That night, after dinner, Feluda said suddenly, ‘Topshe, what do you make of all this?’ ‘All what?’ ‘Everything that’s happened so far.’ ‘Why, you should know! You’re the detective! Besides, how can I draw any conclusions until we find out who that sannyasi was?’ ‘But surely certain things are quite clear? For instance, the fact that the sannyasi went into the bathroom and didn’t come out. Now that is pretty revealing, isn’t it?’ ‘What does it reveal?’ ‘Can’t you figure that out?’ ‘Well, all it can mean is that the chowkidar wasn’t paying enough attention.’ ‘No, no, you ass!’ ‘What, then?’ ‘If the sannyasi had indeed come out, that chowkidar would definitely have seen him.’ ‘You mean he never did?’ ‘Do you remember what he was carrying?’ ‘Look, I wasn’t . . . oh yes, he had a small attaché case.’ ‘Have you ever seen a sannyasi with an attaché case?’ ‘No, can’t say I have.’ ‘Well, I think that’s distinctly suspicious.’ ‘What do you suspect?’ ‘That sannyasi was no more than a non-sannyasi just like you and me. And his normal clothes were in that attaché case. The saffron robe was a disguise. Possibly the beard was false, too.’ ‘Oh, I see. You mean he changed into different clothes, stuffed his robe into the case and came out looking totally different. No wonder the chowkidar couldn’t recognize him!’ ‘Yes, now you’re talking!’ ‘But who threw that piece of paper at you?’ ‘Either the fake sannyasi himself, or one of his men. He must have heard us making enquiries at the station, so he decided to give us a warning.’ ‘All right. But are there any more mysteries?’ ‘There is no end to them, my boy! Who followed Dr Srivastava in that black car? Who was watching us from the gate, smoking a Charminar and chewing a paan? Was it the same sannyasi, or was it someone else? What “spy” did Pyarelal talk about? Why does Bonobihari Babu keep wild animals in his house? Where had Mahabir seen Bonobihari Babu before? How much does he know about the ring?’

I lay awake that night, thinking these things over. Feluda was scribbling something in a blue notebook. Then he put it away and went to bed at half past ten. Soon, he was fast asleep. Drums beat in the distance. Oh yes, Ram Lila. I heard an animal at some stage—it might have been a dog or a jackal, but it sounded like a hyena. Why was Feluda puzzled by Bonobihari Babu’s wild animals? One didn’t always have to do things for a specific reason, did one? People had strange hobbies. So perhaps keeping wild animals was just a hobby for him? It’s difficult to tell when I fell asleep; nor can I tell what woke me. It was still dark. And everything was very quiet. The drums were silent, as were the animals. All I could hear was Feluda breathing heavily in his sleep next to me and the alarm