We returned to our hotel. The manager, Niranjan Chakravarty, called from his room on seeing us: ‘Mr Mitter, you have a visitor here. He’s been waiting for you for quite some time.’ We went into the manager’s room and found a man of about forty-five sitting opposite him. He rose as we entered. ‘Namaskar. My name is Motilal Boral.’ ‘Namaskar. Are you Jaichand’s cousin?’ ‘Yes, his first cousin. I own a cinema here.’ ‘Yes, he told us. Come to our room, we can talk more comfortably there.’ The four of us trooped upstairs to our room. ‘Where is that pearl now? Is it still with Jaichand?’ asked Motilal, sitting down on the fourth empty bed. ‘No.’ ‘No?’ ‘Have you heard of Maganlal Meghraj?’ ‘Oh yes. I couldn’t have spent twenty-three years in Benaras without having heard of Maganlal.’ ‘He has got the pearl.’ ‘But why? He’s not a collector. He exports things, doesn’t he? Buys stuff at a low price and then sells it abroad. Or so I’ve heard.’ ‘Yes, that’s right. Only this time, he is going to sell it to Suraj Singh of Dharampur.’ ‘Really? Is Suraj Singh going to come here?’ ‘No. He’s in Delhi, and Maganlal is going to go there very soon.’ ‘What are you going to do?’ ‘We shall travel to Delhi, too, if we can get hold of that pearl.’ ‘If Maganlal cannot sell it, will my cousin get paid?’ ‘Of course, provided Suraj Singh keeps his word.’ ‘The strange thing is that I did not even know our family possessed such a valuable object. You see, I left Sonahati when I was only fifteen, and never went back. Jai found the pearl and he kept it all these years without telling anyone. I wrote to him only when I read the newspaper report. His first letter said he was not going to sell it, but I heard from him only yesterday. He now seems to have changed his mind. Here’s his letter.’ He took out a folded piece of paper and passed it to Feluda. Feluda read it quickly and handed it back. ‘He has offered you thirty thousand rupees. Are you happy with that?’

‘Not really, but I am not going to argue. Something is better than nothing, isn’t it? But are you sure Maganlal has got the pearl?’ ‘Absolutely. We saw it with our own eyes.’ Motilal thought for a while. Then he said, ‘Let me get this straight. If you get the pearl, you yourself will go and sell it to Suraj Singh. Is that right?’ ‘Right. You will get your share, and the money that remains will go to Jaichand.’ ‘So somehow we must get that pearl back.’ ‘Yes. Can you help me in this matter?’ ‘What would you like me to do?’ ‘Find me a few people who wouldn’t mind doing something rather reckless.’ Motilal frowned, lost in thought. Then he looked straight at Feluda. ‘Look, Mr Mitter,’ he said, ‘running a cinema isn’t good enough these days. I mean, I don’t make enough money that way. Most people like to watch videos at home. So I’ve had to think of doing other things to add to my income.’ ‘You mean things not entirely straightforward?’ ‘Yes, something like that; but without actually breaking the law.’ ‘Does that mean you do know of people who might agree to work for me?’ ‘Yes. In fact, Manohar—who used to be Maganlal’s right-hand man—has joined me. I can arrange a couple of other men besides him.’ ‘That’s brilliant.’ ‘Just let me know what needs to be done.’ ‘Come to the Gyan Bapi Masjid with your men at midnight. We’ll meet you there.’ ‘All right.’ ‘Felu Babu,’ Lalmohan Babu said anxiously, ‘have you really thought this through?’ Feluda ignored him. ‘Maganlal’s current right-hand man is extremely strong. He’ll have to be dealt with,’ he told Motilal. Motilal smiled. ‘Don’t worry about that. Manohar is a wrestler, too; plus he is an intelligent man.’ ‘Very well then. See you later tonight, at Gyan Bapi.’ Motilal stood up. ‘By the way,’ he stopped at the door, ‘do you know where Maganlal has kept this pearl?’ ‘Yes, we saw it.’ ‘Good.’ Motilal Boral left. Feluda, too, got to his feet and said, ‘I need to speak to Mr Chakravarty. It’ll only take a minute. After that, we’ll go and have something to eat. I am absolutely famished.’