06: An Angel In Disguise By T - S - Arthur : Icse-x-english

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06: An Angel in Disguise by T - S - Arthur

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Qstn #2
How did poor Maggie's catchy words "don't leave me here all alone!" moved Mr Thompson?
Ans : When everybody left the place after the burial, Mr Thompson seemed to be worried about the little girl. He asked blacksmith's wife who suggested him to take her to the poorhouse. Joe stood there for some time confused. He went into the hovel again and saw Maggie had raised her into an upright position with painful effort and was sitting on her bed. Her eyes were on the door out of which all had departed. A terror had covered her pale face. It aroused a feeling of sympathy in Mr Thompson and when she cried "don't leave me here alone!" Mr Thompson felt guilty leaving the child as she was.

Qstn #3
Which brave action full of pity was undertaken by Mr Thompson?
Ans : Mr Thompson was rough from outside but he had a heart which was tender in some places. He liked to have children come to his shop. When he heard the poor Maggie pleading not to leave her alone, he stopped down over her and told her that she would not be left alone. A little show of compassion and courtesy defines humanity. He wrapped her with the gentleness of a woman in clean bedclothes brought by the neighbours, held her in his strong arms and took her home.

Qstn #4
What type of woman Mrs Jones was? What doubts did Mr Jones have about her?
Ans : Mrs Jones, wife of Joe Thompson was childless and not a woman of saintly temper, nor much given to self-denial for others' good whereas Mr Joe Thompson had well-grounded doubts about the manner he would be greeted by his wife on reaching home with the crippled child. He had a fear that she would not get along with her and knew that she would not welcome Maggie and it proved to be true when he was confronted by her.

Qstn #5
Describe Mrs Thompson's reactions on seeing Maggie in her husband's arms? Where did Mr Thompson lay her?
Ans : Joe's wife was childless, so she had no feelings. She was ill-tempered and it had become her usual nature. She had lost the purpose of living. When she saw Mr Thompson carrying a piece of precious burden in his arms from the window, she sharply questioned him about the child. Her tone was full of anger and astonishment and her face was in flame when she asked. “You haven't brought home that sick brat".
Her tone scared little Maggie and she started shrinking in Thompson's arms. He did not reply but carried Maggie to the small chamber on the first floor and laid her on a bed.

#
Section : IV
Mrs Thompson did not reply, but presently turned towards the little chamber where her husband had deposited Maggie; and, pushing open the door, went quietly in. Joe did not follow; he saw that, her state had changed, and felt that it would be best to leave her alone with the child. So he went to his shop, which stood near the house, and worked until dusky evening released him from labor. A light shining through the little chamber windows was the first object that attracted Joe's attention on turning towards the house: it was a good omen.

Qstn #1
How did Mr Thompson manage to touch the soft nerve of his wife?
Ans : Mrs Thompson was full of anger and astonishment when she saw Maggie in her husband's arms. Mr Thompson noticed this and said, 'I think women's hearts are sometimes very hard'. Usually, he got out of her sight in such situations or kept silent to avoid further arguments but this time he faced an entirely different person and encountered countenance and well-determined eyes. To his counter, she replied that men's hearts are harder than women's. By this only, he came to know that he had been successful in touching the strings of her heart.

Qstn #2
Why did Mrs Thompson enquire about the two other children of the dead woman?
Ans : Mrs Thompson who was a bitter lady got angry when she saw Maggie in her husband's arms. She knew that Maggie had one brother and sister too. She was keen to know where they would have been when Maggie was brought there and why didn't she was sent along with them. She wanted her to go to the poorhouse.

Qstn #3
On the pretext of the Bible, how did Mr Thompson presented his views before his wife?
Ans : Mrs Thompson asked her husband to go at once to the poorhouse for getting a permit to send Maggie to the poorhouse when she brought the child home. Then he gave the reference of the Bible in which much is written about children. And the Savior rebuked and punished the disciples who would not receive them, but took them in his arms and blessed them and even the smallest of help to the children would be considered. Kindness goes in a circle and comes back in one way or the other. Hearing this, a soft feeling crept into her heart.

Qstn #4
Why did Mr Thompson avoid the chamber where Maggie was kept when he returned back home? OR
Why did Mr Thompson felt it better to leave Mrs Thompson alone with the child in the chamber?
Ans : Mr Thompson was not sure whether his wife's temperament would be normal by evening or not. The first thing that caught his attention after reaching home was the light shining through the little chamber. He paused to look in and was satisfied to see the view. His wife was sitting by the bed in the chamber where Maggie lay and was talking to her. But entering the house, he did not go immediately to the little chamber. His heavy footsteps were heard by his wife who hurriedly came out of the chamber where she was with Maggie. Joe thought it best, not to discuss the child or show any concern for the child.

Qstn #5
What did Mr Thompson notice when he returned back in the evening from his work? Why was he relieved?
-OR
What expressions did Mr Thompson find on the little girl's face after he returned home?
Ans : When Mr Thompson returned back home he observed the light shining in the chamber in which Maggie was kept. He considered it a good omen. It was dark enough outside to screen him from the observation. Maggie was lying on the bed with her head little raised on the pillow. His wife was sitting beside her and talking to her. The light fell upon Maggie's face and Thompson could see that her eyes were fixed upon his wife. Every now and then a few words came as if in answers from her lips. There were sadness and tenderness in her expression but no pain or bitterness. This sight lifted the heavyweight from his heart.

#
Section : V
"Is it good?" asked Mrs Thompson, seeing with what a relish the food was taken. The child paused with the cup in her hand and answered with a look of gratitude that awoke to new life old human feelings which had been slumbering in her heart for half a score of years. "We'll keep her a day or two longer; she is so weak and helpless", said Mrs. Joe Thompson, in answer to her husband's remarkable, at breakfast-time on the next morning, that he must step down and see the Guardians of the Poor about Maggie.

Qstn #1
What were Mr Thompson's feelings when he saw the child carefully for the first time?
Ans : After having his dinner, Mr Thompson washed from his hands and face the dust and soil of work, left the kitchen and went to the little chamber. He found a pair of large bright eyes looking at him from the snowy bed. The looks were tender, grateful and pleading. This gave him extreme joy, his heartbeats became faster. Joe Thompson sat down and for the first time examined the child carefully under the lamplight. The tender face was attractive and full of childish sweetness on which suffering had not been able to leave its marks. It strengthened his sympathy for Maggie.

Qstn #2
What was the subject of discussion between Maggie and Mr Thompson?
Ans : On the first day, after returning from his work, Joe Thompson encountered the girl's childish face for the first time. He sat down beside her and taking her soft little hand, confirmed her name, Maggie. She affirmed in a trembled voice. He asked about her sickness and her treatment than about the pain. The girls replied that till now she had some problems and pain also but now as she was in the soft bed it felt good and comfortable. She was satisfied and grateful to Mr Thompson.

Qstn #3
Mrs Thompson pretended to be indifferent to the child. Was she actually?
Ans : At first, Mrs Thompson was against taking care of Maggie and insisted on her husband to send her to the poorhouse immediately. Thompson reminded her of the Bible and explained to her that it was a small thing for them to keep that poor motherless child for a single night. The voice was very strong but simultaneously there was moisture in his eyes. Mrs Thompson did not answer but a soft feeling crept into her heart. She spent the whole day with her and at night she made an effort to be indifferent to Maggie in front of her husband. She kept silent on that theme and gave the child a toasted slice of bread which was softened with milk and butter added with a cup of tea. This showed that the chords of her heart were struck with sympathy for the child.

Qstn #4
How was the behaviour of Mrs Joe Thompson transformed completely?
-OR
What change has been noticed in Mrs Thompson's behaviour with regard to Maggie?
Ans : Earlier Mrs Thompson was adamant for sending the poor child to the poorhouse. But with the passage of time, the harshness of her behaviour converted into softness and her heart began to melt towards little Maggie. The tenderness, innocence, patience, gratitude, nature and purity of the child moved her a lot and she asked her husband to keep her for one or two days more before sending to the poorhouse on the pretext of her weakness and helplessness. Finally, she gave up the idea of sending her to the poorhouse and accepted her wholeheartedly.