Short Questions
1. Where was Lieutenant Blandford waiting, and for whom?
Ans:- He was waiting at the information desk in New York Grand Central Station for the woman he had been writing to for thirteen months.
2. How long had Blandford and Hollis Meynell been writing to each other?
Ans:- They had been writing to each other for thirteen months.
3. What had Meynell refused to give Blandford?
Ans:- She had refused all his requests for her photograph.
4. Why did Meynell refuse to send her photograph?
Ans:- She explained that if his feeling for her had any reality, her looks wouldn’t matter, and she didn’t want him to love her only for a pretty face or fear he was writing to her only out of loneliness.
5. What was the title of the novel Blandford had read in the training camp?
Ans:- The title of the novel was ‘Of Human Bondage’.
6. How did Blandford find Hollis Meynell’s address?
Ans:- He found her name inside the cover of the book and found her address in a New York telephone directory.
7. By what sign was Blandford supposed to recognise Meynell?
Ans:- He was to recognise his friend by a red rose.
8. What age had Meynell told Blandford she was?
Ans:- Meynell had told him she was thirty.
9. What was the girl in the green suit wearing, and how old did she appear?
Ans:- She was wearing a white rose and appeared to be about eighteen years old.
10. What did the girl in the green suit say to Blandford as she passed?
Ans:- She smiled sweetly and murmured, “Going my way, soldier?”
11. How did Blandford describe the woman wearing the red rose?
Ans:- She was a woman past forty, rather heavy, with greying hair pulled under an old hat, and a red rose on her untidy coat.
12. What book did Blandford hold to show who he was?
Ans:- He held the book ‘Of Human Bondage’.
13. What did Blandford decide their relationship would be, even if it was not love?
Ans:- He decided it would be something precious, a friendship for which he would always be grateful.
14. What did Blandford say to the older woman when he approached her?
Ans:- He said, “I’m lieutenant John Blandford, and you — you are Miss Meynell. I’m so glad we could meet. May I take you to dinner?”
15. What did the older woman tell Blandford about the real Miss Meynell?
Ans:- She said the young lady in the green suit had asked her to wear the red rose, and that if he invited her to dinner, she was waiting at the restaurant across the street, adding, “It is a test of some kind.”
Long Questions
1. How did the friendship between Blandford and Meynell begin?
Ans:- Blandford had read a novel titled ‘Of Human Bondage’ in the training camp, and throughout its pages were notes in a woman’s handwriting. He had never believed that a woman could understand a man’s thoughts so well. Her name was inside the cover of the book — ‘Hollis Meynell’. He found her address in a New York telephone directory, wrote her a letter, and she answered. The next day his army group moved overseas, but he and Hollis Meynell continued writing to each other for thirteen months.
2. Why did Meynell refuse to send Blandford her photograph?
Ans:- Meynell explained that if his feeling for her had any reality, her looks wouldn’t matter. She said that if she were beautiful, he would always have the idea that he was attracted by a pretty face, which would displease her. On the other hand, if she were not pretty, she would always fear that he was writing to her only because he was lonely. So she refused to send her picture and told him that when he came to New York, he would see her himself.
3. Describe the words in Meynell’s letter that gave Blandford strength.
Ans:- Meynell had written to him: “Of course there will be times when you are afraid; imagine you can hear my voice saying to you, I shall fear not even death in battle.” Blandford remembered these words, and they had given him new strength during his time in the war. Now he was going to hear her real voice for the first time.
4. Describe the girl in the green suit whom Blandford first noticed.
Ans:- A girl passed by Blandford wearing a white rose, though he was supposed to recognise his friend by a red rose. This girl was tall and slender, only about eighteen years old, while Meynell had told him she was thirty. Later, another young woman came towards him — tall and slender, with eyes as blue as flowers, lips and chin with a gentle firmness, wearing a green suit, looking like springtime itself. She smiled sweetly and said, “Going my way, soldier?”
5. Describe the older woman wearing the red rose.
Ans:- The woman was standing behind the girl in green — a woman past forty, with greying hair pulled under an old hat. She was rather heavy, but there was no mistake about the red rose on her untidy coat. Blandford could see that her pale, plump face was gentle and kind, and her grey eyes were warm and friendly.
6. What internal conflict did Blandford face when he saw the two women?
Ans:- Blandford’s attention was divided between the two women. He felt a strong urge to follow the young, beautiful girl in the green suit. Yet he also had a deep longing for the woman who had given him great courage and strength through her letters, and there she stood, the older woman with the red rose. He had to make a decision about which one to approach.
7. What did Blandford decide about his feelings before approaching the older woman?
Ans:- Lieutenant Blandford did not hesitate. His fingers held ‘Of Human Bondage’, which was to show who he was. He thought about their relationship and decided, “This would not be love, but it would be something precious. It would be a friendship for which he would always be grateful.” He then stood straight, saluted, and held the book towards the woman.
8. What did Blandford say to the older woman, and how did she respond?
Ans:- Blandford said, “I’m lieutenant John Blandford, and you — you are Miss Meynell. I’m so glad we could meet. May I take you to dinner?” A smile appeared on the woman’s face, and she answered, “I don’t know who you are, young man. That young lady in the green suit asked me to wear this red rose on my coat.”
9. What message did the older woman give Blandford from the real Miss Meynell?
Ans:- She said that if he invited her to dinner, she was told to tell him that the real Miss Meynell was waiting for him at the restaurant across the street, and added, “It is a test of some kind.”
10. What does the story of Blandford and Meynell teach us about true love and trust?
Ans:– The story shows that Meynell tested Blandford’s true feelings by asking an older woman to wear the red rose instead of appearing herself, to see whether he would remain loyal to the values expressed in their letters rather than being drawn only by outward beauty. Blandford passed the test because, despite feeling a strong pull towards the beautiful young girl in green, he chose to approach the older woman with respect and gratitude, proving that his feelings were based on genuine friendship and honesty rather than mere physical attraction.
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