Why does Horace Danby get angry whenever anyone mentions the phrase 'honour among thieves' after his arrest?
Answer
Horace gets angry because he was deceived and betrayed by a fellow thief who posed as the lady of the house and left him to take the blame for the robbery.
Step-by-step solution
- Analyze Horace Danby's attitude towards crime and fellow criminals.
- The phrase 'honour among thieves' refers to an implicit ethical code where criminals do not cheat or betray one another.
- Horace believed that the young woman in red was either the actual mistress or a person who would keep her promise not to report him.
- In reality, she was another thief who manipulated Horace into cracking the safe and taking off his gloves, leaving him to get arrested while she escaped with the jewels.
- Because he was outsmarted and betrayed by a member of his own profession, any mention of 'honour among thieves' deeply aggravates him.
Common mistake: Assuming Horace gets angry because he dislikes being called a thief, rather than feeling betrayed by a fellow thief.
Concept tested: Irony and theme of honour among thieves
Published · How this solution was prepared and checked
Related questions
- 1 The phrase “honour among thieves” is used sarcastically in the passage. What does the author intend to convey by this sarcasm?
- 2 How often did Horace Danby commit a robbery to buy the rare and expensive books he loved?
- 3 Explain why Horace Danby decides to break into Shotover Grange even though he knows the risks involved.
- 4 Why did Horace Danby experience repeated sneezing fits while breaking into the safe at Shotover Grange?
- 5 How did the young woman in red trick Horace Danby into opening the safe without wearing his gloves?
- 6 What is the central theme of the passage "A Question of Trust"?