‘Back to square one, Felu Babu?’ Lalmohan Babu asked. We were back in our houseboat in Srinagar, and were sitting on the upper deck, having tea. ‘Yes, so it would seem,’ Feluda replied solemnly. ‘Crime and mysteries seem to chase me every time I go on holiday and plan to relax for a while. But I must admit I have never felt so puzzled in my life. There’s nothing I can work on, no leads at all.’ He finished his tea and lit a Charminar. Then, after a brief pause, he added, ‘I ought to ask Mr Som to lend me Mr Mallik’s diaries.’ ‘Why? What good would that do?’ ‘That’s difficult to tell. But of course I’ll have to get Mr Mallik’s permission. That’s why I must ask Mr Som.’ ‘You can do that right away. Look, there he is!’ Mr Som was in a shikara, returning from the Boulevard. Judging by the parcels in the boat, he had been out shopping. Feluda leant over the railing and called, ‘Hello Mr Som! Could you stop here for a moment?’ Mr Som’s shikara slowly made its way to our boat. ‘Did you bring Mr Mallik’s diaries with you?’ Feluda asked. ‘Yes, all twenty-four of them.’ ‘Do you think I might borrow them? I mean, two or three at a time? I couldn’t really work on this case unless I learnt something more about Mr Mallik and his family. The diaries might help.’ ‘All right, let me ask him.’ ‘Thank you.’ ‘I don’t think he’ll object. He has already told you so much about his life.’ Mr Som left, but returned half an hour later with four old diaries. ‘Mr Mallik agreed at once,’ he told us. ‘He said once his book is. published, everyone will come to know everything, anyway. In any case, the criminal cases he talks about were all reported in the press, so they’re no secrets.’ ‘Thank you. I will let you know when I finish these, and get a few more . . . Topshe, why don’t you and Lalmohan Babu go and see Manasbal Lake? I need to stay indoors to work.’ ‘Oh by the way,’ said Mr Som. ‘Aren’t you planning to go to Pahalgam?’ ‘Yes, we certainly are.’ ‘When do you want to go? It might be better if you came with us. We’re going there the day after tomorrow.’ ‘Very well.’

I stared at Manasbal Lake in wonder. Its water was so clear that I could see all the underwater vegetation. I had never seen a lake with such amazingly clear water. Lalmohan Babu was similarly impressed, but I could see that he was thinking about Feluda and his investigation. ‘I can’t see why your cousin is reading all those diaries,’ he remarked after a while. ‘Surely those who have been hanged already will not come back to commit a fresh crime?’ ‘No, but Feluda must have his own reasons.’ Manasbal was eighteen miles from Srinagar. By the time we got back,