How often is the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” touted? And how many times are people discounted or pushed aside by prejudiced opinions and bad moods? Appearances don’t always tell a person’s true story.
A Break-In
It is midnight when the burglar sneaks in through the window of the house. He places all of his tools inside and waits, making sure that the house is still. Immediately he sets to work, scouting for valuable objects with his flashlight.His midnight expedition halts with the sound of a door closing and footsteps coming down the hall. He pulls on a black mask, cocks his pistol, and springs out to intercept the footfalls. “Hands up,” he whispers.
To his surprise, he finds himself facing down a little girl in a nightgown. He is touched by her small appearance and quietly reassures her: “Don’t be so scared—I’m not going to hurt you. Just you be real still so as not to disturb the others until I get through and get away.”
Nevertheless, the little girl ignores his words and tries to rush past him with determined steps. He snatches her and scolds her for such foolish actions. But she protests: “I’ve got to telephone. ... Just let me telephone and then you can do what you like with me.”
He would not let her go and, especially, not let her touch the telephone. He knows she will call the police. The little girl grows more determined, struggling and wriggling to free herself from the burglar’s grasp.
A Heart’s Quality
Hearing “convulsions,” the burglar immediately releases the little girl, asking where the mother and baby are. The girl directs him, and he urges her to call the doctor as quickly as she can. He then turns and hurries into the room with mother and child.He approaches and sees the mother clutching the convulsing baby to her chest in utter helplessness. The burglar gently takes the baby from the mother, urging her to be brave for her son.
Through her story, Dahl recognizes that no matter what walk of life someone comes from or what mistakes they have made, there is goodness and faith in everyone. Despite the burglar’s life choices, the mother sees something else and shows the quality of her heart.
Dahl confesses, just as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry does in “The Little Prince”: “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
The true quality of a heart cannot be understood by appearances or by the lawless actions a person takes. Rather, a heart’s quality can only be viewed justly and rightly through another heart. Kind hearts hear and speak the same language—one that the eyes cannot interpret.
