Evans Tries an O-Level | CBSE Class 12 | NCERT Notes

Chapter Sketch: James Roderick Evans is a young prisoner in Oxford Jail. He is appearing for an O-Level German Examination. He is not interested in the language. His appearing in the examination is actually his plan to escape from the prison. The story is very gripping. The prison officials take every possible precaution, but still Evans escapes right under their noses.

Summary Chapter

Evans’ Request for O-Level Exam

It is early March when the story opens. The Governor of Oxford Prison telephones the Secretary of the Examination Board with an unusual request. One of the inmates, James Roderick Evans, wishes to appear for the O-Level German Examination. The Secretary asks if the inmate is violent. The Governor informs him that there is no record of violence against him. He is actually a pleasant and fun-loving person, and an expert at imitation. He was just a kleptomaniac.

After getting reasured, the Secretary asked the Governor for a room. The Governor told him that if he had no objections, the exam could take place in Evan’s cell and they could ask for an invigilator from St. Mary Mags. The Secretary agreed.

Evans the Break

Evans is known as ‘Evans the Break’ among the prison officials because he has escaped from the prison three times. The Governor feared that he is again planning his escape, but thinks that there may be a very slight possibility that Evans is genuinely interested in O-Level German. On 7th June at 8:30 pm, his German tutor wishes him good luck for the exam that would take place the following day. He expresses his concern for Evans passing the exam but Evans seems confident.

Precautions of the Prison Officials

At 8:30 am on 8th June, two prison officers, senior prison officer Jackson and a new recruit officer Stephens, visit Evans. Jackson dislikes Evans and mocks him by calling him Einstein. Evan’s is looking wild with his unshaven face so he is given time to smarten up. Jackson then tells Stephens to take away the razor after Evans has shaved. Upon being asked, Jackson also tells him that he had taken his nail scissors and nail file away on the order of the Governor. He also rudely asks Evans take off his ugly bobble hat. But Evans insists that the hat is his good luck charm and he is going to need it for the exam.

Reverend Stuart McLeery

At 8:45 the same morning, the invigilator appointed for the examination, Reverend Stuart McLeery, started for the prison. He was carrying a small brown suitcase which contained all the items needed for the examination, a sealed question paper envelope, a yellow invigilation form, a special authentication card from the Examinations Board, a paper knife, a Bible and a current copy of The Church Times.

The two-hour examination was scheduled to start at 9:15 am. Evans is getting ready when Stephens comes in with two small square tables and sets them opposite each other. He also brings in two chairs. Jackson comes in and warns Evans to remove the pinups and to behave properly.

Evans asks him why is he being bugged in his cell. Jackson tells him that the Governor doesn’t trust him at all and would be listening to each and everything going on in his cell.

The Examination Begins at 9:25 am

Reverend McLeery, makes his entry into the prison and is taken to Evans’ cell, where Evans is concentrating hard on a book of elementary German Grammar. At 9:10 am, the Governor switches on the receiver. Suddenly, the Governor realises that McLerry could carry something that could help Evans escape. So, he asks Jackson to search McLerry for any potential weapon.

McLerry is frisked and then his suitcase is searched. Everything was fine except the presence of a small semi-inflated rubber ring which surprises the officers, but they are courteously informed that McLeery is suffering from piles and the rubber ring helps him in sitting in a particular position for a long time. The officers feel satisfied and the invigilator is allowed to go into the cell. McLeery gives necessary instructions to the candidate regarding writing down the paper’s name 021-1, index number 313 and the centre number 271.

Stephens is in the cell so the Governor asks Jackson to call him out. Finally, the examination begins at 9:25 am.

The Correction Ship

At 9:40 am, the Assistant Secretary for Modern Languages informs the Governor over the phone about the correction slip not being put in the examination package. The Governor feels suspicious and calls the Examination Board but in vain. Soon, Evans is told about the corrections on page three line fifteen by the invigilator.

The phone now rang the second time. The Magistrates Court required a prison van and some prison officers for a remand case. This also fills the Governor with suspicion but he feels that he is over-thinking.

For the first quarter of an hour, Stephens had dutifully checked on Evans through the peep-hole. He saw Evans, with his pen between his lips, staring at the door. At 10:50 am. Evans requested for a blanket.

When Stephens peeped in next, he was surprised to find a blanket around Evans. He thought that perhaps the prison cells got cold in that wing. So he didn’t report the slight irregularity.

Evans Escapes from the Prison

Three minutes before the examination was to get over, Jackson calls Stephens, telling him that the Governor wants to speak to him. The Governor instructs Stephens to accompany McLeery personally to the main gate.

After the examination as both of them head towards the main gate, Stephens thinks that the invigilator had suddenly grown thinner. His Scottish accent also seemed more noticeable than before.

Then, he thinks that he must have one last look at Evans. In the cell, Stephens sees a man sprawled back in Evans’ chair with the blanket slipping from his shoulders. His closely cropped hair was splattered with blood. Stephens and Jackson think that it is McLeery who had been hit by Evans. Evans has, thus, escaped.

The wounded man in Evans’ cell, whom everybody thought to be McLeery, tells the prison authorities not to worry about him. He desperately and restlessly tells the Governor about the photocopied sheet that had been superimposed over the last page of the question paper, where a few words were written in German. It instructed Evans to adhere to the plan strictly and not to hit McLeery too hard. It said that the three minutes before the examination were very important. He was also instructed not to overdo the Scottish accent. Detective Superintendent Carter swings into action. McLeery is, however, very agitated and tells them that Evans has gone towards Elsfield Way. The Governor asks Carter to take McLeery with him because he is the only one who knows what has really happened.

The Governor Gets Furious with his Officers

The Governor now scolds his officers for behaving foolishly because he had not made any call at 11:22 am. At that time, the Governor was trying to get in touch with the Examinations Board.

Jackson is taken to task because of his negligence. He had not searched the cell thoroughly the previous evening. This resulted in Evans concealing the clerical paraphernalia. Thereafter, the Governor looks at the photocopied slip and decodes the last line written in German as Newbury.

He orders the driver to take Jackson and Stephens to St Aldates Police Station to meet Chief Inspector Bell. The Governor thinks about Evans and appreciates his ingenuity.

He considers leaving the question paper behind a mistake, because it is this that is going to lead him to Evans.

Meanwhile Carter informs him that McLeery had seen Evans driving off along Elsfield Way. He was given a chase but they somehow missed him. The Governor tells him that he believes that Evans is heading towards Newbury and gives reasons for his belief. When the Governor asks Carter about McLeery, he tells him that the parson was left at Radcliffe Hospital. When the Governor rings up the hospital, he finds that when the ambulance reached Elsfield to pick him up, Mcleery was not there.

At this point in the story, the Governor is sure that something is terribly wrong. A quarter of an hour later they find the real McLeery bound and gagged in his own study. He has been there since 8:15 am. Eventually, everybody comes to know that Evans impersonating McLeery had not walked out, but had actually stayed in the prison itself.

The Final Escape

The scene shifts to ‘The Golden Lion’ in the centre of Chipping Norton. Evans is still wearing the parson’s clothes and is happy with his successful escape. But he regrets cutting his long hair.

However, he had been fortunate as he was not asked to take off his hat. As he goes into his room, he finds the Governor sitting on the bed.

The Governor tells him how the correction slip provided the clue about the hotel’s name. The index number 313 and centre number 271 referred to the area where Evans could be. It was the Golden Lion of Chipping Norton. Evans, similarly, tells him about getting the blood to splatter on the head.

The Governor then enquires how Evans could plan out everything when he had no visitors. A delighted Evans tells him that he has a lot of friends and the German teacher was one of them.

Finally, Evans is brought out of his hotel room. He is handcuffed by a prison officer called by the Governor and the two of them get into the back seat of the prison van. The Governor tells Evans that he will see him soon, but it appears that Evans has some other plans in store.

He asks the Governor if his knowledge of other modern languages was as good as German. When the Governor asks him the reason behind the question, Evans smilingly says that next September, some O-level Italian classes were being planned. The Governor says that Evans might not be with them next September. The latter agrees, and so it is.

The moment the Governor is out of sight, the prison officer (actually a friend of Evans) unlocks the handcuffs and asks the driver to drive fast. Evans tells him to turn to Newbury. Thus, the Governor and his officers are completely outwitted by the clever Evans who manages to engineer an escape even after being caught!

Reference @Arihant

Word Meanings

The given page numbers correspond to the pages in the NCERT textbook.

Page 71

• dead keen — absolutely eager
• packet — large sum of money
• card — a witty, entertaining person
• congenital — from birth
• kleptomaniac — someone with an irrational desire to steal
• parsons — members of the clergy
• incommunicado — without being able to communicate with others

Page 72

• gracing — indicating presence
• grubby — worn-out
• burly-surly looking — heavily built
• Carrtly — in an abrupt and discourteous manner
• bobble hat — a knitted hat with a tufted woollen ball on top
• bust in — entered suddenly

Page 73

• scraping — shaving
• mug — face
• ramrod — absolutely
• smouldered — glowed with anger
• leered — looked unpleasantly
• smarten — make neat or smart yourself up

Page 74

• spattered — covered with splashes
• lathering — covering with foam or lather
• swath — a broad strip

Page 75

• bug — plant or hide an electronic listening device in somebody’s room to hear or record the person’s conversation

Page 76

• chisel — a long bladed hand-tool with a cutting edge, used for cutting stone, wood or metal
• jack-knife — a large knife with a folding blade
• thumb-flicked — opened with the thumb

Page 77

• riffled — turned over quickly and casually
• cursorily — hastily and not very attentively

Pages 78-79

• staccato — with each sound or note sharply separated from others
• bleeps — short high-pitched sounds made by an electronic device
• remand — the act of sending an accused into legal custody
• run riot — act or behave in an uncontrolled way
• askew — towards one side
• amateurishly — unprofessionally
• pebble lenses — lenses that are very thick and convex
• crackled — showed signs of life or energy

Page 80

• parky — disagreeably cold or chilly

Page 81

• fostered — cherished, encouraged

Page 82

• tufted — growing close together in a short cluster
• awash — covered
• squelchy — producing a splashing sound
• wodge — a thick or large piece
• streaked — marked with lines
• caked — covered with a thick layer

Page 83

• dredging — uncovering
• crescendo — a gradual increase in the volume or intensity of sound

Page 84

• blithering — talking foolishly
• dog collar — a stiff white collar worn by priests
• paraphernalia — equipment or articles used in a particular activity

Page 85

• rapped out — spoke suddenly or sharply
• good-for-a-giggle — something meant for entertainment or amusement

Page 86

• pinched — taken away

Pages 87-88

• gorgon — an ugly or terrifying woman
• blonde — a person with light golden-coloured hair
• ruefully — with sorrow or regret

Pages 89-91

• throw (a few) spanners in
• the works — be a source of impediment and annoyance
• pints — small liquid measure
• clambered — climbed with difficulty