, a secret agent who looks very ordinary and unlike the typical heroes of spy stories. He is short, fat, and speaks with an American accent. One night, he comes back to his hotel room with Fowler, a young writer who wanted to meet a real secret agent. Fowler expected thrill, danger, and excitement, but was disappointed to see Ausable’s simple appearance.
As they enter the room, they find a man with a pistol standing inside. His name is Max, another spy who had come to steal a very important report about some new missiles. Fowler is terrified, but Ausable remains calm. Without showing fear, he starts talking cleverly to Max and slowly creates a plan to outsmart him.
Ausable tells Max that the balcony outside the window was built recently, and it is often used by people to enter rooms secretly. He says that he had already complained about it to the management. This lie makes Max believe that someone might use the same balcony to enter now.
Just then, there is a knock at the door. Ausable says it must be the police whom he had called to protect the report. Hearing this, Max becomes nervous and decides to escape through the balcony. He quickly jumps out of the window — but there is no balcony! He falls down and meets his end. The knock was actually from the waiter Henry who came with the drinks Ausable had ordered earlier.
Fowler is amazed to see how Ausable handled the situation. He learns that real intelligence and courage do not come from strength or looks, but from the ability to stay calm and think wisely even in danger.
Image: Max jumps out of the window, believing in the false balcony
📖 Summary in Hindi
कहानी “द मिडनाइट विज़िटर” एक जासूस ऑज़ेबल की बुद्धिमत्ता और उपस्थिति की कहानी है। वह दिखने में साधारण, मोटे और कम प्रभावशाली व्यक्ति हैं। एक रात जब वह अपने दोस्त फाउलर के साथ होटल के कमरे में लौटते हैं, तो उन्हें वहाँ एक व्यक्ति बंदूक लिए खड़ा मिलता है — उसका नाम मैक्स है। वह एक और जासूस है जो मिसाइल रिपोर्ट चुराने आया है।
फाउलर डर जाता है, लेकिन ऑज़ेबल शांत रहता है। वह अपनी सूझबूझ से झूठी कहानी बनाता है कि कमरे के बाहर एक बालकनी है जहाँ से कोई भी अंदर आ सकता है। उसी समय दरवाज़े पर दस्तक होती है, और ऑज़ेबल कहता है कि यह पुलिस है जिसे उसने रिपोर्ट की सुरक्षा के लिए बुलाया था।
यह सुनकर मैक्स घबरा जाता है और खिड़की से “बालकनी” पर कूद जाता है — पर वहाँ कोई बालकनी होती ही नहीं। वह गिर कर मर जाता है। दरवाज़े पर आया व्यक्ति वास्तव में वेटर था जो ऑज़ेबल के आदेश पर ड्रिंक लेकर आया था।
फाउलर यह देखकर हैरान रह जाता है कि कैसे ऑज़ेबल ने बिना हथियार और बल के सिर्फ़ अपनी चतुराई से दुश्मन को मात दी। कहानी हमें सिखाती है कि असली साहस ताकत से नहीं, बल्कि दिमाग़ की शांति और समझदारी से आता है।
📝 Key Points to Remember
- Main Characters: Ausable, Fowler, Max, and the waiter Henry.
- Setting: A hotel room late at night.
- Theme: Presence of mind is stronger than physical strength.
- Ausable creates an imaginary balcony and fools Max completely.
- Fowler learns that real intelligence means staying calm in danger.
- Humour and irony make the story entertaining and smart.