"The Midnight Visitor" is a suspenseful story by Robert Arthur about a secret agent, Ausable, who outwits a rival agent with pure intelligence rather than physical strength or weapons. The story is set in a small, unpretentious hotel room in Paris, where Ausable and his guest Fowler are confronted by a dangerous agent named Max. The story is a classic example of how wit and presence of mind can triumph over brute force.
Fowler, a young writer, is disappointed because he expected the meeting with the secret agent Ausable to be full of drama and adventure. He is surprised to find Ausable to be a fat, ordinary-looking man who speaks with an accent and lives in a cramped hotel room. But the quiet evening suddenly turns exciting when Max, an enemy agent, appears in the room holding a pistol, demanding a secret report.
The climax of the story comes when Ausable, using his sharp mind, invents a story about a balcony outside the window — a balcony that does not exist. He convinces Max that the police will arrive and that the only escape is through the window. Max, believing the lie, jumps out of the window, only to fall to his death. Ausable then calmly explains to the astonished Fowler that he made the whole story up — there is no balcony at all.
2. Author: Robert Arthur
Robert Arthur (1909-1969) was an American writer of mystery and suspense fiction, known for his work on radio, television, and literature. He is best remembered for creating "The Three Investigators" mystery series for young readers. His stories are characterised by clever plots, unexpected twists, and the triumph of intelligence over danger. "The Midnight Visitor" is one of his most famous short stories, celebrated for its witty and dramatic climax.
3. Summary of the Story
The story begins with Fowler, a young writer, who has come to meet Ausable, a secret agent, expecting an evening of excitement. He is disappointed because Ausable seems nothing like a typical spy — he is fat, speaks with a heavy accent, and lives in a small, shabby room on the sixth floor of a hotel in Paris. Fowler wonders why such a man would be a secret agent.
As the two men talk, the door of the room opens and a man named Max steps in, holding a pistol. Max is another agent who has come to steal the important report that Ausable is expected to receive. Max tells them that he knows about the report and demands it. Fowler is terrified, but Ausable remains calm.
Ausable then begins to talk about the weather and his dislike of the balcony outside the window. He explains that someone else once entered his room through that balcony. Max, curious, looks at the window, but Ausable quickly changes the topic, saying that the balcony was a mistake. He then tells Max that the police are coming to his room — a lie. He says he hopes the police will grab Max. To add to the deception, Ausable mentions the balcony again, hinting that Max could escape through it.
Max, convinced that the police are arriving, opens the window and jumps out onto the supposed balcony. But there is no balcony — the window is on the sixth floor, and Max falls to his death. Fowler is stunned, and Ausable casually reveals that there was no balcony and no police; he invented the whole thing to trick Max. The story ends with Fowler realising that Ausable's real weapon is his quick, clever mind.
4. Characters
Ausable: The protagonist, a secret agent who appears fat and ordinary but is exceptionally clever. He defeats Max through wit and presence of mind, not violence.
Max: An enemy agent who breaks into Ausable's room with a pistol, only to be tricked into falling to his death.
Fowler: A young writer who accompanies Ausable, expecting adventure. He represents the reader's curiosity and is astonished by Ausable's cleverness.
The Hotel Staff: Minor characters who bring the telephone and champagne, adding to the scene's realism.
5. Themes
Wit over Brute Force: The story shows that intelligence and quick thinking can defeat physical threats.
Presence of Mind in Danger: Ausable's calm under pressure is the key to his success.
Appearance vs. Reality: Ausable looks ordinary but is brilliant; the 'balcony' appears real but does not exist.
Deception and Cleverness: The story celebrates the power of a well-invented lie.
Expectation vs. Reality: Fowler's idea of a spy is upended by Ausable's true methods.
Fear and Courage: Ausable's courage contrasts with Fowler's terror.
6. Literary Devices
Suspense: The story builds tension through Max's unexpected appearance and the threat of the pistol.
Irony: Ausable, who appears weak, defeats the armed Max with words alone; the 'balcony' is a clever deception.
Foreshadowing: Ausable's talk about the balcony hints at the plan to come.
Climax: Max's jump out of the window is the story's dramatic turning point.
Contrast: Ausable's calm versus Fowler's fear; Max's confidence versus his downfall.
Dialogue: The story relies heavily on dialogue to reveal character and drive the plot.
Third-person Narration: The story is told from Fowler's perspective, heightening the sense of surprise.
7. Quick Revision Tables
Character Comparison Table
Character
Appearance
Real Strength
Fate
Ausable
Fat, ordinary
Quick mind, calm
Succeeds
Max
Armed, confident
Pistol
Falls from window
Fowler
Young, imaginative
Observant
Astonished
Story Events Table
Event
Significance
Fowler meets Ausable
Expectation of adventure
Max appears with pistol
Beginning of danger
Ausable talks of a balcony
Sets up the deception
Ausable claims police are coming
Increases Max's panic
Max jumps out the window
Climax - the trap works
Truth revealed
Ausable's brilliance exposed
8. Mind Map
flowchart TD
A["The Midnight Visitor - Robert Arthur"] --> B["Fowler meets Ausable in Paris"]
B --> C["Max appears with a pistol"]
C --> D["Ausable stays calm"]
D --> E["Talks of a balcony that doesn't exist"]
E --> F["Claims police are coming"]
F --> G["Max panics and jumps"]
G --> H["Falls to his death"]
H --> I["Truth: no balcony, no police"]
I --> J["Theme: wit defeats brute force"]
9. Important Diagrams (SVG)
10. Common Mistakes
Thinking Ausable had a real weapon: Ausable's only weapon was his intelligence; he had no gun.
Believing there really was a balcony: The balcony was completely invented by Ausable to trap Max.
Saying the police actually came: No police came; Ausable invented that too.
Calling Fowler a secret agent: Fowler is a young writer, not an agent.
Forgetting the setting: The story is set in Ausable's small hotel room on the sixth floor in Paris.
Missing the theme: The story is about wit defeating brute force, not physical combat.
Thinking Max escaped: Max jumped out believing in the balcony and fell to his death.
11. Exam Tips
Begin by describing Ausable's unlikely appearance versus his real brilliance.
Set the scene: a small hotel room on the sixth floor in Paris.
Narrate Max's intrusion and Ausable's calm deception step by step.
For theme questions, focus on wit over force and appearance vs. reality.
Highlight the suspense-building techniques in the story.
Quote Ausable's casual revelation at the end: there was no balcony.
End by appreciating how the story celebrates intelligence and presence of mind.
12. Conclusion
"The Midnight Visitor" is a masterfully crafted tale of suspense that proves brains triumph over brawn. Robert Arthur presents Ausable — a fat, ordinary-looking secret agent — and places him in a life-threatening situation with an armed rival, only to have him resolve the crisis with a simple, brilliant lie. The invented balcony is a stroke of genius, turning Max's confidence into his own undoing. The story delights readers with its unexpected twist and leaves a lasting message: true strength lies not in weapons but in the power of a calm and clever mind.