When we returned home, Lalmohan Babu said, ‘Someshwar Burman’s words were most mystifying, weren’t they?’ ‘Yes, you’re right,’ Feluda replied. ‘I think he suppressed quite a few facts.’ ‘Yes, I got that impression, too.’ ‘What do you think of the whole thing?’ ‘I am not totally in the dark, that much I can tell you. But I need to find out more about the world of magic. There’s the auction house to consider as well. Let me go there and have a look. You two sit and chat here.’ There was something I had to say to Feluda before he disappeared. ‘Feluda,’ I said, ‘did Nikhil Burman’s words . . . or, rather, his voice . . . well, did that strike you as odd?’ ‘If it did, that’s hardly surprising. But you have to work out why that is so.’ Feluda left, without adding anything further. Lalmohan Babu was following his own train of thought. ‘I don’t like that artist chap,’ he said. ‘Mind you, I am prejudiced against all men with thick beards.’ ‘Did you like Surya Kumar?’ ‘He, too, is a little strange. But I don’t think he’d have gone around breaking safes open on his first night. After all, he wasn’t familiar with the house or its occupants, was he? How was he to know who slept where, which room had the safe, and where its key was kept? But what I am sure of is that the thief was ready for murder. I mean, when he came face to face with the bearer, he could simply have knocked him unconscious, couldn’t he? Surely, that’s all he need have done to get away with his loot? No, I think he came clutching a knife, fully prepared to kill.’ ‘Yes, you may be right.’ ‘I wish we knew what was on Mr Burman’s mind. What did he start to say, and then why did he change his mind? Why did he clam up like that? I think there’s an important clue hidden in what he was saying.’ Before I could say anything, the phone rang. I picked it up and said, ‘Hello.’ ‘Is Mr Mitter there?’ asked a voice. Inspector Ghosh. ‘No, he’s had to go out for a while.’ ‘Please tell him when he gets back that the culprit has been caught. A thief called Gopchand, recently released from prison. He hasn’t confessed, but we know for sure that he wasn’t home last night. Please tell your cousin. I’ll call him again once we get this man’s confession. Your cousin can relax.’ I replaced the receiver, feeling a little let down. This was too easy. This was not what I wanted.

Feluda returned in an hour and a half. I told him at once about the inspector’s call. He appeared quite unperturbed. ‘I learnt a few things,’ he said, hardly paying any attention to what I had just told him. ‘Surya Kumar’s shows aren’t doing all that well. The same goes for Nikhil Burman’s business and his auction house. And Ranen Tarafdar never went to the Government College of Art. Whether he went to Paris or not, I don’t know.’ ‘So what do we do now?’ Lalmohan Babu asked. ‘I’ve nearly finished my investigation. All that remains to be done is revealing the truth. Let me call Inspector Ghosh.’ When he got through, the first thing Feluda said to the inspector was, ‘I can’t accept the solution you’re offering me, Mr Ghosh.’ After a pause, I heard him say, ‘I think the killer is one of the residents of that house. Let’s do one thing. I know who the real culprit is. I’d like to announce it to everyone in Someshwar Burman’s house. Why don’t you come there, too? Hear me out, then say what you have to say. Please do this for me. And come prepared to arrest the murderer. Thank you.’ He put the phone down. ‘The inspector agreed. Gopchand—ha! How could he even think—? Honestly, when the police do something like this, I begin to lose my faith in them.’ Feluda picked up the phone again and rang Someshwar Burman, to tell him that we would be calling on him in the evening, and that we would like everyone in the house to be present. We reached Mr Burman’s house at five o’clock, to find that Inspector Ghosh had already arrived with two constables. When everyone was seated, Feluda began speaking. ‘The first question that arose in this case was whether the burglar had come from outside or not. Someone had stolen into Mr Burman’s bedroom a few days before the final tragedy. I happened to visit this house the next day. I went round the house and inspected the grounds. It seemed to me that breaking into the house was really quite difficult. One might climb up a pillar on the veranda to gain access to the first floor, but climbing down that way, particularly if one was carrying anything, would be extremely tricky. So my suspicions fell on those who lived in the house, and I had no doubts about the object the thief had his eye on. ‘After what happened yesterday, I met everyone and asked a lot of questions. From what Someshwar Babu told me, I could gather that he had seen the thief, but had done nothing to stop him from stealing. Perhaps the sight of the thief had left him totally stunned. But he could not have known that the theft would be followed by murder. There could be only one motive behind the theft— whoever took the statue was suddenly in need of a great deal of money. ‘Now, let’s look at the people who live in this house. Ranen Tarafdar had a commission, and was working on it. His financial position, at least temporarily, was sound. There was no reason for him to steal. Animesh Babu had been here for years, well looked after by his friend. He, too, could be ruled out. ‘Let’s now