CBSE Class 10 English Chapter 4 PDF Notes: A Question of Trust 2026-27 | Nextoper
Class 10 English Chapter 4 Overview
A Question of Trust is a short crime story by Victor Canning. It is Chapter 4 of Footprints without Feet. A careful thief is outwitted by a cleverer one.
The NCERT page opens with two sayings. One says set a thief to catch a thief. The other says there is honour among thieves. The story answers which one is true.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chapter | 4 – A Question of Trust |
| Book | Footprints without Feet (Class 10 English) |
| Author | Victor Canning |
| Genre | Crime story with a twist ending |
| Setting | Shotover Grange, a country house, on a July afternoon |
| Main characters | Horace Danby, the young lady in red |
| Small roles | Sherry the dog, the real owner’s wife |
| Core idea | Misplaced trust and a thief tricked by a thief |
In one line: a thief who plans everything forgets to plan for people. A stranger in red takes advantage.
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Class 10 English Chapter 4 Summary, Step by Step
Read the story in six short stages. Each stage moves Horace one step closer to the trap. By stage five, he is sure he has escaped.
Stage 1: Meet Horace Danby
Everyone thinks Horace Danby is an honest citizen. He is about fifty and unmarried. He lives with a housekeeper who worries about his health.
He makes locks and has two helpers. He gets hay fever every summer. The author calls him good and respectable, but not completely honest.
Fifteen years ago he served his first and only sentence. He worked in the prison library. There he fell in love with rare, expensive books.
Now he robs one safe every year. He plans it with great care. He steals enough to last twelve months and buys books secretly through an agent.
Stage 2: The perfect plan
On a bright July day, Horace walks towards Shotover Grange. He has studied the house for two weeks. He knows its rooms, wiring, paths and garden.
The family is in London. The two servants have gone to the movies. Horace watches them leave.
The safe holds jewels worth about fifteen thousand pounds. He hopes to get at least five thousand. That will buy three books due for sale in autumn.
Stage 3: Inside the house
Horace finds the kitchen key on a hook outside. He puts on gloves and opens the door. He is careful to leave no fingerprints.
A small dog lies in the kitchen. Horace calls it Sherry. The dog wags its tail and stays quiet.
The safe is in the drawing room, behind a poor painting. A bowl of flowers sits on the table. The smell makes him sneeze.
He cuts the weak burglar alarm. He even laughs at the owners. A magazine had printed a plan of their house and mentioned the hidden safe.
Stage 4: The voice at the door
A voice asks, “A cold or hay fever?” Horace answers before he can think. He says, “Hay fever.”
A young woman in red stands in the doorway. Sherry rubs against her. She straightens the ornaments on the fireplace.
She says she came back just in time. Horace says he did not expect to meet one of the family.
She threatens to phone the police. Horace says he would cut the telephone wires. Then he admits he only wanted to frighten her.
He begs to be let go. He promises never to steal again. She says she has always liked the wrong kind of people.
Stage 5: The bargain
She takes a cigarette from a silver box. Horace takes off his gloves and offers his lighter. She agrees to let him go, but only if he does a favour.
She says her jewels are in the safe. She wants to wear them to a party tonight. Horace guesses that she has forgotten the numbers. She says yes.
Within an hour, Horace opens the safe. He hands her the jewels and leaves happily.
Stage 6: The arrest
Horace keeps his promise for two days. On the third morning he thinks of books and plans another theft. He never gets the chance.
By noon, a policeman arrests him for the Shotover Grange robbery. His fingerprints cover the room. He had opened the safe without gloves.
He tells the truth, but nobody believes him. The real owner’s wife is a grey-haired woman of sixty. She calls his story nonsense.
Horace now works as assistant librarian in the prison. He often thinks of the clever young lady. He gets angry when people say “honour among thieves”.
How the Lady Fooled Horace: The Clue Table
Here is something most notes skip. The lady drops many small clues. Horace misses all of them. Learn this table for any “how did she deceive him” question.
| Clue | What Horace thought | What it really meant |
|---|---|---|
| She stays calm | A brave owner | A trickster, not a shocked homeowner |
| Sherry rubs against her | The dog knows her | Sherry was friendly to Horace too |
| She straightens the ornaments | She lives here | Good acting |
| She does not call the police | She is kind | A thief cannot call the police |
| “I have always liked the wrong kind of people” | A joke | A hint that she is a crook too |
| She asks a burglar to open her safe | Odd, but lucky | The biggest clue of all |
Horace tricks himself
Look closely at the safe scene. The lady begins to say why she came down. She stops with a “but”.
It is Horace who finishes her sentence. He says she has forgotten the numbers. She only says yes.
So the best lie in the story is Horace’s own. She lets him build the excuse. That is clever, and it is a great point for a high-scoring answer.
Why does Horace not suspect anything?
Three feelings blind him. Fear of prison comes first. Then comes relief when she seems amused. Then comes hope that she will let him go.
A frightened mind wants a way out. So it believes the first one offered. Horace stops asking questions and starts obeying.
Where did the planner go wrong?
Horace studied rooms, wiring, paths, the garden and the servants. He even knew the dog’s name. But he never planned for people. He had no answer for a surprise visitor.
He also took off his gloves. That one small act left his fingerprints all over the room.
Character Sketches
This story has two sharp contrasts. Horace looks honest but steals. The lady looks respectable but is a thief. Keep a proof line ready for each trait.
Horace Danby
Horace is a fifty-year-old locksmith. He is unmarried and lives with a housekeeper. Neighbours see him as a decent citizen.
- Respectable. He runs a good business with two helpers.
- Dishonest in secret. He robs a safe every year.
- A book lover. He steals only to buy rare books.
- Careful. He studies the house for two weeks.
- Overconfident. He thinks the owners are foolish.
- Timid. He hates the thought of prison and begs to be freed.
- Gullible under pressure. He believes the lady without a single question.
The lady in red
She is young, pretty and calm. She speaks in a quiet, kindly voice with firmness in it. Her real name and background are never given.
- Cool-headed. She stays calm facing a burglar.
- Observant. She sees how scared Horace is and uses it.
- A good actor. She acts as the lady of the house.
- Cunning. She lets Horace make up her excuse for her.
Minor characters
Sherry is the friendly little dog. She welcomes both Horace and the lady, so she proves nothing. The real wife is a grey-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty. She appears only at the end, and her age destroys Horace’s story.
Themes and Message
The story carries several clear ideas. Each can become a value-based answer.
Trust and deception
Horace trusts a stranger because he is desperate. She uses that trust against him. The title points to this exact moment.
Which saying does the story show?
The best answer is “no honour among thieves”. One thief tricks another and leaves him to take the blame. Horace’s anger at the phrase proves it.
In a twisted way, “set a thief to catch a thief” also fits. A clever thief outwits a thief. Mention both, but lead with the first.
Honour on both sides is thin
Horace promises never to steal again. He keeps the promise for two days. On the third morning he plans a new theft.
So neither thief has honour. Use this twist to stand out in a long answer.
Appearances deceive
A respectable locksmith is a thief. A pretty, polite lady is a thief too. Nobody in the story is what they seem.
Overconfidence and carelessness
Horace calls the owners foolish. Minutes later, he is the fool. Pride makes him careless at the one moment that matters.
Do intentions justify actions?
Horace steals for books, not for greed. But a crime is still a crime. The story does not excuse him, and he pays the price.
Literary Devices and the Title
Examiners like short, precise points on style. Use these with one example each.
- Situational irony. A thief is robbed of his freedom by another thief.
- Foreshadowing. “The wrong kind of people” hints that she is a crook.
- Humour. Horace laughs at foolish owners, then falls for a trick.
- Twist ending. The real wife turns out to be a woman of sixty.
- Contrast. “Good and respectable” sits beside “not completely honest”.
- Dramatic detail. The sneeze starts the whole encounter.
Why is the story called A Question of Trust?
The whole plot turns on one choice. Should Horace trust the lady? He says yes, and loses everything. The title also hints at the old saying about honour among thieves.
Glossary: Word Meanings
NCERT glosses only “hay fever”. The other words below are useful for extract and vocabulary questions.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| hay fever | an allergy to pollen or dust that irritates the nose and throat |
| citizen | a member of a country or town |
| grange | a country house, often with a farm |
| sentence | a punishment fixed by a court |
| tickle | a light, itchy feeling |
| hindering | getting in the way of |
| inconvenience | trouble or annoyance |
| desperate | so worried that you will try anything |
| persuaded | convinced by reasons or words |
| meticulous | very careful about small details |
| faltered | made a mistake or lost confidence |
| culprit | the person who has done wrong |
| sharp-tongued | speaking in a harsh, cutting way |
NCERT Questions and Answers
These answers follow the textbook questions in order. Each one is short enough for the exam. Write them in your own words as well.
Read and Find Out
1. What does Horace Danby like to collect?
Horace collects rare and expensive books. He fell in love with them in the prison library. He buys them secretly through an agent.
2. Why does he steal every year?
He needs money to buy those books. He robs one safe a year. He plans carefully and steals enough to last twelve months.
3. Who is speaking to Horace Danby?
A young woman dressed in red is speaking. She stands in the doorway of the drawing room. She pretends to be a member of the family.
4. Who is the real culprit in the story?
The lady in red is the real culprit. She tricks Horace into opening the safe and takes the jewels. Horace is arrested in her place.
Think about it
1. Did you suspect, before the end, that the lady was not who Horace thought? When and how?
Yes, many readers suspect her midway. She is too calm with a burglar. She does not call the police. Her line about liking “the wrong kind of people” is a strong hint.
The biggest clue comes at the safe. A real owner would not ask a burglar to open her safe.
2. How does the lady deceive Horace? Why does he not suspect her?
She acts at ease in the house. She straightens the ornaments and speaks to Sherry by name. She stays calm and lets Horace beg.
Horace is too frightened to think clearly. He wants only to avoid prison. He even finishes her excuse about forgotten numbers himself.
3. Why is “good and respectable, but not completely honest” apt for Horace? Why is he not a typical thief?
Horace is a respected locksmith with a business and two helpers. But he robs a safe every year. So he is respectable and still dishonest.
He is not typical for several reasons. He steals only once a year. He steals for books, not for greed. And he plans, instead of using violence.
4. Horace was a meticulous planner but still faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?
He studied the house but not the people in it. He had no plan for a surprise visitor. Fear then ruined his judgement.
He trusted a stranger. He took off his gloves and opened the safe. His fingerprints led the police straight to him.
Talk about it
1. Was Horace unfairly punished, or did he deserve it?
There are two views. He did not steal the jewels himself, so his arrest feels unfair. Yet he came to rob that house and had robbed many times.
Most answers conclude that he deserved punishment. A crime is a crime, whatever the reason. His punishment also carries a strong irony.
2. Do intentions justify actions? Would you do wrong if you thought your ends justified the means?
Good intentions do not make a wrong act right. Horace loves books, but stealing still harms others. The lady also hurts Horace for her own gain.
Honest answers are best here. Say you would find an honest way to reach your goal. Add one real example from your own life.
Beyond the story: Suggested reading
The chapter ends with three suggestions. They are “The Unexpected” by Ella Edkin, “The Confession” by Anton Chekhov and “A Case for the Defence” by Graham Greene. These are not exam topics. But they make good weekend reading.
MCQs with Answers
Try each question first. Then tap to check the answer.
Q1. Who wrote A Question of Trust?
a) Robert Arthur b) Victor Canning c) Anton Chekhov d) Graham Greene
Show answer
b) Victor Canning
Q2. What does Horace Danby collect?
a) Paintings b) Coins c) Rare, expensive books d) Jewels
Show answer
c) Rare, expensive books
Q3. Which house does Horace plan to rob?
a) Shotover Grange b) Danby Hall c) Sherry Lodge d) Red House
Show answer
a) Shotover Grange
Q4. What is the dog’s name?
a) Rover b) Sherry c) Max d) Bruno
Show answer
b) Sherry
Q5. What makes Horace sneeze in the drawing room?
a) Dust b) Cigarette smoke c) A bowl of flowers d) The dog
Show answer
c) A bowl of flowers
Q6. Where is the safe hidden?
a) Behind a poor painting b) Under the bed c) In the kitchen d) In the garden
Show answer
a) Behind a poor painting
Q7. About how much are the jewels worth?
a) Five thousand pounds b) Ten thousand pounds c) Fifteen thousand pounds d) Fifty thousand pounds
Show answer
c) Fifteen thousand pounds
Q8. Why does the lady say she wants the jewels?
a) To sell them b) To wear them to a party c) To give them to a bank d) To hide them
Show answer
b) To wear them to a party
Q9. For how many days does Horace keep his promise?
a) One b) Two c) Three d) Seven
Show answer
b) Two
Q10. How old is the real owner’s wife?
a) Thirty b) Forty c) Fifty d) Sixty
Show answer
d) Sixty
Quick Revision: Last-Minute Notes
This is your two-minute scan. Read the facts first. Then the memory trick. Then the numbers table.
Ten facts to remember
- Author: Victor Canning. Book: Footprints without Feet.
- Horace Danby is a fifty-year-old locksmith with two helpers.
- He loves rare, expensive books and robs one safe a year.
- His target is Shotover Grange. The family is in London.
- The dog is Sherry. The flowers make him sneeze.
- The safe is behind a poor painting in the drawing room.
- A young lady in red catches him and acts as the owner’s wife.
- Horace opens the safe, without gloves, and gives her the jewels.
- He is arrested on the third day by fingerprints.
- He ends as assistant librarian in prison.
Memory trick
The 3 S’s of Horace’s downfall: Sneeze (it gets him noticed), Surrender (he trusts her) and Skin (bare hands leave fingerprints).
Numbers to remember
| Number | What it means |
|---|---|
| About 50 | Horace’s age |
| 2 | Helpers in his business, and days he keeps his promise |
| 15 years | Since his first and only sentence |
| 2 weeks | Time spent studying the house |
| 4 hours | Time before the servants return |
| £15,000 | Worth of jewels in the safe |
| £5,000 | What he expects to get by selling them |
| 3 | Interesting books for sale in autumn |
| 60 | Age of the real owner’s wife |
Character snapshot
| Character | Key trait | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Horace | Careful but gullible | Plans everything, trusts a stranger |
| The lady | Calm and cunning | Lets Horace invent her excuse |
| Sherry | Friendly | Welcomes everyone |
One-line theme
Blind trust and pride bring a clever thief down.
Board-Style Practice Questions
These questions follow the style of board papers. They are practice questions written by us. Check the latest CBSE sample paper for the exact marks and word limits.
Short answers (about 30–40 words)
- Why does Horace Danby steal a safe every year?
- Why does Horace not suspect the lady at Shotover Grange?
- Why were Horace’s fingerprints found all over the room?
- Why did nobody believe Horace’s story?
Hints for the short answers
1. He loves rare, expensive books. One robbery pays for a year of them.
2. He is frightened of prison. She seems friendly and amused. He wants a way out.
3. He took off his gloves to give her a lighter. Then he opened the safe bare-handed.
4. The real owner’s wife was a grey-haired woman of sixty. She called the story nonsense.
Long answers (about 100–120 words)
- Write a character sketch of Horace Danby.
- “Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered.” Where did he go wrong?
- Is the title A Question of Trust suitable for the story? Give reasons.
Model answer: How did the lady deceive Horace?
The lady knew that Horace was scared. She stayed calm and acted like the owner. She straightened the ornaments and spoke to Sherry by name.
She let Horace beg for freedom. Then she offered a deal. She said she had forgotten the safe’s numbers and wanted her jewels for a party.
Horace, eager to escape, even guessed her excuse for her. He opened the safe and handed over the jewels. She vanished, and he took the blame.
A Question of Trust in Plain Words
A Question of Trust is a short story by Victor Canning about a locksmith named Horace Danby. Horace secretly robs one safe each year to buy rare books. At Shotover Grange, a young woman in red tricks him into opening the safe for her. She takes the jewels, and Horace is arrested. The story shows that blind trust brings downfall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the real culprit in A Question of Trust?
The real culprit is the young woman in red. She pretends to be the lady of Shotover Grange. She tricks Horace Danby into opening the safe, takes the jewels and disappears. Horace, who came to rob the house, is arrested for her theft.
Why does Horace Danby steal every year?
Horace loves rare, expensive books. He first read them in a prison library fifteen years ago. His business earns enough to live on but not to buy such books. So he robs one safe each year, steals enough for twelve months and buys books through an agent.
How did the lady deceive Horace Danby?
She stayed calm, acted at home and used the dog’s name. She also hinted she liked the wrong kind of people. She let Horace beg, then asked him to open the safe, saying she had forgotten the numbers. Horace was too scared to question her story.
Why did the police arrest Horace Danby?
Horace opened the safe without gloves, so his fingerprints covered the room. He told the police the owner’s wife had asked him to do it. The real wife was a grey-haired woman of sixty, so nobody believed him. He was arrested for the jewel robbery.
What is the theme of A Question of Trust?
The story shows that blind trust and overconfidence lead to downfall. A careful thief is tricked by a cleverer one. It also shows there is no honour among thieves. Appearances deceive, and fear can switch off even a planner’s good sense.
To Sum Up
These Class 10 English Chapter 4 notes give you the story and the trick behind it. They also give you exam-ready points. Remember the clue table. Remember the 3 S’s.
Horace planned every detail except the people. A calm stranger did the rest. That is why the careful thief loses.
More Class 10 English Notes
- Class 10 English Chapter 3 Notes: The Midnight Visitor (previous chapter)
- Class 10 English Chapter 2 Notes: The Thief’s Story Notes (previous chapter)
- Footprints without Feet: all chapter notes
About the Author
Nextoper Editorial Team. We write free CBSE study notes for Classes 9 to 12. Each note is checked line by line against the NCERT textbook. If you spot a mistake, tell us and we will fix it.
Last updated: 2 October 2026. Checked against the NCERT Reprint 2026-27 edition of Footprints without Feet. Board exam rules can change, so always confirm with the latest CBSE circulars.
