Evans tries an O-Level – James Roderick Evans – a prisoner – Earlier escaped thrice from the prison – Therefore titled „Evans the Break‟ – started night classes in O-Level German – Govt. arranged to examine Evans for O-Level in his prison cell – On the exam day he was given time to smarten up – Unshaven and having a filthy looking hat – refused to remove the cap that‟s lucky • Examination Arrangements – Removal of razors and nail scissors – set tables opposite each other and placed two hard chairs in the cell – deputed Stephens on D-Wing and newly recruited to visit Evans‟ prison – Invigilator Mc Leery left his house at 8:45 am as the exam was to begin at 9:15 am. – McLeery came, having a brown suitcase, semi-inflated rubber ring, needed for haemorrhoids? • The Exam Begins – asked Evans to write index No., centre No, 313 and 271 – At 9:40 a.m. Mc Leery asked for correction slip
- Evans hardly understood anything, kept his pen between lips and staring towards the door – At 10:15 Evans requested for a blanket – The exam got over at 11:20 – Hearing the Governor‟s order at 11:22 a.m. accompanied McLeery to the prison gate – Stephens obeyed the orders – On the way asked McLeery about Evans – McLeery‟s answer made him feel, his broader Scots accent, to be slimmer due to long black overcoat. • Evans Escapes – After seeing McLeery off, wanted to go for coffee, must take one last look at Evans – He saw McLeery sprawled in Evan‟s chair slipping the blanket and blood dripping through The beard. – Instead of calling ambulance McLeery low moaned and asked for police to call – He knew where Evans was – opened the German Q. Paper and found a photocopied sheet carefully and cleverly superimposed over the last page of Q. Paper – Instructions and the plan written in German as Make your way to Neugraben – Governor was furious, not made any call to see off McLeery at the prison gate – Governor wanted to know about the false beard, spectacles and other things – Later the Governor was puzzled McLeery was not in the hospital – The ambulance sent to Elsfield to pick, Mc Leery but just vanished – After a quarter and half an hour they found McLeery bound and gagged – Now they understood it was not Evans impersonating as McLeery who had walked out but it was Evans, impersonating Mc Leery who stayed in • Final Escape
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– reached his hotel at Golden Lion – Very happy for his successful plan – Able to hide his closely cropped hair due to lucky hat – As he reached the reception, found the receptionist not the same girl – collected the keys, asked for early morning call at 6.45 am. – As entered the room, shocked to see the Governor sitting on the narrow bed – Finally spoke that was the correction slip which he left behind, given the clue about – Index No. 313, Centre No. 271 the six figures 313271 got him there – Governor wanted to know where the blood came from, answered that was pig‟s blood in ring – told about his German friend, helped him – winked at the receptionist and get back – Handcuffed and clambered into the back seat of prison van, as he turned right, unlocked hand cuffs and asked to drive fast – On the driver‟s query, suggested Newbury SHORT QUESTIONS Q.1. Why do people doubt Evans‟s sincerity towards taking the „O‟ Level examination? Ans.: Evans was a very cunning, experienced and intelligent and careful run away prisoner. He had escaped from the prison many times so he was called “Evans the Break”. Now he was preparing and appearing for „O‟ Level examination in the jail premises. So people were doubtful about Evans‟ sincerity for taking the examination. Q2. What was the unusual request received from the Oxford prison by the secretary of the examination? Ans. The Governor informed the secretary that a prisoner named Evans wanted to appear for Olevel German examination as he was keen to get some sort of academic qualification. The governor wanted the board to make arrangements for conducting the examination in the Oxford jail Q3.How is Evans not a typical criminal? (Not violent, pleasant person, one of the stars at Christmas concert, congenital Kleptomaniac, not harmful.) Q4. What kind of a person was Evans? Ans. Evans was just a congenial kleptomaniac. He became popular for his talent of mimicry at the Christmas concert at the Oxford jail. He didn‟t have any violent streak in him. He was also known as „Evans the Break‟ because he had escaped from the jail thrice. Q5.Which facts about Evans did the Governor of Prison not reveal to the Secretary of Examination Board? The fact that he has escaped from the jail thrice is not revealed by the Governor of Prison to the Secretary of Examination Board. Q6. Do you think Evans‟ statement, „I may surprise everybody,” has some special significance?
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Evans seems to be telling his teacher that he may surprise everybody by doing well in the exam, but in reality it is a forewarning that he is going to jolt everybody by his master-minded perfect escape-plan Q7. What made Evans clip his hair short? Evans‟ escape prison-- duplicate McLeery (invigilator during the O-level German exam) had short hair. In order to give a practical shape to their plan, Evans‟ hair had to look like McLeery‟s, hence Evans clipped them short. Q8 Do you think Evans was conscious of his appearance? No, Evans had long hair, wore grubby string vest, filthy looking, red and white bobble hat upon his head. Q9. How did Evans convince Jackson to allow him to wear his hat? He convinced Jackson to allow him to wear his hat by telling him that it was his lucky charm and brought the only thing which ever brought him luck. Considering he had an exam today he pleaded him to let him wear it. Q10 Why did Evans not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to do so? Q11. Why was it impossible for Evans to escape from the jail? Ans. Evans was locked in a cell. During the examination all the prison officers were on the alert. There were two more locked doors between his cell and the prison yard. The yard‟s walls were as high as a haystack. Q12. Why did the Governor instruct Jackson to search McLeery? The Governor asked Jackson to search McLeery, the invigilator, just in case he has brought something unwittingly which might prove to be a weapon that Evans could use and try escaping from prison. Q13 How was Reverend Stuart McLeery dressed when he came to the jail to invigilate? What did McLeery carry with him? Reverend Stuart McLeery had a long black overcoat and a shallow-crowned clerical hat on. The hat protected him from the steady drizzle which had set half an hour ago. He was wearing spectacles with thick lenses on which the water from the drizzle spattered. In his right hand he was carrying a small brown suitcase, which contained all that he would need for his morning duties, including a sealed question paper, a yellow invigilation form, a special “authentication” card from the Examination Board, a paper knife, a Bible (he was to speak to the Women‟s Guild that afternoon on the Book of Ruth) and a current copy of the Church Times. Q14. Which object in McLeery‟s suitcase puzzled Jackson? Ans. Jackson checked McLeery‟s suitcase and found a smallish semi-inflated rubber ring that puzzled him and he asked McLeery whether he intended to go for a swim.
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Q15 How does the coyness of Evans help the governor remove the guards from the room? Evans started cribbing about the fact that how he will do his paper with someone standing right on his head and breathing down his neck. He cribbed that it is impossible to concentrate that way and thus the governor felt that probably he was overdoing things. Q16 How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick succession? (– suspected that calls might be fake, some signal / some secret message / To check, dialed, exam board but heard bleeps of line which showed the line was engaged) Q17 .Why did Evans drape a blanket round his shoulder? What did Stephens think about it? In between intervals of Stephens‟ peeping into the cell, Evans was changing into the Parson‟s dress to look like McLeery. So, in order to conceal his effort to keep them in place, Evans draped a blanket round his shoulder. Stephens was misled into believing that Evans was feeling cold. Q18. What had actually happened to the real McLeery? Ans. The real McLeery was attacked by two cronies of Evans in his study at 8.15 am at Broad Street. He was securely bound and gagged and they took away the documents that were needed to conduct the German examination in the Oxford jail. Q19 In spite of strict vigilance, how did Evans‟ friend manage to give the material for disguise in the cell? Despite all vigilance, Evans‟ friend disguised as McLeery, the invigilator, managed to smuggle the disguised material into the cell. He came wearing two parson‟s dresses with black fronts and collars. Apart from it he also brought an extra pair of spectacles. All this was passed on to Evans when Stephens‟ vigilant eyes were away from the peep-hole. Q20Did Stephens observe something different, as he walked besides McLeery to the main gates? McLeery‟s Scots accent seems broader than ever and his long black overcoat reached almost to his knees, it fostered the illusion that he had suddenly grown slimmer. Q.21 what clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to Governor? Why did Evans leave the question paper with German written on it in the cell? Evans left clues like Index No.313 and Centre No.271 to trap Governor. The Governor made out the six unit reference which led him to Golden Lion where he met Evans. He left the Question paper in the cell so that he could misdirect the Governor with the instructions written at the page which was stuck in the end. Q22. How did Evans manage to get blood inside the cell and how was its clotting prevented? Evans managed to get the blood inside the cell via the invigilator in his rubber ring for piles. It was filled with pig-blood from a slaughter house in Kidlington but to prevent clotting it was mixed with human blood and one tenth of the volume of 3.8 per cent trisodium citrate. Q.23How did Evans mange his final escape? Ans.: He was almost rearrested by the Governor in the hotel. He was handcuffed and made to sit in a prison van. But the people sitting inside the van were the close friends of Evans. They
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opened his handcuff on Evans‟ instructions. They took the van towards Newsbury and Evans had his final escape. Thus Evans outwitted the Governor by dodging him at every step. LONG QUESTIONS Q.2.Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans having the last laugh? Ans.: Having the last laugh means to be successful and making the opponent stupid. Here the phrase finds a suitable place in the story. We can see that the Governor initiates all precautionary measures for the smooth conduct of the examination and ensure that Evans won‟t escape. He arranges for a microphone in the cell of Evans and appoints two Senior Police Officers for his vigil. And in spite of all his toil, Evans has the last laugh. His cell is thoroughly searched and it is reported that nothing is hidden there. Still Evans is able to hide a false beard, a pair of spectacles, a dog collar and some sort of weapon that has hurt McLeery. Further McLeery is found securely bound and gagged in his study. It becomes clear that Evans has been impersonating McLeery who had stayed in. Even after his arrest at a hotel The Golden Lion, the Governor could not bring him back to the cell. He had some good friends who helped his escape. In examination and police department he had close friends who arranged things for him. With his intelligence and the help of his friends, Evans was able to have the last laugh in the story. Q1. When Stephens comes back to the cell he jumps he jumps to a conclusion and the whole machinery blindly goes by his assumption without even checking the identity of the injured „McLeery‟? Does this show how hasty conjectures can prevent one from seeing the obvious? How is the criminal able to predict such negligence? Ans. Evans was a smart and perceptive criminal. He had assessed the weaknesses of the jail officers successfully. Stephen was new recruit to the prison set up. When he saw the injured McLeery in the cell he was so overwhelmed that he did not even check who he really was and neither did anyone else. It did not occur to anyone to question how there could there be two persons – one in the cell and the other who had been escorted out by Stephens. It was for this very reason that friends of Evans, who, posing as the Governor on the phone, have directed Stephens that he himself should escort the parson out, when the exam is finished. The Governor and his officers, in effect actually lead Evans out of the prison. The question paper is left behind to mislead the Governor. This shows that Evans the criminal had enough time to study the behavior patterns of the jail officers and plan their strategy well. Q2. What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to prison when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness really prove that „he was just another good for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all‟? Ans. The Governor took all the precautions to make sure that Evans should not have any chance to escape from the prison. He even tracked and arrested him at the Golden Lion after his sensational escape from the prison. But his overconfidence once again proved that he was no match for the clever and crafty Evans. The Governor after finding the clues from the question paper tracked Evans at the Golden Lion. When Evans entered the room he was shocked to see the Governor. Evans offered no resistance and was arrested. The gullible Governor gloated over his success and said goodbye to him. Evans was handcuffed and made to sit in the police van. The Governor did not take care to check
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the identity of the driver, the van and the officer. A little more vigilance could have averted the escape of the criminal. If the Governor had accompanied Evans to the prison cell with full police arrangements the criminal would not have escaped. This act of negligence proved that he was “just another good-for-a-giggle gullible governor that was all”. Q3 How did the question paper and the correction slip help the prisoner and the governor? Q4. What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination with reference to the lesson Evan tries an O-Level? Since Evans had already escaped from the jail on three earlier occasions, there was always a lurking fear that he might make another attempt to escape. Therefore all possible precautions were taken to see that the O-level German examination arranged in the prison did not provide him with any means of escape. The Governor personally monitored all security arrangements and heavily guarded the Recreation Block from where he expected the prisoner to make another break. Evans cell was thoroughly checked by Jackson to ward off the possibility of the presence of an incriminating material which might hamper the smooth conduct of the examination. His nail-scissors, nail-file and razor were taken away; and to keep a strict watch on the activities of the cell during the examination, the Governor got it bugged. A police officer, Stephens was posted to keep a constant vigil on his activities. The invigilator too was frisked to make sure that he carried no objectionable material with him. But in spite of all these elaborate preparation Evans escaped. Q5 Describe how the German „O‟ Level exam was conducted? Exam was scheduled to commence at 9:15a.m. – but started at 9:25 a.m. – A person Mr. McLeery was arranged to invigilate – calm prevailed but many lapses were noticed –At 9:40 Examination room was informed of the correction (where venue was fixed) on page three. At 10:50 a.m. Evans demanded for blanket – at 11:20 the wrong bell was rung – At 11:22 a.m. the hoax call instructed Stephan to escort McLeery – At 11:25 a.m. the exam was over. Q6In spite of his hyper vigilant attitude, the Governor unwittingly helped Evans to escape prison. Explain. {Hints: The governor made plenty of tactical mistakes, e.g., from not checking the antecedents of the German tutor to the prison to the soft corner he has for him to the wrong judgment of allowing Evans to escape in the guise of the Invigilator to the final one of not taking enough force to nab him at the hotel. (Find out the other shortcomings) } Q7 Draw a pen picture of James Roderick Evans. Ans.: “Evans the Break” as he was known among the prison officers was a jail bird. He was a congenital kleptomaniac, but was not violent by nature. He was quite a pleasant sort of a person, amusing and good at imitations. When he is introduced to the reader, he is unshaven with long wavy hair. He wore a filthy looking red and white bobble hat and had tucked a grubby string vest into equally grubby trousers. He appears to be quite cheerful with the prison officers. Evans is smart and resourceful. He makes a request to Mr. Jackson to allow him to put on his bobble hat. But he complains to the invigilator that Stephen‟s presence disturbs his concentration. He makes a polite request to cover himself with a blanket as it is chilly. He uses it to put on the clerical collar and black front. He employs the brief absence of the prison officers to disguise himself as McLeery, the parson and spill blood on him to look injured. He acts the part of the injured parson well. He offers to help the police and wins their confidence by acting groggy in
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need of an ambulance. Evans enjoys the faith, support and active cooperation of his accomplices. They plan carefully, working out the minute details to carry out his escape plan skillfully. Q8 Give an account of the blunders committed by the prison authorities who helped Evans in escaping from the prison (10 Marks) Prison authorities made many blunders. It was only because of these mistakes that Evans could escape from the prison. The hatching of the escape plan started with the German tutor‟s entry. The German teacher who had been coming to take Evans‟ classes was Evan‟s accomplice. Everyone assumed that he was a teacher from the technical college. The invigilator‟s identify was also not verified. On the day of the examination, Jackson‟s did not ask Evans to remove his „bobble-hat‟, which was a grave blunder. If Stephens had not shifted from the cell, the escape would not have been possible. Jackson should have searched McLeery thoroughly and seen the rubber ring closely. The prison staff blindly believed that the injured was the invigilator, though it was Evans playing a trick on them. When Evans was arrested, the Governor was complacent and sent him in a prison van, leaving Evans in the hands of his own accomplices. In this way Evans Q9Justify the title “Evans tries an O` level”
Evans was put in the Oxford Prison at Carfax for his criminal records including the three jail breaks that he had successfully committed. Anyway we do not exactly know what were the charges against him. It is most likely he was the master brain of a gang of robbers or was just a one man robber who was greatly skilled at impersonating other people and thus made an income out of that.
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However, London Police had no other choice than putting him in the most secure Oxford Prison where jail breaks were not at all common. Evans was aware of it, too. Seeing that he was in all sense trapped for life, Evans made a new plan to escape and it was very complicated and it involved many people at the same time. In the first week in the jail, Evans requested the Governor of the jail that he was genuinely interested in learning some German lessons to acquire sort if academic degrees. Suspicious as he always was, the governor arranged a German tutor for Evans and watched how things proceeds. With a microphone hidden in the study room or in his cell where Evans took classes, the governor waited to hear if Evans would ask the tutor to help him. It so happened but no one knew how Evans managed to do such a risky thing while the mic was listening to him. Probably Evans communicated with the tutor through a letter which the latter was asked to read silently. I believe it was what Evans wrote - "Mr. Tutor, do not raise your voice on reading this letter. I have requested for German tuition with an entirely different purpose. You have been called to act like my mediator with my friends. You will carry similar messages to my friends and help me escape this prison for which I will pay you more than you can count." After reading the letter, the tutor must have smiled and agreed, for, Evans was so charming a personality. At the end of the six months' coaching, the tutor informed the Governor that his student was ready for an ordinary level exam. Suspicious as always, the Governor contacted the examination board and arranged an O'level exam for Evans. The board contacted St. Mary Mags and requested Rev. Stuart McLeery to go to the prison to invigilate the exam. The parson agreed and began his preparation for the exam. Today is the exam. Rev. McLeery was getting ready to go to the prison early in the morning when two of Evans' friends came to visit him. They gagged and tied the parson while one of them dressed himself as him. After half an hour they went out - one of them as Stuart McLeery. At the same time, at the prison, officer Jackson and a newly appointed - or specially appointed - officer, Mr. Stephens, were making sure if Evans had any potential weapon to make a jail break during the exam. Evans had put on a bobble hat and hadn't shaved. Inside the hat he had hidden his makeup stuff for his escape plan and he delayed shaving for the smart purpose of keeping its blade with him. Thus, while giving the razor back to Stephens in the most artificial haste, Evans took out its blade. When Jackson ordered him to remove that hat, Evans requested the kind hearted officer Mr. Jackson to let him keep it as he considered the cap to be his lucky charm. Well, Jackson was always like that. He was full of sympathy and the hat was full of what Evans needed for transformation! It was already 9am when the invigilator reached the prison. He was shown his way into Evans' cell and the exam was about to start but the Governor felt something... something wrong. He asked Jackson to get the parson frisked. Accordingly it was done and the officers confiscated a pair of scissors that the parson had brought with him - well, it was for Evans. Having done so, they went on frisking and searching till they found that the parson - do not forget that it was Evans' friend who made himself up as the parson - had got a semi inflated rubber tube in his briefcase. On enquiring the reason for which the tube was brought, the parson replied it was a cure for his extremely painful disease of piles. Having made a decent parson disclose a secret in such a shameful manner, the two officers felt embarrassed. They didn't want to search any more. The parson was allowed to resume
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his seat. The exam began; three men - Evans to write the exam, the parson to invigilate Evans and and Stephens to keep watch. At the start of the exam, Evans had to get rid of officer Stephens and get a covering for himself. These he required because he was not going to write any German O'level Exam. He was only going to make himself as the parson who had come to invigilate him! Height for height, beard for beard, dress for dress and accent for accent to create confusion in the prison once the exam was over. By complaining it was extremely cold inside and he was not able to concentrate in his exams because of Stephens, Evans managed to get a blanket for him and get Stephens out of the cell. Exam began in full swing. The Invigilator remained reading his magazine, Stephens went up and down the corridor, the Governor himself listened to the loud speaker that caught conversations from Evans' cell and Jackson kept a watch of all the rest. Keeping a pen between his lips, Evans observed Stephen's position in the corridor with the help of the shining, bulbous head of the pen. The closer Stephens came, the dimmer was the brightness of the pen-head. Well, there remains just five more minutes for the examination to call off and Evans and his friend, the invigilator, did all that was part of the plan. Evans trimmed his long hair with a razor blade, put on the extra pair of clerical dress - cassock, front, collar, etc. - that his friend had brought in and glued a fake beard. Just five minutes and then Stephens heard Jackson shouting from the other end of the corridor, informing that the Governor was on the telephone line, wanting to talk to him. Stephens was more than excited. He was feeling proud of himself because the Governor wanted to talk to him! Stephens attended the call - well, it was not the Governor who talked to him nor was it Jackson who yelled from the other end! Excitement brings wise men to unforgivable errors. As per the call, Stephens carried out the Governor's orders - took the invigilator from the cell and led him out of the prison and once again returned to Evans' cell to make sure he was really there. Looking through the peep hole, Stephens saw the most unbelieveable sight in his life - the invigilator, not Evans, inside the cell! Evans' Master Plan Requested permission for learning German. Discussed his plans with the tutor. No idea if the tutor was his friend already or not. After six months, the tutor, now Evans' friend, lied to the Governor that Evans was ready for an Ordinary Level exam. Governor contacted the Exam Boards. Exam Boarded arranged for Evans' exam. Rev. Stuart Mc Leery was arranged for invigilation. Evans' friends gagged and tied the real Mc Leery. One of Evans' friends disguised as the invigilator. This fake Mc Leery reaches the prison. Officer Stephen takes him into Evans' cell. Jackson and Stephens got Evans ready for the exam. Report this incompletion... Questions and Answers 1. Who was James Roderick Evans? Why was he put in the Oxford Prison? Evans was a smart young man who had a number of amazing skills to fool anyone and escape any prison. He had a gang of friends who used to make money by imitating other
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people. Because of his smartness in breaking prisons, Evans was sent to the Oxford prison that was thought to be the most secure prison in England. How was Evan's presence in the prison felt by the authorities? Even though Evans was a prisoner, the whole of the prison seemed to have loved to have him there. He being a smart, tricky, intelligent and the most popular inmate of the prison, even the authorities admired his skills but were worried only about the possibility of his escape. He had many good friends among the prisoners and even the Governor himself was concerned for him and at times behaved to be Evans‟ fan. Why did the Governor apply for an examination for Evans? Evans was a prisoner in the Oxford Prison. He had convinced the authorities that he was genuinely interested in learning German and was tutored for a while. When the tutor announced that Evans was prepared for an O'Level exam, the Governor of the prison applied to the Examination Board for his exam. Who was Mc Leery? What is his role in the story? Rev. Mc Leery was a parson at St. Mary Mags, a monastery. He was supposed to invigilate Evan's examination at the Oxford Prison. He was about to leave his residence for the prison when two of Evans' friends entered his room and tied and gagged him until Evans had escaped from the prison. Why was Evans particular about keeping his hat on his head during his exam? Evans wore a bobble hat at the time of his examination. When he was asked to remove that, Evans pleaded to let stay it because he believed it was his lucky charm. In fact he had hidden some of the makeup materials in his hat which was the reason he didn't want to remove it. Why did the Governor think of frisking Mc Leery? Mc Leery was the invigilator of the examination and he was to sit inside Evan's cell while the latter wrote the exam. The Governor had made sure that Evans had been thoroughly frisked and there was nothing to fear about that. But when he thought about the possibility of Mc Leery carrying a paper-knife or that sort, he feared Evans would make use of that and escape by holding the parson his hostage. Why did Mc Leery's expressions change when he was frisked? While frisking Mc Leery, the prison officers found out a semi-inflated rubber tube in his bag. When he was asked of this Mc Leery's amiable appearance suddenly changed and he turned shy and embarrassed for having made to admit that he was suffering from piles. In fact this was only an excuse to stop the authorities from asking further questions and to allow him to carry the rubber tube that had some blood inside for the escape drama. What was the intention behind the call from the Examinations Board? It was one of Evans' friends who made the call from the Examination Board. This call was primarily meant for confirming the beginning time of the exam in order to calculate the end of the exam. The equally important reason behind this call was to misguide the Governor into Hotel Golden Lion to arrest Evans from there and thereby to make the escape altogether safer. The Governor's pride in his little knowledge in German was of great help for Evans to escape. Explain. The Governor had acquired a little bit of German earlier and was proud of that. On seeing the correction sheet and faintly recognizing the hidden message that would help him to trace the escaped Evans, he became over enthusiastic and decided to track the prisoner
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with the assistance of another officer. Later when he trapped Evans so „smartly,‟ the Governor forgot all caution and went high in the sky of his pride and that gave Evans a great opportunity to escape. 10. What had 'Mc Leery' brought with him to the prison to help Evans' escape? Evans‟ friend dressed up like Mc Leery had brought some very useful articles for Evans‟ escape. He had worn an extra clerical collar and a clerical front. In his bag he had carried a semi inflated rubber tube filled with blood. He had also carried a paper scissors even though it was frisked by the prison authorities. 11. Why did Evans ask for a blanket while writing the exam? As part of his escape plan, Evans had to dress up him as Mc Leery, the invigilator. To cut his long hair and to dress up, Evans wanted a hiding. Moreover, he had hidden part of the invigilator‟s costume under the blanket. 12. How did Stephens feel when he was asked to accompany Mc Leery out of the prison? Stephens was a new officer at the Oxford Prison and was naturally apprehensive about his duties. He was already glad that he was in charge of the invigilator and the examinee. When he was asked by the Governor to accompany the invigilator out of the prison, Stephens felt greatly flattered and proud of himself. 13. When did the Governor realize that the invigilator was fake? The Governor had initially assumed that it was Evans who had run out of the prison after hitting the invigilator. But later, when he made call to the Radcliffe Hospital where detective Carter had admitted the invigilator, he was informed that the hospital had not admitted the invigilator. More confused, the Governor searched for the parson at Mary Mags , his residence and confirmed that the parson who had to come as the invigilator had been tied and gagged in his room and the one came as the invigilator was Evan‟s accomplice. 14. Why did Evans want the Governor arrest him at Hotel Golden Lion? Evans‟ plan had been one very intelligently crafted. He wanted to make sure that his plan had to amaze everyone and the very smart Governor also had to be overtaken. To do this he wanted the Governor arrest him with his „own smartness‟ and feel „elated, proud and over confident and consequently less careful about keeping Evans under high security. 15. Evans was 'visibly shaken' when he saw the Governor in his room in the hotel. Why was he shaken? It was part of the escape plan that the Governor had to come to the Golden Lion Hotel to arrest Evans from there and take him to the prison. The purpose was to make the Governor believe that he was really intelligent and efficient and thereby let his confidence go loose. It was because of this that Evans pretended that he was really caught. 16. Why is the Governor called ‘good for a giggle Governor?’ The Governor was in a way intelligent and smart. Though a little late, he was successful in tracing Evans in the Hotel Golden Lion and in arresting him. But little did he know that it was Evans who wanted the Governor to arrest him. Evans raised the Governor‟s confidence level sky high and let him fall from such a height of pride. When he caught Evans, the Governor thought that he was the most intelligent prison governor in the world and drove to the prison dreaming of the praises and ranks he would be given for his efficiency as a Governor. But in the prison he would know how he was made fool by Evans and the world would only giggle at him.
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17. Do you think that the Governor was really intelligent? Support your answer with instances. The Governor was a very intelligent officer but his overconfidence was his weak point. The instances of his intelligence can be seen at various places of the story. He didn‟t believe that Evans was genuinely interested in learning German when he noticed that Evans didn‟t understand the basic German expression, “Guten Gluck.” He was doubtful when the call came from the Examination Board and made a return call to confirm if the call really came from the Board. It was his intelligence that thought of frisking the invigilator and found the rubber tube. It was he who discovered the secret message regarding the assault on the invigilator superimposed at the back of the question paper. Soon he found out that the real McLeery had never come to the prison and that it was Evans who had escaped from the prison as the injured invigilator. The Governor deserves praises for tracing Evan to Hotel Golden Lion at Chipping Norton and arresting him. 18. How far was Stephens helpful for Evans' escape? Stephens was a newly recruited officer in the prison. He was very particular about showing his efficiency in front of the higher authorities and was especially glad that he was in charge of Evans‟ examination which was a risky job indeed. Evans complained of Stephens‟ breathing and got him naturally out of the cell. Once out of the cell, Stephens kept peeping into the cell but soon found it childish. To show that he was very confident and efficient, he left the cell door to come after short intervals. The short intervals soon became longer and very longer giving time for Evans to dress himself up inside the cell. Stephens was taken to the highest joy when he received the fake call from the Governor to take the invigilator out of the prison. He in his pride took the invigilator out of the prison and made way for Evans‟ escape in a wonderful way. 19. How did Evans escape from Detective Carter? Disguised as the invigilator, hit by the escaped Evans, Evans misguided detective Carter in the pretext of helping the officer to find the escaped Evans. When they reached Radcliff Hospital, Evans pretended to be most critical and told the detective to admit him in the hospital. Carted wanted to drive the wounded invigilator into the hospital but Evans advised him to call the ambulance and drop him on the roadside to be picked by the ambulance so that the detective could continue his chase after Evans the escaped. 20. Can you imagine what had happened when the Governor reached the prison? While driving to the prison the Governor thought that he was the most efficient and intelligent prison governor in the world. He was very confident, overwhelmed with gratification and was therefore least cautious. But there was the worst news awaiting him in the prison that Evans and his friends had escaped by fooling and disgracing him. He would also realize that he too was one among the idiots like Stephens and Jackson. Additional Questions 1. How did the blood help Evans make his escape easier? 2. Why did Stephens refuse to inform Jackson that Evans had put on the blanket? 3. What was the initial apprehensions about Evans' escape? 4. Why did the Governor call the Radcliffe Hospital? How did this call lead to finding that the real McLeery had not been to the prison? 5. Why did Evans pretend to have seen Gorgon when he saw the Governor in his hotel room? 6. How did Evans manipulate the Governor's little knowledge of German? 7. What were the purposes that the correction slip serve?
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8. Why did Evans want the governor to arrest him from the Golden Lion Hotel? Long Questions 1. What all make you think that Evans had friends everywhere? 2. Justify the title, 'Evans tries an O'level.'
