CHAPTER 5

AFTER TWENTY YEARS

A1. Answer these questions.

Q1. Describe the policeman on the beat.

Answer- The policeman moved up the street of his beat in a very impressive manner. It was
his natural style. He was keeping his alert eyes at the people’s movements on the main road.
His strong figure with a slight swagger (to walk in a very showy and proud manner) made him
a fine picture of a guardian of peace. He also kept twirling his staff in a very artistic way while
doing his duty.

Q2. What did the man in the doorway tell him?

Answer- The man assured the cop that he was not going to do any illegal activity there. He
was just waiting for a friend who had made a promise to meet him there after twenty years
back.

Q3. How did Bob describe Jimmy?

Answer- Bob describes Jimmy as his best friend and the "best fellow in the world." He tells
the cop that the two of them grew up together in New York where they were like brothers
and he was loyal and a kind of plodder.

Q4. How did the patrolman know that Bob had done well in the west?

Answer- The patrolman came to know that Bob had been doing well when he pulled out his
watch and saw a scarf pin made up of diamond.

Q5. When did Bob realize that the man he was talking to was not Jimmy Wells? How did he
react?

Answer- While talking, both of them came near a drug store. They could watch each other’s
face clearly in the light. Suddenly, Bob’s eyes noticed that the other man’s nose was totally
different from the one that Jimmy had. Bob reacted angrily and drew his arm back from the
other man’s grip.

A2. Answer these questions with the reference to the context.

Q1. He was a kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was.

a. Who said this and to whom?

Answer- Bob said these words to the policeman.

b. What did he mean?

Answer- He meant that though Jimmy was slow at work, he was a good person and a nice
friend.

c. Was the speaker criticizing his friend?

Answer- No, he was not criticizing his friend.

Q2. ‘You are not Jimmy Wells!’ he snapped. ‘Twenty years is a long time, but no long enough
to change a man’s nose from a Roman’s to a pug’s.’

a. Name the speaker.

Answer- Bob is the speaker.

b. Who was the speaker addressing?

Answer- The speaker is addressing to that person who came in place of Jimmy Wells.

c. Why did the speaker say this?

Answer- Bob says this because he had come to know that the other person was not Jimmy
Wells.

A3. Think and answer.

Q1. ‘Silky’ Bob was a criminal wanted in Chicago. Yet, he came to the appointed place at the
appointed hour to meet his friend after twenty years. What does this tell you about him?

Answer- It tells us that even if he is a criminal wanted in Chicago but he came to the
appointed place due his friendship and the promise given to his friend twenty years ago. He is
a criminal but a good friend and trust his friend that he will also come to that place to meet
him.

Q2. Who was the real Jimmy Wells in the story? How do you know?

Answer- The real Jimmy Wells in the story was the policeman. We know that because of the
note that was handed to Bob where Jimmy tells him that he saw his face when he struck a
match, and realizing he was wanted criminal of Chicago and he left the place without
arresting him.

Q3. Why couldn’t Jimmy arrest Bob?

Answer- Jimmy couldn’t arrest Bob because Jimmy was too responsible for such kind of
friendship as Bob was having true faith. Same in the case of Jimmy that’s why he was not able
to arrest Bob.

Q4. Why do you think Bob’s hand began to tremble when he read the note?

Answer- Bob’s hand began to tremble when he read the note because it was an unexpected
surprise. Now, Bob may have more respect in his heart for Jimmy as Jimmy hadn’t arrested
him though he was a criminal.

Q5. Do you think the inherent nature of a person can change with time and good person can
become a criminal? Explain.

Answer- Yes it may be that the inherent nature of a person can change with time and a good
person can become a Criminal as it totally depends on the environment in which the person
lives. In the lesson itself when Bob and Jimmy were staying at New York they were very good
friends even Bob was also a kind hearted man but as he went to the West due to the
environment he became a criminal.

Q6. Is a sense of duty more important than friendship? Write down your views.

Answer- I think sense of duty is more important than friendship but it depends upon the
cases. Sometimes it may be that friendship is more important than our duties but most of the
time duties are more important than friendship.

Q7. Think and write a comparative analysis of the characters of Jimmy and Bob?

Answer-