A Question of Trust
The Careful Burglar
Fifty-year-old Horace Danby was widely considered a good, honest, and respectable citizen who successfully ran a lock-making business with two helpers. However, he was not completely honest; he had a deep passion for rare and expensive books. To fund this hobby, Horace meticulously planned and executed exactly one safe robbery every year, stealing enough to last for twelve months. This year, his target was Shotover Grange, where he knew a safe hidden behind a poor painting contained fifteen thousand pounds' worth of jewels. He studied the house's wiring, paths, and garden for two weeks, finally striking when the two servants went to the movies.
The Unexpected Encounter
Horace easily entered the house using a key hung outside, keeping the resident dog, Sherry, quiet by cleverly calling it by its right name. However, his work was hindered by a severe attack of hay fever triggered by a large bowl of flowers, which caused him to sneeze loudly. His sneezing attracted a young, pretty woman dressed in red, who spoke with a quiet, firm, and authoritative voice. She expertly acted as the lady of the house, casually straightening ornaments and petting the dog. She threatened to telephone the police unless Horace agreed to do her a favour: opening the safe for her because she had supposedly forgotten the combination and needed to wear the jewels to a party that night.
The Ultimate Betrayal
Desperate to avoid returning to prison, Horace eagerly agreed to help her. Wanting to please her, he took off his gloves to hand her his cigarette lighter, and then proceeded to break open the safe without putting his gloves back on. He handed over the jewels and left happily, believing he had escaped trouble. However, by noon of the third day, he was arrested by a policeman because his fingerprints were all over the room. When Horace claimed the owner's wife had asked him to open the safe, the real wife—a gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty—dismissed his story as nonsense. Now serving as the assistant librarian in prison, Horace realizes he was outsmarted by a clever young lady in his exact same profession, making him very angry whenever anyone talks about "honour among thieves".
Key Figures
Horace Danby
An unmarried, fifty-year-old lock-maker who is usually healthy except for summer attacks of hay fever. Though a meticulous planner who robs safes only once a year to buy rare books, he ultimately falls victim to his own panic and gullibility.
The Lady in Red
A young, pretty, and incredibly sharp-witted thief. By maintaining absolute confidence and pretending to be the owner of Shotover Grange, she seamlessly manipulates Horace into doing the dirty work and taking the blame.
Themes to Remember
Honour Among Thieves
The story playfully destroys the myth that criminals share a moral code or mutual respect. The young lady easily betrays a fellow thief to secure the loot for herself, leaving Horace to face the consequences.
Deceptive Appearances
Horace wrongly assumes the young, confident woman in red is the wealthy homeowner, proving that a calm demeanor and authoritative tone can easily mask a person's true, criminal nature.
The Flaw in Perfection
Despite two weeks of meticulous studying and having a flawless track record, Horace’s grand plan is undone by a biological flaw (hay fever) and a psychological one (his overwhelming fear of prison).
