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Now, walking in the bright July sunshine, he felt sure that this year’s robbery was going to be as successful as all the others. For two weeks he had been studying the house at Shotover Grange, looking at its rooms, its electric wiring, its paths and its garden. This afternoon the two servants, who remained in the Grange while the family was in London, had gone to the movies. Horace saw them go, and he felt happy in spite of a little tickle of hay fever in his nose. He came out from behind the garden wall, his tools carefully packed in a bag on his back.
There were about fifteen thousand pounds’ worth of jewels in the Grange safe. If he sold them one by one, he expected to get at least five thousand, enough to make him happy for another year. There were three very interesting books coming up for sale in the autumn. Now he would get the money he wanted to buy them.
Explanation:
Horace planned another theft during one of the warm months of July that particular year as well, and he was confident that he would do it as effortlessly without being caught as he had done every other summer. Shotover Grange was the location. He studied the house for two weeks before performing a robbery, paying close attention to the smallest things, including electric wiring, pathways, and the garden area. The owner of that house was in London at that time.
Unfortunately, on the day of a planned robbery, the servants of that house, who were meant to stay at the residence on days when the family travelled to London, went to see a movie. So, no one was there on that particular day of theft as Horace expected. Horace's long-awaited moment had finally arrived.
Since it was summer, Horace had hay fever as usual, but instead of being concerned about the tickle in his nostrils caused by hay fever, Horace was pleased to see the staff leaving the house. He then entered the house through the garden wall behind it, carrying a backpack containing robbery tools. Horace was already aware that the Grange safe contained around \(15,000\) pounds worth diamonds. In this context, "Safe" refers to a locker that's used to keep valuable things like documents, jewels, etc.
Horace calculated that selling each of the jewels individually would net him at least 5000 pounds, enough to keep him comfortable for a year. He also considered buying three books that he planned to purchase in the autumn and was happy that he would now have the money to do so.
Meaning of difficult words:
S. No. | Words | Meaning |
1. | Shotover | Refers to a hill and forest in England |
2. | Grange | Refers to a country house |
3. | Tickle | To have an uncomfortable feeling in a part of your body |
4. | Autumn | The season between summer and winter |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2008). Honeydew. A Question of Trust - Victor Canning (pp 20-24). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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