Evans Tries An O-Level

- Colin Dexter
 Introduction
• ‘Evans Tries an O –Level’ is a
story of a criminal named Evans.
In this story, colin Dexter, the
author of the popular Inspector
Morse novels, shows how an
individual is able to shake the
entire police department with his
cleverness and ingenuity.
• Evans has escaped from the
prison three times.
• That is why, he is called
‘Evans the Break’ by the police
officials. The way he plans his
escape for the fourth time with
the help of his friends outside
the prison earns for him our
secret admiration for his
cleverness.
 Evans the Break
• A criminal – in Oxford prison –
very clever
• Study German- evening classes
started
• Only one student – Jail authorities
arranged a teacher from a technical
college – Later known as original
teacher but one of Evans’ friends.
 Evans wants to take O-level test
• Evans –keen to acquire academic
qualification-O-Level test in
German
• The Governor conceded to his
request - Arranged with the
Examinations Board to hold in the
Examination in Evans cell.
• A parson from St.Mary Mags to be
the invigilator
 The Governor takes precautions
• Fears –Evans try to escape
• Jackson , a senior prison Officer
to search Evans cell
• Nothing found –spent 2 hrs –
removed nail scissors and file
• Another Prison officer to stay
inside the cell till the examination
• Set microphone
Jackson and Stephens visit Evans
• Half an hour before the
examination- Jackson and
Stephens visited Evans’ cell
• Evans was given a blade to
shave himself
• Stephen takes the blade after
the shave
 Evans hat
• Evans wore a filthy hat
• Refused to remove it – lucky hat
Jackson allowed him to were it
• Actually he had cut his long hair to
impersonate the invigilator
• Had he removed – secret would
be revealed
 Arrival of the invigilator
• Invigilator- Reverend Stuart
Mc Leery- a parson- lived
alone in his flat in Board Street
• At 8.45 a.m –left-arrived at the
gate prison- led to Evans cell
• Introduced to Evans
 Invigilator –Mc Leery investigated
• The Governor suspected the
Invigilator-Rang up to Mr.Jackson
• Mr.Jackson checked – any
weapon was there, suitcase, but
nothing was there
• Mc Leery had a small semi
inflated rubber ring -Explained –
suffered from haemorrhoids.
Secret of the Rubber Ring
• Actually the rubber ring
contained pig’s blood
• Later used to pretend that the
invigilator was wounded to fool
the jailers
• The real Mc Leery was tied
and gagged in his flat
 Examination started
• Evans instructed to write the
index number- 313 and his
centre number – 271
• Jailer Stephen was to be
inside the cell but Evans asks
him to stay out
• Stephen keenly watches
through peep hole
 Correction in the question
paper
• 9.40 a.m – the Governor –
error in the question paper
• Jackson – informed –
conveyed to the Invigilator
• - “The Golden Lion”
• A hint to Evans – a hoax call
 Request for a prison van
• The Governor received
another call – from the
Magistrate – a prison van and
two prison officials for a
remand case
• - a hoax call – Evans friends
used it at the end
 Stephens keeps his watch
• Stephens is very alert
• Mc Leery always reading
newspaper with his finger
hooked on the back of his
collar.
• Evans sat with his pen
between his teeth
• Evans draped a blanket
around him
 A call for Stephens
• Three minutes before Exam –
a call for Stephens
• To accompany Mc Leery to the
gate
• And check Evans cell properly
– locked
• A hoax call - Governor
 Mc Leery is wounded
• Stephens accompanied Mc
Leery to the prison gate
• On return found Mc Leery in
Evans seat- blood trickling
down from head
• He thought it might be Evans –
but not
• Called Jackson
Mc Leery escorts to arrest Evans

• Detective Superintendent
Carter arrives
• Mc Lerry say he is alright and
knows where he has gone
• Governor send both of them
 Governor angry
• - Evans had kept a parsons
dress in the cell – not noticed
by both Stephens and Jackson
• Behind the Question paper
instructions for Evans to
escape was there- Governor
sure to arrest Evans
 Evans personating Mc Leery
escapes
• Carter – Governor – Mc Leery
had spotted Evans in a car –
Elsfiedway in a car
• Chased the car – disappeared
at Headington round
 Mc Leery in Hospital
• Mc Leery went to the Examination
Offices and appeared very ill
• Radcliffee Hospital for an
ambulance
• Governor rang up and found that
he was not there
 Real Mc Leery
• Two men called on Mc Leery
and reached his flat
• Tied him and Evans has
impersonated and escaped
from the Examination hall
through the ambulance
Evans traced in his hotel room
• Evans was happy in the Hotel-
shocked to find the Governor
• Governor traced the Hotel
Golden Lion and the index
number and centre number
referred to Chipping Norton in
Ordinance Survey Map
 Evans confesses
• Evans appreciates the
Governor’s intelligence
• Evans reveals all the facts of
the game he had played
• His friends had helped him
 Evans is arrested
• The Governor and Evans
come to the Hotel Lobby
• The Receptionist says that the
Prison officials are waiting with
the Prison van
• Evans is handcuffed
 Evans released
• The Governor is once again
deceived
• The prison officials unlocked the
handcuff
• Prison officials were none other
than his friends who had asked for
the Prison Van
• They drove to Newbury
• Evans escaped for the fourth time
• The End …..