Seven

When Ratikanta returned, we all entered the house together. The hall was shrouded in shadowy gloom, not a soul in sight. The five of us stepped inside and looked at one another’s faces.

Byomkesh said, “Manager Babu, we’ve detained you for quite some time. Surely you have other work—”

The manager shook his head. “I have no work today. It’s Sunday, the office is closed. I came only out of habit.”

It was clear he would not leave our company. He listened to our conversation with deep concentration, striving to grasp its significance. His eyes, dark and honeyed like bumblebees, flitted over our faces. Yet he himself was sparing with words. A fish from deep waters.

Pandeji cast a sidelong glance at Byomkesh and said, “By the way, Banshi-ji, are the estate’s accounts all in order? We might need to examine them.”

Banshi-ji responded at once, “All the accounts are in order. You may inspect them whenever you wish.” Then, hesitating a little, he added, “Except for one transaction that hasn’t been settled—”

“What transaction?”

The manager replied, “Eight or ten days ago, Dipnarayanji summoned me and ordered that twelve thousand rupees be given to Dr. Palit. The money was handed over to the doctor, but the receipt—”

Byomkesh Samagra

‘No receipt was taken.’

‘Why wasn’t a receipt taken?’

‘The doctor had asked for the money as a loan, but Dipnarayanji had decided to reward the doctor with the money, so he forbade taking a receipt.’

‘Oh—’ Byomkesh furrowed his brow and remained silent for a while. Then he said to Ratikanta, ‘Now let’s question everyone in the house. Where are they?’

Ratikanta replied, ‘They’re all upstairs. All the bedrooms are above. Please sit, I’ll call them down one by one. Whom should I call first—Shakuntala Devi?’

Byomkesh said, ‘There’s no need to trouble Shakuntala Devi, we’ll go upstairs ourselves. We only have a few ordinary questions to ask. Debnarayan Babu is probably upstairs too?’

‘Yes. Chandni Devi is there as well.’

‘Then let’s go.’ A staircase led upwards from a small room beside us. We ascended the stairs.

At the top was a room, with two doors on either side. The upper floor was divided into two parts. As we reached the landing, Ratikanta said, ‘Which way will you go? This side is Debnarayan Babu’s quarters, that side is Dipnarayan Babu’s.’

Byomkesh hesitated, undecided about which way to go, when suddenly the door to Debnarayan’s side opened and Chandni emerged. In her hand was a bowl of milk; her face was swollen from crying. Seeing us, she stood still, embarrassed, instinctively reaching to adjust her veil, then remembering the new customs of the house, she stopped. Spotting the manager, Gangadhar Banshi, among us, she addressed him in a trembling voice, ‘Chachiji hasn’t taken a drop of water all day… so I’m going to try once more, maybe I can get her to drink a little milk. Chachaji is gone, and if she too dies without eating, what will