["We\t rushed\t down\t the\t stairs\t without\t waiting\t for\t the\t lift.\t Feluda\t kept\t muttering\t under\t his\t breath.\t I caught\tthe\twords\t\u2018fool\u2019\tand\t\u2018imbecile\u2019,\twhich\tI\trealized\twere\tmeant\tfor\tour\tmagician. A\t passing\t waiter\t showed\t us\t where\t the\t conference\t room\t was.\t Feluda\t pushed\t open\t the\t door\t and marched\tin.\tThere\twas\ta\tlong\ttable,\twith\trows\tof\tchairs\taround\tit.\tNayan\twas\tsitting\tin\tone\tof\tthem.\tA bearded\tman\tsat\tnext\tto\thim,\tjotting\tsomething\tdown\tin\ta\tnotebook.\tFeluda\ttook\tthis\tin\tand,\ta\tsecond later,\t strode\t forward\t to\t grab\t the\t reporter\t and\t pull\t at\t his\t beard.\t It\t came\t off\t quite\t easily.\t Henry Hodgson\tstood\tstaring\tat\tus. \u2018Good\tmorning,\u2019\the\tgrinned,\twithout\tthe\tslightest\ttrace\tof\tembarrassment. \u2018What\twas\the\tasking\tyou?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked\tNayan. \u2018About\thorses.\u2019 \u2018All\t right,\t Mr\t Mitter,\t have\t me\t thrown\t out,\u2019\t said\t Hodgson,\t still\t grinning.\t \u2018I\t have\t already\t got\t the numbers\tof\tall\tthe\twinning\thorses\tin\tevery\trace\tfor\tthe\tnext\tthree\tdays.\tI\tshouldn\u2019t\thave\ta\tcare\tin\tthe world\tfor\tmany\tyears\tto\tcome.\tGood\tday,\tsir!\u2019 Mr\t Hodgson\t slipped\t out.\t Feluda\t flopped\t down\t on\t a\t chair,\t clutching\t his\t head\t between\t his\t hands. Then\the\traised\this\tface\tand\tlooked\tstraight\tat\tNayan.\t\u2018Look,\tNayan,\u2019\the\tsaid\tsomewhat\timpatiently,\t\u2018if anyone\telse\ttries\ttalking\tto\tyou,\tfrom\tnow\ton,\tjust\ttell\tthem\tyou\u2019re\tnot\tgoing\tto\tutter\ta\tword\tunless\tI am\tpresent.\tIs\tthat\tunderstood?\u2019 Nayan\tnodded\tsagely. \u2018There\t is\t one\t consolation,\t Feluda,\u2019\t I\t ventured\t to\t say.\t \u2018At\t least\t Hodgson\u2019s\t not\t going\t to\t bother\t us again.\tHe\u2019ll\tnow\tgo\tback\tto\tCalcutta\tand\tput\this\tlast\tfew\tpennies\ton\thorses.\u2019 \u2018Yes,\t that\u2019s\t true,\t but\t I\t am\t concerned\t at\t Tarafdar \u2019s\t totally\t irresponsible\t behaviour.\t A\t magician really\tought\tto\tknow\tbetter.\u2019 We\ttook\tNayan\tback\tto\tTarafdar \u2019s\troom.\t\u2018Did\tyou\twant\tpublicity,\tSunil?\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid\tsarcastically. \u2018You\u2019ll\t get\t it\t in\t full\t measure,\t but\t not\t in\t the\t way\t you\t had\t imagined.\t Do\t you\t know\t who\t was\t taking Nayan\u2019s\tinterview?\u2019 \u2018Who?\u2019 \u2018Mr\tHenry\tHodgson.\u2019 \u2018What!\tThat\tbearded\u2014? \u2018Yes,\t it\t was\t that\t bearded\t fellow.\t He\u2019s\t got\t what\t he\t wanted.\t Didn\u2019t\t I\t tell\t you\t Nayan\t wasn\u2019t\t out\t of danger?\t If\t Hodgson\t could\t follow\t us\t to\t Madras,\t why\t shouldn\u2019t\t the\t others?\t Now,\t look,\t if\t you\t want Nayan\tto\tremain\tsafe,\tyou\u2019ve\tgot\tto\tdo\tas\tI\ttell\tyou.\tOr\telse\tdon\u2019t\texpect\tany\thelp\tfrom\tme.\u2019 \u2018Y-yes,\tsir!\u2019\tMr\tTarafdar\tmuttered,\tscratching\this\tneck\tand\tlooking\tsomewhat\tshamefaced. \u2018Leave\tthe\tpublicity\tto\tMr\tReddy,\u2019\tFeluda\tcontinued.\t\u2018Neither\tyou\tnor\tyour\tfriend\tShankar\tshould go\t anywhere\t near\t reporters\t from\t the\t press.\t Many\t genuine\t reporters\t will\t want\t interviews\t and information.\t You\t must\t learn\t to\t stay\t away\t from\t them.\t Your\t main\t priority\t should\t be\t Nayan\u2019s\t safety because\u2014remember\u2014if\tyour\tshow\tis\tsuccessful,\tit\twill\tbe\tbecause\tof\this\tpower\tand\twhat\the\tdoes\ton stage,\tnot\tbecause\tof\tany\tpublicity\tyou\tmight\tarrange\tfor\tyourself.\tDo\tI\tmake\tmyself\tclear?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tsir.\tI\tunderstand.\u2019 Over\t breakfast,\t we\t told\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t about\t Hodgson\u2019s\t visit.\t \u2018Good,\t good!\u2019\t he\t exclaimed, attacking\tan\tomelette.\t\u2018I\twas\tafraid\tthings\twould\tgo\tquiet\tin\tMadras.\tI\u2019m\tglad\tsomething\tlike\tthis\thas happened.\tIt\tall\tadds\tto\tthe\texcitement,\tdon\u2019t\tyou\tthink?\u2019","We\treturned\tto\tour\troom\tto\tget\tready\tto\tgo\tout.\tIt\thad\tbeen\tdecided\tthat\twe\u2019d\tgo\tto\tthe\tsnake\tpark today.\tAn\tAmerican\tcalled\tWhitaker\thad\tcreated\tit\tand,\tby\tall\taccounts,\tit\twas\tcertainly\tworth\ta\tvisit. Just\tas\twe\twere\tabout\tto\tleave,\tthe\tdoorbell\trang.\tLalmohan\tBabu\thad\talready\tjoined\tus\tin\tour\troom. Who\tcould\tit\tbe? I\topened\tthe\tdoor\tto\tfind\tMr\tHingorani.\t\u2018May\tI\tcome\tin?\u2019\the\tasked. \u2018Of\tcourse,\tplease\tdo,\u2019\tFeluda\tinvited. Mr\t Hingorani\t came\t in\t and\t took\t a\t chair.\t \u2018So\t far,\t so\t good!\u2019\t he\t said\t with\t a\t sigh\t of\t relief.\t \u2018I\t don\u2019t think\tTiwari\tknows\tI\u2019m\there.\tI\tleft\twithout\ta\tword\tto\tanyone.\u2019 \u2018Go o d.\t But\t I\t ho pe\t yo u\u2019r e\t being \t car eful.\t Ther e\u2019s\t so mething \t I\t r eally\t must\t str ess,\t Mr \t Hing o r ani.\t If anyone\trings\tyour\tdoorbell,\tyou\tmust\talways\task\twho\tit\tis,\tand\topen\tthe\tdoor\tonly\tif\tthe\tperson\twho answers\t is\t known\t to\t you.\u2019\t Before\t Mr\t Hingorani\t could\t say\t anything,\t our\t own\t doorbell\t rang\t again. This\ttime,\tit\twas\tTarafdar\tand\tNayan. \u2018Come\tin,\u2019\tsaid\tFeluda. \u2018Is\tthis\tthat\tfamous\twonder\tboy?\u2019\tMr\tHingorani\tasked. Feluda\tsmiled.\t\u2018Is\tthere\tany\tneed\tto\tintroduce\tthese\ttwo\tpeople\tto\tyou?\u2019 \u2018What\tdo\tyou\tmean?\u2019 \u2018Mr\t Hingorani,\t you\t have\t appointed\t me\t for\t your\t protection.\t You\t ought\t to\t have\t realized\t that\t if\t a client\tdoesn\u2019t\tcome\tclean\twith\this\tprotector,\tthe\tprotector \u2019s\tjob\tbecomes\tmuch\tmore\tdifficult.\u2019 \u2018What\tare\tyou\ttrying\tto\tsay?\u2019 \u2018You\tknow\tthat\tvery\twell,\tbut\tyou\u2019re\tpretending\tyou\tdon\u2019t.\tBut\tthen,\tyou\u2019re\tnot\tthe\tonly\tone\twho did\tnot\ttell\tme\tthe\twhole\ttruth.\u2019 Feluda\tlooked\tat\tMr\tTarafdar,\twho\tstared\tblankly.\t\u2018Very\twell,\tsince\tneither\tof\tyou\twill\topen\tyour mouth,\tallow\tme\tto\tdo\tthe\ttalking.\u2019\tFeluda\twas\tstill\tlooking\tat\tMr\tTarafdar.\t\u2018Sunil,\tyou\tsaid\tyou\thad got\ta\tsponsor\tfrom\tsomewhere.\tMy\tguess\tis\tthat\tyour\tsponsor\tis\tnone\tother\tthan\tMr\tHingorani\there.\u2019 At\tthis,\tMr\tHingorani\tjumped\tup\tin\tsheer\tamazement.\t\u2018But\thow\tdid\tyou\tguess?\u2019\the\tcried.\t\u2018Are\tyou a\tmagician,\ttoo?\u2019 \u2018No,\tmy\tguess\thad\tnothing\tto\tdo\twith\tmagic.\tIt\twas\tsimply\tthe\tresult\tof\tkeeping\tmy\teyes\tand\tears open.\u2019 \u2018How?\u2019 \u2018When\twe\thad\tgone\tto\tsee\tSunil\u2019s\tshow,\tNayan\thad\ttold\tsomeone\tfrom\tthe\taudience\tthe\tnumber\tof his\t car.\t It\t was\t WMF\t 6232.\t I\t saw\t the\t same\t number \t o n\t yo ur \t white\t Co ntessa.\t It\t wasn\u2019t\t to o \t difficult\t to g uess\t that\t the\t yo ung \t man\t in\t the\t audience\t was\t so meo ne\t fr o m\t yo ur \t family,\t and\t that\t he\t had\t to ld\t yo u about\tJyotishka.\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tyes.\tIt\twas\tMohan,\tmy\tnephew.\u2019\tMr\tHingorani\tstill\tseemed\tbemused. \u2018Besides,\u2019\tFeluda\twent\ton,\t\u2018when\twe\twent\tto\tyour\thouse\tthe\tother\tday,\tI\tnoticed\tquite\ta\tfew\tbooks on\tmagic\tin\tyour\tbook\tcase.\tThis\tcould\tonly\tmean\u2014\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tyes,\tyes!\u2019\tMr\tHingorani\tinterrupted.\t\u2018When\tmy\tfather\tfound\tout\tabout\tmy\tinterest\tin\tmagic, he\tdestroyed\tall\tmy\tequipment,\tbut\tnot\tmy\tbooks.\tI\tmanaged\tto\tsave\tthose,\tand\thave\tstill\tgot\tthem.\u2019 I\t glanced\t at\t Mr\t Tarafdar.\t He\t was\t looking\t extremely\t uncomfortable.\t \u2018Don\u2019t\t blame\t Sunil,\u2019\t Mr Hingorani\tadded.\t\u2018It\twas\tI\twho\tasked\thim\tto\tkeep\tmy\tname\ta\tsecret.\u2019 \u2018But\twhy?\u2019","\u2018There\t is\t an\t important\t reason.\t You\t see,\t my\t father\t is\t still\t alive.\t He\u2019s\t eighty-two,\t but\t quite\t strong and\t alert\t for\t his\t age.\t He\t lives\t in\t Faizabad\t in\t our\t old\t ancestral\t home.\t If\t he\t finds\t out\t that\t I\u2019ve\t got involved\twith\tmagic\tand\tmagicians,\tthen\teven\tat\tthis\tage,\the\u2019s\tvery\tlikely\tto\tcut\tme\tout\tof\this\twill.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\u2019 \u2018When\tMohan\ttold\tme\tabout\tJyotishka,\tI\tdecided\talmost\timmediately\tto\tfinance\this\tshow.\tBy\tthen\tit was\t pr etty\t o bvio us\t to \t me\t that\t Tiwar i\t and\t I\t wo uld\t so o n\t have\t to \t par t\t co mpany,\t and\t I\u2019d\t have\t to \t find\t a new\tsource\tof\tincome.\tSo\tI\tmet\tTarafdar\tthe\tnext\tday\tand\tmade\ta\tproposal,\twhich\the\taccepted.\tTwo days\t later,\t Tiwari\t came\t to\t me\t to\t accuse\t me\t of\t stealing.\t I\t just\t couldn\u2019t\t take\t it\t any\t more.\t I\t wrote\t to Tiwar i\t the\t fo llo wing \t mo r ning ,\t and\t to ld\t him\t that\t I\t was\t unwell,\t and\t that\t my\t do cto r \t had\t advised\t me\t a month\u2019s\trest.\tI\tstopped\tgoing\tto\tmy\toffice\tfrom\tthe\tnext\tday.\u2019 \u2018That\tmeans\tyou\twere\tgoing\tto\ttravel\tto\tMadras,\tin\tany\tcase,\tto\tsee\tTarafdar \u2019s\tshow?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tbut\twhat\tI\ttold\tyou\tabout\tmy\tlife\tbeing\tin\tdanger\tis\tabsolutely\ttrue,\tMr\tMitter.\tI\twould\thave had\tto\tseek\tyour\thelp,\tanyway.\u2019 \u2018What\tabout\tthe\tnew\tbusiness\topportunity\tin\tMadras\tyou\tmentioned?\u2019 \u2018No,\tthat\twas\tsomething\tI\tjust\tmade\tup.\tIt\tisn\u2019t\ttrue.\u2019 \u2018I\t see.\t So\t I\u2019ve\t been\t appointed\t to\t protect\t you\t from\t Tiwari\u2019s\t hoodlums,\t and\t to\t save\t Nayan\t from three\tunscrupulous\tmen.\tWe\tcan\tarrange\tfor\tone\tof\tus\tto\tbe\tpresent\twith\tNayan\tat\tall\ttimes.\tBut\tyou must\ttell\tme\twhat\tyou\u2019re\tgoing\tto\tdo\tto\tmake\tmy\tjob\ta\tlittle\teasier.\u2019 \u2018Well,\tI\tpromise\tto\tdo\tas\tI\u2019m\ttold.\tI\thave\tvisited\tMadras\tmany\ttimes\tbefore.\tSo\tI\tdon\u2019t\thave\tto\tgo sightseeing.\tTarafdar \u2019s\tmanager\tcan\tkeep\tme\tposted\tabout\tsales\tfigures,\tonce\tthe\tshow\tstarts.\tIn\tother words,\tthere\u2019s\tno\tneed\tfor\tme\tto\tstep\tout\tof\tmy\troom;\tand\tmost\tcertainly\tI\u2019m\tnot\tgoing\tto\topen\tthe door\tto\tanyone\tI\tdon\u2019t\tknow.\u2019 \u2018Very\t well.\t All\t right\t then,\t Mr\t Hingorani,\t I\t suggest\t you\t go\t back\t to\t your\t room\t and\t stay\t in\t it.\t It\u2019s time\tfor\tus\tto\tleave.\u2019 All\tof\tus\trose.\t\u2018Come\talong,\tNayan\tBabu,\u2019\tsaid\tJatayu,\toffering\this\thand.\tNayan\ttook\tit\teagerly.\tHe and\tJatayu\thad\tclearly\tstruck\tup\ta\tfriendship.","Ten We\tdidn\u2019t\tspend\tvery\tlong\tin\tthe\tsnake\tpark,\tbut\teven\ta\tshort\tvisit\tshowed\tus\twhat\ta\tunique\tplace\tit was.\tIt\tseemed\tincredible\tthat\ta\tsingle\tindividual\thad\tplanned\tthe\twhole\tthing.\tI\tsaw\tevery\tspecies\tof snake\t that\t I\t had\t read\t about,\t and\t many\t that\t I\t didn\u2019t\t know\t existed.\t The\t park\t itself\t was\t beautifully designed,\tso\twalking\tin\tit\twas\ta\tpleasure. No \t unto war d\t incident\t to o k\t place\t dur ing \t o ur \t o uting \t o n\t the\t fir st\t day.\t The\t o nly\t thing \t I\t no ticed\t was that\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t tightened\t his\t hold\t on\t Nayan\u2019s\t hand\t each\t time\t he\t saw\t a\t man\t with\t a\t beard. \u2018Hodgson\thas\tgone\tback\tto\tCalcutta,\tI\u2019m\tsure,\u2019\tI\tsaid\tto\thim. \u2018So\twhat?\u2019\the\tshot\tback.\t\u2018How\tcan\tyou\ttell\tBasak\twon\u2019t\ttry\tto\tappear\tin\ta\tdisguise?\u2019 We\twere\tstrolling\talong\ta\tpath\tthat\tled\tto\tan\topen\tmarshy\tarea.\tTo\tour\tsurprise,\twe\tdiscovered\tthat this\tarea\twas\tsurrounded\tby\ta\tsturdy\tiron\trailing,\tbehind\twhich\tlay\tfive\talligators,\tsleeping\tin\tthe\tsun. We\twere\twatching\tthem\tclosely\tand\tLalmohan\tBabu\thad\tjust\tstarted\tto\ttell\tNayan,\t\u2018When\tyou\u2019re\ta\tbit older,\t my\t boy,\t I\u2019ll\t give\t you\t a\t copy\t of\t my\t book\t The\t Crocodile\u2019s\t Crunch,\u2019\t when\t a\t man\t wearing\t a sleeveless\tvest\tand\tshorts\tturned\tup,\tcarrying\ta\tbucket\tin\tone\thand.\tHe\tstood\tabout\ttwenty\tyards\taway from\tthe\trailing\tand\tbegan\ttaking\tout\tfrogs\tfrom\tthe\tbucket.\tHe\tthrew\tthese\tat\tthe\talligators\tone\tby one,\twhich\tthey\tcaught\tvery\tneatly\tbetween\ttheir\tjaws.\tI\twatched\tthis\tscene,\tquite\tfascinated,\tfor\tI\thad never\tseen\tanything\tlike\tit\tbefore. We\treturned\tto\tour\thotel\tin\tthe\tevening,\tall\tsafe\tand\tsound.\tNone\tof\tus\tknew\twhat\tlay\tin\tstore\tthe next\tday.\tEven\tnow,\tas\tI\twrite\tabout\tit,\ta\tstrange\tmixture\tof\tamazement,\tfear\tand\tdisbelief\tgives\tme goose-pimples. The\tguidebook\thad\ttold\tme\tMahabalipuram\twas\teighty\tmiles\tfrom\tMadras.\tThe\troads\twere\tgood, so\twe\texpected\tto\tget\tthere\tin\ttwo\thours.\tShankar\tBabu\thad\tarranged\ttwo\ttaxis\tfor\tus.\tNayan\tinsisted on\tjoining\tus\tinstead\tof\tMr\tTarafdar\tas\tJatayu\thad\tstarted\ttelling\thim\tthe\tstory\tof\this\tlatest\tbook.\tThe Astounding\tAtlantic.\tI\tsat\tin\tthe\tfront\tseat\tof\tthe\tcar,\tNayan\tsat\tbetween\tJatayu\tand\tFeluda\tin\tthe\tback. It\tsoon\tbecame\tclear\tthat\twe\twere\ttravelling\ttowards\tthe\tsea.\tAlthough\tthe\tcity\tof\tMadras\tstood\tby the\t sea,\t we\t hadn\u2019t\t yet\t seen\t it.\t Two\t hours\t and\t fifteen\t minutes\t later,\t the\t sea\t came\t into\t view.\t A\t wide empty\t expanse\t stretched\t before\t us,\t and\t on\t the\t horizon\t shimmered\t the\t dark\t blue\t ocean.\t The\t tall structures\tthat\tstood\tout\ton\tthe\tsand\twere\ttemples. Our\ttaxi\tstopped\tnext\tto\ta\thuge\tvan\tand\ta\tluxury\tcoach.\tA\tlarge\tnumber\tof\ttourists\u2014most\tof\tthem Americans\u2014were\t getting\t into\t the\t coach,\t clad\t in\t an\t interesting\t assortment\t of\t clothes,\t wearing different\t caps,\t sporting\t sunglasses\t in\t different\t designs,\t and\t carrying\t bags\t of\t every\t possible\t shape and\tsize.\tWe\tstopped\tand\tstared\tat\tthem\tfor\ta\tminute.\t\u2018Big\tbusiness,\ttourism!\u2019\tproclaimed\tLalmohan Babu\tand\tgot\tout\tof\tthe\tcar\twith\tNayan. Feluda\t had\t never\t visited\t Mahabalipuram\t before,\t but\t knew\t what\t there\t was\t to\t see.\t He\t had\t already told\tme\teverything\twas\tspread\tover\ta\tvast\tarea.\t\u2018We\tcannot\tsee\tit\tall\tin\ta\tday,\tat\tleast\tnot\twhen\tthere\u2019s","a\t small\t child\t with\t us.\t But\t you,\t Topshe,\t must\t see\t four\t things\u2014the\t shore\t temple,\t Gangavataran,\t the Mahishasurmardini\tMandap\tand\tthe\tPancha\tPandava\tcaves.\tLalmohan\tBabu\tand\tNayan\tcan\tgo\twhere they\t like.\t I\t have\t no\t idea\t what\t Shankar\t and\t Sunil\t wish\t to\t do.\t They\t don\u2019t\t seem\t at\t all\t interested\t in temples\tor\tsculpture.\u2019 We\tbegan\twalking\ttogether. \u2018All\tthis\twas\tbuilt\tby\tthe\tBallabhas,\twasn\u2019t\tit?\u2019\tasked\tLalmohan\tBabu. \u2018Not\tBallabhas,\tMr\tGanguli,\u2019\tFeluda\treplied\tsolemnly.\t\u2018They\twere\tPallavas.\u2019 \u2018Which\tcentury\twould\tthat\tbe?\u2019 \u2018Ask\tyour\tyoung\tfriend.\tHe\u2019ll\ttell\tyou.\u2019 Lalmohan\tBabu\tlooked\tfaintly\tannoyed\tat\tthis,\tbut\tdid\tnot\tsay\tanything.\tI\tknew\tMahabalipuram\thad been\tbuilt\tin\tthe\tseventh\tcentury. We\t went\t to \t take\t a\t lo o k\t at\t the\t sho r e\t temple\t fir st.\t No isy\t waves\t lashed\t ag ainst\t its\t r ear \t walls.\t \u2018They certainly\t knew\t how\t to\t select\t a\t good\t spot,\u2019\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t remarked,\t raising\t his\t voice\t to\t make himself\theard.\tOn\tour\tright\twas\ta\tstatue\tof\tan\telephant\tand\ta\tbull.\tNext\tto\tthese\twere\twhat\tlooked\tlike small\ttemples.\t\u2018Those\tare\tthe\tPandava\u2019s\tchariots,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid.\t\u2018You\u2019ll\tfind\tone\tthat\tlooks\ta\tbit\tlike\ta hut\tfrom\ta\tvillage\tin\tBengal.\tThat\u2019s\tDraupadi\u2019s\tchariot.\u2019 Gangavataran\tmade\tmy\thead\treel.\tCarved\tin\trelief\ton\tthe\tface\tof\ta\thuge\trock\twas\tthe\tstory\tof\tthe emergence\t of\t Ganges\t from\t the\t Himalayas.\t There\t were\t animals\t and\t scores\t of\t human\t figures, exquisite\tin\tevery\tdetail. \u2018All\tthis\twas\tdone\tby\thand,\tsimply\twith\ta\tchisel\tand\thammer,\twasn\u2019t\tit?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tasked\tin wonder. \u2018Yes.\t Just\t think,\t Lalmohan\t Babu.\t There\t are\t millions\t of\t carved\t figures\t like\t these,\t to\t be\t found\t in temples\t all\t o ver \t o ur \t co untr y.\t It\t to o k\t hundr eds\t o f\t year s\t to \t finish\t building \t these\t temples;\t do zens\t and dozens\tof\tcraftsmen\tworked\ton\tthem.\tYet,\tnowhere\twill\tyou\tfind\ta\tsingle\tstroke\tof\tthe\thammer\tthat\u2019s out\tof\tplace,\tor\ta\tmark\tmade\tby\tthe\tchisel\tthat\tdoesn\u2019t\tfit\tin.\tIf\tsomething\tgoes\twrong\twith\ta\tfigure\tof clay,\t the\t artist\t may\t be\t able\t to\t correct\t his\t mistake.\t But\t a\t single\t mark\t on\t a\t piece\t of\t rock\t would\t be permanent,\t absolutely\t indelible.\t That\t is\t why\t it\t always\t takes\t my\t breath\t away\t when\t I\t think\t of\t how totally\tperfect\tthese\tancient\tartists\u2019\tskill\thad\tbeen.\tGod\tknows\twhy\tmodern\tartists\thave\tlost\tthat\tsense of\tperfection.\u2019 Mr\tTarafdar\tand\tShankar\tBabu\thad\tgone\tahead.\t\u2018You\tmay\tas\twell\tgo\tand\tsee\tthe\ttwo\tcaves\tI\ttold yo u\t abo ut,\u2019\t Feluda\t said\t to \t me.\t \u2018I\t am\t g o ing \t to \t lo o k\t at\t these\t car ving s\t mo r e\t clo sely,\t so \t I\u2019m\t g o ing \t to take\ta\twhile.\u2019 I\t took\t the\t guidebook\t from\t Feluda\t and\t looked\t at\t the\t map\t to\t see\t where\t the\t caves\t were\t located. \u2018Look,\tLalmohan\tBabu,\u2019\tI\tsaid,\tpointing\tat\ttwo\tdots\ton\tthe\tmap,\t\u2018this\tis\twhere\twe\thave\tto\tgo.\u2019\tBut\tit was\t not\t clear\t whether\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t heard\t me,\t for\t he\t had\t already\t resumed\t his\t story\t about\t the Atlantic\t and\t started\t to\t walk\t away.\t I\t followed\t him,\t and\t soon\t found\t a\t path\t that\t went\t up\t a\t small\t hill. According\tto\tthe\tplan,\tI\twas\tsupposed\tto\tgo\tup\tthis\tpath.\tThe\tnoise\tof\tthe\twaves\twas\ta\tlot\tless\there.\tI could\thear\tLalmohan\tBabu\u2019s\tvoice\tquite\tclearly.\tPerhaps\this\tstory\twas\treaching\tits\tclimax. I\tfound\tthe\tPancha\tPandava\tcave.\tBefore\tI\tcould\tgo\tin,\tI\tsaw\tLalmohan\tBabu\tand\tNayan\tcome\tout and\t walk\t further\t up\t the\t same\t path.\t Neither\t seemed\t even\t remotely\t interested\t in\t the\t astounding specimens\tof\tsculpture\tall\taround.","I\ttook\ta\tlittle\ttime\tto\tinspect\tthe\tcarvings.\tThe\tfigures\tof\tanimals\twere\tsurprisingly\tlifelike.\tEven\tin thir teen\t hundr ed\t year s,\t their \t appear ance\t hadn\u2019t\t chang ed.\t When\t I\t stepped\t o ut\t o f\t the\t cave,\t two \t thing s struck\tme\timmediately.\tThe\tsky\thad\tturned\tgrey,\tand\tthe\tbreeze\tfrom\tthe\tsea\twas\tstronger.\tThere\twas no\tnoise\texcept\tthe\tsteady\troar\tof\tthe\twaves\tand\tan\toccasional\trumble\tin\tthe\tsky. The\tMahishasurmardini\tMandap\tstood\tin\tfront\tof\tme.\tSince\tLalmohan\tBabu\thad\tcome\tin\tthe\tsame direction,\the\tshould\thave\tbeen\tin\tthere,\tbut\tthere\twas\tno\tsign\tof\teither\thim\tor\tNayan.\tCould\the\thave walked\ton\twithout\tgoing\tinto\tthe\tmandap\tat\tall?\tBut\twhy\twould\the\tdo\tthat?\tThere\twas\tnothing\tworth seeing \t o n\t the\t o ther \t side.\t Suddenly,\t I\t felt\t afr aid.\t So mething \t must\t have\t happened.\t I\t came\t o ut\t quickly and\tbegan\trunning,\talmost\twithout\trealizing\tit.\tOnly\ta\tfew\tseconds\tlater,\ta\tnew\tnoise\treached\tmy\tears \u2014and\tfroze\tmy\tblood. \u2018Ha\tha\tha\tha\tha\tha!\u2019 There\tcould\tbe\tno\tmistake.\tIt\twas\tTNT\u2019s\tlaughter. I\tturned\ta\tcorner\tsharply,\tand\tmy\teyes\tfell\ton\ta\thorrible\tsight.\tA\tcolossal\tblack\tfigure,\tclad\tin\ta\tred and\t white\t striped\t shirt\t and\t black\t trousers,\t was\t walking\t rapidly\t away,\t carrying\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t and Nayan,\tone\tunder\teach\tarm.\tI\tcould\tnow\tsee\tfor\tmyself\twhy\tMr\tTarafdar \u2019s\tchowkidar\thad\tcalled\thim a\tdemon. Under\t any\t other\t circumstances,\t I\t would\t have\t been\t petrified.\t But\t now\t there\t was\t no\t time\t to\t lose. \u2018Feluda!\u2019\tI\tyelled\tand\tbegan\tsprinting\tafter\tthe\tblack\tgiant.\tIf\tI\tcould\tattach\tmyself\tto\tone\tof\this\tlegs, perhaps\tthat\twould\tslow\thim\tdown? I\t manag ed\t to \t catch\t up\t with\t him\t eventually\t and\t lung ed\t fo r war d\t to \t g r ab\t his\t leg .\t He\t let\t o ut\t a\t shar p yelp\tof\tpain,\twhich\tcould\tonly\tmean\tthat\tmy\thands\thad\tlanded\ton\tthe\tsame\tspot\twhere\tBadshah\thad bitten\t him.\t But\t in\t the\t next\t instant,\t I\t fo und\t myself\t being \t kicked\t away.\t Two \t seco nds\t later,\t I\t was\t lifted off\tthe\tground\tand\tplaced\tunder\tthe\tsame\tarm\twhich\theld\tNayan.\tMy\town\tlegs\tswung\tin\tthe\tair\tlike\ta pendulum.\tI\twas\theld\tso\ttightly\tthat,\tvery\tsoon,\tI\tbegan\tto\tfeel\tas\tthough\tI\u2019d\tchoke\tto\tdeath.\tLalmohan Babu,\ttoo,\twas\tcrying\tout\tin\tpain. But\tTNT\twas\tstill\tlaughing.\tOut\tof\tthe\tcorner\tof\tmy\teye,\tI\tsaw\thim\traise\this\tstick\tin\tthe\tair,\tmaking circular\tmovements,\tand\theard\thim\tshout\tlike\ta\tmaniac,\t\u2018Now\tdo\tyou\tsee\twhat\tI\tmeant?\tHow\tdo\tyou find\tGawangi,\teh?\u2019 I\t would\t have\t told\t him,\t but\t at\t this\t moment,\t events\t took\t a\t dramatic\t turn.\t Two\t men\t emerged\t from behind\t TNT.\t One\t o f\t them\t was\t leaning \t fo r war d\t and\t walking \t str ang ely,\t taking \t lo ng ,\t measur ed\t steps. He\twas\talso\tswaying\this\tarms\tfrom\tside\tto\tside. Mr\tTarafdar!\tAnd\this\tfriend,\tShankar\tHublikar. I\tknew\twhat\tMr\tTarafdar\twas\ttrying\tto\tdo.\tI\thad\tseen\thim\tmake\tthe\tsame\tgestures\ton\tstage,\twhen he\thypnotized\tpeople.\tHe\tcontinued\tto\tmove\tforward,\this\teyes\tfixed\ton\tour\tcaptor.\tBy\tthis\ttime,\tTNT had\t seen\t both\t men.\t He\t charged\t at\t Tarafdar,\t his\t stick\t still\t raised\t high.\t Shankar\t Hublikar\t snatched\t it from\this\thand. Gawangi\tslowed\tdown.\tHe\tsuddenly\tseemed\tunsure\tof\thimself.\tI\tsaw\tTNT\ttear\tat\this\thair\tand\tshout at\thim;\tbut\tI\tcouldn\u2019t\tunderstand\ta\tword\tof\tthe\tlanguage\the\tspoke. Mr\tTarafdar\tand\tGawangi\twere\tnow\tfacing\teach\tother.\tWith\tan\teffort,\tI\tmanaged\tto\tturn\tmy\thead and\tlook\tup\tat\tGawangi\u2019s\tface.\tWhat\tI\tsaw\ttook\tme\tby\tsurprise\tagain.\tHis\teyes\twere\tbulging,\this\tjaw sagged\tand\tI\tcould\tsee\tall\this\tteeth.\tI\thad\tnever\tseen\ta\thuman\tface\tlike\tthat.","Then,\tslowly,\tthe\thuge\tarms\tthat\twere\tcarrying\tus\tbegan\tto\tlower\tthemselves.\tA\tfew\tmoments\tlater, I\tfelt\tsolid\tground\tunder\tmy\tfeet,\tand\trealized\tthat\tLalmohan\tBabu\tand\tNayan\thad\talso\tlanded\tsafely. \u2018Go\tback\tto\tyour\tcar,\u2019\tMr\tTarafdar\tspoke\tthrough\tclenched\tteeth.\t\u2018Let\tme\tdeal\twith\tthis,\tthen\twe\u2019ll find\tours.\u2019 The\tthree\tof\tus\tturned\tand\tbegan\trunning\tback\ttowards\tthe\tcaves.\tI\tsaw\tTNT\tsit\tdown\ton\tthe\tsand, his\tface\tbetween\this\thands. We\tfound\tFeluda\tstill\tlooking\tat\tGangavataran.\tThe\tsight\tof\tthree\tfigures\trushing\tforward\tmadly made\thim\tguess\tinstantly\twhat\thad\thappened.\tHe\tran\tquicker\tthan\tus\tand\topened\tthe\tdoors\tof\tour\ttaxi. Luckily,\tthe\tdriver\thad\tnot\tleft\this\tseat. All\tof\tus\tjumped\tin. \u2018Turn\tback!\u2019\tshouted\tFeluda.\t\u2018Go\tback\tto\tMadras,\tfast!\u2019 Only\tone\tof\tus\tspoke\tas\tour\tcar\tstarted\tto\tspeed\ttowards\tthe\tcity.\tIt\twas\tNayan. \u2018That\tgiant\thas\tforty-two\tteeth!\u2019\the\tsaid.","Eleven We\twere\thaving\ta\tmost\tenjoyable\tlunch\tin\tthe\tdining\troom\tcalled\tMysore\tin\tour\thotel.\tIt\tspecialized in\t Moghlai\t cuisine.\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t had\t offered\t to\t pay\t for\t this\t meal,\t as\t a\t token\t of\t thanks\t to\t Mr Tarafdar\tfor\thaving\tsaved\this\tlife.\tTarafdar\tand\tShankar\tBabu\thad\trejoined\tus\tin\tthe\thotel. \u2018But\thow\tdid\tGawangi\tfind\tyou\tin\tthe\tfirst\tplace?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked\tLalmohan\tBabu. \u2018Don\u2019t\task\tme,\tFelu\tBabu!\tWhat\thappened\twas\tthis:\tI\twas\ttotally\tengrossed\tin\ttelling\tmy\tstory,\tand Nayan\t was\t hanging\t on\t to\t every\t word.\t We\t kept\t going\t into\t and\t coming\t out\t of\t caves\t and\t mandaps, without\treally\ttaking\tanything\tin.\tIn\tone\tof\tthese,\tsuddenly\tI\tsaw\ta\tstatue\tof\tMahishasur.\tI\twas\tabout\tto come\tout\tafter\tjust\tone\tglance,\twhen\tmy\teyes\tfell\ton\tanother\tstatue,\tpainted\tblack\tfrom\thead\tto\ttoe, except\tthat\tits\ttorso\twas\tcovered\twith\tred\tand\twhite\tstripes.\tIt\twas\tmassive,\tand\tit\twas\thorrible.\tI\twas staring\t at\t it,\t quite\t puzzled\t by\t this\t deviation\t from\t all\t the\t other\t sculptures\t in\t the\t complex\t and wondering\t if\t it\t might\t perhaps\t be\t a\t statue\t of\t Ghatotkach\u2014I\t mean,\t there\t were\t characters\t from\t the Mahabharata\t strewn\t about,\t weren\u2019t\t there?\u2014when\t the\t statue\t suddenly\t opened\t its\t eyes.\t Can\t you imagine\tthat?\tThe\tmonster\thad\tactually\tbeen\tsleeping\twhile\tstanding\tup!\tAnyway,\the\tlost\tnot\ta\tsecond when\the\topened\this\teyes\tand\tsaw\tus.\tBefore\teither\tof\tus\tcould\tget\tover\tthe\tshock,\the\thad\tpicked\tus\tup and\twas\tstriding\tahead.\tWell,\tI\tthink\tyou\tknow\tthe\trest.\u2019 \u2018Hm.\t Gawangi\t might\t be\t physically\t exceptionally\t strong,\t but\t I\u2019m\t sure\t he\u2019s\t actually\t quite\t simple. Thank\tHeavens\tfor\tthat,\tor\tSunil\twould\thave\tfound\tit\ta\tlot\tmore\tdifficult\tto\thypnotize\thim.\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tyou\u2019re\tright,\u2019\tMr\tTarafdar\tsaid.\t\u2018We\thad\tno\tidea,\tof\tcourse,\tthat\twe\thad\tbeen\tfollowed.\tYou see,\tShankar\tis\tinterested\tin\tayurveda.\tHe\u2019d\theard\tsomewhere\tthat\ta\therb\tcalled\tSarpagandha\tcould\tbe found\tin\tMahabalipuram.\tSo\twe\thad\tgone\tto\tlook\tfor\tit.\tIn\tfact,\twe\teven\tfound\tit\tand\twere\treturning feeling\tquite\tjubilant,\twhen\twe\tsaw\tGawangi\tand\tThakur.\u2019 \u2018Sarpagandha?\tIsn\u2019t\tthat\tgiven\tto\tpeople\twith\thigh\tblood\tpressure?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked. \u2018Yes,\u2019\tShankar\tBabu\treplied.\t\u2018Sunil\u2019s\tpressure\ttends\tto\tclimb\tup\toccasionally.\tI\twanted\tthe\therb\tfor him.\u2019 Lalmohan\tBabu\tthrew\ta\tchicken\ttikka\tinto\this\tmouth.\t\u2018Felu\tBabu,\u2019\the\tsaid,\tmunching\thappily,\t\u2018we managed\twithout\tyour\thelp\ttoday.\tPerhaps\tyou\u2019re\tnot\tgoing\tto\tbe\tneeded\tany\tmore!\u2019 Feluda\t ignored\t the\t jibe\t and\t said,\t \u2018What\t is\t more\t important\t is\t that\t Gawangi\t and\t Thakur \u2019s\t efforts failed.\u2019 \u2018Yes.\tWe\u2019re\tnow\tleft\twith\tonly\tBasak.\u2019 Mr \t Reddy,\t who \t had\t ar r ived\t just\t befo r e\t lunch\t and\t had\t been\t per suaded\t to \t jo in\t us\t (altho ug h\t he\t ate only\tvegetarian\tfood),\tspoke\tfor\tthe\tfirst\ttime.\t\u2018Tell\tyou\twhat,\tMr\tTarafdar,\u2019\the\tsaid\tgently.\t\u2018I\tsuggest yo u\t do n\u2019t\t g o \t o ut\t anywher e\t else\t to day.\t In\t fact,\t yo u\t sho uld\t r est\t in\t the\t ho tel\t to mo r r o w\t as\t well.\t After today\u2019s\tevents,\tI\treally\tdon\u2019t\tthink\tyou\tshould\trun\tany\tmore\trisks\twith\tthat\tboy.\tAfter\tall,\tyour\tshow begins\tthe\tday\tafter\ttomorrow\tand\twe\u2019re\tsold\tout\tcompletely\tfor\tthe\tfirst\tcouple\tof\tdays.\tIf\tanything","happened\tto\tNayan,\tevery\tsingle\tperson\twould\twant\this\tmoney\tback.\tWhere\tdo\tyou\tthink\twe\u2019d\tstand then?\u2019 \u2018What\tabout\tsecurity\tduring\tthe\tshows?\u2019 \u2018I\thave\tinformed\tthe\tpolice.\tDon\u2019t\tworry,\tthat\u2019s\tbeen\ttaken\tcare\tof.\u2019 Mr\tReddy\thad\tindeed\tworked\tvery\thard\tto\tarrange\tgood\tpublicity\tfor\tthe\tshow.\tWe\thad\tseen\tlarge posters\t and\t hoardings\t on\t our\t way\t back\t from\t Mahabalipuram\t which\t showed\t Mr\t Tarafdar\t in\t his golden\tcostume\tand\tintroduced\tNayan\tas\t\u2018Jyotishkam\u2014the\tWonder\tBoy\u2019. \u2018We\u2019ve\tall\tgot\tto\tbe\ta\tlot\tmore\tvigilant,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid.\t\u2018I\tmust\tapologize\tboth\tto\tyou,\tMr\tReddy,\tand to\t Sunil\t for\t not\t taking\t better\t care\t of\t Nayan.\t Those\t statues\t and\t carvings\t in\t Mahabalipuram\t simply turned\tmy\thead,\tyou\tsee,\tor\telse\tI\twouldn\u2019t\thave\tallowed\tNayan\tto\tget\tout\tof\tmy\tsight.\u2019 We\tfinished\tour\tmeal\tand\tleft\tthe\tdining\troom.\tNayan\twent\tback\twith\tMr\tTarafdar\tsince\tJatayu\thad finished\this\tstory.\tFeluda,\tLalmohan\tBabu\tand\tI\treturned\tto\tour\troom,\tand\tbarely\tfive\tminutes\tlater, came\tthe\tsecond\tsurprise\tof\tthe\tday.\u2019 Feluda\twas\tin\tthe\tmiddle\tof\ttelling\tJatayu,\t\u2018I\tmust\tnow\tthink\tof\tretirement,\tmustn\u2019t\tI?\tI\tought\tto\tput you\t in\t charge,\t I\t think.\t I\u2019m\t sure\t you\u2019ll\t make\t a\t very\t worthy\t successor\u2014\u2019\t and\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t was grinning\t broadly,\t thoroughly\t enjoying\t being\t teased,\t when\t the\t telephone\t rang.\t Feluda\t broke\t off, spoke\tbriefly\ton\tthe\tphone,\tthen\tput\tit\tdown. \u2018I\t have\t no \t idea\t who \t he\t is.\t But\t he\t wants\t to \t co me\t up\t and\t see\t us.\t He\t r ang \t fr o m\t the\t lo bby.\t So \t I\t to ld him\tto\tcome.\tMr\tJatayu,\tplease\ttake\tover.\u2019 \u2018What!\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tgasped.\t\u2018What\tdo\tyou\tmean?\u2019 \u2018You\t said\t my\t days\t were\t over.\t Let\u2019s\t see\t how\t well\t you\t can\t manage\t on\t your\t own.\u2019\t The\t bell\t rang before\tLalmohan\tBabu\tcould\tutter\tanother\tword.\tI\topened\tthe\tdoor\tto\tfind\ta\tmiddle-aged\tgentleman, of\tmedium\theight,\tsporting\ta\tthick\tblack\tmoustache,\talthough\this\thair\twas\tthin\tand\tgrey.\tHe\twalked into\tthe\troom,\tglanced\tfirst\tat\tFeluda\tand\tthen\tat\tLalmohan\tBabu,\tand\tsaid,\t\u2018Er\t.\t.\t.\twhich\tone\tof\tyou is\tMr\tMitter?\u2019 Feluda\tpointed\tat\tLalmohan\tBabu\tand\tsaid\tcoolly,\t\u2018He\tis.\u2019 The\tman\tturned\tto\tface\tLalmohan\tBabu,\twith\tan\toutstretched\thand.\tLalmohan\tBabu\tpulled\thimself together,\tand\tgave\thim\ta\tmanly\thandshake.\tI\tremembered\tFeluda\thad\tonce\tsaid\tto\thim,\t\u2018A\thandshake is\ta\tWestern\tconcept.\tTherefore,\tif\tyou\tmust\tshake\thands\twith\tsomeone,\tdo\tso\tas\ta\tWesterner\twould \u2014a\tfirm\tgrip,\tand\ta\tsmart\tshake.\u2019\tPerhaps,\tlike\tme,\the\thad\trecalled\tthese\twords\tfor\tI\tsaw\thim\tclutch the\tother\tgentleman\u2019s\thand\ttightly\tand\tgive\tit\ta\tvigorous\tshake.\tThen\the\twithdrew\this\thand\tand\tsaid, \u2018Please\tsit\tdown,\tMr\u2014?\u2019 The\tman\tsat\tdown\ton\ta\tsofa.\t\u2018I\tcould\ttell\tyou\tmy\tname,\tbut\tthat\twouldn\u2019t\tmean\tanything\tto\tyou,\u2019\the said.\t\u2018I\thave\tbeen\tsent\there\tby\tMr\tTiwari.\tI\thave\tknown\thim\tfor\tmany\tyears.\tBut\tthat\tisn\u2019t\tall.\tYou\tsee, I\t am\t a\t private\t detective,\t like\t yourself.\t The\t company\t called\t Detecnique,\t for\t which\t I\t work,\t moved from\tCalcutta\tto\tBombay\tmore\tthan\ttwenty\tyears\tago.\tThat\tis\twhy\tI\tnever\tgot\tround\tto\tmeeting\tyou before,\talthough\tI\tdid\thear\tyour\tname.\tPardon\tme,\tMr\tMitter,\tbut\tI\tam\ta\tlittle\tsurprised.\tI\tmean,\tyou don\u2019t\tlook\tlike\tan\tinvestigator\t.\t.\t.\tin\tfact,\tthis\tgentleman\there\tis\tmore\t.\t.\t.\u2019\tHe\tglanced\tat\tFeluda. \u2018He\tis\tmy\tfriend,\tLalmohan\tGanguli,\ta\tpowerfully\toutstanding\twriter,\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tannounced solemnly.","\u2018I\t see.\t Anyway,\t let\t me\t tell\t yo u\t why\t I\u2019m\t her e.\u2019\t He\t to o k\t o ut\t a\t pho to g r aph\t fr o m\t his\t po cket.\t I\t co uld see\tfrom\twhere\tI\twas\tstanding\tthat\tit\twas\ta\tphoto\tof\tMr\tHingorani. \u2018You\tare\tworking\tfor\tthis\tman,\taren\u2019t\tyou?\u2019 Feluda\u2019s\t face\t remained\t impassive.\t Lalmohan\t Babu\u2019s\t eyebrows\t rose\t for\t a\t fleeting\t second,\t but\t he said\t no thing .\t We\t wer e\t under \t the\t impr essio n\t that\t no \t o ne\t knew\t abo ut\t Mr \t Hing o r ani\t and\t us.\t Ho w\t had this\tman\tfound\tout? \u2018If\t that\t is\t the\t case,\t Mr \t Mitter,\u2019\t co ntinued\t o ur \t visito r,\t \u2018then\t I\t am\t yo ur \t r ival,\t fo r \t I\t am\t r epr esenting Tiwari.\t I\t contacted\t him\t when\t I\t read\t about\t his\t case\t in\t a\t newspaper.\t He\t was\t delighted,\t and\t said\t he needed\tmy\thelp.\tI\tagreed,\tand\tleft\tfor\tCalcutta\timmediately.\tThe\tfirst\tthing\tI\tdid\ton\treaching\tCalcutta was\tring\tHingorani.\tHis\tnephew\tanswered\tthe\tphone\tand\tsaid\tno\tone\tknew\twhere\this\tuncle\thad\tgone. Then\t I\t checked\t with\t Indian\t Air lines\t and\t fo und\t his\t name\t o n\t the\t passeng er \t list\t o f\t a\t Calcutta-Madr as flight.\tIt\tbecame\tclear\tthat\the\thad\tfled\tafter\tTiwari\u2019s\tthreats.\tSo\tI\twent\tto\this\thouse,\tand\tmet\this\tbearer. He\ttold\tme\tthat\tthree\tdays\tago,\tthree\tvisitors\thad\tbeen\tto\tthe\thouse.\tOne\tof\tthem\twas\tcalled\tMr\tMitter. This\tmade\tme\tsuspicious,\tand\tI\tlooked\tup\tyour\tnumber\tin\tthe\ttelephone\tdirectory.\tWhen\tI\trang\tyou,\tI learnt\tthat\tyou,\ttoo,\thad\tleft\tfor\tMadras.\tI\tput\ttwo\tand\ttwo\ttogether\tand\tdecided\tto\tdiscover\twhere\tyou were\tstaying.\tSo\there\tI\tam,\tsimply\tto\ttell\tyou\twhat\tthe\tlatest\tsituation\tis.\tYou\tdo\tadmit,\tdon\u2019t\tyou,\tthat Hingorani\tappointed\tyou\tto\tprotect\thim?\u2019 \u2018Any\tobjections?\u2019 \u2018Many.\u2019 Nobody\t spoke\t for\t a\t few\t seconds.\t Feluda\t kept\t smoking,\t blowing\t out\t smoke\t rings\t from\t time\t to time,\this\tface\tstill\texpressionless. \u2018Do\tyou\tknow\twhat\tdevelopments\thave\ttaken\tplace\tregarding\tTiwari\u2019s\tcase?\u2019\tour\tvisitor\tasked. \u2018Why,\thas\tanything\tbeen\treported\tin\tthe\tpress?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\tSome\tnew\tfacts\thave\tcome\tto\tlight,\tthat\topen\tup\ta\ttotally\tdifferent\tdimension.\tAre\tyou\taware what\tkind\tof\ta\tman\tyou\u2019re\tprotecting?\tHe\tis\ta\tthief,\ta\tliar\tand\ta\tscoundrel\tof\tthe\tfirst\torder.\u2019\tThe\tman r aised\t his\t vo ice\t and\t almo st\t sho uted\t the\t last\t few\t wo r ds.\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t g ulped\t twice\t and,\t despite\t a heroic\teffort,\tfailed\tto\thide\tthe\tanxiety\tin\this\tvoice. \u2018H-how\tdo\tyou\tkn-know?\u2019 \u2018Tiwari\t found\t irrefutable\t evidence.\t Hingorani\u2019s\t ring\u2014a\t red\t coral\t set\t in\t gold\u2014was\t found\t under the\t chest.\t It\t had\t rolled\t to\t the\t far\t end,\t which\t was\t why\t no\t one\t saw\t it\t at\t first.\t A\t sweeper\t found\t it eventually.\t Ever yo ne\t in\t the\t o ffice\t r eco g nized\t the\t r ing .\t Hing o r ani\t had\t wo r n\t it\t fo r \t year s.\t This\t is\t my trump\tcard,\tMr\tMitter.\tThis\twill\tfinish\tyour\tclient.\u2019 \u2018But\t when\t the\t theft\t to o k\t place,\t Mr \t Hing o r aj\u2014no ,\t I\t mean\t Hing o r ani,\t was\t visiting \t his\t co usin\t in\t a hospital.\u2019 \u2018Nonsense.\tHe\tstole\tinto\tthe\toffice\tat\ttwo\tin\tthe\tmorning\tto\tremove\tthe\tmoney.\tHe\thad\tto\tbribe\tthe chowkidar\t to\t get\t in.\t How\t do\t I\t know?\t I\t know\t because\t the\t chowkidar\t made\t a\t full\t confession\t to\t the police.\t Hingorani\t paid\t him\t five\t hundred\t rupees.\t Tiwari\t told\t me\t he\t could\t now\t remember\t perfectly when\t and\t ho w\t he\t had\t to ld\t his\t par tner \t abo ut\t the\t co mbinatio n.\t It\t was\t near ly\t fifteen\t year s\t ag o .\t Tiwar i had\t suffer ed\t a\t ser io us\t attack\t o f\t hepatitis.\t He\t tho ug ht\t he\u2019d\t die,\t so \t he\t called\t Hing o r ani\t and\t g ave\t him the\tnumber.\u2019 \u2018But\twhy\tshould\tHingorani\tsteal\this\tpartner \u2019s\tpersonal\tmoney?\u2019","\u2018Because\the\twas\tnearly\tbankrupt,\tthat\u2019s\twhy!\u2019\tour\tvisitor\traised\this\tvoice\tagain.\t\u2018He\thad\tstarted\tto gamble\tvery\theavily.\tHe\tused\tto\ttravel\tto\tKathmandu\tpretty\tfrequently\tand\tvisit\tall\tthe\tcasinos.\tHe\tlost tho usands\t o f\t r upees\t at\t r o ulette,\t but\t that\t did\t no thing \t to \t make\t him\t sto p.\t Tiwar i\t tr ied\t to \t war n\t him.\t He paid\t no \t attentio n.\t In\t the\t end,\t he\t had\t beg un\t to \t sell\t his\t fur nitur e\t and\t painting s.\t When\t even\t that\t didn\u2019t bring\thim\tenough,\the\tthought\tof\tstealing\tTiwari\u2019s\tmoney.\u2019 \u2018Well,\twhat\tdo\tyou\tintend\tto\tdo\tnow?\u2019 \u2018I\t will\t g o \t str aig ht\t to \t his\t r o o m\t fr o m\t her e.\t It\t is\t my\t belief\t that\t he\u2019s\t br o ug ht\t the\t sto len\t mo ney\t with him.\tTiwari\tis\tsuch\ta\tkind\tman\tthat\the\u2019s\toffered\tnot\tto\ttake\tany\taction\tagainst\tHingorani\tas\tlong\tas\the gets\this\tmoney\tback.\tI\tam\tgoing\tto\tpass\this\tmessage\tto\tHingorani,\tand\thope\tthat\the\twill\tthen\tcome\tto his\tsenses\tand\treturn\tthe\tmoney.\u2019 \u2018What\tif\the\tdoesn\u2019t?\u2019 Our\tvisitor \u2019s\tlips\tspread\tin\ta\tslow,\tcruel\tsmile.\t\u2018If\the\tdoesn\u2019t,\u2019\the\tsaid\twith\trelish,\t\u2018we\u2019ll\thave\tto think\tof\ta\tdifferent\tcourse\tof\taction.\u2019 \u2018You\t mean\t you\u2019ll\t use\t force?\t But\t that\u2019s\t wrong,\t that\u2019s\t unlawful!\t Why,\t you\t are\t a\t detective,\t aren\u2019t you?\tYour\tjob\tis\tto\texpose\tcriminals,\tnot\tto\tbreak\tthe\tlaw\tyourself!\u2019 \u2018Yes,\t Mr \t Mitter.\t But\t ther e\t ar e\t detectives,\t and\t detectives.\t I\t believe\t in\t playing \t thing s\t by\t ear.\t Sur ely you\t know\t that\t the\t dividing\t line\t between\t a\t criminal\t and\t a\t good\t sleuth\t is\t very,\t very\t thin?\u2019\t He\t rose. \u2018Glad\tto\thave\tmet\tyou,\tsir.\tGood\tday!\u2019\the\tsaid,\tshaking\tLalmohan\tBabu\u2019s\thand\tagain.\tThen\the\tswiftly went\tout. The\tthree\tof\tus\tsat\tin\tsilence\tafter\the\thad\tgone.\tThen\tFeluda\tspoke.\t\u2018Thank\tyou,\tLalmohan\tBabu. The\t advantag e\t in\t staying \t silent\t is\t that\t o ne\t g ets\t mo r e\t time\t to \t think.\t I\t no w\t r ealize\t that\t Mr \t Hing o r ani has\trecently\tlost\ta\tlot\tof\tweight.\tHe\u2019s\tbeen\tailing\tfor\tsome\ttime,\tperhaps\twith\tdiabetes,\tI\tdon\u2019t\tknow. Anyway,\tthe\tpoint\tis\tthat\tthat\u2019s\twhy\tthe\tstrap\tof\this\twatch\tbecame\tloose,\tand\tso\tdid\this\tring.\tWhen\tit slipped\toff\this\tfinger\tand\trolled\tunder\tthe\tchest,\the\tdidn\u2019t\teven\tnotice\tit.\u2019 \u2018What!\tYou\tmean\twhat\tthat\tman\tjust\tsaid\twas\ttrue?\tYou\u2019re\tprepared\tto\tbelieve\thim?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tI\tam.\tA\tlot\tof\tthings\tthat\twere\tunclear\tto\tme\tbefore\thave\tnow\tbecome\tcrystal\tclear.\tBut\tthat man\twas\twrong\tabout\tone\tthing.\tHingorani\tdid\tnot\tsteal\tTiwari\u2019s\tmoney\tto\tsettle\this\tgambling\tdebts. One\tlook\tat\tNayan\thad\ttold\thim\this\tfinancial\tworries\twere\tover.\tHe\ttook\tthe\tmoney\tsimply\tto\tcreate the\tMiracles\tUnlimited\tCompany,\tand\tto\tsupport\tTarafdar.\u2019 \u2018Won\u2019t\tyou\tgo\tand\ttalk\tto\tHingorani\tnow?\u2019 \u2018No,\tthere\u2019s\tno\tneed.\tThat\tman\tfrom\tDetecnique\twill\tdo\tall\tthe\ttalking.\tAnd\tHingorani\twill\treturn Tiwari\u2019s\tmoney,\tif\tonly\tto\tsave\this\town\tlife.\tHe\thas\tno\tfuture\tleft\tas\tTarafdar \u2019s\tsponsor.\u2019 \u2018But\tthat\tmeans\u2014?\u2019 \u2018Stop\t it\t right\t there,\t Lalmohan\t Babu.\t I\t do\t not\t know\t what\t that\t means,\t or\t what\t all\t the\t future implications\tare.\tGive\tme\ttime\tto\tthink.\u2019","Twelve Lalmohan\tBabu\tand\tI\twent\tfor\ta\twalk\tin\tthe\tevening\tby\tthe\tsea.\tHeaven\tknew\twhat\tlay\tin\tstore\tfor\tMr Hing o r ani,\t but\t per haps\t Nayan\t was\t safe\t fo r \t the\t mo ment.\t As\t a\t matter \t o f\t fact,\t I\t tho ug ht,\t if\t Hing o r ani manag ed\t to \t pr o duce\t just\t eno ug h\t mo ney\t to \t pay\t fo r \t his\t fir st\t sho w\u2014that\t is,\t after \t he\t had\t paid\t Tiwar i back\u2014then\teverything\twould\tbe\tall\tright.\tOnce\tpeople\thad\tactually\tseen\twhat\tNayan\twas\tcapable\tof, the\tmoney\twould\tcome\trolling\tin\tand\tMr\tHingorani\twould\tbe\table\tto\tmanage\tquite\twell. Ho wever,\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t was\t mo st\t anno yed\t when\t I\t to ld\t him\t my\t theo r y.\t \u2018Tapesh,\t I\t am\t sho cked!\u2019 he\tsaid\tsternly.\t\u2018That\tman\tis\ta\tcriminal.\tHe\u2019s\tstolen\ta\tlot\tof\tmoney\tfrom\this\tpartner.\tHow\tcan\tyou\tfeel happy\tabout\tthe\tsame\tman\tmaking\tuse\tof\tNayan?\u2019 \u2018I\tam\tnot\thappy\tabout\tit,\tLalmohan\tBabu.\tThere\tis\tenough\tevidence\tagainst\tHingorani\tto\tput\thim\tin prison\tright\taway.\tBut\tif\tTiwari\tis\twilling\tto\tforgive\thim,\twhy\tshould\teither\tyou\tor\tI\tmind\tif\the\tjust gets\ton\twith\this\tlife?\u2019 \u2018I\tmind\tbecause\tthat\tman\u2019s\ta\tgambler.\tI\thave\tno\tsympathy\tfor\tgamblers.\u2019 I\t said\t nothing\t more.\t A\t little\t later,\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t seemed\t to\t calm\t down\t and\t suggested\t we\t stop somewhere\tfor\ta\tquick\tcoffee.\tI\twas\tfeeling\tthirsty,\ttoo;\tso\twe\tfound\ta\tcaf\u00e9\tnear\tthe\tbeach\tand\twent in.\t It\t was\t fairly\t crowded,\t but\t we\t managed\t to\t find\t a\t table.\t \u2018Two\t cold\t coffees,\t please,\u2019\t I\t said\t to\t the waiter.\t A\t minute\t later,\t two\t tall\t glasses\t with\t straws\t landed\t in\t front\t of\t us.\t Both\t of\t us\t bent\t our\t heads slightly\tto\ttake\ta\tsip\tthrough\tthe\tstraw. \u2018Did\t you\t speak\t to\t your\t snoopy\t friend?\u2019\t asked\t a\t voice.\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t choked.\t I\t raised\t my\t eyes quickly\tto\tfind\tMr\tNandalal\tBasak\tstanding\tby\tour\ttable,\tdressed\tin\ta\tgarish\tshirt.\t\u2018Tell\tyour\tfriend, and\tTarafdar,\u2019\the\tadded,\twhen\tLalmohan\tBabu\tstopped\tspluttering,\t\u2018that\tBasak\tdoesn\u2019t\tlet\tgrass\tgrow under\this\tfeet.\tHe\tmay\twell\thave\this\tshow\ton\tthe\t25th,\tbut\tthat\twonder\tboy\twill\tnever\tget\tthe\tchance to\tappear\ton\tstage.\tI\tcan\tguarantee\tthat.\u2019 Without\t waiting\t for\t a\t reply,\t Mr\t Basak\t walked\t out\t of\t the\t caf\u00e9\t and\t disappeared\t from\t sight.\t It\t was already\tdark\toutside,\tso\tI\tcouldn\u2019t\tsee\twhere\the\twent.\tWe\tpaid\tfor\tour\tcoffee\tand\ttook\ta\ttaxi\tback\tto the\thotel.\tWe\treached\tit\tin\thalf\tan\thour,\tto\tfind\tthe\tlobby\tabsolutely\tpacked\twith\tpeople.\tRight\tin\tthe middle\t of\t the\t lobby\t was\t a\t huge\t pile\t of\t luggage.\t Obviously,\t several\t large\t groups\t of\t tourists\t had arrived\thad\tarrived\ttogether. We\t made\t o ur \t way\t to \t the\t lift\t as\t quickly\t as\t we\t co uld\t and\t pr essed\t number \t 4.\t When\t we\t r eached\t o ur room,\t we\t realized\t someone\t else\t was\t in\t the\t room\t already,\t for\t Feluda\t was\t speaking\t to\t him\t with\t a raised\tvoice,\tsounding\textremely\tcross. He\t o pened\t the\t do o r \t a\t few\t seco nds\t after \t I\t r ang \t the\t bell,\t and\t beg an\t sho uting \t at\t us.\t \u2018Wher e\t the\t hell have\t you\t two\t been?\t What\u2019s\t the\t point\t in\t having\t you\t here,\t when\t I\t can\u2019t\t ever\t find\t you\t when\t you\u2019re needed?\u2019","Rather\tembarrassed,\twe\twent\tinto\tthe\troom\tand\tfound\tMr\tTarafdar\tsitting\ton\tthe\tsofa,\tlooking\tas though\tthe\tworld\thad\tcome\tto\tan\tend. \u2018What\t.\t.\t.\twhat\thappened?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tfaltered. \u2018Ask\tyour\tmagician.\u2019 \u2018What\tis\tit,\tSunil?\u2019 Mr\tTarafdar\tdid\tnot\treply. \u2018He\u2019s\tbereft\tof\tspeech,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid,\this\tvoice\tsounding\tcold\tand\thard,\t\u2018so\tperhaps\tI\tshould\ttell\tyou what\thappened.\u2019 He\tlit\ta\tCharminar\tand\tinhaled\tdeeply.\t\u2018Nayan\u2019s\tgone.\tBeen\tkidnapped.\tCan\tyou\tbelieve\tthat?\tHow will\tanyone\tever\tbe\table\tto\ttrust\tme\tagain?\tDidn\u2019t\tI\ttell\tyou\the\tmustn\u2019t\tstep\tout\tof\tyour\troom?\tDidn\u2019t I\t say\t so\t a\t thousand\t times?\t But\t no,\t he\t had\t to\t go\t out\t with\t Shankar\t to\t the\t hotel\t bookshop,\t when\t the whole\tplace\tis\tcrawling\twith\tstrangers.\u2019 \u2018And\tthen?\u2019\tI\tcould\thear\tmy\town\theartbeats. \u2018Go\ton,\tTarafdar,\ttell\tthem\tthe\trest.\tOr\tdo\tI\thave\tto\tspend\tmy\tlife\tspeaking\ton\tyour\tbehalf?\u2019\tI\thad very\tseldom\tseen\tFeluda\tso\ttotally\tlivid\twith\trage. Mr\t Tarafdar\t finally\t raised\t his\t face\t and\t spoke\t in\t a\t whisper.\t \u2018Nayan\t was\t getting\t fed\t up\t of\t being couped\tup\tin\tthe\troom.\tHe\tkept\tbadgering\tShankar\tall\tday\tto\ttake\thim\tout\tto\tbuy\ta\tbook.\tSo\tShankar went\tout\twith\thim\tin\tthe\tevening,\tonly\tas\tfar\tas\tthe\thotel\tshopping\tarcade,\tand\tfound\tthe\tbookshop. Nayan\tchose\ttwo\tbooks,\tand\tpassed\tthem\tto\tthe\tlady\tat\tthe\tcash\ttill.\tShankar\twas\twatching\ther\tmake the\t bill\t and\t wr ap\t the\t bo o ks\t up,\t when\t she\t suddenly\t said,\t \u201cThat\t bo y\t .\t .\t .\t wher e\t is\t that\t bo y?\u201d\t Shankar wheeled\taround\tto\tfind\tNayan\thad\tvanished.\tHe\tlooked\tfor\thim\teverywhere.\tBut\t.\t.\t.\tbut\tthere\twas\tno sign\tof\thim.\tThere\twere\tso\tmany\tpeople\tthere,\tsuch\ta\tlot\tof\tpushing\tand\tjostling\t.\t.\t.\twho\twould\thave noticed\ta\tlittle\tboy\tof\teight?\u2019 \u2018When\tdid\tthis\thappen?\u2019 \u2018That\u2019s\tthe\tbeauty\tof\tit!\u2019\tFeluda\tshouted\tagain.\t\u2018All\tthis\thappened\tan\thour\tand\ta\thalf\tago.\tBut\tSunil decided\tto\tinform\tme\tbarely\tten\tminutes\tbefore\tyou\tarrived.\u2019 \u2018Basak,\u2019\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t said\t firmly.\t \u2018Nandalal\t Basak\t did\t this.\t No\t doubt\t about\t it,\t Felu\t Babu. Absolutely\tnone.\u2019 \u2018How\tcan\tyou\tbe\tso\tsure?\u2019 I\texplained\tabout\tour\tencounter\twith\tMr\tBasak.\tFeluda\u2019s\tfrown\tdeepened. \u2018I\tsee.\tThis\tis\twhat\tI\thad\tbeen\tafraid\tof.\tHe\tmust\thave\tspotted\tyou\tin\tthat\tcaf\u00e9,\tsoon\tafter\the\thad\thad Nayan\tremoved\tfrom\tthis\thotel.\u2019 \u2018Where\tis\tShankar?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tasked. \u2018He\u2019s\tgone\tto\tthe\tpolice\tstation,\u2019\tMr\tTarafdar\treplied. \u2018But\t info r ming \t the\t po lice\t alo ne\t isn\u2019t\t g o ing \t to \t so lve\t yo ur \t pr o blem,\t is\t it?\t Yo u\u2019ll\t have\t to \t tell\t yo ur sponsor\t and\t Mr\t Reddy.\t Do\t you\t think\t they\u2019ll\t still\t be\t prepared\t to\t go\t ahead\t with\t your\t show,\t even without\tNayan?\tI\tdoubt\tit!\u2019 \u2018Well,\tthen\t.\t.\t.\twho\u2019s\tgoing\tto\ttell\tHingorani?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tasked. \u2018Not\tour\thypnotist\there,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid.\t\u2018He\thasn\u2019t\tgot\tthe\tnerve.\tHe\u2019s\talready\tasked\tme\tto\tdo\tit,\tsince he\u2019s\tafraid\tHingorani\twill\tthrottle\thim\tto\tdeath,\ton\tthe\tspot.\u2019","\u2018All\t r ig ht,\u2019\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t held\t up\t a\t hand,\t \u2018neither \t o f\t yo u\t need\t tell\t Hing o r ani.\t We\t will.\t Tapesh, are\tyou\tready?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tof\tcourse.\u2019 \u2018Ver y\t well,\u2019\t Feluda\t said\t slo wly,\t \u2018Yo u\t two \t can\t g o \t and\t g ive\t him\t the\t bad\t news.\t Go \t at\t o nce.\t He\u2019s\t in room\t288.\u2019 We\t took\t the\t staircase\t to\t go\t down\t to\t his\t room\t and\t rang\t the\t bell.\t Nothing\t happened.\t \u2018These\t bells do n\u2019t\t wo r k\t so metimes,\u2019\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t to ld\t me.\t \u2018Pr ess\t it\t har d.\u2019\t I\t did,\t thr ee\t times\t in\t a\t r o w.\t No \t o ne opened\t the\t door.\t So\t we\t went\t down\t to\t the\t lobby\t once\t more\t and\t rang\t room\t 288\t from\t a\t house telephone.\tThe\tphone\trang\tseveral\ttimes,\tbut\tthere\twas\tno\tanswer.\tPuzzled,\twe\twent\tto\tthe\treception. \u2018Mr\tHingorani\tmust\tbe\tin\tthe\troom\tfor\this\tkey\tisn\u2019t\there,\u2019\tsaid\tthe\treceptionist. \u2018But\t .\t .\t .\u2019\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t g r ew\t ag itated,\t \u2018he\t may\t be\t sleeping ,\t r ig ht?\t We\t need\t to \t check,\t see?\t Ver y important\t for\t us\t to\t see\t him.\t Now!\t No\t duplicate\t key?\u2019\t Something\t in\t the\t way\t he\t spoke\t must\t have impressed\tthe\treceptionist.\tWithout\tanother\tword\tto\tus,\the\tasked\ta\tbell-boy\tto\ttake\ta\tduplicate\tkey\tand come\twith\tus.\tThis\ttime,\twe\ttook\tthe\tlift\tto\tgo\tup\tto\tthe\tsecond\tfloor.\tThe\tbell-boy\tunlocked\tthe\tdoor and\tmotioned\tus\tto\tgo\tin. \u2018Thank\t you,\u2019\t said\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t and\t pushed\t the\t door\t open.\t Then\t he\t took\t a\t few\t steps\t forward, only\tto\tspring\tback\tagain\tand\trun\tstraight\tinto\tme. \u2018H-h-h-h-ing!\u2019\the\tcried,\tlooking\tashen. By\tthis\ttime,\tI,\ttoo,\thad\tseen\tit.\tIt\tmade\tmy\theart\tjump\tinto\tmy\tmouth,\tand\tmy\tlimbs\tbegan\tto\tgo numb. Mr\t Hingorani\t was\t lying\t on\t his\t back,\t although\t his\t legs\t stretched\t out\t of\t the\t bed\t and\t touched\t the floor.\tHis\tjacket\twas\tunbuttoned\tand,\tthrough\tthe\tgap,\tI\tcould\tsee\ta\tred\tpatch\ton\this\twhite\tshirt,\tfrom the\tmiddle\tof\twhich\trose\tthe\thandle\tof\ta\tdagger. Someone\t had\t left\t the\t TV\t on,\t but\t the\t sound\t had\t been\t switched\t off.\t People\t talked,\t laughed,\t cried, moved\tand\tjumped\ton\tthe\tscreen,\tin\tabsolute\tsilence.\tStrange\tbluish\tshadows,\treflected\tfrom\tthe\tTV screen,\tdanced\tendlessly\ton\tMr\tHingorani\u2019s\tdead\tface.","Thirteen There\tseemed\tlittle\tdoubt\tthat\tMr\tHingorani\thad\tbeen\tkilled\tby\tthe\tman\tfrom\tDetecnique.\tThe\tpolice surgeon\tput\tthe\ttime\tof\tdeath\tbetween\t2.30\tand\t3.30\tp.m.\tOur\tvisitor\thad\tleft\tour\troom\tat\t2.45\tand\thad to ld\t us\t that\t he\t wo uld\t g o \t str aig ht\t to \t see\t Hing o r ani.\t It\t was\t o bvio us\t that\t Mr \t Hing o r ani\t had\t r efused\t to r etur n\t Tiwar i\u2019s\t mo ney,\t and\t so \t Mr \t Detecnique\t had\t decided\t to \t kill\t him.\t The\t po lice\t fo und\t o nly\t sixty- five\t r upees\t in\t a\t dr awer \t and\t a\t handful\t o f\t co ins.\t T he\t o nly\t lug g ag e\t in\t the\t r o o m\t was\t a\t suitcase,\t par tly filled\twith\tclothes.\tIf\tindeed\tMr\tHingorani\thad\tcarried\tlakhs\tof\trupees\twith\thim,\the\u2019d\thave\tput\tit\tin\ta briefcase.\tThere\twas\tno\tsign\tof\ta\tbriefcase\tanywhere. Feluda\tspoke\tto\tthe\tpolice\tand\tgave\tthem\ta\tdescription\tof\tthe\tman\tfrom\tDetecnique.\t\u2018I\tcouldn\u2019t\ttell yo u\t his\t name,\u2019\t he\t said,\t \u2018but\t if\t he\u2019s\t taken\t the\t mo ney,\t he\u2019ll\t pass\t it\t o n\t to \t Devkinandan\t Tiwar i\t o f\t T\t H Syndicate\tin\tCalcutta.\tI\tthink\tyour\tcolleagues\tthere\tought\tto\tbe\tinformed.\u2019 Mr \t Reddy\t had\t hear d\t o f\t the\t do uble\t tr ag edy,\t and\t was\t no w\t sitting \t in\t o ur \t r o o m.\t I\t had\t expected\t him either\tto\tthrow\ta\tfit,\tor\thave\ta\theart\tattack.\tTo\tmy\tamazement,\the\tremained\tquite\tcalm\tand\tbegan\tto discuss\thow\tthe\tmagic\tshow\tmight\tstill\tgo\tahead,\teven\twithout\tNayan. \u2018Suppose\t you\t concentrate\t more\t on\t your\t hypnotism?\u2019\t he\t said\t to\t Tarafdar.\t \u2018I\t will\t get\t leading per so nalities\u2014po liticians,\t film\t star s,\t spo r tsmen\u2014o n\t the\t o pening \t nig ht.\t Yo u\t can\t hypno tize\t each\t o ne of\tthem.\tHow\tabout\tthat?\u2019 Mr\tTarafdar\tshook\this\thead\tsadly.\t\u2018It\u2019s\tvery\tkind\tof\tyou,\tMr\tReddy.\tBut\tI\tcan\u2019t\tspend\tthe\trest\tof\tmy life\tperforming\ton\tyour\tstage.\tI\thave\tto\tmove\ton,\tbut\twho\twill\ttreat\tme\twith\tsuch\tkindness\tin\tother cities?\t The\t word\t has\t spread,\t everyone\t will\t expect\t Nayan\t on\t my\t show.\t Most\t theatre\t managers\t are ruthless\tbusinessmen.\tThey\twouldn\u2019t\tdream\tof\tgiving\tme\ta\tchance.\tI\tam\tfinished,\tMr\tReddy.\u2019 \u2018Did\tHingorani\tpay\tyou\tanything\tat\tall?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked. \u2018Yes,\t he\t paid\t me\t a\t certain\t sum\t before\t I\t left\t Calcutta.\t It\t was\t enough\t to\t cover\t our\t travel\t and\t stay here.\t Tomorrow,\t he\t was\t supposed\t to\t pay\t me\t another\t instalment.\t You\t see,\t he\t believed\t in\t astrology. Tomorrow,\the\thad\ttold\tme,\twas\tan\tauspicious\tday.\u2019 Mr\tReddy\tlooked\tsympathetically\tat\tMr\tTarafdar. \u2018I\tcan\tsee\twhat\tyou\u2019re\tgoing\tthrough.\tYou\tcan\u2019t\tpossibly\tperform\tin\tyour\tpresent\tstate\tof\tmind.\u2019 \u2018It\t isn\u2019t\t just\t me,\t Mr\t Reddy.\t My\t manager,\t Shankar,\t is\t so\t upset\t that\t he\u2019s\t taken\t to\t his\t bed.\t I\t can\u2019t manage\twithout\thim,\teither.\u2019 The\t police\t had\t left\t half\t an\t hour\t ago.\t A\t murder\t enquiry\t had\t been\t started.\t Every\t hotel\t and\t guest- house\t in\t the\t city\t was\t going\t to\t be\t asked\t if\t they\t had\t had\t a\t visitor\t in\t the\t recent\t past\t who\t fitted\t the description\t Feluda\t had\t given.\t Hingorani\u2019s\t nephew,\t Mohan,\t had\t been\t contacted.\t He\t was\t expected\t to arrive\tthe\tnext\tday.\tThe\tpolice\thad\tremoved\tthe\tbody. Feluda\thimself\twas\tgoing\tto\tmake\tenquiries\tabout\tNayan\tand\ttry\tto\tfind\thim.\t\u2018I\tam\trelying\tsolely o n\t yo u,\t Mr \t Mitter,\u2019\t Mr \t Reddy\t said,\t r ising .\t \u2018I\t can\t po stpo ne\t the\t sho w\t fo r \t a\t co uple\t o f\t days.\t Find\t o ur","Jyotishkam\tin\tthese\ttwo\tdays.\tPlease!\u2019 Mr\tReddy\tleft.\tA\tminute\tlater,\tMr\tTarafdar\tsaid,\t\u2018I\tthink\tI\u2019ll\tgo\tback\tto\tmy\troom.\tI\u2019ll\twait\tfor\ttwo more\t days,\t as\t Mr\t Reddy\t suggested.\t If\t Nayan\t can\u2019t\t be\t found,\t I\u2019ll\t just\t pack\t my\t bags\t and\t go\t back\t to Calcutta.\tWhat\telse\tcan\tI\tdo?\tWill\tyou\tstay\ton\tin\tMadras?\u2019 \u2018Well,\tobviously\tI\tcannot\tstay\there\tindefinitely.\tBut\tI\u2019m\tnot\tgoing\tto\tgo\tback\twithout\tgetting\tto\tthe bottom\tof\tthis\tbusiness.\tWhy\tshould\tanyone\tpull\tthe\twool\tover\tour\teyes\tand\tbe\tallowed\tto\tget\taway with\tit?\u2019 \u2018Very\t well,\u2019\t said\t Mr\t Tarafdar\t and\t went\t out.\t Feluda\t took\t a\t long\t puff\t at\t his\t Charminar,\t and\t then muttered\ta\tword\tI\thad\theard\thim\tuse\tbefore:\t\u2018Doubts\t.\t.\t.\tdoubts\t.\t.\t.\tdoubts\t.\t.\t.\u2019 \u2018What\t ar e\t yo u\t feeling \t do ubtful\t abo ut?\u2019\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t asked.\t \u2018To \t star t\t with,\t Hing o r ani\t had\t been told\t not\t to\t open\t his\t door\t to\t a\t stranger.\t How\t did\t Mr\t Detecnique\t manage\t to\t get\t in?\t Did\t Hingorani know\thim?\u2019 \u2018He\tmay\thave.\tIs\tthat\tso\tsurprising?\u2019 \u2018Besides,\t Feluda,\t why\t are\t you\t thinking\t only\t of\t Hingorani\u2019s\t murder?\t Isn\u2019t\t finding\t Nayan\t more important?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tTopshe.\tI\tam\ttrying\tto\tthink\tof\tboth\tHingorani\tand\tNayan\t.\t.\t.\tbut\tsomehow\tthe\ttwo\tare\tgetting entangled\twith\teach\tother\tin\tmy\tmind.\u2019 \u2018But\tthat\u2019s\tpure\tnonsense,\tFelu\tBabu!\tThe\ttwo\tare\ttotally\tseparate\tincidents.\tWhy\tare\tyou\tallowing one\tto\tmerge\twith\tthe\tother?\u2019 Feluda\t paid\t no \t attentio n\t to \t Lalmo han\t Babu.\t He\t sho o k\t his\t head\t a\t co uple\t o f\t times,\t and\t said\t so ftly, \u2018No\tsigns\tof\tstruggle\t.\t.\t.\tabsolutely\tno\tsigns\tof\tstruggle\t.\t.\t.\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tthat\u2019s\twhat\tthe\tpolice\tsaid,\tdidn\u2019t\tthey?\u2019 \u2018Yet,\tit\twasn\u2019t\tas\tthough\tthe\tman\thad\tbeen\tmurdered\tin\this\tsleep.\u2019 \u2018No,\tof\tcourse\tnot.\tHave\tyou\tever\theard\tof\tanyone\tgoing\tto\tbed\tfully\tdressed,\twithout\teven\ttaking off\this\tsocks\tand\tshoes?\u2019 \u2018People\tdo\tsometimes,\tif\tthey\tare\ttotally\tdrunk.\u2019 \u2018But\t this\t man\t hadn\u2019t\t been\t dr inking .\t At\t least,\t no t\t in\t his\t r o o m.\t He\t mig ht\t have\t g o ne\t o ut,\t o f\t co ur se, and\treturned\tquite\tsozzled.\u2019 \u2018No.\u2019 \u2018Why\tnot?\u2019 \u2018Because\t the\t TV\t had\t been\t left\t on.\t And\t there\t was\t a\t half-finished\t cigarette\t in\t the\t ash-tray,\t which means\t someone\t had\t rung\t the\t bell\t while\t he\t was\t in\t the\t room,\t smoking\t and\t watching\t television.\t He stubbed\this\tcigarette\tout,\tswitched\toff\tthe\tsound\tof\this\tTV,\tand\topened\tthe\tdoor.\u2019 \u2018But\tsurely\the\u2019d\thave\twanted\tto\tknow\twho\tit\twas\tbefore\topening\tthe\tdoor?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tbut\tif\tit\twas\tsomeone\the\tknew,\the\twould\tnaturally\thave\tlet\thim\tin.\u2019 \u2018Then\tyou\tmust\tassume\the\tknew\tthis\tman\tfrom\tDetecnique.\tWhat\the\tprobably\tdidn\u2019t\tknow\twas\tthat Mr\tDetecnique\twas\ta\tmerciless\tkiller.\u2019 \u2018That\tstill\tdoesn\u2019t\tmake\tsense.\tWhy\tdidn\u2019t\tHingorani\tresist\thim\twhen\the\ttook\tout\ta\tlarge\tknife\tand attacked\thim?\u2019 \u2018I\t don\u2019t\t know,\t Felu\t Babu!\t You\t must\t find\t out\t the\t reason,\t mustn\u2019t\t you?\t If\t you\t can\u2019t,\t we\u2019ll\t have\t to admit\t you\u2019ve\t lost\t your\t touch\t and\t Tapesh\u2019s\t readers\t have\t every\t right\t to\t complain.\t Where\t is\t your","earlier\tbrilliance,\tsir?\tWhere\tis\tthat\trazor\tsharp\u2014?\u2019 \u2018Quiet.\u2019 Lalmohan\t Babu\t had\t to\t stop\t in\t mid-sentence.\t Feluda\t was\t no\t longer\t looking\t at\t us.\t His\t eyes\t were fixed\ton\tthe\tblank\twall,\this\tbrows\tcreased\tin\ta\tdeep\tfrown.\tLalmohan\tBabu\tand\tI\tstared\tat\thim\tfor\ta whole\tminute\twithout\tuttering\ta\tsingle\tword.\tThen\twe\theard\thim\twhisper,\t\u2018Yes\t.\t.\t.\tyes\t.\t.\t.\tI\tsee\t.\t.\t.\tI see.\tBut\twhy?\tWhy?\tWhy?\u2019 \u2018Would\tyou\tlike\tto\tbe\tleft\talone\tfor\ta\tfew\tminutes,\tFelu\tBabu?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tasked\tgently. \u2018Yes.\tThank\tyou,\tMr\tJatayu.\tHalf\tan\thour.\tJust\tleave\tme\talone\tfor\thalf\tan\thour.\u2019 We\tcame\taway\tquietly.","Fourteen \u2018Shall\twe\tgo\tdown\tto\tthe\tcoffee\tshop?\u2019\tI\tsuggested\ttentatively. \u2018Hey,\tthat\u2019s\texactly\twhat\tI\twas\tgoing\tto\tsuggest\tmyself,\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\treplied,\tlooking\tpleased. We\t fo und\t an\t empty\t table\t in\t the\t co ffee\t sho p.\t \u2018We\t co uld\t have\t so me\t sandwiches\t with\t a\t cup\t o f\t tea,\u2019 Lalmohan\tBabu\tobserved.\t\u2018That\u2019ll\thelp\tus\tkill\tmore\ttime.\u2019 \u2018Two \t teas\t and\t two \t plates\t o f\t chicken\t sandwiches,\t please,\u2019\t I\t to ld\t the\t waiter.\t I\t was\t hung r y,\t but\t fo o d didn\u2019t\t seem\t all\t that\t important\t just\t now.\t Feluda\t had\t obviously\t seen\t the\t light.\t Whether\t it\t was\t only\t a glimmer,\tor\twhether\the\thad\tsolved\tthe\twhole\tmystery,\tI\tdidn\u2019t\tknow.\tBut\tI\tbegan\tto\tfeel\telated. Lalmohan\tBabu\tfound\tanother\tway\tof\tkilling\ttime.\tHe\tstarted\tto\ttell\tme\tthe\tstory\tof\this\tnext\tbook. As\talways,\the\thad\talready\tdecided\ton\tthe\tname.\t\u2018I\tam\tgoing\tto\tcall\tit\tThe\tManchurian\tMenace.\tIt\twill mean\t reading\t up\t on\t China\t and\t the\t Chinese\t way\t of\t life,\t although\t my\t book\t will\t have\t nothing\t to\t do with\tmodern\tChina.\tIt\twill\tbe\tset\tduring\tthe\ttime\tof\tthe\tMandarins.\u2019 So o n,\t we\t finished\t o ur \t tea\t and\t sandwiches.\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t finished\t his\t sto r y,\t but\t even\t so \t we\t had about\tten\tminutes\tto\tspare. \u2018What\tshould\twe\tdo\tnow?\u2019\the\tasked\tas\twe\tcame\tout\tin\tthe\tlobby.\t\u2018Let\u2019s\tgo\tto\tthat\tbookshop,\u2019\tI\tsaid. \u2018After\tall,\tit\u2019s\tbecome\ta\tsort\tof\thistoric\tplace,\thasn\u2019t\tit,\tsince\tthat\u2019s\twhere\tNayan\twas\tseen\tlast?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tyou\u2019re\tright.\tLet\u2019s\tgo\tand\thave\ta\tlook.\tWho\tknows,\tthey\tmight\teven\thave\tdisplayed\tcopies\tof my\tbooks!\u2019 \u2018Er\t.\t.\t.\tI\tdon\u2019t\tthink\tso,\tLalmohan\tBabu.\u2019 \u2018Well,\tno\tharm\tin\tasking,\tis\tthere?\u2019 There\twas\tonly\tone\tlady\tin\tthe\tshop,\tsitting\tbehind\ta\tcounter.\tShe\twas\tboth\tyoung\tand\tattractive. \u2018Excuse\tme,\u2019\tsaid\tLalmohan\tBabu,\twalking\tstraight\tup\tto\ther.\t\u2018Yes,\tsir?\u2019 \u2018Do\tyou\thave\tcrime\tnovels\tfor\t.\t.\t.\tfor\t.\t.\t.\tyoungsters?\u2019 \u2018In\twhich\tlanguage?\u2019 \u2018Bengali.\u2019 \u2018No,\tsir,\tI\u2019m\tafraid\twe\tdon\u2019t\tkeep\tbooks\twritten\tin\tBengali.\tBut\twe\thave\tlots\tof\tbooks\tfor\tchildren in\tEnglish.\u2019 \u2018I\t kno w.\t To day\u2014in\t fact,\t this\t after no o n\u2014a\t fr iend\t o f\t mine\t bo ug ht\t two \t bo o ks\t fr o m\t this\t sho p\t fo r \t a young\tboy.\u2019 The\tlady\tgave\thim\ta\tpuzzled\tglance.\t\u2018No,\tsir,\u2019\tshe\tsaid. \u2018Eh?\tWhat\tdo\tyou\tmean?\u2019 \u2018I\twould\thave\tremembered,\tsir,\tif\tsomeone\thad\tbought\ttwo\tchildren\u2019s\tbooks\ttoday.\tI\thaven\u2019t\tsold\ta single\tone\tover\tthe\tlast\tfour\tdays.\u2019 \u2018What!\tBut\the\tsaid\t.\t.\t.\tmaybe\tsome\tother\tlady\t.\t.\t.\t?\u2019 \u2018No,\tsir.\tI\thandle\tthe\tsales\talone.\u2019","Lalmohan\t Babu\t and\t I\t looked\t at\t each\t other.\t I\t looked\t at\t my\t watch\t and\t said,\t \u2018Half-an-hour \u2019s\t up!\u2019 Lalmohan\t Babu\t grabbed\t my\t hand.\t \u2018Let\u2019s\t go,\u2019\t he\t said,\t dragging\t me\t out\t with\t him.\t He\t paused\t for\t a second\tat\tthe\tdoorway,\tturned\this\thead\tand\tthrew\ta\t\u2018Thank\tyou,\tMiss!\u2019\tat\tthe\tlady,\tthen\tbroke\tinto\ta run\tto\tcatch\ta\tlift. \u2018How\t very\t odd!\u2019\t he\t exclaimed,\t pressing\t a\t button.\t I\t said\t nothing.\t for\t I\t simply\t didn\u2019t\t feel\t like talking. The\tfew\tseconds\tit\ttook\tus\tto\treach\tour\troom\tseemed\tan\teternity.\t\u2018Feluda!\u2019\tI\tsaid,\tas\twe\tburst\tin. \u2018Felu\tBabu!\u2019\tsaid\tJatayu,\tsimultaneously. \u2018One\tat\ta\ttime,\u2019\tFeluda\treplied\tsternly. \u2018Let\tme\tspeak,\u2019\tI\twent\ton\tbreathlessly.\t\u2018Shankar\tBabu\tdid\tnot\tgo\tto\tthe\tbookshop!\u2019 \u2018That\u2019s\tstale\tnews,\tmy\tboy.\tDo\tyou\thave\tanything\tfresh\tto\tdeliver?\u2019 \u2018You\tmean\tyou\tknew?\u2019 \u2018I\t did\t no t\t sit\t ar o und\t do ing \t no thing .\t I\t went\t to \t the\t bo o ksho p\t near ly\t twenty\t minutes\t ag o .\t I\t spo ke\t to Miss\t Swaminathan\t ther e,\t and\t then\t went\t to \t find\t yo u\t to \t g ive\t yo u\t the\t news.\t But\t when\t I\t saw\t yo u\t wer e busy\tgobbling\tsandwiches,\tI\tcame\taway.\u2019 \u2018But\t in\t that\t case\u2014?\u2019\t I\t beg an.\t Feluda\t r aised\t a\t hand\t to \t sto p\t me.\t \u2018Later,\t To pshe,\u2019\t he\t said,\t \u2018I\u2019ll\t hear you\tout\tlater.\tTarafdar\trang\tme\tfrom\this\troom\tjust\tnow.\tHe\tsounded\tpretty\tagitated,\tso\tI\ttold\thim\tto come\tstraight\there.\tLet\u2019s\tsee\twhat\the\thas\tto\tsay.\u2019 The\tbell\trang.\tI\tlet\tMr\tTarafdar\tin. \u2018Mr\tMitter!\u2019\the\tgave\tan\tagonized\tcry.\t\u2018Save\tme.\tOh\tGod,\tplease\tsave\tme!\u2019 \u2018What\u2019s\thappened\tnow?\u2019 \u2018Shankar.\t Now\t it\u2019s\t Shankar!\t I\t went\t to\t his\t room\t a\t few\t minutes\t ago,\t and\t found\t him\t lying unconscious\ton\tthe\tfloor.\tI\tcan\u2019t\tbelieve\tany\tof\tthis\tany\tmore\t.\t.\t.\tis\tthere\tgoing\tto\tbe\tno\tend\tto\tmy problems?\u2019 The\treply\tthat\tcame\tfrom\tFeluda\twas\tmost\tunexpected.\t\u2018No,\tSunil,\u2019\the\tsaid\tcasually,\t\u2018this\tis\tjust\tthe beginning.\u2019 \u2018What\tis\tthat\tsupposed\tto\tmean?\u2019\tMr\tTarafdar\tcroaked. \u2018My\t meaning \t is\t simple\t eno ug h,\t I\t think.\t Yo u\u2019r e\t still\t pr etending \t to \t be\t to tally\t inno cent.\t Yo u\t sho uld stop\tthe\tact\tnow,\tSunil.\tThe\tgame\u2019s\tup.\u2019 \u2018I\tdo\tnot\tunderstand\tyou\tat\tall,\tMr\tMitter.\tYou\tare\tinsulting\tme!\u2019 \u2018Insulting \t yo u?\t No ,\t Sunil.\t All\t I\u2019m\t do ing \t is\t speaking \t the\t tr uth.\t In\t five\t minutes,\t I\u2019m\t g o ing \t to \t hand you\tover\tto\tthe\tpolice.\tThey\u2019re\ton\ttheir\tway.\u2019 \u2018But\twhat\tdid\tI\tdo?\u2019 \u2018I\u2019ll\ttell\tyou\tgladly.\tYou\tare\ta\tmurderer\tand\ta\tthief.\tThat\u2019s\twhat\tI\ttold\tthe\tpolice.\u2019 \u2018You\thave\tgone\tmad.\tYou\tdon\u2019t\tknow\twhat\tyou\u2019re\tsaying.\u2019 \u2018I\t am\t perfectly\t aware\t of\t what\t I\u2019m\t saying.\t Mr\t Hingorani\t would\t never\t have\t opened\t his\t door\t to\t a stranger.\tHe\tdid\tnot\tknow\tthat\tman\tfrom\tDetecnique;\tand\tthat\tman\tdidn\u2019t\tknow\thim,\teither,\twhich\twas the\treason\twhy\the\thad\tbrought\ta\tphoto\tof\tHingorani\twith\thim,\tjust\tto\tmake\tsure\the\tspoke\tto\tthe\tright man.\tSo\twe\tcan\tsafely\tassume\tthat\tHingorani\tdid\tnot\tlet\thim\tget\tinside\this\troom.\tBut\tyou,\tSunil?\tHe knew\tyou\twell\tenough.\tThere\twas\tno\treason\tfor\thim\tto\tkeep\tyou\tout,\twas\tthere?\u2019","\u2018You\tare\tforgetting\tone\tthing,\tMr\tMitter.\tRemember\twhat\tthe\tpolice\tsaid?\tThere\twere\tno\tsigns\tof struggle.\tIf\tI\ttook\tout\ta\tknife\tand\ttried\tto\tkill\thim,\tdo\tyou\tthink\the\twould\thave\tlet\tme,\twithout\tputting up\ta\tfight?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\the\twould,\tunder\ta\tspecial\tcircumstance.\u2019 \u2018What\tmight\tthat\tbe?\u2019 \u2018It\tis\tyour\town\tarea\tof\tspecialization,\tSunil\tTarafdar.\tHypnotism.\tYou\thypnotized\tHingorani\tbefore you\tkilled\thim.\u2019 \u2018Do\tstop\ttalking\tnonsense,\tMr\tMitter.\tHingorani\twas\tmy\tsponsor.\tWhy\tshould\tI\tbite\tthe\thand\tthat fed\tme?\tWhy\tshould\tI\tdestroy\tthe\tonly\tman\twho\twas\tprepared\tto\tsupport\tme?\tYou\t.\t.\t.\tyou\tmake\tme laugh!\u2019 \u2018All\tright\tthen,\tMr\tTarafdar.\tLaugh\twhile\tyou\tcan,\tfor\tyou\u2019ll\tnever\tget\tthe\tchance\tto\tlaugh\tagain.\u2019 \u2018Ar e\t yo u\t tr ying \t to \t imply\t that\t I\t lo st\t my\t mind\t after \t Nayan\t was\t kidnapped?\t That\t a\t sudden\t attack\t o f insanity\tmade\tme\u2014\u2019 \u2018No.\tAccording\tto\tyour\town\tstory,\tNayan\twent\tmissing\tin\tthe\tevening.\tAnd\tHingorani\twas\tkilled between\t2.30\tand\t3.30\tp.m.\u2019 \u2018You\tare\tstill\ttalking\tpure\tdrivel.\tTry\tto\tcalm\tdown,\tMr\tMitter.\u2019 \u2018I\tcan\tassure\tyou,\tSunil\tTarafdar,\tI\thave\tseldom\tfelt\tmore\tcalm.\tAllow\tme\tnow\tto\tgive\tyou\ta\tpiece of\t news.\t I\t went\t to\t the\t hotel\t bookshop,\t and\t spoke\t to\t the\t lady\t there.\t She\t told\t me\t no\t one\t bought children\u2019s\tbooks\tin\tthe\tlast\tfour\tdays,\tand\tmost\tcertainly\tno\tsmall\tboy\twas\tseen\tin\tthe\tshop\ttoday.\u2019 \u2018She\t.\t.\t.\tshe\tlied\tto\tyou!\u2019 \u2018No,\tshe\tdidn\u2019t\u2014but\tyou\tclearly\tdid.\tYou\thave\tbeen\ttelling\tlies\tall\tday,\tas\thas\tyour\tfriend,\tShankar Hublikar.\tHe\tmight\tcome\tto\this\tsenses\tafter\tbeing\thit\twith\ta\theavy\tporcelain\tash-tray,\tbut\tyou\t.\t.\t.\u2019 \u2018What!\tYou\thit\tShankar\twith\tan\tash-tray?\tIs\tthat\twhat\tknocked\thim\tunconscious?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\u2019 \u2018But\twhy?\u2019 \u2018He\tconspired\twith\tyou.\tHe\thelped\tyou\tto\thide\tyour\tmotive\tfor\tmurder.\u2019 The\tbell\trang\tagain. \u2018That\twill\tbe\tInspector\tRamachandran.\tBring\thim\tin,\tTopshe.\u2019\tInspector\tRamachandran\twalked\tin and\t looked\t enquiringly\t at\t Feluda.\t Mr\t Tarafdar\t turned\t to\t him\t before\t Feluda\t could\t open\t his\t mouth. \u2018This\tman\there\tsays\tI\tkilled\tHingorani,\u2019\tshouted\tMr\tTarafdar,\t\u2018but\the\tcannot\tshow\ta\tmotive.\u2019 \u2018It\tisn\u2019t\tjust\tmurder,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid\ticily,\t\u2018you\tare\talso\tbeing\taccused\tof\tstealing.\tThe\tfive\tlakhs\tthat Hingorani\thad\tbrought\twith\thim\tis\tnow\tin\tyour\town\tpossession.\tYou\twere\tgoing\tto\tsupport\tyourself with\tthat\tmoney,\tweren\u2019t\tyou?\u2019 \u2018Why?\tWhy\twould\tI\tdo\tthat?\u2019 \u2018Because,\u2019\tFeluda\tspoke\tslowly,\t\u2018Hingorani\trefused\tto\tpay\tyou\tanother\tpaisa.\tThere\twas\tno\treason for\thim\tto\tcontinue\tto\tsupport\tyou;\tnot\tafter\the\tlearnt\twhat\thad\thappened\tto\tNayan.\u2019 \u2018Wh-what\thappened\tto\tNayan?\u2019 Feluda\tturned\tto\tme.\t\u2018Topshe,\topen\tthe\tbathroom\tdoor.\tSomeone\u2019s\thiding\tin\tthere.\u2019 I\t opened\t the\t door,\t and\t to\t my\t complete\t bewilderment,\t found\t Nayan\t standing\t there.\t He\t came\t out slowly\tand\tstood\tby\tFeluda\u2019s\tchair.","\u2018Shankar\thad\thad\thim\tlocked\tin\this\tbathroom.\tHe\twasn\u2019t\tkidnapped\tat\tall.\tI\twent\tto\tShankar \u2019s\troom the\tminute\tI\tgot\tthe\twhole\tpicture.\tHe\tdenied\tmy\tallegations,\tof\tcourse,\tso\tI\thad\tto\tknock\thim\tout\tin order\tto\trescue\tNayan.\tAre\tyou\tstill\tgoing\tto\tharp\ton\tthe\tmotive\tfor\tmurder,\tMr\tTarafdar?\tVery\twell then,\tNayan\twill\ttell\tyou.\u2019 Mr\tTarafdar\topened\this\tmouth,\tbut\tno\twords\tcame.\tHis\thands\ttrembled. \u2018Nayan,\u2019\tsaid\tFeluda,\t\u2018how\tmany\tyears\tdo\tyou\tthink\tMr\tTarafdar\twill\thave\tto\tspend\tin\tprison?\u2019 \u2018I\tdon\u2019t\tknow.\u2019 \u2018Why\tnot?\tWhy\tcan\u2019t\tyou\ttell?\u2019 \u2018I\tcannot\tsee\tnumbers\tany\tmore.\u2019 \u2018Not\tat\tall?\u2019 \u2018No.\tI\ttold\tyou,\tdidn\u2019t\tI?\tEvery\tsingle\tnumber\tdisappeared\tthis\tmorning,\twhen\tI\twoke\tup.\tThey\tjust didn\u2019t\t co me\t back\t ag ain.\t So \t I\t to ld\t Mr \t Tar afdar \t and\t Shankar \t Babu,\t and\t then\t .\t .\t .\t then\t they\t lo cked\t me up.\u2019 Mr\tTarafdar\tsat\tvery\tstill.\tNo\tone\tspoke.\tOnly\tthe\tinspector\tmoved\tforward\tswiftly.","","R O BERT S O N \u2019 S \t R UBY","One \u2018D O\tthe\twords\t\u201cMama-Bhagney\u201d\tmean\tanything\tto\tyou?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked\tJatayu. I\tknew\twhat\the\tmeant,\thut\tlooked\tcuriously\tat\tLalmohan\tBabu\tto\thear\this\treply. \u2018Uncle\tand\tnephew?\u2019\the\tasked. \u2018No,\ta\tmere\ttranslation\tof\tthe\twords\twon\u2019t\tdo.\tWe\tall\tknow\t\u201cmama\u201d\tmeans\tuncle\tand\t\u201cbhagney\u201d\tis nephew.\tWhat\tdo\tthe\twords\tremind\tyou\tof?\u2019 \u2018To\t be\t honest,\t Felu\t Babu\t I\t haven\u2019t\t the\t slightest\t idea\t what\t you\u2019re\t talking\t about.\t Your\t questions always\tstartle\tme.\tYou\ttell\tme\twhat\tyou\tmean.\u2019 \u2018Have\tyou\tseen\tthe\tfilm\tAbhijaan?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\t but\t that\t was\t years\t ago.\t Why\t does\t that\u2014oh,\t yes,\t yes!\u2019\t Jatayu\u2019s\t eyes\t lit\t up.\t \u2018Now\t I\t do remember.\tRocks,\taren\u2019t\tthey?\tThere\tis\ta\tsmall,\tflat\trock\tbalanced\ton\ttop\tof\ta\tbigger\trock.\tIt\tseems as\tthough\tone\tlittle\tpush\twould\tmake\tthe\tsmaller\tone\tjiggle\tand\tdance.\tIt\u2019s\tUncle\tgiving\this\tnephew\ta piggy-back,\tisn\u2019t\tit?\u2019 \u2018Right.\tThat\u2019s\twhat\tthe\tlocals\tsay.\tBut\tcan\tyou\tremember\twhich\tdistrict\tit\u2019s\tin?\u2019 \u2018No.\u2019 \u2018It\u2019s\tin\tBirbhum.\tI\thave\tnever\tbeen\tthere.\tHave\tyou?\u2019 \u2018No,\tsir.\u2019 \u2018Shameful,\t isn\u2019t\t it?\t You\t are\t a\t writer,\t Lalmohan\t Babu.\t Never\t mind\t what\t you\t write,\t or\t who\t reads your\tbooks.\tYou\tought\tto\thave\tvisited\tthe\tarea\tin\twhich\tTagore\tspent\tso\tmany\tyears\tof\this\tlife.\u2019 \u2018The\tthing\tis,\tyou\tsee,\tI\thave\toften\twanted\tto\tgo\tthere,\tbut\tsomehow\tcouldn\u2019t\tmanage\tit.\tBesides, how\t can\t Tagore\t possibly\t provide\t any\t inspiration\t to\t someone\t who\t writes\t stuff\t like\t The\t Sahara Shivers?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\t but\t Birbhum\t isn\u2019t\t famous\t only\t because\t of\t Santiniketan.\t There\t are\t the\t hot\t springs\t of Bakreshwar,\t there\u2019s\t Kenduli\t where\t the\t poet\t Jaydev\t was\t born,\t there\u2019s\t Tarapeeth\t where\t the\t famous tantrik\tBama\tKhepa\tused\tto\tlive,\tthere\u2019s\tDubrajpur\twhich\thas\tthose\tfunny\trocks\twe\twere\tjust\ttalking about,\tapart\tfrom\tendless\ttemples\tmade\tof\tterracotta.\u2019 \u2018Terracotta?\tWhat\u2019s\tthat?\u2019 Feluda\t frowned.\t Lalmohan\t Babu\u2019s\t ignorance\t often\t turned\t Feluda\t into\t a\t schoolteacher.\t \u2018It\u2019s\t a mixture\t of\t Latin\t and\t Italian,\u2019\t he\t said.\t \u2018Terra\t is\t a\t word\t meaning\t soil,\t and\t cotta\t is\t burnt.\t It\t refers\t to statues\tand\tfigures\tmade\twith\tclay\tand\tsand,\tand\tbaked\tin\tfire,\tlike\tbricks.\tThere\tare\tmany\ttemples\tin Beng al\t that\t have\t wo r k\t do ne\t in\t ter r aco tta,\t but\t the\t best\t and\t the\t mo st\t beautiful\t ar e\t in\t Bir bhum.\t If\t yo u didn\u2019t\t kno w\t abo ut\t these,\t Lalmo han\t Babu,\t I\u2019m\t afr aid\t ther e\u2019s\t ver y\t little\t that\t yo u\u2019ve\t lear nt\t abo ut\t yo ur own\tstate.\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tI\tsee\tthat\tnow.\tForgive\tme,\tFelu\tBabu.\tKindly\texcuse\tmy\tignorance.\u2019","\u2018And\t yet,\t a\t European\t professor\t has\t done\t such\t a\t lot\t of\t research\t in\t this\t subject.\t It\u2019s\t really\t most impr essive.\t I\t assume\t yo u\t do n\u2019t\t r ead\t anything \t but\t the\t headlines\t in\t newspaper s,\t so \t o bvio usly\t yo u\u2019ve missed\tthe\tarticle\tpublished\tin\ttoday\u2019s\tStatesman.\tThe\tname\tof\tthis\tprofessor\thas\tbeen\tmentioned\tin this\tarticle.\tHe\twas\tcalled\tDavid\tMcCutcheon.\u2019 \u2018Which\tarticle\tdo\tyou\tmean?\u2019 \u2018\u201cRobertson\u2019s\tRuby\u201d.\u2019 \u2018Right,\tright!\tI\tdid\tsee\tit,\tand\tthe\tcolour\tphotograph\tof\tthe\truby,\ttoo.\tBut\tjust\tas\tI\thad\tbegun\tto\tread it,\tyou\tsee,\tmy\tdhobi\tturned\tup,\tand\tthen\tI\tforgot\tall\tabout\tit.\u2019 \u2018The\t writer\t of\t that\t article,\t Peter\t Robertson,\t is\t visiting\t India\t at\t present.\t He\t appears\t to\t be\t very interested\tin\tIndia\tand\tIndians.\tMcCutcheon\u2019s\twork\tand\twhat\the\twrote\tabout\tthe\ttemples\tof\tBirbhum made\tRobertson\twant\tto\tsee\tthem.\tHe\twants\tto\tgo\tto\tSantiniketan,\ttoo.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\tBut\twhat\u2019s\tthis\tabout\ta\truby?\u2019 \u2018T her e\u2019s\t a\t sto r y\t behind\t it\t An\t ancesto r \t o f\t Peter \t Ro ber tso n\t called\t Patr ick\t had\t fo ug ht\t in\t the\t mutiny against\tthe\tsepoys.\tAlthough\the\twas\tin\tthe\tBengal\tregiment,\the\thappened\tto\tbe\tin\tLucknow\twhen\tthe mutiny\t ended\t and\t the\t British\t won.\t He\t was\t only\t twenty-six\t at\t the\t time.\t He\t joined\t some\t of\t the\t other British\tofficers\twho\tbarged\tinto\tthe\tpalace\tof\ta\tnawab\tand\tlooted\twhatever\tthey\tcould\tlay\ttheir\thands on.\t Robertson\t found\t a\t huge\t ruby\t which\t he\t brought\t back\t to\t England\t with\t him.\t In\t time,\t it\t became\t a family\t heirloom\t for\t the\t Robertsons,\t and\t people\t began\t to\t refer\t to\t it\t as\t \u201cRobertson\u2019s\t Ruby\u201d.\t Only recently,\tsomeone\tfound\ta\tdiary\tPatrick\tRobertson\thad\tkept\tin\this\told\tage.\tNo\tone\thad\tbeen\taware\tof its\texistence\tso\tfar.\tIn\tit,\the\tapparently\texpressed\tdeep\tregret\tat\twhat\the\thad\tdone\tas\ta\tyoung\tman,\tand said\tthat\this\tsoul\twould\tfind\tultimate\tpeace\tonly\tif\tsomeone\tfrom\this\tfamily\twent\tback\tto\tIndia\tand returned\tthe\truby\tto\twhere\tit\thad\tcome\tfrom.\tPeter\tRobertson\thas\tbrought\tit\twith\thim.\tHe\u2019ll\tgive\tit\tto an\tIndian\tmuseum\tbefore\the\treturns\tto\tEngland.\u2019 Lalmohan\t Babu\t remained\t silent\t for\t a\t few\t minutes\t when\t Feluda\t finished\t his\t story.\t Then\t he\t said, \u2018Kenduli\thas\ta\tbig\tmela\tevery\twinter,\tdoesn\u2019t\tit?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\tA\tlarge\tnumber\tof\thauls\tcome\tto\tit.\u2019 \u2018When\tdoes\tit\tstart?\u2019 \u2018As\ta\tmatter\tof\tfact,\tit\thas\tstarted\talready\tthis\tyear.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\tWhich\tis\tthe\tbest\tway\tto\tgo?\u2019 \u2018Do\tyou\treally\twant\tto\tgo\tto\tBirbhum? \u2018Very\tmuch\tso.\u2019 \u2018Well,\tthen,\tI\tsuggest\tyou\task\tyour\tdriver\tto\ttake\tyour\tcar\tstraight\tto\tBolpur.\tWe\u2019ll\tgo\tthe\tsame\tday by\tthe\tSantiniketan\tExpress.\tWe\tshould\treach\tBolpur\tin\tless\tthan\tthree\thours.\tThis\ttrain\tstops\tonly\tat Burdwan.\tWe\tneed\tto\tbook\trooms\tfor\tourselves\tat\tthe\ttourist\tlodge.\u2019 \u2018Why\tshould\twe\tgo\tby\ttrain?\u2019 \u2018Because\t this\t train\t is\t different\t from\t all\t the\t others.\t It\t has\t a\t first\t class\t compartment\t called\t the Lo ung e\t Car.\t It\u2019s\t hug e,\t like\t the\t o nes\t they\t had\t year s\t and\t year s\t ag o ,\t fur nished\t with\t settees,\t tables\t and chairs.\tTravelling\tin\tit\twill\tbe\tan\texperience\tnone\tof\tus\tshould\tmiss.\u2019 \u2018Oh,\tI\tquite\tagree.\tPerhaps\tI\tought\tto\tinform\tShatadal.\u2019 \u2018Who\tis\tShatadal?\u2019","\u2018Shatadal\tSen.\tWe\twere\ttogether\tin\tschool.\tNow\the\tlives\tin\tSantiniketan,\ta\tprofessor\tof\thistory\tin Vishwa\tBharati.\tHe\twas\ta\tbrilliant\tstudent.\tI\tcould\tnever\tbeat\thim.\u2019 \u2018You\tmean\tyou\twere\ta\tbrilliant\tstudent\tyourself?\u2019 \u2018Why,\t is\t that\t so\t difficult\t to\t believe\t about\t a\t man\t who\t is\t the\t most\t popular\t writer\t of\t thrillers\t in Bengal?\u2019 \u2018Well,\tyour\tpresent\tIQ\u2014\u2019\tFeluda\tbroke\toff,\tadding,\t\u2018Yes,\tby\tall\tmeans\tinform\tyour\tfriend.\u2019 It\ttook\tus\ta\tfew\tdays\tto\tmake\tall\tthe\tarrangements.\tA\tdouble\tand\ta\tsingle\troom\twere\tbooked\tin\tthe Bolpur\tTourist\tLodge.\tWe\tpacked\tour\twoollens\tcarefully,\tsince\twe\tknew\tSantiniketan\twould\tbe\ta\tlot cooler\tthan\tCalcutta.\tI\tfound\tthe\tbook\tby\tDavid\tMcCutcheon\tand\tquickly\tleafed\tthrough\tit\tbefore\twe left.\tIt\twas\tamazing\thow\ta\tforeigner\thad\tcollected\tsuch\tdetailed\tinformation\tabout\tsomething\tmy\town country\tpossessed,\tbut\tof\twhich\tI\tknew\tvirtually\tnothing. The\tfollowing\tSaturday,\tLalmohan\tBabu\u2019s\tdriver\tleft\tearly\twith\this\tgreen\tAmbassador.\tWe\treached Howrah\tat\t9.30\ta.m. \u2018My\tright\teye\thas\tbeen\ttwitching\tfor\tthe\tlast\ttwo\tdays.\tIs\tthat\ta\tgood\tsign?\u2019\tasked\tLalmohan\tBabu. \u2018I\twouldn\u2019t\tknow.\tYou\tknow\tvery\twell\tI\tdon\u2019t\tbelieve\tin\tsuch\tsuperstitions,\u2019\tFeluda\tretorted. \u2018I\t had\t beg un\t to \t think\t this\t mig ht\t be\t an\t indicatio n\t that\t we\u2019r e\t heading \t fo r \t ano ther \t myster y,\t ano ther case,\u2019\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t confided,\t \u2018but\t then\t I\t thought\t Tagore\t couldn\u2019t\t possibly\t have\t any\t connection with\t cr ime,\t co uld\t he?\t Yo u\u2019r e\t r ig ht,\t Felu\t Babu.\t If\t we\u2019r e\t g o ing \t to \t visit\t Bo lpur,\t ther e\u2019s\t no \t chance\t o f getting\tmixed\tup\tin\tfunny\tbusiness.\u2019","Two Lalmohan\tBabu\tclaimed\tafterwards\tthat\twhat\thappened\tlater\twas\trelated\tdirectly\tto\this\ttwitching\teye. \u2018A\tcoincidence,\tLalmohan\tBabu,\tthat\u2019s\tall\tit\twas,\u2019\tFeluda\ttold\thim\tfirmly. The\t Lounge\t Car\t of\t the\t Santiniketan\t Express\t was\t large\t enough\t to\t hold\t twenty-five\t people.\t But when\t we\t boarded\t the\t train,\t we\t discovered\t there\t were\t only\t seven\t others\t including\t two\t foreigners. Both\twere\twhite.\tOne\twas\tclean\tshaven\twith\tblond\thair;\tthe\tother\thad\ta\tthick\tbeard.\tLong,\tdark\thair rippled\t down\t to\t his\t shoulders.\t Something\t told\t me\t one\t of\t them\t was\t Peter\t Robertson.\t Ten\t minutes after\tthe\ttrain\tstarted,\tI\tfound\tthat\tI\twas\tright. The\tthree\tof\tus\twere\tsitting\ttogether\ton\ta\tsofa.\tI\thad\tnever\ttravelled\tin\tsuch\ta\tcomfortable\tcarriage. Feluda\tleant\tback\tand\tlit\ta\tCharminar.\tAt\tthis\tmoment,\tthe\tman\twith\tthe\tblond\thair,\twho\thappened\tto be\tsitting\tclose\tby,\tstretched\tout\ta\thand\tand\tsaid,\t\u2018May\tI\u2014?\u2019 Feluda\tpassed\thim\this\tlighter\tand\tsaid,\t\u2018Are\tyou\tgoing\tto\tBolpur?\u2019\tThe\tman\tlit\this\town\tcigarette and\t r etur ned\t the\t lig hter \t to \t Feluda.\t Then\t he\t said,\t smiling \t and\t pr o ffer ing \t his\t hand,\t \u2018Yes.\t My\t name\t is Peter\tRobertson\tand\tthis\tis\tmy\tfriend,\tTom\tMaxwell.\u2019 Feluda\t shook\t his\t hand,\t and\t then\t introduced\t us.\t \u2018Was\t it\t your\t article\t that\t I\t read\t the\t other\t day?\u2019\t he asked. \u2018Yes.\tDid\tyou\tlike\tit?\u2019 \u2018Oh\tyes.\tIt\twas\ta\tvery\tinteresting\tarticle.\tHave\tyou\talready\thanded\tthat\truby\tto\ta\tmuseum?\u2019 \u2018No,\tit\u2019s\tstill\twith\tus.\tBut\twe\u2019ve\tspoken\tto\tthe\tcurator\tof\tthe\tCalcutta\tMuseum.\tHe\tsaid\the\u2019d\tbe\tvery pleased\tto\taccept\tit\tif\the\tgets\tthe\tgo-ahead\tfrom\tDelhi.\tOnce\tthat\tis\tconfirmed,\twe\u2019ll\thand\tit\tover\tto him\tofficially.\u2019 \u2018You\thave\tan\tIndian\tconnection,\tI\tknow.\tDoes\tyour\tfriend?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\t Tom\u2019s\t great-great-grandfather\t was\t the\t owner\t of\t an\t indigo\t factory\t in\t Birbhum.\t The\t British stopped\tgrowing\tindigo\tin\tIndia\twhen\tthe\tGermans\tfound\ta\tway\tof\tproducing\tit\tartificially\tand\tbegan selling\t it\t cheap.\t That\t was\t when\t Tom\u2019s\t ancestor,\t Reginald\t Maxwell,\t returned\t to\t Britain.\t Tom\t and\t I were\t both\t bitten\t by\t the\t travel\t bug.\t We\u2019ve\t travelled\t together\t quite\t often.\t He\u2019s\t a\t professional photographer.\tI\tteach\tin\ta\tschool.\u2019 Tom\t was\t sitting\t with\t a\t leather\t bag\t resting\t at\t his\t feet.\t That\t must\t contain\t his\t camera\t and\t other equipment,\tI\tthought. \u2018How\tlong\twill\tyou\tbe\tin\tBirbhum?\u2019 \u2018Abo ut\t a\t week.\t Our \t main\t wo r k\t is\t in\t Calcutta,\t but\t we\u2019d\t like\t to \t see\t as\t many\t temples\t as\t we\t can\t in Birbhum.\u2019 \u2018Ther e\t ar e\t many\t o ther \t thing s\t in\t Bir bhum\t besides\t temples\t that\t ar e\t wo r th\t seeing .\t Maybe\t we\t co uld see\t them\t together?\t Anyway,\t going\t back\t to\t your\t article,\t hasn\u2019t\t there\t been\t any\t feedback\t from\t your readers?\u2019","\u2018Oh\tmy\tGod,\tyes!\tThe\tStatesman\tbegan\treceiving\tdozens\tof\tletters\twithin\ta\tcouple\tof\tdays.\tSome of\tthem\twere\tfrom\told\tmaharajas,\tsome\tfrom\twealthy\tbusinessmen,\tor\tcollectors\tof\trare\tjewels.\tBut I\t had\t made\t it\t quite\t plain\t in\t my\t ar ticle\t that\t I\t wasn\u2019t\t pr epar ed\t to \t sell\t it.\t Yo u\t kno w,\t I\t had\t it\t valued\t in England\t before\t I\t came\t here.\t I\t could\t have\t sold\t it\t there,\t had\t I\t so\t wished.\t I\t was\t offered\t up\t to\t twenty thousand\tpounds.\u2019 \u2018You\thave\tthe\tstone\twith\tyou\tright\there?\u2019 \u2018Tom\u2019s\tgot\tit.\tHe\u2019s\ta\tlot\tmore\tcareful\tthan\tI\tam.\tBesides,\the\u2019s\tgot\ta\trevolver\tthat\the\tcan\tuse,\tif\tneed be.\u2019 \u2018May\twe\tsee\tthe\truby,\tplease?\u2019 \u2018Of\tcourse.\u2019 Peter\tlooked\tat\tTom.\tTom\tpicked\tup\this\tleather\tbag\tand\ttook\tout\ta\tsmall\tblue\tvelvet\tbox\tfrom\tit. He\tpassed\tit\tto\tFeluda.\tFeluda\topened\tit\tslowly,\tand\tall\tthree\tof\tus\tgave\tan\tinvoluntary\tgasp.\tNot\tonly was\t the\t stone\t large\t and\t beautifully\t cut,\t but\t its\t colour\t was\t such\t a\t deep\t red\t that\t it\t was\t really r emar kable.\t Feluda\t held\t the\t r uby\t in\t his\t hand\t fo r \t a\t few\t seco nds,\t tur ning \t it\t ar o und\t and\t lo o king \t at\t it closely.\tThen\the\treturned\tit\tto\tTom,\tsaying,\t\u2018It\u2019s\tamazing!\tBut\tthere\u2019s\tsomething\telse\tI\u2019d\tlike\tto\tsee,\tif I\t may.\t Will\t you\t show\t me\t your\t revolver,\t please?\t You\t see,\t I\t know\t something\t about\t firearms.\u2019\t He handed\tone\tof\this\tvisiting\tcards\tto\tPeter. \u2018Go o d\t heavens!\u2019\t Peter \t exclaimed.\t \u2018Yo u\u2019r e\t a\t pr ivate\t investig ato r,\t ar e\t yo u?\t I\u2019m\t g lad\t we\u2019ve\t met.\t If we\thave\tproblems\twe\tmight\thave\tto\tseek\tyour\thelp.\u2019 \u2018I\t ho pe\t it\t wo n\u2019t\t co me\t to \t that,\t but\t a\t lo t\t depends\t o n\t yo u,\t Mr \t Maxwell,\t fo r \t the\t r uby\t is\t with\t yo u\t fo r safe-keeping.\u2019 To m\t Maxwell\t said\t no thing \t in\t r eply.\t He\t just\t to o k\t o ut\t his\t r evo lver \t and\t sho wed\t it\t to \t Feluda.\t It\t was not\ta\tColt\tlike\tFeluda\u2019s. \u2018Webley\tScott,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid,\tlooking\tat\tit.\tThen\the\tadded,\t\u2018May\tI\task\tyou\tsomething?\u2019 \u2018Of\tcourse,\u2019\tsaid\tTom,\tspeaking\tfor\tthe\tfirst\ttime. \u2018Why\tdo\tyou\tneed\tto\tkeep\ta\trevolver\twith\tyou?\u2019 \u2018My\t work\t takes\t me\t to\t all\t kinds\t of\t places,\t some\t of\t which\t are\t remote\t and\t dangerous.\t I\u2019ve\t taken photographs\tof\ttribal\tpeople\tin\tjungles.\tNot\tall\ttribes\tare\tfriendly,\tI\tcan\ttell\tyou.\tHaving\ta\trevolver makes\tmy\tjob\ta\tlot\teasier.\tI\tonce\tkilled\ta\tblack\tMamba\tsnake\tin\tAfrica\twith\tthis\tvery\trevolver.\u2019 \u2018Have\tyou\tbeen\tto\tIndia\tbefore?\u2019 \u2018No,\tthis\tis\tmy\tfirst\tvisit.\u2019 \u2018Have\tyou\tstarted\ttaking\tphotos?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tI\u2019ve\ttaken\tsome\tof\ta\tpoor\tand\tcongested\tarea\tof\tCalcutta.\u2019 \u2018You\tmean\ta\tslum?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tthat\u2019s\tright.\tI\tlike\ttaking\tpictures\tof\tpeople\tand\tplaces\tthat\tare\ttotally\tdifferent\tfrom\tanything I\u2019ve\tknown\tor\tanything\tI\u2019m\tfamiliar\twith.\tThe\tstranger\tor\tmore\talien\tthe\tsubject,\tthe\tbetter\tI\tfind\tit\tto photograph.\tPoverty\tis,\tfor\tinstance,\tI\tthink,\tfar\tmore\tphotogenic\tthan\tprosperity.\u2019 \u2018Photo\u2014what?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\twhispered. \u2018Photogenic.\tSomething\twhich\tlooks\tgood\twhen\tphotographed,\u2019\tFeluda\texplained. Lalmohan\tBabu\tgave\tme\ta\tsidelong\tglance\tand\tmuttered\tsoftly,\t\u2018Does\the\tmean\tto\tsay\tthat\ta\thungry, starving\tman\tis\tmore\tphotogenic\tthan\ta\twell-fed\tone?\u2019","Tom\t didn\u2019t\t hear\t him.\t \u2018I\t will\t take\t photographs\t here\t in\t India\t with\t the\t same\t idea\t in\t my\t mind,\u2019\t he added.\tI\tfound\this\twords\tand\this\tattitude\trather\tpeculiar.\tPeter\twas\tundoubtedly\ta\tlover\tof\tIndia,\tbut his\t fr iend\u2019s\t views\t appear ed\t to \t be\t devo id\t o f\t any\t feeling s\t o r \t sympathy.\t Ho w\t lo ng \t wo uld\t they\t r emain friends,\tI\twondered. The\t train\t stopped\t at\t Burdwan.\t We\t called\t a\t chaiwalla\t to\t have\t tea\t from\t small\t earthen\t pots.\t Tom Maxwell\ttook\tphotos\tof\tthe\tchaiwalla. Soon,\tthe\ttrain\tpulled\tin\tto\tBolpur\tstation.\tThe\tsight\tof\tdozens\tof\trickshaws\toutside\tthe\tmain\tgate made\t Tom\t want\t to\t stop\t for\t photos\t again,\t but\t this\t time\t Peter\t was\t firm\t and\t said\t they\t mustn\u2019t\t waste time. We\thad\tto\thire\tfour\trickshaws\tfor\tourselves\tand\tour\tluggage.\tPeter\tand\tTom\twere\talso\tbooked\tat the\ttourist\tlodge.\tBy\tthe\ttime\twe\treached\tit,\tit\twas\tten\tminutes\tpast\tone.","Three Lalmohan\tBabu\u2019s\tfriend,\tShatadal\tSen,\thad\tcome\tto\tthe\tstation\tto\tmeet\tus.\tHe\taccompanied\tus\tback\tto the\tlodge.\tA\tman\tof\tabout\tthe\tsame\tage\tas\tLalmohan\tBabu,\the\tseemed\tto\tknow\thim\tpretty\twell.\tAfter a\tlong\ttime,\tI\theard\tsomeone\tcall\thim\t\u2018Lalu\u2019. We\tsat\tchatting\tin\tthe\tlobby\tbefore\tgoing\tto\tour\trooms. \u2018You\u2019re\texpecting\tyour\tcar\tat\tthree,\tdid\tyou\tsay?\u2019\tMr\tSen\tasked.\t\u2018You\tcan\tcome\tto\tmy\thouse\twhen your\t car\t gets\t here.\t Anybody\t in\t Pearson\t Palli\t will\t show\t you\t my\t house.\t I\u2019ll\t take\t you\t to\t see\t the complex\tat\tUttarayan.\u2019 \u2018Thank\tyou.\tMay\twe\tbring\ttwo\tforeign\tvisitors\twith\tus?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked. \u2018Yes,\tof\tcourse.\tThey\u2019d\tbe\tmost\twelcome.\u2019 Mr\t Sen\t left.\t We\t moved\t into\t our\t rooms.\t I\t was\t struck\t immediately\t by\t the\t peace\t and\t quiet\t of\t our surroundings.\tThis\tshould\tdo\tFeluda\ta\tlot\tof\tgood.\tHe\thad\tjust\tfinished\tsolving\ttwo\tcomplex\tcases\tof murder\tand\tfraud.\tHe\tneeded\ta\tbreak. A\t little\t later,\t we\t found\t Peter\t and\t Tom\t in\t the\t dining\t hall.\t Feluda\t told\t them\t of\t our\t plans\t for\t the evening.\tPeter\tseemed\tdelighted,\tbut\tTom\tdidn\u2019t\tsay\tanything.\t\u2018By\tthe\tway,\u2019\tsaid\tPeter,\t\u2018I\treceived\ta call\t fr o m\t a\t businessman\t in\t Dubr ajpur.\t That\u2019s\t no t\t far \t fr o m\t her e,\t I\t g ather.\t He\t g o t\t his\t so n\t to \t call\t me since\t his\t spoken\t English,\t his\t son\t said,\t isn\u2019t\t all\t that\t good.\t Anyway,\t he\t said\t he\t had\t heard\t about\t my ruby\tand\twanted\tto\tbuy\tit.\tWhen\tI\ttold\thim\tI\twould\tnever\tsell\tit,\the\tsaid\tthat\twas\tfine,\tbut\the\u2019d\tlike\tto see\tit\tonce,\tso\twould\tI\tbe\tkind\tenough\tto\tvisit\this\thouse?\tI\tagreed.\u2019 \u2018What\tis\tthis\tman\tcalled?\u2019 \u2018G.L.\tDandania.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\tWhen\tdo\tyou\thave\tto\tmeet\thim?\u2019 \u2018At\tten\ttomorrow\tmorning.\u2019 \u2018May\twe\tgo\twith\tyou?\u2019 \u2018Certainly.\tIn\tfact,\tI\u2019d\tbe\tquite\tgrateful\tfor\tyour\tcompany.\tYou\tcould\tact\tas\tan\tinterpreter,\tcouldn\u2019t you?\t After\t we\t finish\t our\t business\t with\t Dandania,\t we\t could\t go\t and\t have\t a\t look\t at\t the\t terracotta temples\tin\tDubrajpur\tand\tHetampur.\tMcCutcheon\twrote\tabout\tthose.\u2019 \u2018Ther e\t ar e\t many\t o ther \t thing s\t in\t Dubr ajpur \t wo r th\t seeing .\t We\t co uld\t lo o k\t at\t tho se,\t to o ,\t if\t we\t have the\ttime,\u2019\tFeluda\ttold\thim. Lalmohan\tBabu\u2019s\tdriver\tarrived\twith\tthe\tcar\tat\t3.45\tp.m.\t\u2018I\tstopped\tfor\tlunch\tin\tBurdwan,\u2019\the\tsaid, \u2018and\tI\tdon\u2019t\tthink\tI\tneed\ta\trest.\tIf\tyou\twant\tto\tgo\tout,\tsir,\tI\tcan\ttake\tyou\tany\ttime.\u2019 We\t left\t fo r \t Mr \t Sen\u2019s\t ho use\t almo st\t immediately.\t Only\t a\t few\t minutes\t later,\t we\t fo und\t o ur selves\t in Uttarayan.\tPeter\tsaid\the\thad\tnever\tseen\ta\tbuilding\tlike\tit.\t\u2018It\tlooks\tlike\ta\tpalace\tout\tof\ta\tfairy\ttale!\u2019\the exclaimed.\t Then\t we\t went\t to\t Udichi\t and\t Shyamali,\t which\t were\t as\t beautiful.\t Tom,\t I\t noticed,\t did\t not take\tout\this\tcamera\teven\tonce,\tpossibly\tbecause\tthere\twas\tno\tevidence\tof\tpoverty\tanywhere.","Lalmohan\t Babu\t looked\t at\t everything\t with\t great\t interest.\t In\t the\t end,\t however,\t he\t shook\t his\t head sadly\tand\tsaid,\t\u2018No,\tsir,\tin\ta\tserene\tatmosphere\tlike\tthis,\tI\tcould\tnever\tthink\tup\ta\tplot\tfor\ta\tthriller.\tI\u2019d need\tto\tgo\tback\tto\tCalcutta\tto\tdo\tso.\u2019 On\tour\tway\tback,\tPeter\tand\tTom\tgot\tinto\ta\trickshaw.\t\u2018Someone\ttold\tus\tthere\u2019s\ta\ttribal\tvillage\tnear here.\tTom\twould\tlike\tto\ttake\tsome\tpictures,\u2019\tPeter\tsaid.\tThey\twere\tobviously\toff\tto\ta\tSanthal\tvillage. We\t waved\t them\t off\t and\t returned\t to\t the\t lodge,\t where\t we\t spent\t the\t rest\t of\t the\t evening\t playing antakshari. \u2018Look,\t I\t nearly\t forgot!\u2019\t said\t Mr\t Sen\t before\t taking\t his\t leave.\t \u2018Lalu,\t I\t brought\t this\t book\t for\t you \u2014Life\tand\tWork\tin\tBirbhum.\tIt\twas\twritten\tby\ta\tpriest\ta\thundred\tyears\tago.\tHe\twas\tcalled\tReverend Pritchard.\tIt\u2019s\tfull\tof\tinteresting\tinformation.\tYou\tmust\tread\tit.\u2019 \u2018I\tcertainly\twill,\teven\tif\tyour\tfriend\tdoesn\u2019t.\tThank\tyou,\tMr\tSen,\u2019\tsaid\tFeluda. We\t finished\t br eakfast\t by\t eig ht-thir ty\t the\t next\t day.\t Dubr ajpur \t was\t o nly\t twenty-five\t kilo metr es\t away. Mr \t Dandania\u2019s\t so n\t had\t g iven\t us\t excellent\t dir ectio ns,\t and\t to ld\t us\t that\t their s\t was\t the\t lar g est\t ho use\t in the\tarea. We\t ar r ived\t a\t little\t befo r e\t ten\t o \u2019clo ck\t at\t a\t lar g e\t ho use\t with\t a\t ver y\t hig h\t bo undar y\t wall.\t The\t name plate\t o n\t the\t tall\t ir o n\t g ate\t said\t \u2018G\t L\t Dandania\u2019.\t A\t cho wkidar \t quickly\t o pened\t the\t g ate\t fo r \t us.\t He\t had clear ly\t been\t war ned\t abo ut\t o ur \t visit.\t Our \t car \t passed\t thr o ug h\t the\t g ate\t and\t the\t lo ng \t dr iveway,\t befo r e coming\tto\ta\thalt\tat\tthe\tfront\tdoor. A\t young\t man\t in\t his\t mid-twenties\t was\t tinkering\t with\t a\t scooter\t just\t outside\t the\t door.\t He\t left\t the sco o ter \t and\t came\t fo r war d\t to \t g r eet\t us\t as\t we\t g o t\t o ut\t o f\t o ur \t car.\t \u2018My\t name\t is\t Peter \t Ro ber tso n,\u2019\t said Peter,\tshaking\this\thand.\t\u2018You\tmust\tbe\tKishorilal.\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tI\tam\tKishorilal\tDandania.\tMy\tfather\twould\tlike\tto\tsee\tyou.\tPlease\tcome\twith\tme.\u2019 \u2018Can\tmy\tother\tfriends\tcome,\ttoo\u2019 \u2018Of\tcourse.\u2019 We\tfollowed\tKishorilal\tthrough\ta\tcourtyard,\tup\ta\tflight\tof\tstairs,\tpast\ta\tcouple\tof\trooms\tbefore\the finally\tstopped\toutside\tthe\topen\tdoor\tof\ttheir\tdrawing\troom. \u2018Should\twe\ttake\toff\tour\tshoes?\u2019\tasked\tFeluda. \u2018No,\tno,\tthere\u2019s\tno\tneed.\u2019 The\t drawing\t room\t was\t large,\t furnished\t partly\t with\t sofas\t and\t chairs.\t One\t end\t was\t covered\t by\t a thick\tmattress.\tMr\tG.L.\tDandania\tsat\tin\tone\tcorner\tof\tthe\tmattress,\tleaning\ton\ta\tbolster.\tHe\twas\ta\tpale, thin\tman\twith\ta\thuge\tmoustache\tthat\tlooked\tquite\tincongruous.\tBesides\thim\tin\tthe\troom\twas\tanother man\tof\tabout\tfifty,\twearing\tgrey\ttrousers\tand\ta\tbrown\tjacket.\tHe\tstood\tup\tas\twe\tentered.\tPeter\tlooked at\tthe\tthin\tman\twith\tthe\tmoustache\tand\tfolded\this\thands. \u2018Namaste,\u2019\the\tsaid.\t\u2018Mr\tDandania,\tI\tpresume?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tand\tthis\tis\tmy\tfriend,\tInspector\tChaubey,\u2019\treplied\tMr\tDandania. \u2018How\t do\t you\t do?\t Meet\t my\t friend,\t Tom\t Maxwell.\t And\t here\t are\t my\t other\t friends,\t Mr\t Pradosh Mitter,\tLalmohan\tGanguli\tand\tTapesh.\u2019 \u2018Glad\t to\t meet\t you\t all.\t Please\t be\t seated.\t Kishori,\t inke\t liye\t mithai\t aur\t sharbat\t mangwao\t (send\t for sweets\tand\tsherbet\tfor\tthem).\u2019","Kishori\tdisappeared\tand\treturned\tin\ta\tfew\tmoments.\t\u2018I\trealize\tyou\tmade\tan\tappointment\tto\tsee\tMr Robertson,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid\twhen\twe\twere\tall\tseated.\t\u2018If\tyou\thave\tany\tobjection\tto\tour\tpresence,\twe\tshall leave\tthe\troom.\u2019 \u2018No ,\t no ,\t please\t do n\u2019t\t wo r r y.\t All\t I\t want\t to \t do \t is\t take\t a\t lo o k\t at\t that\t r uby.\t Yo ur \t pr esence\t makes\t no difference\tto\tme.\u2019 Tom\tspoke\tunexpectedly.\t\u2018May\tI\ttake\tsome\tpictures?\u2019 \u2018What\tpictures?\u2019 \u2018Of\tthis\troom.\u2019 I\t noticed\t for\t the\t first\t time\t that\t there\t were\t innumerable\t pictures\t of\t Hindu\t gods\t and\t goddesses hanging\ton\tthe\twalls.\tIt\treminded\tme\tof\tMaganlal\tMeghraj\u2019s\troom\tin\tBenaras. \u2018Theek\thai.\u2019 \u2018He\tsays\tyou\tmay,\u2019\tFeluda\ttranslated. \u2018Lekin\tpehle\twoh\tcheez\tto\tdikhaiye.\u2019 \u2018He\twants\tto\tsee\tthe\truby\tfirst.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\u2019 Tom\t Maxwell\t brought\t out\t the\t blue\t velvet\t box\t from\t his\t leather\t bag.\t Then\t he\t opened\t the\t lid\t and passed\tit\tto\tMr\tDandania.\tFor\tsome\tstrange\treason,\tmy\theart\tsuddenly\tstarted\tto\tflutter. Mr\tDandania\theld\tthe\truby\tin\this\thand\tand\tstared\tat\tit\tfor\ta\tfew\tseconds,\this\tface\timpassive,\tbefore passing\t it\t to\t his\t friend,\t Inspector\t Chaubey.\t Chaubey\t glanced\t at\t it\t with\t open\t admiration\t in\t his\t eyes, then\thanded\tit\tback\tto\tDandania. \u2018What\tprice\tin\tEngland?\u2019\tMr\tDandania\tasked. \u2018Twenty\tthousand\tpounds,\u2019\tPeter\treplied. \u2018Hm.\tDus\tlakh\trupaye\t.\t.\t.\u2019\tHe\tput\tthe\truby\tback\tin\tits\tbox\tand\treturned\tit\tto\tMaxwell.\t\u2018Hum\t denge dus\tlakh,\u2019\the\tadded. \u2018He\tsays\the\u2019ll\tpay\tyou\ta\tmillion\trupees\tfor\tit,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid\tobligingly. \u2018But\tsurely\the\tknows\tthat\u2019s\tout\tof\tthe\tquestion?\tI\u2019m\tnot\there\tto\tsell\tit.\u2019 Mr\t Dandania\t switched\t to\t English\t again,\t thereby\t revealing\t that\t he\t could\t understand\t and\t speak\t it well\tenough. \u2018Why\tnot?\u2019\the\tasked. \u2018Because\tmy\tancestor\twanted\tit\tto\treturn\tto\tIndia.\tI\tcame\tsimply\tto\tfulfil\this\twish.\tThe\tlast\tthing\tI want\t to\t do\t is\t set\t a\t price\t on\t it\t and\t give\t it\t to\t someone\t else\t for\t money.\t It\t will\t go\t to\t the\t Calcutta Museum,\tand\tthat\u2019s\tthat!\u2019 \u2018You\t are\t being\t foolish,\t Mr\t Robertson.\t In\t a\t large\t museum\t like\t that\t it\t will\t simply\t lie\t in\t a\t corner gathering\tdust.\tPeople\twill\tforget\tall\tabout\tit.\u2019 \u2018And\tif\tI\tsold\tit\tto\tyou?\tWould\tit\tnot\tlie\thidden\tin\ta\tchest\tsomewhere,\ttotally\tout\tof\tsight?\u2019 \u2018Nonsense!\t Why\t should\t I\t allow\t that\t to\t happen?\t I\u2019d\t open\t a\t private\t museum\t of\t my\t own,\t like\t the Salar \t Jung \t in\t Hyder abad.\t Ganesh\t Dandania\t Museum.\t Yo ur \t r uby\t will\t g et\t special\t attentio n.\t Ever yo ne will\tsee\tit.\tI\twill\tput\tup\ta\tplaque\toutside\tits\tcase,\texplaining\tits\thistory.\tIt\twill\tinclude\tyour\town\tname.\u2019 Before\tPeter\tcould\treply,\ta\tbearer\tcame\tin\twith\tsweets\ton\ta\tlarge\tplate\tand\tglasses\tof\tsherbet.\tWe began\thelping\tourselves.\tOnly\tTom\tMaxwell\tdropped\ta\ttablet\tin\this\tglass\tbefore\tdrinking\tfrom\tit.","\u2018Inko\t kahiye\t yehan\t ke\t paani\t ko\t shudh\t karne\t ki\t zaroorat\t nahin\t hai,\u2019\t said\t Mr\t Dandania,\t glaring.\t I looked\tat\tFeluda\twith\tinterest,\tto\tsee\thow\the\tmight\ttell\tTom\tthere\twas\tno\tneed\tto\tpurify\tthe\twater;\tbut Feluda\tonly\tsmiled\tand\tsaid\tnothing. It\ttook\tus\tonly\ta\tfew\tminutes\tto\tfinish\tthe\tsweets. \u2018Well?\u2019\tMr\tDandania\tsaid\tin\this\tdeep\tvoice.\tLike\this\tmoustache,\this\tvoice\tcame\tas\ta\tsurprise. \u2018Very\tsorry,\tMr\tDandania,\u2019\tsaid\tPeter.\t\u2018I\ttold\tyou\tbefore\tI\twouldn\u2019t\tsell\tit\tunder\tany\tcircumstances. I\tshowed\tit\tto\tyou\tonly\tbecause\tyou\thad\tmade\ta\tspecial\trequest.\u2019 Inspector\tChaubey\tspoke\tsuddenly.\t\u2018Look,\tMr\tRobertson,\u2019\the\tsaid,\t\u2018whether\tor\tnot\tyou\twish\tto\tsell the\truby\tis\tyour\tbusiness.\tWhat\tconcerns\tme\tis\tthat\tyour\tfriend\tis\troaming\taround\twith\tthat\truby\tin his\tbag.\tI\tdon\u2019t\tlike\tthis\tat\tall.\tIf\tyou\tlike,\tI\tcan\tarrange\tto\tsend\ta\tconstable\twith\tyou\twherever\tyou\tgo. He\u2019ll\t be\t in\t plain\t clothes,\t you\t won\u2019t\t even\t realize\t he\u2019s\t with\t you.\t But\t he\u2019ll\t be\t able\t to\t ensure\t your safety.\u2019 \u2018No,\u2019\tTom\tMaxwell\tsaid\tfirmly.\t\u2018I\tam\tquite\tcapable\tof\ttaking\tcare\tof\tit,\tthank\tyou.\tShould\tanyone tr y\t to \t steal\t it,\t I\u2019d\t kno w\t ho w\t to \t deal\t with\t him.\t I\t can\t use\t a\t g un\t myself,\t and\t I\t can\t do \t witho ut\t any\t help from\tthe\tpolice.\u2019 Inspector\tChaubey\tgave\tup.\t\u2018Very\twell.\tIf\tyou\tare\tso\tutterly\tconfident\tof\tyourself,\tthere\tis\tnothing more\tto\tbe\tsaid.\u2019 \u2018How\tlong\tare\tyou\there\tfor?\u2019\tMr\tDandania\tasked. \u2018Another\tfive\tdays,\tI\tshould\tthink.\u2019 \u2018All\t right.\t Please\t think\t this\t over,\t Mr\t Robertson.\t Think\t carefully,\t and\t come\t to\t me\t again\t in\t two days.\u2019 \u2018OK.\tThinking\tcan\u2019t\thurt,\tcan\tit?\tI\u2019ll\tconsider\tyour\tproposal\tvery\tseriously,\tand\tlet\tyou\tknow\twhat I\tdecide.\u2019 \u2018Good,\u2019\tMr\tDandania\treplied,\tlooking\tgrave.\t\u2018And\tgoodbye.\u2019","Four \u2018Unbelievable!\t This\t is\t really\t incredible,\t isn\u2019t\t it?\u2019\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t whispered.\t I\t found\t myself\t in\t full agreement.\tAll\tthat\tstretched\tbefore\tour\teyes\twas\tan\tocean\tof\trocks.\tStones\tand\tboulders\tof\tvarious shapes\tand\tsizes\tlay\tscattered\ton\tthe\tground,\tcovering\ta\ttotal\tarea\tof\tat\tleast\tone\tsquare\tmile.\tSome lay\tflat,\tothers\ton\ttheir\tside.\tSome\twere\thuge\u2014as\thigh\tas\tthree-storeyed\tbuildings\u2014but\tothers\twere relatively\t small.\t A\t few\t had\t large\t cracks\t running\t right\t across,\t possibly\t the\t result\t of\t an\t earthquake hundr eds\t o f\t year s\t ag o .\t It\t mig ht\t have\t been\t a\t scene\t fr o m\t pr ehisto r ic\t times.\t If\t a\t dino saur \t had\t peeped out\tfrom\tbehind\ta\tboulder,\tI\twould\tnot\thave\tbeen\tsurprised. This\t was\t one\t of\t the\t sights\t Dubrajpur\t was\t famous\t for.\t We\t had\t already\t seen\t the\t well-known\t pair called\t\u2018Mama-Bhagney\u2019.\tSoon\tafter\tleaving\tGanesh\tDandania\u2019s\thouse,\tFeluda\thad\tsuggested\twe\tsaw these\t famous\t rocks.\t Inspector\t Chaubey,\t who\t had\t accompanied\t us,\t agreed\t that\t it\t was\t a\t good\t idea. Peter\t seemed\t absolutely\t overwhelmed.\t \u2018Fantastic!\t Fantastic!\u2019\t I\t heard\t him\t mutter\t more\t than\t once. To m,\t to o ,\t seemed\t a\t lo t\t happier.\t I\t saw\t him\t smile\t fo r \t the\t fir st\t time,\t po ssibly\t because\t he\t had\t fo und\t a new\t subject\t for\t photography.\t Right\t now,\t he\t was\t sitting\t atop\t a\t huge\t rock,\t running\t a\t fine\t comb through\this\tbeard.\tHow\the\thad\tgot\tthere,\tI\tcould\tnot\ttell. \u2018Tell\tme,\u2019\tsaid\tPeter,\t\u2018how\tcome\tthere\tare\tso\tmany\tstones\tlying\taround\tat\tthis\tparticular\tspot,\twhen there\tare\tno\tmountains\tor\thills\tnearby?\tIsn\u2019t\tthere\ta\tstory\tor\ta\tlegend\tbehind\tthis?\u2019 Before\tFeluda\tcould\tsay\tanything,\tLalmohan\tBabu\tpiped\tup\tmost\tunexpectedly.\t\u2018Do\tyou\tknow\tof the\tgod\tHanuman?\u2019\the\tasked. \u2018I\thave\theard\tof\thim,\u2019\tPeter\tsaid,\tsmiling. \u2018Well,\t when\t Hanuman\t was\t flying\t through\t the\t air\t with\t Mount\t Gandhamadan\t on\t his\t head,\t some rocks\tfrom\tthe\tmountain\tfell\there\tin\tDubrajpur.\u2019 \u2018How\tinteresting!\u2019\tPeter\tnodded. Feluda\tgave\tJatayu\ta\tsidelong\tglance\tand\tsaid\tunder\this\tbreath,\t\u2018You\tjust\tmade\tthat\tup,\tdidn\u2019t\tyou?\u2019 \u2018No,\tsir!\u2019\tJatayu\tprotested\tloudly.\t\u2018I\theard\tthat\tstory\tfrom\tthe\tmanager\tof\tthe\tlodge\tthis\tmorning. Everyone\tin\tthis\tregion\tbelieves\tin\tit.\tWhy\tshould\tI\thave\tmade\tit\tup?\u2019 \u2018Because,\t my\t friend,\t the\t story\t I\t read\t in\t my\t guide\t book\t is\t different.\t According\t to\t it,\t it\t was\t Ram who\t had\t dropped\t these\t stones\t here\t accidentally,\t when\t he\t was\t gathering\t stones\t to\t build\t a\t bridge across\tthe\tocean.\u2019 \u2018I\tdon\u2019t\tcare\twhat\tyou\u2019ve\tread,\tFelu\tBabu!\tI\tthink\tmy\tstory\tis\tmuch\tbetter.\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\twalked away\tin\ta\thuff. By\tthis\ttime,\tTom\thad\tclimbed\tdown\tfrom\this\trock\tand\tjoined\tus. Now\t he\t was\t looking\t a\t little\t bored.\t Perhaps\t the\t stones\t and\t rocks\t weren\u2019t\t photogenic\t enough\t for him.\tHis\treal\tchance\tcame\ta\tfew\tminutes\tlater\twhen\twe\tmade\tour\tway\tto\tan\told\tand\twell-known\tKali","temple.\tThis\twas\tprobably\tthe\tfirst\ttime\the\twas\tseeing\tHindu\tdevotees\thaving\ta\tpuja\tin\ta\ttemple.\tHis camera\tdidn\u2019t\tstop\tclicking. This\t seemed\t to \t upset\t Inspecto r \t Chaubey.\t \u2018Lo o k,\t Mr \t Maxwell,\u2019\t he\t said,\t \u2018peo ple\t her e\t do n\u2019t\t like\t to see\tphotographs\ttaken\tof\treligious\trituals.\tYou\u2019ll\thave\tto\tbe\ta\tlittle\tmore\tdiscreet.\u2019 \u2018Why?\u2019\t To m\t sho t\t back\t ang r ily.\t \u2018I\t am\t no t\t do ing \t anything \t illeg al\t o r \t unethical.\t I\t am\t mer ely\t taking photos\tof\ta\tpublic\tevent,\topenly\tin\tfront\tof\teveryone.\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tbut\tpeople\tcan\tsometimes\tbe\textremely\tsensitive.\tA\tforeigner\tmay\twell\tfind\tour\tcustoms\tand traditions\t strange\t and\t difficult\t to\t accept.\t Some\t may\t object\t to\t his\t taking\t these\t photos\t back\t home, misrepresenting\tour\tvalues\tand\tideas.\u2019\tMaxwell\tstarted\tto\tprotest\tagain,\tbut\tthis\ttime\tPeter\tlooked\tat him\tsternly,\twhich\tmade\thim\tshut\tup. By\t the\t time\t we\t finished\t seeing \t all\t the\t sig hts\t o f\t Dubr ajpur,\t we\t wer e\t all\t quite\t thir sty.\t So \t we\t fo und\t a roadside\ttea\tstall\tand\tsat\tdown\tat\ttwo\tof\tthe\tlong\tbenches\tthat\twere\tplaced\toutside. Inspector\t Chaubey\t sat\t between\t Feluda\t and\t me.\t \u2018I\t realized\t who\t you\t were\t the\t minute\t I\t heard\t your name,\u2019\t I\t heard\t him\t say\t to\t Feluda,\t \u2018but\t I\t didn\u2019t\t say\t anything\t since\t I\t thought\t you\t might\t not\t wish\t to reveal\tyour\tprofession\tto\tall\tand\tsundry.\u2019 \u2018You\twere\tabsolutely\tright.\u2019 \u2018Are\tyou\there\ton\tholiday?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tpurely.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\u2019 \u2018You\tare\tfrom\tBihar,\taren\u2019t\tyou?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\tBut\tthe\tlast\tfive\tgenerations\tof\tmy\tfamily\thad\tlived\there\tin\tBirbhum.\tBy\tthe\tway,\thas\tthat\tboy called\tMaxwell\tgot\tan\tIndian\tconnection?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\t His\t great-great-grandfather\t used\t to\t own\t an\t indigo\t factory\t here.\t I\t think\t his\t name\t was Reginald\tMaxwell.\u2019 \u2018I\t see.\t My\t own\t grandfather\t used\t to\t talk\t about\t a\t Mr\t Maxwell,\t who\t was\t also\t a\t factory\t owner. Although\the\thad\tlived\tmany\tyears\tago,\this\tname\thad\tnot\tbeen\tforgotten.\tFrom\twhat\tlittle\tI\thave\tseen of\tTom\tMaxwell,\tit\tis\tobvious\tthat\tthis\tother\tMaxwell\twas\this\tancestor.\u2019 \u2018How\tis\tit\tobvious?\u2019 \u2018Reg inald\t Maxwell\t hated\t Indians.\t He\t was\t unbelievably\t cr uel\t to \t his\t wo r ker s.\t To m\t Maxwell\t seems to\t have\t inherited\t his\t arrogance.\t But\t Mr\t Robertson\t seems\t just\t the\t opposite.\t He\u2019s\t clearly\t genuinely fond\tof\tthis\tcountry.\u2019 Feluda\t made\t no\t reply.\t We\t had\t finished\t our\t tea.\t Peter\t and\t Tom\t joined\t us,\t and\t we\t set\t off\t for Hetampur,\t which\t was\t famous\t for\t its\t terracotta\t temples.\t The\t carvings\t on\t these\t enthralled\t Peter, particularly\t that\t of\t a\t European\t lady\t on\t a\t temple\t wall.\t It\t was\t two\t hundred\t years\t old,\t we\t were\t told. Tom\twasn\u2019t\tinterested\tin\ttemples\tor\tcarvings.\tHe\tbegan\ttaking\tphotos\tof\ta\tchild\tbeing\tgiven\ta\tbath\tby its\tmother\tat\ta\ttubewell. Just\t before\t getting\t back\t into\t our\t car\t to\t return\t to\t the\t tourist\t lodge,\t Feluda\t turned\t to\t Inspector Chaubey\t to \t bid\t him\t g o o dbye.\t \u2018Yo u\t seemed\t to \t kno w\t Dandania\t pr etty\t well,\u2019\t he\t said.\t \u2018What\t so r t\t o f\t a man\tis\the?\u2019","\u2018Very\tclever.\tI\tknow\thim,\tbut\tI\tcertainly\tdo\tnot\tregard\thim\tas\ta\tfriend.\tHe\ttries\tto\tkeep\thimself\tin my\t g o o d\t bo o ks.\t He\u2019s\t invo lved\t in\t a\t lo t\t o f\t shady\t dealing s,\t so \t he\t thinks\t if\t he\t kno ws\t so meo ne\t in\t the police\tit\tmight\thelp.\tI\tgo\tto\this\thouse\toccasionally,\tbut\tI\tkeep\tmy\teyes\tand\tears\topen.\tIf\tI\tcatch\thim do ing \t anything \t wr o ng ,\t I\t shall\t no t\t spar e\t him.\t But\t he\t is\t extr emely\t wealthy.\t He\t co uld\t quite\t easily\t buy that\truby\tfor\tten\tlakhs.\u2019 \u2018Does\this\tson\tlook\tafter\this\tfather \u2019s\tbusiness?\u2019 \u2018Kishori?\tNo,\the\tdoesn\u2019t\treally\twant\tto.\tHe\twants\tto\tstart\tsomething\tof\this\town.\tGanesh\tis\tfond\tof his\tson.\tI\tthink\the\u2019ll\tagree\tin\tthe\tend\tand\tlet\tKishori\tgo\this\town\tway.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\u2019 \u2018Oh,\tby\tthe\tway,\twhat\tare\tyour\tplans\tfor\ttomorrow?\u2019 \u2018We\tmight\tgo\tto\tsee\tthe\tmela\tin\tKenduli.\u2019 \u2018Are\tyou\tall\tplanning\tto\tgo\ttogether?\tI\tmean,\twould\tRobertson\tand\tMaxwell\tgo\twith\tyou?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\twhy?\u2019 \u2018I\twould\tlike\tyou\tto\tkeep\tan\teye\ton\tMaxwell,\tMr\tMitter.\tHis\tbehaviour\tworries\tme.\u2019 \u2018Very\twell,\tInspector.\tI\u2019ll\tdo\tmy\tbest.\u2019 We\treturned\tto\tthe\tlodge\tin\tBolpur\ta\tlittle\tbefore\t2\tp.m.\tSoon\tafter\tour\treturn,\ttwo\tmen\tturned\tup to\t meet\t Peter\t and\t Tom.\t One\t of\t them\t was\t Aradhendu\t Naskar,\t a\t well-known\t businessman\t from Calcutta.\tThe\tother\twas\tcalled\tJagannath\tChatterjee,\ta\thistorian\twho\thad\tspecialized\tknowledge\tof\tthe temples\tin\tBirbhum.\tBoth\thad\tread\tPeter \u2019s\tarticle\tin\tthe\tStatesman\tand\tdecided\tto\tmeet\thim.\tPeter\tsaid he\u2019d\tbe\tvery\tgrateful\tfor\tMr\tChatterjee\u2019s\thelp,\tand\tasked\thim\tto\tstay\tin\ttouch.\tMr\tChatterjee\tagreed happily. Mr\tNaskar\ttook\tmuch\tlonger.\t\u2018What\tcan\tI\tdo\tfor\tyou?\u2019\tPeter\tasked\tpolitely,\tshaking\this\thand. Mr\tNaskar\tpulled\tup\ta\tchair\tand\tsat\tdown,\tfacing\tPeter. \u2018First\tof\tall,\tI\twant\tyou\tto\tconfirm\tone\tthing.\u2019 \u2018Yes?\u2019 \u2018Is\t it\t really\t true\t that\t you\t have\t come\t here\t to\t fulfil\t the\t wish\t of\t your\t ancestor?\t I\t mean,\t are\t you visiting\tbecause\tof\twhat\the\twrote\tin\this\tdiary\tmore\tthan\ta\thundred\tyears\tago?\u2019 \u2018Absolutely.\u2019 \u2018You\tmean\tyou\treally\tand\ttruly\tbelieve\tthat\this\tsoul\twill\tfind\tultimate\tpeace\tif\tyou\treturn\tthat\truby to\tIndia?\u2019 \u2018I\tdon\u2019t\tthink\twhat\tI\tbelieve\tis\tof\tany\trelevance,\u2019\tPeter\treplied\tdryly.\t\u2018You\tsound\tas\tthough\tyou\u2019re interested\tin\tbuying\tthe\truby.\tI\tam\tnot\tgoing\tto\tsell\tit,\tMr\tNaskar.\u2019 \u2018Have\tyou\thad\tit\tassessed\tin\tyour\tcountry?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tit\u2019s\tworth\ttwenty\tthousand\tpounds.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\tMay\tI\tsee\tit,\tplease?\u2019 Tom\ttook\tit\tout\tof\this\tbag\twithout\ta\tword\tand\tpassed\tit\tto\tMr\tNaskar.\tMr\tNaskar\theld\tit\tbetween his\t thumb\t and\t forefinger\t and\t turned\t it\t to\t catch\t the\t light.\t Then\t he\t turned\t to\t Peter\t and\t said,\t rather unexpectedly,\t\u2018Neither\tof\tyou\tappears\tto\tbe\twell\toff.\u2019 \u2018We\u2019re\tnot,\tMr\tNaskar;\tnor\tare\twe\tgreedy.\u2019 \u2018However,\u2019\tTom\tspoke\tsuddenly,\t\u2018we\tdon\u2019t\talways\tthink\talike.\u2019","\u2018What\t do\t you\t mean?\u2019\t Mr\t Naskar\t raised\t his\t eyebrows.\t Peter\t answered\t before\t Tom\t could\t say anything.\t\u2018What\the\tmeans\tis\tthat\twe\u2019ve\thad\ta\tdifference\tof\topinion\tin\tthis\tmatter.\tTom\tdoesn\u2019t\tmind selling\tthe\truby,\tbut\tI\tdo.\tIt\tis,\tafter\tall,\tmy\tproperty,\tnot\this.\tSo\tyou\tneedn\u2019t\tpay\tany\tattention\tto\thim at\tall.\u2019\tI\tlooked\tat\tTom.\tHe\tscowled\tin\tsilence. \u2018Anyway,\u2019\tsaid\tMr\tNaskar,\t\u2018I\tam\tgoing\tto\tbe\there\tin\tSantiniketan\tfor\tthe\tnext\tthree\tdays.\tI\u2019ll\tstay\tin to uch\t with\t yo u.\t Yo u\t can\u2019t\t g et\t r id\t o f\t me\t that\t easily,\t Mr \t Ro ber tso n.\t I\u2019m\t pr epar ed\t to \t g ive\t yo u\t twelve lakhs.\t My\t collection\t of\t precious\t stones\t is\t well-known,\t all\t over\t the\t country.\t I\t can\u2019t\t see\t why\t you\u2019re refusing\tsuch\ta\tsplendid\tchance\tto\tearn\tgood\tmoney.\tI\thope\tyou\u2019ll\tchange\tyour\tmind\tin\tdue\tcourse.\u2019 \u2018Perhaps\tI\tshould\ttell\tyou\tsomething,\tMr\tNaskar.\tI\u2019ve\talready\thad\tan\toffer\tfor\tthis\truby.\u2019 \u2018Who\tmade\tit?\u2019 \u2018A\tbusinessman\tin\tDubrajpur.\u2019 \u2018Dandania?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\u2019 \u2018How\tmuch\tdid\the\toffer\tyou?\u2019 \u2018Ten\tlakhs.\tBut\twho\u2019s\tto\ttell\this\toffer\twon\u2019t\tgo\tup?\u2019 \u2018All\tright.\tI\tknow\tDandania\tquite\twell.\tI\u2019ll\tmanage\thim.\u2019 \u2018Very\twell,\tMr\tNaskar.\tGoodbye!\u2019 \u2018Goodbye!\u2019 Mr\tNaskar\tleft\tat\tlast.\tWe\trose\tand\twent\tinto\tthe\tdining\thall.\tI\twas\tstarving.","Five The\tfair\tat\tKenduli\twas\tbeing\theld\tat\ta\ttemple\tbuilt\ttwo\thundred\tand\tfifty\tyears\tago,\tby\tthe\tMaharani of\tBurdwan. We\t had\t ar r ived\t to g ether \t in\t Lalmo han\t Babu\u2019s\t car.\t His\t dr iver \t was\t g iven\t the\t day\t o ff.\t Feluda\t dr o ve. Lalmohan\tBabu\tand\tI\tsat\tnext\tto\thim.\tPeter,\tTom\tand\tJagannath\tChatterjee\tsat\tat\tthe\tback. A\tlarge\tgroup\tof\thauls\thad\tgathered\tunder\ta\thuge\tbanyan\ttree.\tOne\tof\tthem\twas\tplaying\this\tektara and\tsinging.\tMr\tChatterjee\tbegan\texplaining\tthe\thistory\tof\tthe\tplace\tand\tthe\tdetails\tof\tthe\tcarvings.\tI no ticed,\t to \t my\t sur pr ise,\t that\t many\t o f\t the\t fig ur es\t car ved\t o n\t the\t walls\t and\t pillar s\t o f\t the\t temple\t wer e figures\tfrom\tthe\tRamayana\tand\tMahabharata.\tPeter\twas\tlistening\tto\tMr\tChatterjee\twith\trapt\tattention. Tom\t had\t disappeared.\t Mr\t Chatterjee\t stopped\t after\t a\t while\t and\t ambled\t off\t in\t a\t different\t direction. Feluda\tseized\tthis\topportunity\tto\task\tPeter\tthe\tquestion\tthat\thad\tbeen\tbothering\tme\tsince\tyesterday.\t\u2018Is everything\tall\tright\tbetween\tTom\tand\tyou?\tHe\u2019s\tbeen\tbehaving\trather\toddly,\thasn\u2019t\the?\tI\tdon\u2019t\tlike\tit, Peter.\tCan\tyou\treally\ttrust\thim?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tI\tthink\tso.\tI\u2019ve\tknown\thim\tfor\ttwenty-two\tyears.\tWe\twent\tto\tthe\tsame\tschool\tand\tcollege.\tHe was\t fine\t back\t ho me\t but\t I\u2019ve\t no ticed\t a\t few\t chang es\t in\t him\t since\t o ur \t ar r ival\t in\t India.\t So metimes\t he behaves\t as\t though\t the\t British\t are\t still\t the\t rulers\t here.\t Besides,\t back\t in\t England\t he\t didn\u2019t\t seem interested\tin\tselling\tthe\truby\tat\tall.\tNow,\the\u2019s\tnot\taverse\tto\tthe\tidea\tof\tfilling\this\tpockets.\u2019 \u2018Is\the\tin\tneed\tof\tmoney?\u2019 \u2018In\t a\t way,\t yes.\t You\t see,\t he\t wants\t to\t travel\t all\t over\t the\t world,\t taking\t photos\t everywhere, particularly\twhere\the\tcan\tsee\tstark\tpoverty.\tAt\tthis\tmoment,\tneither\tof\tus\thas\tthe\tkind\tof\tmoney\twe\u2019d need\tto\ttravel\tso\twidely.\tBut\tif\twe\tsold\tthat\truby,\tthen\tthere\twould\tbe\tno\tproblem.\u2019 \u2018What\tif\the\tsold\tit\twithout\ttelling\tyou?\u2019 \u2018No,\t I\u2019m\t sure\t he\t would\t not\t betray\t my\t trust\t completely.\t I\u2019ve\t been\t speaking\t to\t him\t sternly\t and seriously\tsince\tyesterday,\ttrying\tto\tmake\thim\tsee\treason.\tI\tthink\the\u2019ll\tcome\tround\tbefore\tlong.\u2019 Feluda\t looked\t around\t for\t Tom.\t But\t still\t there\t was\t no\t sign\t of\t him.\t \u2018Do\t you\t know\t where\t he\u2019s gone?\u2019 \u2018No,\tI\u2019m\tafraid\tnot.\tHe\tdidn\u2019t\ttell\tme.\u2019 \u2018I\tam\tbeginning\tto\tget\ta\tnasty\tsuspicion.\u2019 \u2018What\tdo\tyou\tmean?\u2019 \u2018Look\t over\t there.\t Can\t you\t see\t smoke\t rising\t from\t the\t riverside?\t That\t means\t there\u2019s\t a\t cremation ground.\tCould\the\thave\tgone\tthere\tto\ttake\tphotos?\tWe\tought\tto\tgo\tand\tfind\tout.\u2019 We\tleft\tat\tonce,\tmaking\tour\tway\tthrough\tgroups\tof\tbauls.\tThe\triver\tbank\tlay\tjust\tbeyond,\tsloping gradually\tto\tlead\tto\tthe\twater. Here\twas\tthe\tcremation\tground.\tA\tcorpse\tlay\ton\ta\tburning\tpyre.\t\u2018Look,\tthere\u2019s\tTom!\u2019\tcried\tPeter.","Tom\twas\tstanding\ta\tfew\tyards\taway\tfrom\tthe\tpyre,\tgetting\this\tcamera\tand\tvarious\tlenses\tout\tof\this bag. \u2018He\tis\tdoing\tsomething\tutterly\tfoolish,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid.\tAlmost\tinstantly,\this\twords\twere\tproved\tright. Four\t young\t men\t were\t sitting\t near\t the\t pyre.\t One\t of\t them\t saw\t what\t Tom\t was\t about\t to\t do.\t He\t ran forward,\tsnatched\tthe\tcamera\tfrom\tTom\u2019s\thands\tand\tthrew\tit\ton\tthe\tsand. And\tTom?\tTom\ttook\ta\tstep\tforward,\tcurling\this\tright\thand\tinto\ta\tfist.\tIt\tlanded\ton\tthe\tyoung\tman\u2019s nose\ta\tsecond\tlater.\tHe\tfell\ton\tthe\tground,\tclutching\this\tnose.\tWhen\the\tremoved\this\thand,\twe\tcould all\tsee\tit\twas\tsmeared\twith\tblood. Feluda\tdid\tnot\twaste\tanother\tmoment.\tBefore\teither\tthe\tfirst\tyoung\tman\tor\this\tfriends\tcould\tmove, he\tstrode\tacross\tand\tplaced\thimself\tbetween\tTom\tand\tthe\tothers.\t\u2018Please,\u2019\the\tsaid,\traising\this\thands placatingly,\t \u2018please\t forgive\t my\t friend.\t He\t is\t new\t to\t our\t country,\t and\t he\t hasn\u2019t\t yet\t learnt\t what\t he should\tor\tshouldn\u2019t\tdo.\tIt\twas\tvery\twrong\tof\thim\tto\thave\ttried\tto\ttake\ta\tphoto\tof\ta\tpyre.\tI\u2019ll\texplain everything\tto\thim,\tand\the\twon\u2019t\trepeat\tthis\tmistake,\tI\tpromise\tyou.\tBut\tplease\tlet\thim\tgo\tnow.\u2019 To\tmy\tsurprise,\tone\tof\tthe\tyoung\tmen\tcame\tforward\tand\tquickly\ttouched\tFeluda\u2019s\tfeet. \u2018What\t.\t.\t.\twhat\tare\tyou\tdoing?\u2019 \u2018You\tare\tFelu\tMitter,\taren\u2019t\tyou?\tThe\tPradosh\tMitter?\tThe\tfamous\u2014?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tyes,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid\thurriedly.\t\u2018I\tam\tFelu\tMitter,\tI\tam\tan\tinvestigator\tand\tthis\tgentleman\there\tis my\tfriend.\tPlease\twill\tyou\tforgive\thim\tand\tlet\thim\tgo?\u2019 \u2018All\tright,\tsir,\tnever\tmind.\tNo\tproblem,\u2019\tsaid\tthe\tthree\tmen,\tstaring\tat\tFeluda\twith\ta\tmixture\tof\tawe and\tadmiration.\tGetting\trecognized,\tI\tthought,\twas\tno\tbad\tthing,\tafter\tall. But\tthe\tinjured\tman,\twho\thad\tby\tnow\trisen\tto\this\tfeet,\twas\tnot\tso\teasily\timpressed.\t\u2018I\tshall\tpay\tyou back,\tsahib,\u2019\the\tspoke\tclearly.\t\u2018I\u2019ll\tsettle\tscores\twith\tyou\tbefore\tyou\tgo\tback.\tJust\tremember\tthat.\tNo one\tlays\ta\thand\ton\tChandu\tMallik\tand\tgets\taway\twith\tit!\u2019 None\t of\t us\t said\t anything\t to\t him.\t We\t turned\t around\t to\t go\t back.\t Tom\u2019s\t camera\t appeared undamaged.\t But\t he\t himself\t seemed\t totally\t taken\t aback\t by\t this\t sudden\t development.\t Perhaps\t this would\tteach\thim\tto\tbe\tmore\tcareful,\tI\ttold\tmyself. We\t had\t lunch\t back\t in\t the\t tourist\t lodge,\t and\t were\t sitting\t in\t the\t lounge\t when\t Inspector\t Chaubey turned\tup.\t\u2018I\tcame\tto\tfind\tout\thow\tyou\twere\tdoing,\u2019\the\tsaid,\t\u2018and\tI\tcan\ttell\tthere\u2019s\tsomething\twrong.\u2019 \u2018You\u2019re\tquite\tright,\tInspector,\u2019\tFeluda\treplied,\tand\tbriefly\texplained\twhat\thad\thappened.\t\u2018Does\tthe name\tChandu\tMallik\tmean\tanything\tto\tyou?\u2019\the\tasked. \u2018Oh\t yes.\t He\u2019s\t a\t no to r io us\t g o o nda.\t He\u2019s\t been\t to \t pr iso n\t at\t least\t thr ee\t times.\t If\t he\t has\t thr eatened\t to settle\tscores,\twe\tcannot\tjust\tlaugh\tit\toff.\u2019 Tom\thad\tgone\tback\tto\this\troom.\tPeter\twas\tsitting\twith\tus. \u2018Mr\tRobertson,\u2019\tthe\tinspector\tsaid,\t\u2018only\tyou\tcan\tdo\tsomething\tto\thelp.\u2019 \u2018How?\u2019 \u2018Talk\tto\tyour\tfriend.\tTell\thim\the\tmust\tlearn\tto\tcontrol\this\ttemper.\tIndia\tbecame\tindependent\tforty- five\tyears\tago.\tNo\tIndian\ttoday\twould\taccept\tfrom\ta\tBritisher\tthe\tkind\tof\tbehaviour\tMr\tMaxwell\thas shown.\u2019 \u2018I\t suggest\t you\t tell\t him\t that,\u2019\t Peter\t said\t a\t little\t sadly.\t \u2018I\t can\u2019t\t think\t straight.\t Tom\t is\t behaving\t so strangely\t I\t feel\t I\t don\u2019t\t know\t him\t at\t all.\t He\u2019s\t just\t not\t listening\t to\t me\t any\t more.\t If\t you\t talk\t to\t him, maybe\tthat\u2019ll\twork?\u2019","\u2018Very\twell,\tI\u2019ll\tdo\tas\tyou\tsay.\tBut\tmust\tyou\tlet\thim\tkeep\tyou\truby?\tWhy\tdon\u2019t\tyou\ttake\tit\tback?\u2019 \u2018I\t have\t a\t problem,\t Inspector.\t I\t am\t extremely\t forgetful\t and\t absentminded.\t Tom\t isn\u2019t.\t The\t ruby\t is r eally\t much\t safer \t in\t his\t custo dy.\t Besides,\t despite\t ever ything ,\t I\u2019m\t co nvinced\t he\t wo n\u2019t\t sell\t it\t witho ut telling\tme.\u2019 We\trose\tand\twent\tto\tfind\tTom\tin\this\troom.\tPeter\tdid\tnot\tcome\twith\tus. He\twas\tsitting\tin\ta\tchair,\tdeep\tin\tthought,\ta\thalf-finished\tcigarette\tdangling\tfrom\this\tlips.\tThe\tdoor was\topen.\tHe\tlooked\tup\tas\twe\tarrived,\tbut\tdid\tnot\trise\tto\tgreet\tus.\tInspector\tChaubey\ttook\tthe\tsecond chair.\tFeluda,\tLalmohan\tBabu\tand\tI\tsat\ton\tthe\tbed. \u2018Are\tyou\ttrying\tto\tput\tpressure\ton\tme?\u2019\tasked\tTom. \u2018No.\tWe\thave\tcome\tto\tplead\twith\tyou,\u2019\tsaid\tthe\tinspector\tvery\tpolitely. \u2018What\tfor?\u2019 \u2018Mr\tMaxwell,\tyou\tare\tfree\tto\tthink\twhat\tyou\tlike\tabout\tthe\tcountry\tyou\u2019re\tvisiting\tand\tits\tpeople. But\tplease\tdo\tnot\tshow\tyour\tfeelings\tso\topenly.\u2019 \u2018Who\tare\tyou\tto\ttell\tme\thow\tI\tshould\tbehave?\tI\twill\tdo\texactly\tas\tI\tplease.\tI\thave\tseen\tin\tthe\tlast couple\t of\t days\t just\t how\t backward\t your\t country\t is.\t You\t haven\u2019t\t moved\t an\t inch\t in\t forty-five\t years. Your\t farmers\t are\t still\t using\t animals\t to\t till\t the\t land.\t I\t have\t seen\t dozens\t of\t men\t in\t Calcutta\t pulling r ickshaws.\t Millio ns\t sleep\t o n\t fo o tpaths.\t And\t yo u\t dar e\t call\t yo ur selves\t civilized?\t I\t kno w\t yo u\t wish\t to hide\tthese\tdisgraceful\tfacts\tfrom\tthe\trest\tof\tthe\tworld,\tbut\tI\twon\u2019t\tlet\tyou.\tI\twill\ttake\tphotographs\tof the\treal\tIndia\tand\texpose\tthe\tdepths\tof\tyour\thypocrisy\tto\tthe\twhole\tworld.\u2019 \u2018You\tare\tmaking\ta\tgrave\terror,\tMr\tMaxwell.\tYou\tcan\u2019t\tjust\ttalk\tof\tIndia\u2019s\tpoverty\tand\tharp\ton\tour shortcomings.\tWhy,\thaven\u2019t\tyou\tseen\tthe\tprogress\twe\thave\tmade?\tWe\u2019ve\texplored\touter\tspace,\twe\u2019ve started\tproducing\teverything\tone\tmight\tneed\tto\tlive\tin\tcomfort,\tfrom\tclothes\tto\tcars\tto\telectronics\u2014 just\t name\t it!\t Why\t should\t you\t let\t your\t eyes\t stay\t focused\t on\t only\t one\t single\t negative\t aspect\t of\t our culture?\tNobody\u2019s\tdenying\tthere\u2019s\tpoverty\tin\tour\tcountry,\tand\tthere\u2019s\texploitation.\tBut\tis\teverything in\tyour\town\tcountry\ttotally\tabove\treproach,\tMr\tMaxwell?\u2019 \u2018Don\u2019t\t compare\t your\t country\t with\t mine,\t Mr\t Chaubey!\t You\t talk\t of\t India\u2019s\t independence?\t That whole\tbusiness\tis\ta\tbloody\tfarce.\tI\u2019ll\tget\tmy\tcamera\tto\tprove\tit.\tYou\tneed\tsomeone\tto\trule\tover\tyou, just\tas\tmy\tancestors\tdid\tall\tthose\tyears\tago.\tThat\u2019s\twhat\tyou\tdeserve.\tMy\tgreat-great-grandfather\twas absolutely\tjustified\tin\tdoing\twhat\the\tdid.\u2019 \u2018What\tdo\tyou\tmean?\u2019 \u2018He\towned\tan\tindigo\tfactory.\tOnce\the\tkicked\tone\tof\this\tservants\tto\tdeath.\u2019 \u2018What!\u2019 \u2018Yes.\t It\t was\t his\t punkha-puller.\t I\t have\t heard\t how\t terribly\t hot\t and\t stuffy\t this\t place\t can\t get\t in\t the summer.\t Well,\t one\t night\t in\t the\t summer,\t my\t ancestor,\t Reginald\t Maxwell,\t was\t sleeping\t in\t his bungalow.\t The\t punkha-puller\t was\t doing\t his\t job.\t But\t a\t little\t later\t he\t fell\t asleep.\t Reginald\t Maxwell woke\tin\tthe\tmiddle\tof\tthe\tnight,\tfeeling\thot\tand\tsticky\tand\tcovered\twith\tmosquito\tbites.\tHe\tcame\tout of\t his\t room\t and\t found\t the\t punkha-puller\t fast\t asleep.\t Wild\t with\t rage,\t he\t kicked\t him\t hard\t in\t the stomach.\t As\t it\t happened,\t he\t was\t wearing\t heavy\t boots.\t The\t punkha-puller\t never\t woke\t up\t after\t that. His\t body\t was\t removed\t in\t the\t morning.\t That,\t sir,\t was\t the\t right\t treatment.\t Today\t I\t wanted\t to\t take photos\tof\tyour\tawful\tsystem\tof\tburning\tcorpses.\tI\twanted\tto\tshow\tthe\tpeople\tof\tmy\tcountry\thow\tyou","treat\tyour\tdead.\tBut\ta\tlocal\thoodlum\tcame\tto\tthreaten\tme.\tYes,\tI\tpunched\this\tnose\tbecause\the\tasked for\tit.\tI\thave\tno\tregrets.\tNone\tat\tall.\u2019 After\t a\t few\t moments\t of\t silence,\t Inspector\t Chaubey\t said\t slowly,\t \u2018Mr\t Maxwell,\t there\t is\t only\t one thing\tI\u2019d\tlike\tto\tsay.\tThe\tsooner\tyou\tleave\tthis\tcountry,\tthe\tbetter.\tYour\tstaying\there\twill\tsimply\tmean more\ttrouble,\tnot\tjust\tfor\tour\tpoor\tcountry,\tbut\talso\tfor\tyourself.\tSurely\tyou\trealize\tthat?\u2019 \u2018I\thave\tcome\there\tto\ttake\tphotos.\tI\twill\tnot\tleave\tuntil\tI\thave\tfinished\tmy\tjob.\u2019 \u2018But\tthat\u2019s\tnot\tthe\treal\treason\twhy\tyou\u2019re\there,\tis\tit?\tYou\tcame\tchiefly\tto\treturn\tthe\truby\tto\tIndia, didn\u2019t\tyou?\u2019 \u2018No.\tThat\twas\tPeter \u2019s\twish.\tI\tthink\the\tis\tbeing\tvery\tstupid\tabout\tthe\twhole\tthing.\tI\u2019d\tbe\ta\tlot\thappier if\the\tsold\tit.\u2019","Six We\twere\tback\tin\tour\troom\tafter\tdinner,\tchatting\tidly,\twhen\tLalmohan\tBabu\tsuddenly\tannounced\tthat he\tmust\treturn\tto\this\troom. \u2018Why?\tWhat\u2019s\tthe\thurry?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked. \u2018It\u2019s\tthat\tbook\tShatadal\tgave\tme.\tYou\tknow,\tthe\tone\twritten\tby\tRev.\tPritchard\tcalled\tLife\tand\tWork in\tBirbhum.\tIt\u2019s\tabsolutely\tgripping.\tIn\tfact,\tthere\u2019s\tmention\tof\tthe\tstory\twe\tjust\theard\tfrom\tMaxwell about\ta\tpunkha-puller\tbeing\tkicked\tto\tdeath.\u2019 \u2018Really?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\tThis\thappened\ttowards\tthe\tend\tof\tthe\tnineteenth\tcentury.\tReginald\tMaxwell\tkilled\this\tservant, but\tno\tone\tpunished\thim\tfor\tdoing\tso\t.\t.\t.\tThe\tpunkha-puller\twas\tcalled\tHiralal.\tHis\twife\thad\tdied,\tbut he\t had\t a\t little\t bo y.\t When\t Rev.\t Pr itchar d\t hear d\t abo ut\t the\t mur der,\t he\t r ushed\t to \t Maxwell\u2019s\t ho use,\t and found\tthe\torphan\tboy.\tHe\tbrought\tthe\tchild\tback\twith\thim\tand\tbegan\tlooking\tafter\thim\tas\tthough\the was\this\town.\tThe\tchild\twas\tcalled\tAnant\tNarayan.\tEventually,\the\tbecame\ta\tChristian\tand\twas\tput\tin\ta missionary\tschool.\tNow\tI\tam\tdying\tto\tfind\tout\twhat\thappened\tnext.\tSo\tif\tyou\u2019ll\texcuse\t.\t.\t.\u2019 Someone\tknocked\ton\tthe\tdoor.\tI\tfound\tPeter\tstanding\toutside.\t\u2018May\tI\tcome\tin?\u2019 \u2018Of\tcourse.\u2019 Feluda\trose.\tLalmohan\tBabu,\twho\twas\tabout\tto\tleave,\tchanged\this\tmind\tand\tsat\tdown\tagain.\tPeter looked\textremely\tunhappy.\tSomething\tserious\tmust\thave\thappened. \u2018What\u2019s\tthe\tmatter,\tPeter?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked. \u2018I\thave\tdecided\tto\tsell\tthe\truby.\u2019 \u2018What!\tWhy?\tOh,\tdo\tsit\tdown,\tPeter.\tTell\tus\twhat\thappened.\u2019\tPeter\tsat\tdown.\t\u2018I\tdon\u2019t\twant\tto\tlose\tan old\tfriend.\tTom\tis\ttotally\tobsessed\twith\tthe\tidea\tof\tselling\tthat\truby.\tHis\tdream\tis\tto\ttravel\tall\tover\tthe wo r ld,\t and\t that\t dr eam\t can\t co me\t tr ue\t if\t the\t r uby\t is\t so ld.\t I\t tho ug ht\t thing s\t o ver,\t and\t felt\t ther e\t was\t no point\tin\tgiving\tit\taway\tto\ta\tmuseum.\tAfter\tall,\thow\tmany\tpeople\twould\treally\tget\tto\tsee\tit,\ttell\tme?\tSo I\tthought\t.\t.\t.\u2019\this\tvoice\ttrailed\taway. Feluda\tfrowned.\tAfter\ta\tshort\tpause,\the\tsaid,\t\u2018Well,\tit\u2019s\tyour\tdecision.\tWho\tam\tI\tto\tsay\tanything?\tI am\tdisappointed,\tbut\tit\u2019s\treally\tnone\tof\tmy\tbusiness,\tis\tit?\u2019 \u2018When\tdo\tyou\twant\tto\tsell\tit?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tasked. \u2018I\u2019ve\t just\t spo ken\t to \t Dandania.\t He\t made\t the\t fir st\t o ffer,\t so \t I\t think\t I\t sho uld\t g o \t back\t to \t him.\t He\t to ld me\tto\tmeet\thim\tthe\tday\tafter\ttomorrow\tat\tten.\u2019 \u2018I\tthought\tyour\treturn\tto\tIndia\twould\tresult\tin\ta\thistoric\tevent,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid\tsadly,\t\u2018but\tnow\tall\tone would\tget\tto\tsee\twould\tbe\ta\tsimple\tcommercial\ttransaction.\u2019 \u2018I\tam\tvery\tsorry,\u2019\tsaid\tPeter,\tand\tleft. We\tsat\tin\tsilence,\tfeeling\tterribly\tdeflated\tand\tlet\tdown.","We\t had\t planned\t to \t visit\t Bakr eshwar \t the\t fo llo wing \t mo r ning .\t We\t had\t just\t finished\t o ur \t br eakfast\t and reached\tthe\tlounge,\twhen\tMr\tNaskar\tarrived\tin\this\tcar. \u2018Good\tmorning,\u2019\the\tsaid,\tcoming\tin\tto\tthe\treception\tarea.\t\u2018Good\tmorning.\u2019 \u2018Wo uld\t yo u\t like\t to \t see\t a\t Santhal\t dance\t this\t evening ?\t A\t dance\t has\t been\t ar r ang ed\t in\t the\t Phulber ey village.\tIt\tshould\tbe\tworth\tseeing,\tespecially\tas\tthere\u2019s\tgoing\tto\tbe\ta\tfull\tmoon\ttonight.\u2019 \u2018Who\thas\tarranged\tit?\u2019 \u2018The\tlocal\tpeople,\tfor\ta\tgroup\tof\tJapanese\ttourists.\tI\u2019ve\tcome\tto\tinvite\tall\tof\tyou\tto\tdinner\tat\tmy place\t this\t evening .\t If\t yo u\u2019r e\t inter ested\t in\t seeing \t the\t dance,\t I\t can\t take\t yo u\t ther e\t myself,\t after \t dinner. The\tvillage\tis\tonly\ttwo\tmiles\tfrom\tmy\thouse.\u2019 \u2018Do es\t yo ur \t invitatio n\t include\t Peter \t and\t To m?\u2019\t Feluda\t asked.\t \u2018Yes,\t yes,\t o f\t co ur se.\t All\t five\t o f\t yo u are\tinvited.\u2019 \u2018Thank\tyou\tvery\tmuch.\tWhen\twould\tyou\tlike\tus\tto\tarrive?\u2019 \u2018About\teight,\tif\tthat\u2019s\tall\tright.\tShould\tI\tsend\tmy\tcar?\u2019 \u2018There\u2019s\tno\tneed.\tWe\tcan\tquite\teasily\tgo\tin\tours.\tThere\tshouldn\u2019t\tbe\tany\tproblem.\u2019 \u2018Very\twell.\tI\tshall\tlook\tforward\tto\tseeing\tyou\tlater.\tGood\tday!\u2019 Bakr eshwar \t tur ned\t o ut\t to \t be\t a\t place\t that\t hadn\u2019t\t bo ther ed\t to \t step\t o ut\t o f\t pr imitive\t times.\t Ther e\t wer e r o ws\t o f\t o ld\t temples\t behind\t which\t sto o d\t sever al\t lar g e\t tr ees.\t Mo st\t o f\t these\t wer e\t banyan\t tr ees.\t Hug e roots\t hung\t down\t from\t these\t and\t clung\t to\t the\t temple\t walls.\t Nearly\t every\t temple\t had\t its\t own\t pond. Jagannath\t Chatterjee,\t who\t had\t accompanied\t us\t again,\t told\t us\t what\t each\t pond\t was\t called.\t Peter stopped\t at\t one\t called\t \u2018Soubhagya\t Kunda\u2019,\t and\t went\t in\t for\t a\t swim.\t Someone\t had\t told\t him\t what \u2018soubhagya\u2019\tmeant.\tSo\the\tlaughed\tas\the\tcame\tup\tand\tsaid,\t\u2018This\tshould\tbring\tme\tgood\tluck!\u2019 There\twere\tscores\tof\tbeggars\tnear\tthe\ttemples.\tTom\ttook\tout\this\tcamera\tand\tsoon\tfound\tseveral people\twith\tspecial\tphotogenic-features. Half\t an\t ho ur \t after \t o ur \t r etur n\t to \t the\t to ur ist\t lo dg e,\t Inspecto r \t Chaubey\t r ang \t Feluda.\t \u2018Did\t yo u\t kno w there\u2019s\tgoing\tto\tbe\ta\tSanthal\tdance\tlater\ttoday?\u2019\the\tasked. \u2018Yes,\tMr\tNaskar\ttold\tus.\tIn\tfact,\twe\u2019re\tgoing\tto\thave\tdinner\tat\this\tplace\tthis\tevening.\tHe\u2019s\toffered to\ttake\tus\tto\tthe\tdance\tafterwards.\tWe\tshould\treach\tthere\tby\t10\tp.m.\u2019 \u2018Good.\tI\thope\tto\tget\tthere\tby\thalf\tpast\tten,\tso\tI\tguess\tthat\u2019s\twhere\twe\tshall\tmeet\ttonight.\u2019 Mr \t Naskar \t had\t g iven\t us\t ver y\t g o o d\t dir ectio ns.\t We\t fo und\t his\t ho use\t witho ut\t any\t pr o blem.\t It\t was\t a fairly\tlarge\thouse\twith\ttwo\tstoreys\tand\ta\tcarefully\tmaintained\tgarden.\tMr.\tNaskar\tcame\tout\tto\tgreet us\t as\t we\t got\t out\t of\t our\t car,\t and\t then\t took\t us\t straight\t to\t his\t drawing\t room.\t A\t bearer\t came\t in\t with drinks\talmost\timmediately. \u2018You\tstay\there\talone,\tdon\u2019t\tyou?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked,\tpicking\tup\ta\tcold\tdrink\tfrom\ta\ttray. \u2018Yes,\tbut\tI\thave\ta\tlot\tof\tfriends.\tWe\tnormally\tarrive\tin\tgroups\tto\tspend\ta\tfew\tdays\there.\tThis\ttime,\tI came\t alone.\u2019\t Mr\t Naskar\t suddenly\t turned\t to\t Lalmohan\t Babu.\t \u2018I\t had\t heard\t of\t Mr\t Mitter,\t but\t I\t don\u2019t think\tI\tgot\tyour\tname\u2014?\u2019 \u2018Most\t people\t don\u2019t\t know\t his\t real\t name,\u2019\t Feluda\t answered.\t \u2018He\t writes\t crime\t thrillers\t under\t a pseudonym.\tMillions\tknow\thim\tsimply\tas\tJatayu.\tHis\tbooks\tare\timmensely\tpopular.\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tyes,\tnow\tthat\tyou\tmention\t.\t.\t.\twhy,\tI\u2019ve\tread\tsome\tof\tyour\tbooks,\ttoo!\tShaken\t in\t Shanghai was\t one,\t wasn\u2019t\t it?\u2019\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t smiled\t politely.\t \u2018I\t don\u2019t\t like\t serious\t books\t at\t all,\u2019\t Mr\t Naskar","continued.\t\u2018All\tI\tever\tread\tare\tthrillers.\tWhat\tare\tyou\twriting\tnow?\u2019 \u2018Nothing\tat\tthis\tmoment.\tI\u2019m\there\tsimply\ton\ta\tholiday.\tMy\tlatest\tbook\twas\tpublished\tonly\ta\tcouple of\tmonths\tago.\tDumbstruck\tin\tDamascus\tit\twas\tcalled.\u2019 \u2018Another\tbest-seller?\u2019 \u2018Well\t .\t .\t .\t fo ur \t tho usand\t co pies\t have\t been\t so ld\t alr eady,\t heh\t heh.\u2019\t Mr \t Naskar \t smiled\t and\t tur ned\t to Peter.\t\u2018Have\tyou\tthought\tany\tmore\tabout\tmy\tproposal?\u2019\the\tasked,\tcoming\tstraight\tto\tthe\tpoint. \u2018I\u2019ve\tdecided\tto\tsell\tthe\truby.\u2019 \u2018That\u2019s\texcellent.\u2019 \u2018But\tnot\tto\tyou.\u2019 \u2018Are\tyou\tselling\tit\tto\tDandania?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\tsince\this\twas\tthe\tfirst\toffer\tI\treceived.\u2019 \u2018No,\tMr\tRobertson.\tYou\twill\tsell\tyour\truby\tto\tme.\u2019 \u2018How\tis\tthat\tpossible,\tMr\tNaskar?\tI\u2019ve\ttold\tDandania\talready.\tMy\tmind\tis\tmade\tup.\u2019 \u2018I\u2019ll\t tell\t you\t how\t it\u2019s\t going\t to\t be\t possible.\t You\t don\u2019t\t believe\t me,\t do\t you?\t All\t right,\t let\u2019s\t get someone\ttotally\timpartial\tto\texplain\tthings.\tMr\tGanguli!\u2019 \u2018Y-yes?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tlooked\tup,\tstartled. \u2018Do\tyou\tmind\tstepping\tforward\tand\tstanding\there\ton\tthis\trug?\u2019 \u2018M-me?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\tI\twant\tyou\tas\tyou\thave\tno\tinterest\tin\tthe\truby,\tand\tyou\u2019ve\tgot\ta\tpleasant,\tamiable\tnature.\u2019 \u2018What\thas\tthat\tto\tdo\twith\tanything?\u2019 \u2018Don\u2019t\t be\t afraid,\t Mr\t Ganguli.\t You\u2019ll\t come\t to\t no\t harm,\t I\t promise\t you.\t The\t thing\t is,\t you\t see,\t I haven\u2019t\tyet\ttold\tyou\tof\ta\tspecial\tskill\tthat\tI\tacquired\tyears\tago.\tI\tcan\thypnotize\tpeople,\tand\tget\tthem\tto give\t me\t correct\t answers\t to\t vexing\t questions.\t The\t reason\t for\t this\t is\t that\t when\t a\t person\u2019s\t been hypnotized,\t he\t temporarily\t loses\t the\t ability\t to\t make\t things\t up\t and\t tell\t lies.\t This\t ability,\t that\t comes naturally\tto\tmost\tpeople,\tis\treplaced\tby\tan\textraordinary\tpower.\tA\thypnotized\tperson\talways\ttells\tthe truth.\tI\u2019ll\tsoon\tprove\tthis\tto\tyou.\u2019 Before\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t got\t a\t chance\t to\t protest,\t Mr\t Naskar\t caught\t him\t by\t his\t shoulders\t and dragged\thim\tto\tstand\ton\ta\trug\tin\tthe\tmiddle\tof\tthe\troom.\tThen\the\tswitched\toff\tall\tthe\tlights\tand\ttook out\ta\tsmall\tred\ttorch\tfrom\this\tpocket.\tI\tglanced\tat\tFeluda,\tbut\tfound\thim\twatching\tthe\tscene\twith\tan impassive\t face.\t I\t knew\t he\t so metimes\t quite\t enjo yed\t it\t if\t anyo ne\t invo lved\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t in\t a\t bit\t o f harmless\tfun. Mr\tNaskar\tswitched\ton\tthe\ttorch\tand\tshone\tit\ton\tLalmohan\tBabu\u2019s\tface,\tmoving\tit\tslowly.\t\u2018Look\tat this\t carefully,\t Mr\t Ganguli,\u2019\t he\t whispered,\t \u2018and\t forget\t everything\t else.\t You\t are\t about\t to\t become\t a to tally\t differ ent\t per so n\t .\t .\t .\t a\t new\t man\t with\t a\t special\t mag ical\t po wer \t to \t tell\t the\t tr uth\t .\t .\t .\t that\t no \t o ne knows\tbut\tyou\t.\t.\t.\tjust\tyou\t.\t.\t.\tyes,\tyes,\tyes,\tyes\t.\t.\t.\u2019 Lalmohan\tBabu\u2019s\teyes\tsoon\tbegan\tto\tlook\tglazed.\tHe\tstared\tinto\tspace\tunseeingly.\tHis\tmouth\tfell open.\tMr\tNaskar\tstopped\tmoving\tthe\ttorch,\tbut\tdid\tnot\tswitch\tit\toff.\tAfter\ta\tfew\tseconds\tof\tsilence,\the asked\this\tfirst\tquestion. \u2018What\tis\tyour\tname?\u2019 \u2018Mr\tKnow\tAll,\talias\tLalmohan\tGanguli,\talias\tJatayu.\u2019\tMr\tKnow\tAll?\tI\thad\tnever\theard\tanyone\tcall him\tthat!\t\u2018How\tmany\tpeople\tare\tpresent\tin\tthis\troom?\u2019","\u2018Six.\u2019 \u2018Are\tthey\tall\tIndian?\u2019 \u2018No,\tthere\tare\ttwo\tEnglishmen\tamong\tthem.\u2019 \u2018What\tare\ttheir\tnames?\u2019 \u2018Peter\tRobertson\tand\tTom\tMaxwell.\u2019 \u2018Where\tin\tEngland\tdo\tthey\tcome\tfrom?\u2019 \u2018Lancashire.\u2019 \u2018How\told\tare\tthey?\u2019 \u2018Peter\tis\tthirty-four\tyears\tand\tthree\tmonths.\tTom\u2019s\tage\tis\tthirty-three\tyears\tand\tnine\tmonths.\u2019 \u2018Why\tare\tthey\tvisiting\tIndia?\u2019 \u2018Peter\twants\tto\treturn\tRobertson\u2019s\tRuby\tto\tIndia.\u2019 \u2018Who\thas\tactually\tgot\tthe\truby?\u2019 \u2018Tom\tMaxwell.\u2019 \u2018What\tis\tthe\tfuture\tof\tthis\truby? \u2018It\twill\tbe\tsold.\u2019 \u2018To\tGanesh\tDandania?\u2019 \u2018No.\u2019 \u2018But\the\u2019s\talready\tmade\tan\toffer,\thasn\u2019t\the? \u2018Yes,\tbut\the\u2019ll\tgo\tback\ton\this\tword.\tHe\u2019ll\tnow\toffer\tonly\tseven\tlakhs\tfor\tit.\u2019 \u2018And\tPeter\twon\u2019t\tsell\this\truby\tto\thim.\tIs\tthat\twhat\tyou\u2019re\tsaying?\u2019 \u2018Yes.\u2019 \u2018Then\twho\twill\the\tsell\tit\tto?\u2019 \u2018Ardhendu\tNaskar.\u2019 \u2018For\thow\tmuch?\u2019 \u2018Twelve\tlakhs.\u2019 \u2018Thank\tyou,\tsir.\u2019 Mr\tNaskar\tswitched\tthe\ttorch\toff\tand\tshook\tLalmohan\tBabu\tgently.\tI\tsaw\thim\tgive\ta\tstart.\tBy\tthe time\t Mr\t Naskar\t came\t back\t to\t his\t chair\t after\t turning\t the\t lights\t back\t on\t again,\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t was once\tmore\this\tnormal\tself. \u2018Well,\tMr\tRobertson?\u2019\tMr\tNaskar\tasked. \u2018That\twas\tmost\timpressive,\u2019\tPeter\treplied. \u2018Now\tdo\tyou\tbelieve\tme?\u2019 \u2018I\tdon\u2019t\tknow\twhat\tto\tthink.\u2019 \u2018You\tneedn\u2019t\tthink\tat\tall.\tI\tam\tin\tno\tgreat\thurry.\tGo\tand\tsee\tDandania\ttomorrow.\tSell\tyour\truby\tfor seven\t lakhs,\t if\t yo u\t so \t wish.\t Ho wever,\t sho uld\t yo u\t chang e\t yo ur \t mind,\t my\t o wn\t o ffer \t o f\t twelve\t lakhs still\tstands.\u2019 Peter\twas\tspared\tthe\tnecessity\tof\tmaking\ta\treply\tby\tthe\tarrival\tof\tMr\tNaskar \u2019s\tcook.\t\u2018Dinner\thas been\tserved,\u2019\the\tannounced. We\trose\tand\tmade\tour\tway\tto\tthe\tdining\troom.","Seven We\tleft\tfor\tPhulberey\tafter\ta\tmost\tsumptuous\tmeal.\tBy\tthe\ttime\twe\tgot\tthere,\tit\twas\ta\tquarter\tpast\tten. A\tcrowd\thad\tgathered\tin\ta\tlarge\topen\tfield.\tNot\tmany\tof\tthem\twere\tSanthals;\tobviously,\tpeople\tfrom towns\tnearby\thad\tarrived\tto\tsee\tthe\tdance.\tThe\tfull\tmoon\tand\ttorches\tthat\tburnt\there\tand\tthere\tmade\tit possible\tto\tsee\teverything\tclearly. Inspector\t Chaubey\t emerged\t from\t the\t crowd.\t \u2018You\u2019ll\t find\t many\t other\t familiar\t figures\t here,\u2019\t he informed\tus. \u2018Why,\twho\telse\thas\tturned\tup?\u2019 \u2018I\tsaw\tKishorilal\tand\tChandu\tMallik.\tAnd\tthat\tgentleman\twho\u2019s\tan\texpert\ton\tBirbhum.\u2019 \u2018Jagannath\tChatterjee.\tWell,\tthat\u2019s\tgood\tnews.\tWhen\tis\tthe\tdance\tgoing\tto\tstart?\u2019 \u2018Any\tminute\tnow.\tLook,\tthe\tdancers\tare\tall\tstanding\ttogether.\u2019\tFeluda\tspotted\tPeter.\t\u2018Don\u2019t\tget\tlost, Peter,\u2019\the\tcalled.\t\u2018If\twe\tdon\u2019t\tstay\trelatively\tclose\tto\teach\tother,\tgoing\tback\ttogether\twon\u2019t\tbe\teasy.\u2019 I\tsaw\tTom\tgetting\this\tcamera\tready\twith\ta\tflash\tgun.\tMr\tNaskar,\ttoo,\twas\tholding\ta\tsmall\tcamera in\this\thand.\t\u2018Do\tyou\thave\ta\tstudio\tof\tyour\town?\u2019\the\tasked\tTom. \u2018No.\tI\tam\tnot\ta\tstudio\tphotographer.\tI\ttake\tphotographs\twhile\tI\ttravel.\tI\tonly\tdo\tfreelance\twork.\tMy photos\thave\tbeen\tprinted\tin\tseveral\tmagazines\tand\tjournals.\tIn\tfact,\tthis\tassignment\tin\tIndia\tis\tbeing paid\tfor\tby\tthe\tNational\tGeographic.\u2019 The\t drums\t began\t to\t roll.\t All\t of\t us\t moved\t forward\t to\t get\t a\t better\t view.\t About\t thirty\t women, dr essed\t in\t their \t tr aditio nal\t co stume\t and\t jeweller y,\t wer e\t standing \t in\t a\t semicir cle,\t ho lding \t hands\t and swaying\t gently\t to\t the\t rhythm\t of\t the\t music.\t Two\t men\t playing\t flutes\t sat\t with\t the\t drummers.\t The drummers\twore\tbells\taround\ttheir\tankles. Lalmohan\tBabu\tcame\tand\tstood\tby\tmy\tside.\t\u2018Now\tmy\tleft\teye\tis\ttwitching.\tHeaven\tknows\twhat\u2019s\tin store,\u2019\the\tmuttered. \u2018Getting\thypnotized\tdidn\u2019t\thave\tany\tadverse\teffects\ton\tyou,\tI\thope?\u2019\tI\tasked. \u2018No,\t no.\t It\u2019s\t been\t an\t amazing\t experience,\t you\t know.\t I\t can\u2019t\t remember\t even\t a\t single\t word\t that\t I spoke.\u2019 In\tthe\tlight\tof\ta\ttorch,\tI\tsaw\tChandu\tMallik\tsmoking\ta\tbeedi\tand\tmoving\tslowly\tin\tthe\tdirection\tof the\tdancers.\tBut\tno.\tIt\twas\tnot\tthe\tdancers\the\twas\tinterested\tin.\tHe\thad\tseen\tTom,\tand\twas\tsneaking\tup to\thim. \u2018We\tmust\tkeep\tan\teye\ton\thim,\tLalmohan\tBabu,\u2019\tI\twhispered.\t\u2018Yes,\tyou\u2019re\tquite\tright.\u2019 But\t To m\t had\t mo ved\t fr o m\t wher e\t he\t had\t been\t standing \t to \t a\t differ ent\t spo t,\t po ssibly\t to \t g et\t a\t better angle.\tWere\tall\tphotographers\trestless\tlike\thim? Chandu\t Mallik\t came\t and\t stood\t in\t front\t of\t us.\t He\t was\t frowning.\t His\t hands\t were\t stuffed\t into\t his po ckets.\t T hen\t he\t mo ved\t o n\t in\t a\t differ ent\t dir ectio n.\t Our \t g r o up\t disper sed\t g r adually.\t Lalmo han\t Babu and\t I\t stayed\t to g ether,\t tr ying \t to \t spo t\t the\t o ther s\t fo r \t we\t wer e\t all\t suppo sed\t to \t r eg r o up\t o nce\t the\t dance","was\t o ver.\t Ther e\t was\t Feluda\t in\t the\t distance.\t Chaubey\t had\t been\t standing \t next\t to \t him\t even\t a\t mo ment ago,\tbut\tnow\tI\tcouldn\u2019t\tsee\thim.\tMr\tNaskar\twas\tbusy\tclicking;\tI\tsaw\this\tcamera\tflash\tmore\tthan\tonce. The\tdancers\twere\tstill\tswaying\twith\ta\tslow\tand\teasy\tgrace. Suddenly,\t I\t saw\t Kishorilal\t approaching\t Peter.\t What\t was\t he\t going\t to\t tell\t him?\t Curious,\t I\t left Lalmohan\tBabu\tand\tmoved\tforward\tto\thear\ttheir\tconversation. \u2018Good\tevening,\u2019\tPeter\tsaid\tto\tKishorilal.\t\u2018Our\tappointment\ttomorrow\tstill\tstands,\tI\thope?\u2019 \u2018Oh\tyes.\u2019 \u2018Your\tfather \u2019s\tnot\tlikely\tto\tchange\this\tmind,\tis\the?\u2019 \u2018No,\tsir.\tHis\tmind\tis\tmade\tup.\u2019 \u2018Good.\u2019 Kishorilal\tleft.\tJagannath\tChatterjee\ttook\this\tplace. \u2018Hello,\tMr\tChatterjee,\u2019\tgreeted\tPeter.\t\u2018I\u2019m\tglad\tI\u2019ve\trun\tinto\tyou.\tWill\tyou\tplease\texplain\tto\tme\tthe purpose\tof\tthis\tdance?\tI\tmean,\tdoes\tthis\tsignify\tanything?\u2019 \u2018Why,\tcertainly,\u2019\tMr\tChatterjee\tcame\tcloser\tand\tbegan\texplaining\tvarious\taspects\tof\ttribal\tculture. I\treturned\tto\trejoin\tLalmohan\tBabu. Feluda\twas\tnow\tstanding\tnear\ta\tburning\ttorch.\tI\tsaw\thim\tlight\ta\tcigarette.\tThe\tfirst\tdance\tcame\tto an\t end,\t and\t the\t seco nd\t o ne\t beg an.\t The\t r hythm\t o f\t this\t o ne\t was\t much\t faster,\t and\t a\t g r o up\t o f\t sing er s joined\t the\t drummers.\t The\t dancers\t increased\t their\t pace\t to\t match\t the\t rhythm,\t bending\t and straightening\ttheir\tbodies,\ttheir\tfeet\trising\tand\tfalling\tin\ta\tuniform\tpattern. \u2018Very\texciting,\u2019\tremarked\tLalmohan\tBabu. Mr\t Naskar\t passed\t us\t by,\t camera\t in\t hand.\t \u2018How\t do\t you\t like\t it?\u2019\t he\t asked,\t but\t moved\t on\t without waiting\tfor\tan\tanswer. Feldua\tsaw\tus\tand\twalked\tacross. \u2018Why,\t Felu\t Babu,\u2019\t Lalmo han\t Babu\t asked,\t \u2018why\t ar e\t yo u\t fr o wning \t even\t o n\t a\t jo yo us\t o ccasio n\t like this?\tThose\tdrummers\tare\treally\tplaying\twell,\taren\u2019t\tthey?\u2019 \u2018Yes,\t but\t ther e\u2019s\t so mething \t no t\t quite\t r ig ht\t o ver \t her e.\t I\t feel\t distinctly\t uneasy.\t Have\t yo u\t seen\t To m Maxwell?\u2019 \u2018I\tsaw\thim\ta\tfew\tminutes\tago.\tBut\tI\tdon\u2019t\tknow\twhere\the\twent.\u2019 \u2018We\tmust\tfind\thim,\u2019\tsaid\tFeluda\tand\tmoved\tto\tthe\tleft. \u2018Your\t cousin\t needs\t our\t help,\t I\t think,\u2019\t Lalmohan\t Babu\t said\t to\t me\t and\t leapt\t forward\t to\t follow Feluda,\tdragging\tme\twith\thim.\tIn\ta\tfew\tseconds,\twe\tfound\tourselves\tbehind\tthe\tdancers.\tThe\tcrowd was\tthinner\there.\tI\tcould\tsee\tChandu\tMallik\tand\tKishorilal\troaming\tabout.\tWhere\twas\tTom? There\twas\tPeter,\tstanding\talone\tand\tlooking\taround.\t\u2018Have\tyou\tseen\tTom?\u2019\the\tasked\tFeluda. \u2018No,\twe\u2019ve\tbeen\tlooking\tfor\thim,\ttoo.\u2019 \u2018I\tdon\u2019t\tlike\tthis\tat\tall.\u2019 Peter\tmoved\toff\tin\tone\tdirection\tto\tlook\tfor\tTom.\tWe\twent\tto\tthe\tother\tside.\tFeluda\tsoon\tgot\tlost in\t the\t cr o wd.\t The\t music\t and\t the\t dancing \t wer e\t g etting \t faster \t ever y\t minute,\t but\t ther e\t was\t no \t time\t to stop\tand\tenjoy\tit.\tFeluda\treappeared\tsuddenly.\t\u2018Chaubey?\tHave\tyou\tseen\thim?\u2019\the\tasked\tanxiously. \u2018No.\tWhy,\tFeluda,\twhat\u2019s\u2014?\u2019 But\the\twas\talready\ta\tfew\tsteps\tahead\tof\tus,\tcalling,\t\u2018Inspector\tChaubey!\tInspector\tChaubey!\u2019","Chaubey\tmust\thave\tbeen\tstanding\tsomewhere\tclose\tby,\tfor\tonly\ta\tminute\tlater,\the\tand\tFeluda\tcame out\tof\tthe\tcrowd\tand\tbegan\thurrying\taway. \u2018What\u2019s\tthe\tmatter?\u2019\tLalmohan\tBabu\tasked,\tstruggling\tto\tkeep\tpace\twith\tthem. \u2018Maxwell,\u2019\tFeluda\treplied\tbriefly. We\tbroke\tinto\ta\trun.\tFeluda\tstopped\tabruptly\tnear\ta\ttree.\tA\ttorch\twas\tburning\tabout\tten\tfeet\taway. In\t its\t light,\t we\t saw\t Tom\t Maxwell\t lying\t on\t the\t ground.\t His\t camera\t and\t his\t bag\t containing\t other equipment\twere\tlying\ton\tthe\tgrass\tbeside\thim. \u2018Is\the\t.\t.\t.\tis\the\tdead?\u2019\tChaubey\tasked,\tbreathing\thard. \u2018No,\u2019\tFeluda\treplied,\tbending\tover\tTom\tand\ttaking\tone\tof\this\twrists\tbetween\this\tfingers,\t\u2018I\tcan\tfeel his\tpulse.\tHe\tis\tnot\tdead\t.\t.\t.\tat\tleast,\tnot\tyet.\u2019 Chaubey\t to o k\t o ut\t a\t small\t to r ch\t fr o m\t his\t po cket\t and\t sho ne\t it\t o n\t To m\u2019s\t face.\t His\t eyes\t seemed\t to flicker\tfor\ta\tsecond.\tFeluda\tshook\thim\tby\this\tshoulders. \u2018Tom!\tMaxwell!\u2019 At\tthis\tmoment,\tanother\tfigure\ttore\tthrough\tthe\tcrowd\tand\tcame\tup\tpanting.\tIt\twas\tPeter.\t\u2018What\u2019s the\tmatter\twith\tTom?\tMy\tGod,\tis\the\t.\t.\t.\the\u2019s\tnot\t.\t.\t.\t?\u2019 \u2018No,\the\u2019s\tjust\tunconscious.\tBut\tI\tthink\the\u2019s\tcoming\tround.\u2019 Tom\t had\t begun\t to\t stir.\t Now\t he\t opened\t his\t eyes,\t wincing.\t \u2018Where\t does\t it\t hurt?\u2019\t Feluda\t asked urgently.\tWith\tan\teffort,\tTom\traised\ta\thand\tto\tindicate\ta\tspot\tat\tthe\tback\tof\this\thead. In\t the\t meantime,\t Peter \t had\t picked\t up\t his\t bag \t and\t lo o ked\t inside.\t He\t g lanced\t up,\t the\t pallo r \t o n\t his face\tclearly\tvisible\teven\tin\tthe\tsemi-darkness. \u2018The\truby\tis\tgone!\u2019\the\tcried\thoarsely. We\treturned\tto\tMr\tNaskar \u2019s\thouse\twith\tTom.\tWhen\ttold\tabout\tthe\ttheft,\tMr\tNaskar \u2019s\tface\tbecame\ta study\tin\tfury\tand\tdisappointment. \u2018You\tshould\tbe\thappy!\u2019\the\tsnapped.\t\u2018You\tgot\twhat\tyou\twanted,\tdidn\u2019t\tyou?\tRobertson\u2019s\tRuby\tcame back\tto\tIndia\tall\tright,\tthough\tnow\tyou\u2019ll\tnever\tbe\table\tto\tgo\ton\tthat\tworld\ttour.\u2019 One\tDr\tSinha\tfrom\tthe\tneighbourhood\twas\tcalled\tto\texamine\tTom. \u2018There\tis\ta\tswelling\ton\this\thead\twhere\the\twas\tstruck.\tSomeone\tattacked\thim\twith\ta\theavy\tobject,\u2019 Dr\tSinha\tsaid. \u2018Could\tthis\tblow\thave\tkilled\thim?\u2019\tPeter\twanted\tto\tknow. \u2018Yes,\t if\t his\t attacker\t had\t hit\t him\t harder,\t your\t friend\t might\t well\t have\t been\t killed.\t But\t that\t did\t not happen,\tso\tplease\tdon\u2019t\tdwell\ton\tit.\tGive\thim\tan\tice-pack\twhich\twill\thelp\tthe\tswelling\tto\tsubside.\tIf the\tpain\tgets\tvery\tbad,\ttake\ta\tpain-killer,\tMr\tMaxwell.\tThere\u2019s\tnothing\telse\tto\tbe\tdone\tat\tthis\tmoment. Don\u2019t\tworry\tthough.\tYou\u2019ll\trecover\tsoon\tenough.\u2019 Chaubey\topened\this\tmouth\twhen\tDr\tSinha\thad\tgone. \u2018Mr\tMaxwell,\u2019\the\tsaid,\t\u2018you\tdidn\u2019t\tactually\tget\tto\tsee\twho\tattacked\tyou,\tdid\tyou?\u2019 \u2018No,\tI\tdidn\u2019t.\u2019 \u2018I\twonder\twhat\this\tmotive\twas.\tTo\tsteal\tthe\truby?\tBut\tnot\ttoo\tmany\tpeople\tknew\tthe\truby\twas\twith To m\t Maxwell,\t and\t no t\t Peter \t Ro ber tso n.\t In\t fact,\t the\t o nly\t peo ple\t who \t knew\t this\t fact\t wer e\t Mr \t Mitter, Mr\tGanguli,\tTapesh,\tKishorilal,\tJagannath\tChatterjee,\tMr\tNaskar\tand\tmyself.\u2019","\u2018What\tare\tyou\tsaying,\tInspector?\u2019\tMr\tNaskar\tprotested.\t\u2018I\twould\thave\tgot\tthat\tstone,\tanyway.\tWhy should\tI\tdo\tsomething\tabsurd\tlike\tthis?\tWhy,\tfor\theaven\u2019s\tsake,\tTom\tmight\thave\tbeen\tkilled!\tWould\tI risk\tbeing\tcharged\twith\tmurder\twhen\tall\tI\thad\tto\tdo\twas\tjust\twait\tfor\tanother\tday?\u2019 \u2018It\u2019s\t no\t use\t arguing,\t Mr\t Naskar.\t You\t are\t a\t prime\t suspect.\t What\t Mr\t Ganguli\t said\t when\t he\t was suppo sedly\t hypno tized\t is\t o f\t no \t co nsequence.\t After \t all,\t ther e\t was\t no \t g uar antee\t that\t his\t wo r ds\t wo uld come\ttrue,\twas\tthere?\tThere\twas\tevery\tchance\tof\tthat\truby\tbeing\tsold\tto\tsomeone\telse.\tWe\tall\tknow\tit was\tno\tordinary\truby,\tand\tyou\tare\tno\tordinary\tcollector.\tSo\twhy\tshouldn\u2019t\tI\tassume\tthat\tyou\ttried\tto get\tthere\tfirst,\twithout\tpaying\ta\tpaisa\tfor\tit?\u2019 \u2018Nonsense!\tNonsense!\u2019\tsaid\tMr\tNaskar,\tjust\ta\tlittle\tfeebly.\t\u2018Apart\tfrom\tyourself,\tthere\u2019s\tKishorilal to\tbe\tconsidered,\u2019\tChaubey\twent\ton.\t\u2018His\tfather\twas\tgoing\tto\tbuy\tit,\tbut\tthat\twould\tnot\thave\tbeen\tof any\tuse\tto\tKishori.\tHe\tknew\tits\tvalue,\tand\the\tknew\twhere\tto\tfind\tit.\tSo\tif\the\tfound\tMaxwell\talone,\the might\tsimply\thave\tgiven\tin\tto\ttemptation,\twho\tknows?\t.\t.\t.\tA\tthird\tsuspect\tis\tChandu\tMallik.\tHe\thad alr eady\t thr eatened\t to \t settle\t sco r es\t with\t To m.\t But\t did\t he\t kno w\t abo ut\t the\t r uby?\t I\t do n\u2019t\t think\t so .\t If\t he did\tfind\tit,\tit\tmust\thave\tbeen\tby\taccident.\tAfter\tknocking\tTom\tdown,\the\tmight\thave\tslipped\this\thand into\t his\t bag\t to\t look\t for\t money,\t and\t come\t across\t the\t ruby.\t This\t possibility\t cannot\t be\t ruled\t out\t .\t .\t . Then\tthere\tis\tJagannath\tChatterjee.\tHe\tknew\tabout\tthe\truby\tand\twhere\tit\twas\tkept.\tPure\tgreed\tmight have\tprompted\thim\tto\tremove\tit.\u2019 \u2018You\thave\tleft\tout\tone\timportant\tsuspect,\tInspector,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid.\t\u2018Who?\u2019 \u2018Peter\tRobertson.\u2019 \u2018What!\u2019\tPeter\tjumped\tto\this\tfeet. \u2018Yes,\tPeter.\tYou\thad\twanted\tto\thand\tover\tthe\truby\tto\tthe\tmuseum\tin\tCalcutta.\tYour\tfriend\topposed the\tidea.\tYou\tagreed\tto\tsell\tit\tbecause\tyou\tdidn\u2019t\twant\tto\tlose\tyour\tfriend.\tBut\twho\u2019s\tto\tsay\tyou\tdidn\u2019t chang e\t yo ur \t mind?\t What\t if\t yo u\t went\t back\t to \t yo ur \t o r ig inal\t decisio n\t and\t fo und\t a\t way\t o f\t g etting \t the ruby\tback\twithout\trisking\tyour\tfriendship\twith\tTom?\u2019 Peter\tstared\tat\tFeluda,\trendered\tspeechless\tfor\tthe\tmoment.\tThen\the\traised\this\tarms\tover\this\thead and\tsaid\tslowly,\t\u2018There\tis\ta\tvery\tsimple\tway\tto\tfind\tout\tif\tI\u2019m\tthe\tculprit.\tIf\tI\tdid\tindeed\ttake\tthe\truby back,\tI\twould\tstill\thave\tit\twith\tme,\twouldn\u2019t\tI?\tI\tmean,\tI\thave\tbeen\twith\tall\tof\tyour\tthroughout\tsince we\tfound\tTom.\tSo\tsearch\tme,\tInspector\tChaubey.\tCome\ton,\tsearch\tme!\u2019 \u2018Very\twell,\u2019\tsaid\tChaubey\tand\tsearched\tPeter\tthoroughly.\tHe\tfound\tnothing. \u2018All\tright,\tInspector,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid.\t\u2018Since\tyou\ttook\tthe\ttrouble\tto\tsearch\tPeter,\tI\tthink\tyou\tshould\tdo the\t same\t for\t each\t one\t of\t us.\u2019\t Chaubey\t seemed\t to\t hesitate.\t \u2018Come\t along\t now,\t Inspector,\t there\t is\t no reason\tto\tleave\tus\tout,\u2019\tFeluda\tsaid\tagain.\tThis\ttime,\tChaubey\tstepped\tforward\tand\tsearched\teveryone in\tthe\troom,\tincluding\tme.\tStill\the\tdidn\u2019t\tfind\tthe\truby. \u2018Mr\tRobertson,\u2019\the\tasked,\t\u2018would\tyou\tlike\tme\tto\tcarry\tout\tan\tofficial\tinvestigation?\u2019 \u2018Of\tcourse!\u2019\tPeter\tsaid\tfirmly.\t\u2018I\twant\tthat\truby\tback\tat\tany\tcost.\u2019","Eight Tom\t seemed\t a\t lot\t better\t in\t the\t morning.\t He\t was\t still\t in\t pain,\t but\t the\t swelling\t had\t gone\t down\t and, hopefully,\tin\ta\tcouple\tof\tdays\the\u2019d\trecover\tcompletely. But\t he\t couldn\u2019t\t get\t over\t the\t shock\t of\t having\t lost\t the\t precious\t ruby.\t \u2018I\t never\t thought\t I\u2019d\t have\t to leave\tthat\tstone\there\twith\tan\tunknown\tcriminal,\u2019\tPeter\tkept\tsaying. \u2018Oh,\twhy\tdidn\u2019t\twe\tsell\tit\tto\tDandania\tthe\tfirst\tday?\u2019\tmoaned\tTom\ttime\tand\tagain.\tIt\twas\tdifficult\tto tell\twho\twas\tmore\tsorry\tat\tthe\tloss. Inspector\tChaubey\tcame\tto\tour\troom\taround\t11\ta.m. \u2018I\u2019ve\tjust\tbeen\tto\tsee\tTom,\u2019\the\tsaid. \u2018Tom\u2019s\tdoing\tfine.\tHave\tyou\tmade\tany\tprogress?\u2019\tFeluda\tasked.\t\u2018One\tof\tthe\tsuspects\thas\thad\tto\tbe eliminated\tfrom\tmy\tlist.\u2019 \u2018Really?\u2019\tWho?\u2019 \u2018Kishorilal.\u2019 \u2018Why?\u2019 \u2018Well,\t I\t happen\t to \t kno w\t Kisho r i\t pr etty\t well.\t It\u2019s\t no t\t like\t him\t to \t do \t anything \t so \t r eckless.\t Besides, his\t father\t has\t recently\t bought\t him\t a\t plastics\t factory.\t Kishori\t has\t been\t going\t there\t regularly. Dandania,\tI\tknow,\tkeeps\ta\tcareful\teye\ton\this\tson.\tIf\tKishori\tstole\tthat\truby\tsimply\tto\tsell\tit\tand\tmake a\t packet\t fo r \t himself,\t his\t father \t wo uld\t mo st\t cer tainly\t co me\t to \t kno w,\t and\t then\t ther e\t wo uld\t be\t hell\t to pay.\tSo\tKishori\tis\tout.\u2019 \u2018I\tsee.\tWhat\tabout\tChandu\tMalik?\u2019 \u2018As\tfar\tas\tI\tcan\tmake\tout,\tMaxwell\twas\tattacked\tat\taround\ta\tquarter\tto\televen\tlast\tnight.\tChandu\thad left\tthe\tdance\tbefore\tthat\tand\twas\tsitting\twith\tfriends\thaving\ta\tdrink\tin\ta\tsmall\tshop.\tThere\tare\tseveral witnesses\twho\u2019d\tvouch\tfor\thim.\tI\u2019ve\talready\tspoken\tto\tmost\tof\tthem.\tThat\trules\tout\tChandu,\ttoo.\u2019 \u2018And\tthe\tothers?\u2019 \u2018I\tsearched\tNaskar \u2019s\thouse\tthis\tmorning.\tI\tdidn\u2019t\tfind\tthe\truby,\tof\tcourse,\tbut\tthat\tdoesn\u2019t\tmean\ta thing.\tHe\tcould\teasily\thave\thidden\tit\tsomewhere\telse.\tBut\tI\thave\tstarted\tto\tthink\tJagannath\tChatterjee is\tour\tbest\tbet.\u2019 \u2018Why\tdo\tyou\tsay\tthat?\u2019 \u2018He\t claims\t to\t be\t an\t authority\t on\t Birbhum.\t But\t he\u2019s\t lived\t here\t only\t for\t the\t last\t three\t years.\t My guess\tis\tthat\the\u2019s\tno\texpert\tat\tall.\tAll\this\tinformation\tprobably\tcomes\tfrom\ta\tguide\tbook\tfor\ttourists. Besides,\t I\t disco ver ed\t he\u2019d\t been\t ar r ested\t fo r \t fr aud\t in\t Bur dwan\t wher e\t he\t used\t to \t live\t befo r e.\t He\u2019s\t a criminal,\t Mr\t Mitter.\t I\u2019m\t convinced\t he\u2019s\t our\t man.\t Did\t you\t know\t he\t was\t charging\t a\t fee\t for\t his services?\tYes,\tsir.\tMr\tRobertson\tpaid\thim\ta\thundred\trupees\teach\ttime\the\tmet\thim!\u2019 \u2018No,\tI\tdid\tnot\tknow\tthat.\tHave\tyou\tsearched\this\thouse?\u2019"]
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