Question 1 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Margaret : Here’s the wind!
Winsor : What’s the move now, General?
Canynge : You and I had better see the Inspector in De Levis’ room,
Winsor. [To the others] If you’ll all be handy, in case he
wants to put questions for himself.
Margaret : I hope he’ll want me; it’s just too thrilling.
Dancy : I hope he won’t want me; I’m dog-tired. Come on, Mabel.
[He puts his arms in his wife’s].
Canynge : Just a minute, Charles.
(i) Who is Winsor? What does Margaret mean by “here’s the wind!”? Where is the scene taking place?
Answer : Charles Winsor was a wealthy man who owned the house named Meldon Court near Newmarket. Margaret had earlier been told by Adela that Inspector Dede was coming like the wind i.e., as fast as he can. When she heard his motorcycle, she commented ‘here’s is the wind”. The scene is set in Meldon Court, in the dressing room of Charles Winsor.
(ii) Why does Canynge say to Winsor immediately after the extract? What reply does Winsor give to Canynge?
Answer : Canynge did not like the fact that the police had been called to examine the case. He told Winsor that they should be careful about the Inspector and should not let him accuse somebody hastily. It could be very disagreeable. Winsor also agreed.
(iii) Who enters soon after? What two things had he been asked to do earlier?
Answer : Soon after this Treisure, Winsor’s butler entered the scene. He announced the arrival of Inspector Dede. Earlier, he had been asked to go and check the ladders in the stable to see if they had been moved or not. He was also asked to call Robert, De Levi’s valet.
(iv) How did De Levis have such a large amount of money with him that day?
Answer : De Levis was carrying almost a thousand pounds that day. Dancy had given his Rosemary filly to him as he was not able to maintain it any longer. De Levis had marked the filly high and was able to sell it for a thousand pounds. The bookie had paid him in cash.
(v) Who is De Levis? Whom does he suspect for the theft of his money? Canynge also suspects this same person later on. What is the basis of his suspicions?
Answer : De Levis is a wealthy Jew and one of Winsor’s guests who had been invited to the Meldon Court. He suspected that Ronald Dancy had robbed him as only he could have made a jump into his balcony. Later, Canynge also suspected. Dancy as he had found his sleeve went through Dancy had denied going out in the rain.
Question 2 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
[Lady Adela goes out into her room and closes the door.]
Winsor : Look here, De Levis! This isn’t a hotel.
It’s the sort of thing that doesn’t happen in a decent house.
Are you sure you’re not mistaken, and didn’t have them stolen
on the course?
De Levis : Absolutely , I counted them just before putting them under my pillow;
then I locked the door and had the key here.
There’s only one door, you know.
Winsor : How was your window?
De Levis : Open.
Winsor : [Drawing back the curtains of his own window] :
You’ve got a balcony like this.
Any sign of a ladder or anything?
(i) Where are Winsor and De Levis at this time? Who is De Levis? What has happened to De Levis?
Answer : Winsor and De Levis are presently in the dressing room of Winsor in Meldon Court near Newmarket. Be Levis is a young and wealthy Jew. De Levis has been robbed of almost a thousand pounds which he had got after selling a filly.
(ii) Who is Lady Adela? What instructions have been given to Lady Adela?
Answer : Lady Adela is the wife of Charles Winsor. After Winsor found about the robbery, he sent her to wake up the other guests, Margaret and the Dancys. She was also instructed to send for General Canynge and call for police.
(iii) Who enters the scene a short while later? What questions have been put by Winsor to the person who enters a short while later?
Answer : Treisure, the butler at the Meldon Court, enters the scene a short while later. Winsor asks him who the valet to De Levis was. He replied that it was Robert. Then Winsor asked him when was Robert up on the floor last night and when had Robert gone to bed.
(iv) What suggestions are given to Winsor by the person who enters a short while later? How does Winsor react to the suggestions?
Answer : After Treisure learns about the robbery, he suggests that the place should be cordoned off and the whole place should be searched. However, Winsor does not want to make things unpleasant for his guests and he refuses to suspect anyone.
(v) On whom does De Levis express suspicion for what has happened to him? What version does he give of how he thinks the deed was committed?
Answer : De Levis suspected that Ronald Dancy had committed the crime. His suspicion was based on the fact that he had seen Dancy take a four feet standing jump. The balconies of their rooms were not far away. They were about seven feet apart. De Levis thought that the distance was not difficult for Dancy to jump across.
According to De Levis, when Dancy spotted him going to the bathroom, he tried to get in through the door but it was locked. The he saw that his window was open, he took the jump into the balcony, stole the notes, crushed the creeper to mislead others and after taking another jump, slipped downstairs.