Question

How does the statement "society must be protected from men like you" prove to be ironical in the story "A Question of Trust"?

Hint:

Remember: "Honour among thieves" is the central theme that is broken here.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

Irony here stems from the hypocrisy of the speaker.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Horace Danby is a "meticulous" thief who robs one safe a year.
The young lady in red convinces him that she is the owner and that she forgot the safe's combination.
She lectures him about the ethics of theft, yet she is there to rob the same jewels. Horace ends up in prison because he trusted a fellow thief.

Step 3: Final Answer:

It is ironic because the "protector" of society's values in that moment is actually a more successful criminal than the person she is lecturing.