NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English (Footprints Without Feet) Chapter 4: A Question of Trust

Complete solutions for Class 10 English (Footprints Without Feet) Chapter 4 – “A Question of Trust” by Victor Canning: original summary, theme, word meanings and every textbook exercise (Read and Find Out, Think about it, Talk about it) answered in full. The questions are reproduced exactly as in the NCERT book, with original, exam-ready answers, plus extra questions, MCQs and Assertion–Reason practice for the 2026–27 session.

Class: 10 Subject: English Book: Footprints Without Feet Type: Story (Chapter 4) Author: Victor Canning Session: 2026–27
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About the author

Victor Canning (1911–1986) was a popular British novelist and short-story writer, best known for his crime, thriller and adventure fiction. Over a long career he published more than fifty books, several of which were adapted for film and television. His stories are admired for their tight plotting, sharp characterisation and clever twists. “A Question of Trust” is a fine example of this style – a witty crime story in which the experienced thief is himself outwitted, ending on an ironic note about ‘honour among thieves’.

Summary

Horace Danby was a fifty-year-old, unmarried locksmith who was thought by everyone to be a good, honest and respectable citizen. In truth, he was a clever burglar. Having served a sentence years earlier, he robbed one safe every year, taking just enough to live comfortably and to secretly buy the rare, expensive books he loved through an agent.

That July afternoon his target was Shotover Grange. He had studied the house for two weeks and knew its rooms, wiring and the location of the safe – hidden behind a poor painting, as a magazine article had carelessly revealed. After the servants left for the cinema, he let himself in with the kitchen key, quietened the friendly dog Sherry by calling it by name, cut the burglar alarm and prepared to open the safe. His only trouble was the hay fever set off by a bowl of flowers, which made him sneeze loudly.

A pretty young woman in red suddenly appeared, claiming to be the lady of the house. Amused rather than alarmed, she threatened to call the police but then offered Horace a deal: she would let him go if he opened the safe for her, since she had “forgotten” the combination and wanted her jewels for a party. Eager and trusting, Horace removed his gloves, opened the safe, handed her the jewels and left happily. Two days later he was arrested: his fingerprints were everywhere, and the real owner – a grey-haired woman of sixty – denied his story. The charming young woman had been a thief too, and had tricked him. Horace, now the prison’s assistant librarian, grows furious whenever anyone mentions ‘honour among thieves’.

Theme & message

The story is a witty exploration of trust, deception and irony. It plays on the two sayings — “set a thief to catch a thief” and “there is honour among thieves” — and shows that the second is false: one thief happily robs another. The tale teaches that misplaced trust and overconfidence can ruin even the most careful planner. Horace’s single careless act – removing his gloves because he trusted a stranger – undoes years of meticulous crime, delivering both a moral lesson and a satisfying twist.

Word meanings

WordMeaning
housekeepera person employed to manage a household
hay feveran allergy of the nose and throat caused by pollen or dust
sentencepunishment given by a court of law
safea strong, lockable box for keeping valuables
robbedstole from
agenta person who acts/buys on someone’s behalf
electric wiringthe system of wires carrying electricity
jewelsprecious stones / ornaments
glovescoverings for the hands (worn to avoid fingerprints)
fingerprintsmarks left by the ridges of one’s fingertips
stirredmoved slightly
drawing rooma room for receiving and entertaining guests
burglar alarma device that warns of a break-in
hinderingobstructing; getting in the way
firmnessstrength and determination
ornamentsdecorative objects
amusedfinding something funny; entertained
inconveniencetrouble or difficulty
desperatein great need; willing to do anything
persuadedconvinced (someone to do something)
charmingpleasant and attractive
nonsensefoolish or untrue talk
honour among thievesthe idea that criminals stay loyal to one another

Read and Find Out

Page 21

1. What does Horace Danby like to collect?

ANSWERHorace Danby loved to collect rare and expensive books. He bought them secretly through an agent, and it was to fund this passion that he robbed a safe every year.

2. Why does he steal every year?

ANSWERHe steals once every year so that he can buy the rare books he loves. Each year he planned a single robbery carefully, stole enough money to last twelve months, and used it to purchase costly books through his agent – he stole only as much as he needed for this hobby.

Page 22

1. Who is speaking to Horace Danby?

ANSWERA young, pretty woman dressed in red is speaking to Horace Danby. She pretends to be the wife of the owner of Shotover Grange, but is in fact another thief who has come to rob the same house.

2. Who is the real culprit in the story?

ANSWERThe young woman in red is the real culprit. She cunningly tricks Horace into opening the safe with his bare hands, takes away the jewels herself, and lets him be blamed and arrested for a robbery she actually committed.

Think about it

1. Did you begin to suspect, before the end of the story, that the lady was not the person Horace Danby took her to be? If so, at what point did you realise this, and how?

ANSWERYes. The first hint of suspicion comes when the ‘lady’ is far too calm and even amused at meeting a burglar in her own home, instead of being frightened or angry. Suspicion grows when she conveniently claims to have forgotten the safe’s combination and asks the burglar to open it for her, and when she says her husband “won’t be here for a month” so she can have the safe mended without anyone knowing. These details suggest she is not the genuine owner but someone who has come for the jewels herself.

2. What are the subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the lady of the house? Why doesn’t Horace suspect that something is wrong?

ANSWERThe lady deceives Horace through her confident, natural behaviour. She speaks in a quiet, kindly yet firm voice; she scolds and pets the dog Sherry by name as if it were her own; she straightens the ornaments on the mantelpiece and walks about the room as though completely at home. She talks knowingly about the family, the husband and the jewels in the safe, and she threatens to phone the police – just as a real owner would.Horace does not suspect anything because everything she does fits perfectly with being the lady of the house. He is also distracted by his hay fever and is desperate to avoid prison, so he is only too willing to believe her and please her in exchange for being let go.

3. “Horace Danby was good and respectable – but not completely honest”. Why do you think this description is apt for Horace? Why can’t he be categorised as a typical thief?

ANSWERThe description is apt because Horace led an outwardly decent life. He was a successful locksmith with his own business and two helpers, kept a housekeeper, and was regarded by everyone as a good, honest citizen – the “good and respectable” part. Yet he was “not completely honest” because he secretly robbed one safe every year.He is not a typical thief because he does not steal out of greed or habit. He robs only once a year, takes only as much as he needs, and uses the money for a refined hobby – collecting rare books. He avoids violence, dislikes the very thought of prison, and even keeps his promise for two days. His gentlemanly manner and limited, purposeful stealing set him apart from an ordinary, ruthless criminal.

4. Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?

ANSWERHorace was indeed a meticulous planner – he studied the house for two weeks, learnt its layout and wiring, waited for the servants to leave, wore gloves and cut the alarm. His fatal mistake was that he removed his gloves to offer his cigarette lighter to the young woman, and then opened the safe with his bare hands.He went wrong because he trusted a complete stranger. Eager to please her and to escape arrest, he let his guard down. His fingerprints were left all over the room, and these later led to his arrest. His overconfidence and misplaced trust undid all his careful planning.

Talk about it

1. Do you think Horace Danby was unfairly punished, or that he deserved what he got?

ANSWERIt can be argued both ways. On one hand, Horace deserved punishment because he was, after all, a burglar who had broken into the house intending to steal the jewels – he chose a life of crime and had to face its consequences. On the other hand, there is some unfairness: he was arrested for a robbery he did not actually carry out, since the young woman took the jewels, while she went free. In that sense he was punished for the wrong crime. On balance, though, since he was genuinely a thief, his imprisonment is not undeserved – the irony is only that the cleverer thief escaped.

2. Do intentions justify actions? Would you, like Horace Danby, do something wrong if you thought your ends justified the means? Do you think that there are situations in which it is excusable to act less than honestly?

ANSWERNo, good intentions do not justify wrong actions. Horace believed his stealing was acceptable because he robbed only the rich and used the money for books he loved, but this reasoning is flawed – theft remains theft, and it harms others and breaks the law. The end does not justify dishonest means.There may be rare, exceptional situations – for instance, a small lie told to protect someone from harm, or to comfort a dying person – where being less than fully honest seems excusable. But such cases are special and harmless to others. Deliberate wrongdoing for personal gain, like Horace’s, can never be justified by claiming a good purpose. (Express your own reasoned view.)

Note: ‘Suggested reading’ (‘The Unexpected’ by Ella Edkin, ‘The Confession’ by Anton Chekhov, ‘A Case for the Defence’ by Graham Greene) is an extra-reading list, not an exercise to answer.

Extra questions

Short answer

1. How did Horace Danby keep the dog Sherry quiet?

ANSWERHe simply called the dog by its right name, “Sherry”, and showed it affection. He believed that calling a dog by its correct name and showing it love was enough to keep it quiet.

2. Why was Horace troubled while working at the safe?

ANSWERA large bowl of flowers in the room set off his hay fever, making him sneeze repeatedly. The pollen hindered his work, forcing him to bury his face in his handkerchief.

3. How did the magazine article help Horace?

ANSWERA magazine article had described Shotover Grange with a plan of all its rooms, and had even mentioned that a painting in the drawing room hid the safe. This careless detail made Horace’s job much easier.

4. What was Horace’s final fate in the story?

ANSWERHorace was arrested for the jewel robbery at Shotover Grange and imprisoned. He is now the assistant librarian in the prison, and grows angry whenever anyone speaks of ‘honour among thieves’.

5. Why did no one believe Horace’s story?

ANSWERHis fingerprints were all over the room because he had opened the safe without gloves. Moreover, the real wife – a grey-haired woman of sixty – declared his story to be nonsense, so no one believed that a young lady had asked him to open the safe.

Long answer

6. Draw a character sketch of Horace Danby.

ANSWERHorace Danby is a complex and interesting character. Outwardly he is a respectable fifty-year-old locksmith with a successful business and a caring housekeeper, regarded by all as a good, honest citizen. Beneath this lies a clever, methodical thief who robs one safe a year. He is intelligent and well-planned – studying houses, wiring and alarms in detail – and cultured, since he steals only to fund his love of rare books. He is gentle and non-violent, disliking the very thought of prison. Yet his weaknesses prove fatal: he is overconfident and too trusting, removing his gloves for a stranger and so leaving the fingerprints that lead to his arrest. He is thus an honourable-seeming man undone by misplaced trust.

7. The story is titled ‘A Question of Trust’. How is the title appropriate?

ANSWERThe title is highly appropriate because trust lies at the very heart of the story. Horace, an experienced thief, makes the fatal error of trusting a complete stranger. Believing the young woman in red to be the lady of the house, he removes his gloves and opens the safe for her, handing over the jewels. His misplaced trust costs him his freedom. The title is also ironic: it questions the popular belief in ‘honour among thieves’, since one thief deceives and betrays another without a moment’s loyalty. Through Horace’s downfall, the story shows that trusting blindly – especially among criminals – can be disastrous, making ‘A Question of Trust’ a perfectly fitting title.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. What was Horace Danby’s profession?

(a) A librarian   (b) A locksmith   (c) A gardener   (d) A doctor

ANSWER(b) A locksmith.

2. How often did Horace Danby rob a safe?

(a) Every month   (b) Twice a year   (c) Once a year   (d) Every week

ANSWER(c) Once a year.

3. Where was the safe at Shotover Grange hidden?

(a) Under the floor   (b) Behind a painting   (c) In a cupboard   (d) Inside a bookshelf

ANSWER(b) Behind a (rather poor) painting.

4. What was the name of the dog in the house?

(a) Sherry   (b) Bruno   (c) Tiger   (d) Rex

ANSWER(a) Sherry.

5. What troubled Horace while he worked in the drawing room?

(a) A toothache   (b) The barking dog   (c) Hay fever from the flowers   (d) A loud alarm

ANSWER(c) Hay fever from the flowers.

6. Why did the young lady say she had come down to the house?

(a) To meet Horace   (b) To get her jewels for a party   (c) To feed the dog   (d) To call the police

ANSWER(b) To get her jewels for a party.

7. Why did Horace remove his gloves?

(a) To open the safe   (b) To shake hands   (c) To offer the lady his cigarette lighter   (d) Because they were torn

ANSWER(c) To offer the lady his cigarette lighter.

8. How was Horace finally caught?

(a) The dog bit him   (b) His fingerprints were all over the room   (c) The alarm rang   (d) The servants saw him

ANSWER(b) His fingerprints were all over the room.

9. Who was the real owner’s wife?

(a) A young lady in red   (b) The housekeeper   (c) A grey-haired woman of sixty   (d) A maid

ANSWER(c) A grey-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty.

10. What job does Horace hold at the end of the story?

(a) A prison cook   (b) The assistant librarian in the prison   (c) A guard   (d) A gardener

ANSWER(b) The assistant librarian in the prison.
MCQ Answer Key: 1-(b), 2-(c), 3-(b), 4-(a), 5-(c), 6-(b), 7-(c), 8-(b), 9-(c), 10-(b).

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): Horace Danby was arrested for the robbery at Shotover Grange.

Reason (R): His fingerprints were found all over the room because he had opened the safe without gloves.

ANSWER(a) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

2. Assertion (A): Horace stole money every year.

Reason (R): He needed the money to buy the rare and expensive books he loved.

ANSWER(a) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

3. Assertion (A): The young woman in red was the lady of the house.

Reason (R): She knew the dog’s name and moved about the house with ease.

ANSWER(d) A is false (she was a thief, not the owner), but R is true – she did behave with ease and knew the dog’s name, which is how she fooled Horace.

4. Assertion (A): Horace kept his promise never to steal again for the rest of his life.

Reason (R): He was deeply ashamed of his crimes and had reformed completely.

ANSWER(c) A is false – he kept his promise for only two days before planning another robbery; R is also false, as he had not reformed.

5. Assertion (A): The title ‘A Question of Trust’ is ironic.

Reason (R): The story shows that there is genuine honour and loyalty among thieves.

ANSWER(c) A is true – the title is indeed ironic; but R is false, since the story actually proves that there is no honour among thieves.
Assertion–Reason Key: 1-(a), 2-(a), 3-(d), 4-(c), 5-(c).

Exam tips

Score full marks on this chapter

• Remember the irony in the title and ending – the thief is robbed by another thief, proving there is no honour among thieves. Examiners love this point.
• Be clear about Horace’s one mistake: removing his gloves and leaving fingerprints because he trusted a stranger.
• Note key details for short questions: he was a locksmith, robbed once a year, collected rare books, the dog was Sherry, the house was Shotover Grange, and his trouble was hay fever.
• In value-based answers, stress that good intentions do not justify wrong actions and that overconfidence and misplaced trust lead to downfall.

FAQs

Who is the author of ‘A Question of Trust’?

The story is written by Victor Canning, a British novelist and short-story writer known for his crime and thriller fiction.

Why did Horace Danby steal every year?

He stole once a year to fund his hobby of collecting rare and expensive books, which he bought secretly through an agent.

How was Horace Danby finally caught?

He removed his gloves to open the safe for the young woman, leaving his fingerprints all over the room. These led to his arrest, and the real owner’s wife denied his story.

Why is the title ‘A Question of Trust’ appropriate?

Because Horace’s downfall comes from trusting a stranger, and the story ironically shows that there is no real honour or loyalty among thieves.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT Footprints Without Feet textbook; summaries and answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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