Ausable's brilliant plan to outwit Max was almost certainly conceived spontaneously, reacting dynamically to unfolding events rather than being pre-meditated. His initial calm demeanor upon finding Max suggests he was quickly assessing the situation. The crucial catalyst was the unexpected knock at the door, which Max mistook for the police. Ausable instantly capitalized on this, improvising the elaborate tale of the non-existent balcony and the "policeman" sent to check on him. His genius lies in his ability to maintain composure under immense pressure, weaving a convincing lie from readily available elements, and exploiting Max's fear and limited information to achieve his objective.