After shutting the door Byomkesh came and sat down, looked at his watch and said, ‘It’s seven o’clock already. ‘ Then he seemed to be doing some mental calculations after which he said, ‘There’s still a lot of time.’

Eagerly I pounced on him, ‘Byomkesh, what do you make of it all? I didn’t get anything—but from your manner I feel as if you have already come to know all the facts.’

Byomkesh shook his head, ‘Not everything, not yet.’

I said, ‘Whatever you might say, my firm belief is that Sukumar did not do the deed—whatever evidence there might be against him.’

Byomkesh laughed, ‘So who did it then?’

‘I don’t know about that, but it certainly wasn’t Sukumar.’

Byomkesh remained silent; he lit a cigarette and began to smoke in silence. I figured he wouldn’t say anything more now. I too began to ponder in silence over the amazing complexities of this case.

Much later, Byomkesh suddenly asked, ‘I suppose you couldn’t call Satyaboti beautiful, could you?’

Intrigued, I looked up and said, ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Just asking. I think generally people would say she is too dark.’

I failed to understand the link between the problem in hand and Satyaboti’s looks. But it was impossible sometimes to follow the intricate route that Byomkesh’s mind took. I considered the matter gravely and said, ‘Yes, people would call her dark—but not exactly unattractive, I think.’

Byomkesh laughed and jumped up saying, ‘You mean, as the poet said,

Dark you say she is, dark as the darkest night

But I have seen her deep dark doe-like eyes...

Right? Oh, by the way, Ajit, what is your age, precisely?’

Astounded, I said, ‘My age...?’

‘Yes—tell me exactly, to the year, month and day.’

Perhaps he was going to find the solution to the mystery of Karalibabu’s death in my precise age. With Byomkesh, you never knew. I did some mental arithmetic and said, ‘My age is twenty-nine years, five months and eleven days. Why?’

Byomkesh heaved a great sigh of relief and said, ‘Good, you are elder to me by a full three months. I am so relieved. But do keep this in mind, won’t you?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Oh, nothing. Anyway. My head is going round in circles from concentrating too hard on this case. Come on, let us go and see a film tonight.’

Byomkesh never went to the cinema. He just did not like either plays or films. So I was amazed, to say the least. I said, ‘What has got into you today? Have you gone absolutely crazy?’

Byomkesh laughed and said, ‘Not impossible. I was born under the lunar ascendant, you see. Mr Bhattacharya had cast my horoscope and immediately pronounced, “This boy will turn out utterly deranged. “ But it’s getting late. Come, let us eat and get going. There is a good movie showing at Chitra, I hear.’

So, after dinner we landed up at Chitra. The film started at nine-thirty. It was a trifle longer than usual and so it was close to midnight when the film ended. Our house was some distance away. Some stray buses were still plying. As I headed towards the bus stop, Byomkesh said, ‘No, come on, let’s walk for a while.’ He set off at a brisk pace. When he turned into a narrow lane after Cornwallis Street, I realized he was going in the direction of Karalibabu’s house. I couldn’t comprehend what he wanted to do there at this time of the night. But anyway, I followed him without uttering a word.

We are walking slightly faster than usual. Yet it took us a while to reach Karalibabu’s house. There was a street lamp at the corner across from the house. Byomkesh stood below it, rolled up his shirt-sleeves and looked at his watch. But there was no need for it because just at that moment an array of clocks struck, announcing midnight.

Byomkesh cheerfully treated me to a slap on the back and said, ‘It works. Come, now let’s try to get a taxi.’

The following morning at about eight-thirty we landed up at Karalibabu’s house. Some police officials were there, along with Bidhubabu. The latter was a little embarrassed on seeing Byomkesh, but he hid it well and solemnly said, ‘Byomkeshbabu, perhaps you know that I have put Sukumar under arrest. It is he who is actually the killer. I knew that all along—I was just playing it by ear.’

‘Indeed!’ Byomkesh said, and looked attentively at Bidhubabu’s large ears, as if he expected these to perform some new trick at any moment. In their attempts to choke back their laughter, the inspector and the sub-inspector ended up with ridiculously grave expressions and turned the other way.

Bidhubabu asked, a trifle suspiciously, ‘What brings you here today?’

Byomkesh replied, ‘Nothing really. I heard another new will has been dug out. So I thought I would take a look at it.’

After cogitating for some time on whether to show Byomkesh the will or not, Bidhubabu reluctantly opened a file and extracted a document. He said, ‘Watch out, don’t tear it or anything; this will is the most important proof against Sukumar. After killing Karalibabu, Sukumar stole this and hid it in his room. Do you know where he hid it? Those three chests that are piled up one on top of the other in his room—it was tucked right under the bottom one.’

Byomkesh gave a laugh and said, ‘Great, everything is falling into place. But tell me one thing, why didn’t Sukumar tear up the will into little bits?’

Bidhubabu made a derisive noise through his nose and said, ‘Ha, he didn’t have that sense. He thought we would not search his room.’

‘Did Sukumar say anything when you arrested him?’ ‘What can he say except what they all say, “I don’t know anything”—pretending to be stunned.’

Byomkesh surveyed the will from all possible angles, then carefully opened it up