Workbook Answers of Hearts and Hands

Extract I

(i). Which coach is referred to in the extract? How can you conclude that the coach was crowded?

Ans. The coach of the eastbound train, B & M Express is referred in the extract. The only vacant seat left
was a "reversed one facing the attractive young woman." This tells us that the coach was crowded.

(ii). Name the young woman in the coach. What is said about her just before the extract?

Ans. Miss Fairchild is the young woman in the coach. She is described as an elegantly dressed, pretty
young woman who had all the luxuries and who loved travelling.

(iii) Which linked couple is referred to in the extract above? In what way were they linked?

Ans. The linked couple referred to in the extract was M.r Easton and the marshal. They were handcuffed
together.

(iv) Describe the reaction of the young woman on seeing the two men.

Ans. Miss Fairchild's glance fell upon the couple with a distant swift disinterest and then suddenly with a
lovely sweet smile brightening her countenance and a tender pink tingeing her rounded cheeks.....she
held out her little grey-gloved hand and started to speak with her sweet voice which shows that she was
accustomed to speak!.....and then she started a conversation with Mr Easton.

(v) What is revealed from the extract about the young woman's nature? What was the relationship
between Mr Easton and the young woman?

Ans. The young woman in the coach is named as Miss Fairchild. She is dressed as elegantly looking
young woman, who had all the luxuries and who loved to travel. Mr Easton and Miss Fairchild seem to be
good old friends who had some good memories from the past. There is some indication that they used to
have a soft corner for each other.

Extract II

(i)Who said, “It’s Miss Fairchild”? Which hand of his was engaged? How?

Ans. Mr Easton said this line. His right hand was engaged as it was handcuffed to the left hand of the
marshal.

(ii)  Why did the young lady’s look change to bewildered horror? What changes were seen in her
due to the horror?

Ans. As soon as the lady saw Mr Easton being handcuffed, her look changed to a bewildered horror. She
was no longer glad; "the glow faded from her cheeks" and "her lips parted in a vague, relaxing distress."

(iii) What did the glum-faced man say about the marshal? As per the context here where was the
glum-faced man being taken? Why?

Ans. The glum-faced man spoke as if Mr Easton was the marshal. The glum-faced man was a convict
being taken to Leavenworth prison for counterfeiting.

(iv) With reference to question (iii) above explain what happened in reality. 

Ans. In reality, the glum-faced man was the marshal who was taking the convict, Mr Easton, to the prison.
The marshal, to save Mr Easton from embarrassment in front of Miss Fairchild, presented himself as the
convict.

(v) Explain the significance of ‘hands’ in the story. What role do the eavesdroppers play in the
story?

Ans. The story begins with two people, Mr Easton and the glum-faced man hand-cuffed together. It is the
handcuffing that lends to the ‘Hands’ part of the title. In fact, it is the hands which are significant for
revealing the true identities of the two men. Miss Fairchild was misled by the unnamed man about the
identity of Mr Easton as he wanted to save Mr Easton from an embarrassing situation by revealing that he
was a convict and was being taken by him to the prison. Eavesdroppers play an important role in the
story. The eavesdroppers' brief conversation reveals the story's twist, that Mr Easton is not the marshal,
but rather a prisoner handcuffed to the marshal on his way to Leavenworth prison.

Extract III

(i) Why did Miss Fairchild call Easton, a marshal? What was he in reality? Explain the meaning of
"returning colour", with reference to Miss Fairchild's behaviour.

Ans. Miss Fairchild called Easton a marshal because the real marshal made her believe that Mr Easton is
the real marshal by telling lie about him.  In reality, Easton was a convict being taken to a prison on
charges of counterfeiting. The meaning of "returning colours" is that she was too blind in her feelings for
Mr Easton.

(ii) Explain the verbal irony in the statement, "I had to do something". What opening did Easton
see in the West?

Ans. The above statement is an example of verbal irony since Mr Easton did not want Miss Fairchild to
understand what the 'something' truly was. Easton saw the job of a marshal in the west which is better
than an ambassador.

(iii)  What is Easton hinting at while saying that 'marshalship isn't quite as high a position as that
of ambassador'?

Ans. Easton feels that being a marshal is not so fully and dignified and respected post as of being an
ambassador. The contrast of dignity between each of them is being hinted to when Mr Easton says the
above lines.

(iv) What did Fairchild say about Easton’s life in Washington? Why was she not likely to see
Easton in Washington soon?

Ans. She was not likely to see Easton in Washington soon, because he was to be confined in
Leavenworth prison. Miss Fairchild, assumed that he would be extremely busy in his new job as the
marshal.
(v) Give the meaning of :

a)Money has a way of taking wings unto itself. 

b)to keep step with our crowd in Washington.

Ans.

 a) Money has the ability to make one feel respected and dignified. Money can make one fly and soar
high.

b) To compete with the crowd or to feel one with the high-class society in Washington.

Extract IV

(i) Why were the girl’s eyes fascinated? Who were handcuffed? Why?

Ans. The girl's eyes were fascinated with the handcuffs on the hands of Mr Easton. Mr Easton and the
marshal were handcuffed because Mr Easton was being taken to the Leavenworth prison for
counterfeiting.

(ii) Why did the glum-faced man say, "Mr Easton knows his business"?

Ans. Miss Fairchild was glaring at the handcuffs. The glum-faced man asked her not to worry as it was
M.r Easton’s business as a marshal to handcuff the convict to keep from getting away.

(iii) What kind of relationship existed between Mr Easton and Miss Fairchild?

Ans. The word ‘Hearts’ in the title is indicative as relationship something more than friendship between
Miss Fairchild and Mr Easton. When she saw Mr Easton, there appeared a lovely smile on her face and
her cheeks turned pink. She even told him that she loved the West, suggesting that she would settle
down with him in the West.
iv) Why won’t Easton be in Washington in the near future? What is meant by, "my butterfly days
are over"?

Ans. Mr Easton would be imprisoned in Leavenworth prison on the charges of counterfeiting, therefore,
he won’t be in Washington in the near future. "My butterfly days are over" signifies that Easton's good and
adventurous days of making money by deceiving people are over.

v) How is the mistaken identity used in the plot of the story? Give examples to support your
answer.

Ans. There is a famous English idiom that goes like this, "don't judge a book by its cover".It means that a
person should not be judged by his outer appearance. A person who may look good on the outside may
turn out to be evil on the inside and vice versa. This idea of mistaken identity has been applied by the
poet in this story.

In the beginning, Mr Easton felt a bit embarrassing in front of his old friend but by sensing this the marshal
hid his own identity and basically swap their identities which shows the compassion of the marshal as he
was a golden-hearted person; The last plot can be formed as when the other passengers who heard the
conversation indirectly reveal that Mr Easton is not the marshal rather the glum-faced man is the marshal
surprises the readers.

Extract V

(i) What did the glum-faced man do to cut short the conversation between Easton and Miss
Fairchild? What could be the reason for his action?

Ans. The glum-faced man interrupted the conversation between Easton and Miss Fairchild and requested
Easton that he should be taken to the smoker room. To prevent Mr Easton from revealing that he is a
convict the glum-faced fellow did so.

(ii) What reason did the glum-faced man give for his going for a smoke? What was the real reason
for his going there?

Ans. The glum-faced man said he was in need of a drink and a smoke. He asked Mr Easton to
accompany him to the smoker car as he was ‘half-dead for a pipe.’ The real reason for his going there is
to prevent Mr Easton from revealing that he is a convict the glum-faced fellow did so.
(iii) Do you like the way the story ends? Give reasons to justify your opinion.

Ans. No, I don't like its ending way as in the end the efforts of Marshal become fail and truth revelled in
front of Miss Fairchild.

(iv) What role does the ‘heart’ play in the plot of the story?

Ans. The story begins with two people, Mr Easton and the glum-faced man hand-cuffed together. It is the
handcuffing that lends to the ‘Hands’ part of the title. In fact, it is the hands which are significant for
revealing the true identities of the two men. Miss Fairchild was misled by the unnamed man about the
identity of Mr Easton as he wanted to save Mr Easton from an embarrassing situation by revealing that he
was a convict and was being taken by him to the prison.