Once on the train, Byomkesh clammed up and stared out of the window absent-mindedly. But Ramenbabu became increasingly cheerful as Calcutta drew closer. The two of us continued having a pleasant chat. Once Sunayana’s name came up, he said, ‘If I had to swear under oath in a court of law, I’d say Sunayana was not on the farm. Yet, I can’t get rid of a niggling doubt …’

‘But how is it possible for Sunayana to live there in disguise? I asked. ‘Could someone go on wearing make-up all day long and day after day?’

Ramenbabu said, ‘I’m not alleging either that she is living there in disguise. She is in her natural state over there. But it could well be possible, couldn’t it, that she had disguised her real self when she went into films and that was the guise in which I had seen her?’

At this point, Byomkesh remarked, ‘A storm is brewing.’

I glanced out of the window curiously. But where was the storm? There wasn’t the trace of a cloud in the sky. Amazed, I turned to Byomkesh and saw that he was sitting there with his eyes shut. ‘Are you dreaming of storms?’ I asked.

He opened his eyes and said, ‘That is not the kind of storm I’m referring to—there is one brewing in Golap Colony. A lot of pressure has built up and something is about to happen.’

‘What will happen?’

‘If I knew that, I would be able to prevent it.’ He shut his eyes once more.

When we arrived at Sealdah station, the street lights had come on. Before we took leave of Ramenbabu, Byomkesh said, ‘I shall trouble you a little further. Could you get hold of two photographs of Sunayana—one as Kamalmoni, the other as Shyama, the maid?’

Ramenbabu said, ‘You shall have them tomorrow.’

The following morning, after reading the newspapers, Byomkesh carefully folded his section of it and observed, ‘Yesterday, we saw four women. Of the four, who would you say is the most beautiful?’

It was not like Byomkesh to discuss the beauty of women. But perhaps he had a reason for it. So I replied, ‘Damayanti Devi would qualify as the most beautiful …’

‘But …’

Startled, I asked, ‘But what?’

‘A doubt lingers in your mind.’ Suddenly, Byomkesh pointed a finger at me and said, ‘Who did you see in your dreams last night?’

Now I was truly uncomfortable. ‘Dreams!’ I exclaimed. ‘Well, no …’

‘Don’t lie to me. Who was it?’

I had no choice but to confess. Although dreams were beyond the control exercised by the human mind, I replied shamefacedly, ‘Bonolokhhi.’

‘What was the dream about?’

‘I saw her beckoning to me and smiling. But there was something odd about her—it was as if her teeth were not her own. As far as I remember, her teeth are regular and well set. But in my dream, her teeth were sort of crooked …’

Byomkesh stared at me in amazement and said, ‘So your dream was about teeth too, was it?’

‘What’s that supposed to mean? Did you have a dream as well? About whom?’

He laughed and said, ‘Satyaboti. But her teeth weren’t like her own; they were different. I asked her, “Why are your teeth that way?” Satyaboti laughed out loud and all her teeth fell out.’

I too laughed out loud at this and said, ‘These things belong to the domain of psychology. Let’s go and find Girindra Shekhar Basu. Perhaps he will be able to decipher the language of dreams.’

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

Byomkesh answered it. It was Bijoy. He came in, licked his lips and stated, ‘I am Nishanathbabu’s nephew …’

‘There is no need for an introduction, Bijoybabu,’ Byomkesh reassured him. ‘We met yesterday. So, what’s new?’

Bijoy replied, ‘Kaka has sent a letter. He asked me to deliver it to you.’

He took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Byomkesh. From the way he was behaving, it seemed as if he was somewhat agitated. He wiped the sweat off his neck with a handkerchief, parted his lips as if on the verge of saying something, then prepared to leave without saying it. Byomkesh tucked the letter away in his pocket and invited him in, ‘Please have a seat.’

Bijoy stood there, undecided for a few moments. Then he pulled up a chair and sat down. Smiling sheepishly, he said, ‘Yesterday, I had noticed you too, but we were not introduced at the time …’

‘So how did you find out who we were?’

‘I came to know last evening, after I returned to the farm. Had Kaka summoned you to take on an assignment?’

Byomkesh asked with a fleeting smile, ‘Why didn’t you ask your Kaka this question?’

Bijoy’s face grew heated. He answered, ‘Kaka doesn’t tell us everything. But he was concerned about those motor parts being left around and perhaps that is why …’

‘What is your opinion about the motor parts?’

‘I feel it is just a practical joke. There’s a village about a mile or so away and the children from there often come down to play in the junkyard. I believe they are the ones who’ve been coming and leaving car parts in the farm just for a lark.’

‘Hmm, fine,’ Byomkesh said, ‘let’s put that aside for now. How is Professor Nepal Gupta?’

Bijoy’s brows knotted together in a frown. He said, ‘Yesterday, when I returned home, I came to know that Nepalbabu had insulted Kaka. And he had put up with it too; had I been there …’

‘Is Nepalbabu still on the farm?’

Glumly, Bijoy replied, ‘He is. Mukul came over and begged and pleaded with Kakima. She has a tender heart and is easily swayed. She pleaded with Kaka on their behalf. He cannot deny Kakima anything …’

‘So, Nepalbabu is going to stay. He’s not a very nice man. Perhaps, it would