1.Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans’ having the last laugh?
Answer:
Evans smartly devised and executed the plan of his escape. He managed to fool everyone till the end of the story. He left fake clues to misguide the officials chasing him. Even as the Governor heaved a sigh of relief after nabbing him in the Golden Lion Hotel, Evans was secretly cooking and executing another path of escape.

The prison officer and the van used by the Governor for transferring Evans back to the prison were forged. The Governor was happy that ultimately he was able to track him down using his intelligence and knowledge of German. However, Evans had planned a step ahead. With his successful escape, Evans definitely had a well earned last laugh.

2.When Stephens comes back to the cell he jumps to a conclusion and the whole machinery blindly goes by his assumption without even checking the identity of the injured ‘McLeery’. Does this show how hasty conjectures can prevent one from seeing the obvious? How is the criminal able to predict such negligence?
Answer:
Evans was a smart and perceptive criminal. He had assessed the weaknesses of the jail officers successfully. Stephens was new recruit to the prison set-up. When he saw the injured McLeery in the cell he was so overwhelmed that he did not even check who he really was and neither did anyone else. It did not occur to anyone to question how there could there be two persons – one in the cell and the other who had been escorted out by Stephens.

It was for this very reason that friends of Evans, who, posing as the Governor on the phone, have directed Stephens that he himself should escort the person out when the exam is finished. The Governor and his officers, in effect actually led Evans out of the prison. The question paper is left behind to mislead the Governor. This shows that Evans-the criminal had enough time to study the behaviour patterns of the jail officers and plan their strategy well.

3.What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to the prison when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness really prove that “he was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all”?
Answer:
The Governor took all the precautions to make sure that Evans should not have any chance to escape from the prison. He even tracked and arrested him at the Golden Lion after his sensational escape from the prison. But his overconfidence once again proved that he was no match for the clever and crafty Evans. The Governor after finding the clues from the question paper tracked Evans at the Golden Lion.

When Evans entered the room he was shocked to see the Governor. Evans offered no resistance and was arrested. The gullible Governor gloated over his success and said goodbye to him. Evans was handcuffed and made to sit in the police van. The Governor did not take care to check the identity of the driver, the van and the officer. A little more vigilance could have averted the escape of the criminal.

If the Governor had accompanied Evans to the prison cell with full police arrangements the criminal would not have escaped. This act of negligence proved that “he was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all”.

4.While we condemn the crime, we are sympathetic to the criminal. Is this the reason why prison staff often develops a soft comer for those in custody?
Answer:
‘Crime’ and ‘criminals’ are usually considered synonymous. However, our perception changes when we see criminal suffering or serving his punishment. This is what happens with the prison staff. Noticing a criminal suffer in the prison, they unwittingly develop a soft corner for him in their hearts. They look at him as a human being and not as a mere criminal.

They start noticing and appreciating their mental capabilities rather than just remembering their crime. In the story, Jackson lets Evans keep his hat after knowing that he considered it to be his lucky charm. Evans knew of the emotional side of Jackson and so hit it directly through his talk about ‘lucky charm’, and managed to fool the stern and practical officer. Even the Governor could not help noticing his intelligence when he caught him in the hotel. Thus, he was not cruel or stern with Evans, and regrettably, took him leniently.

5.Do you agree that between crime and punishment it is mainly a battle of wits?
Answer:
In every battle the stronger side wins, and this strength could be physical or mental. However, after reading the story we can conclude that between crime and punishment, it is mainly a battle of wits. The side which outsmarts the other wins. It is not always that a criminal gets punished. In the given story, although well trained, the police officials were easily fooled by the clever Evans, who managed to escape from right under their nose.