Byomkesh said, ‘Wrong address. Anyway, since we have come, let us check it out.’

After some knocking and shouting a domestic came out of the house, ‘Who would you be looking for, sir?’

‘Is the master at home?’

‘No.’

‘Who lives here?’

‘The Inspector of Police.’

‘Inspector? What is his name?’

‘Birenbabu.’

Byomkesh stared at him, open-mouthed, for a while. Then he guffawed and said, ‘Oh, I get it. When your master returns, tell him Byomkeshbabu was here to pay his respects. ‘ He continued to chuckle as we walked away.

I said, ‘You seem tobe quite delighted.’

‘What else can I be!’ said Byomkesh. ‘This man has such a tremendous sense of humour that he cracks jokes even at the government’s expense. If such a man wishes to play a prank on me, it would be rude not to play along. You go on home, I have some work to do. I shall discuss everything with you when I return.’

We had arrived at Harrison Road. Byomkesh jumped onto a passing tram.

That afternoon Byomkesh deigned to reveal his strategy to me. The plan did not inspire any hopes in me. It was like dropping a line into an unknown lake, in the hope that some fish may take the bait. When I said as much, Byomkesh said, ‘Well, of course, it is surely a shot in the dark and there is no guarantee of success. If it doesn’t work, we shall have to think of something else.’

I asked, ‘Has the Commissioner agreed to this?’

‘Oh yes.’

‘Is there anything I can do?’

‘Just keep this to yourself, that’s all. I’m going to leave right now. If I am to die, I should hurry up and have it done with. After all, how long can one matchbox last? If you wish, you may go to Srirampore tomorrow to take a look at the unidentified corpse.’

‘In the meantime if someone comes looking for you, what should I say?’

‘Tell them that I have left the city on a secret mission and you do not know when I shall return.’

‘Birenbabu may drop by in the evening. Should he be given the same story?’

Byomkesh knitted his brows and remained in thought for a few moments and then said, ‘Yes, tell him the same thing. You mustn’t reveal the plan to anyone at all.’

‘Fine.’ I was a little surprised. Birenbabu was part of the police and also the officer in charge of this case. Why should he be kept in the dark?

As if he sensed my unspoken doubt, Byomkesh said, ‘There is no particular reason for not telling Birenbabu, except an ordinary precaution. At present nobody knows about this plan except you, the Commissioner and me. Of course, tomorrow some more people will come to know of it. But for as long as possible, it should be kept completely under wraps. The learned Chanakya says that the key to successful politics lies in the secrecy of the