After Pazhuvetarayar and Parthibendran had set off together, strolling along the seashore, Nandini remained alone for a while. She gazed at the rolling waves of the sea, lost deep in thought.

“Rani Amma!” came a voice, breaking her reverie. She turned to look.

Standing there was the daughter-in-law of Thyaga Vidangar, the lighthouse keeper of the promontory.

“Who are you?” Nandini asked.

“My name is Raakkammaal.”

“Where have you come from?”

Without replying, Raakkammaal stood there, gazing intently at Nandini’s face.

“What are you staring at, girl? What is there on my face?”

Startled, Raakkammaal said, “Forgive me, Amma. The moment I saw you, another face came to my mind. But… that could never be.”

“What nonsense are you babbling? What could never be?”

“There can be no connection between that mute madwoman and yourself.”

“Who is this mute woman?”

“There is a woman in Eezham! She is the elder daughter of my father-in-law’s uncle. Sometimes she comes here as well.”

“What is it between her and me?”

“That’s what I said, Amma—there can be no relation between you and her.”

“Then why did her memory come to you the moment you saw me?”

“It is only a fault of my eyes. Your face…”

“Did it look like hers?”

“At first, it seemed so.” “Rakkamma! Is that mute girl here now?”

“No, Amma! She comes only rarely, and that too unexpectedly.”

“When she comes again, will you bring her to me?”

“For what reason, Queen Amma?”

“I wish to see the girl whose face resembles mine.”

“I told you, it’s just an illusion of my eyes.”

“How can you say that with such certainty?”

“Queen! You are from the land of the Pandyas, aren’t you?”

“Yes; and you?”

“I too am from Pandya Nadu. The mute girl I just spoke of is from Chola Nadu. Therefore…”

“Even so, it does not matter; a few others, like you, have spoken to me about her. Will you bring her to me? If you do, I will give you whatever you desire.”

“Queen! Bringing her here is like trying to summon a whirlwind. She will never be where she was before. She will not listen to others either. I told you, she is mad.”

“Very well! Why have you come now? At least tell me that!”

“Queen! A few days ago, two men came here. They mentioned your name.”

“Why did they mention my name?”

“They said they had to go to Lanka urgently on your business. I sent my husband to ferry them across.”

“Has he returned?”

“No, he has not. That is why I am anxious. If something has happened to him…”

“Nothing will happen, do not worry! If anything had happened, I would take care of you. Do you know anything about the men who went in the boat?”

“They have returned. Just now, did you not hear the call of the owl?”

“I heard it. So what?”

“Did you not realize it was the voice of the sorcerer?”

“How do you know that? Are you one of the sorcerer’s people?”

“Yes, my queen!” said Raakkammal, and with her hand she traced a mystical sign in the air.

Nandini gazed at her in astonishment, then asked, “Do you know where they are now?”

“The sorcerer is waiting to see you.”

“He wants to see me, doesn’t he? Why should he wait?”

“The Pallavan who just arrived—the sorcerer does not wish to meet him. He says he saw him in Eezham. Nor does he wish to see your husband.”

“Have you seen the sorcerer?”

“I heard the owl’s call a moment ago and went to him. He asked me to bring you. He said he is hiding by the stream near the Kuzhagar temple. Will you come, my queen?”

“How can I go there?”

“We can say we are going to the Kuzhagar temple, and leave.”

“That is a good idea; do we need any other companion?”

“It’s not necessary! But if you wish, we can take Sendhan Amudhan along.”

“Who is he?”

“The son of the Tanjavur mute woman!”

“Shiva, Shiva! How many mutes are there?”

“This family is cursed. Some are born mute. Some have mouths, yet remain mute. My husband, for instance, speaks so wonderfully. I have decided that I myself should not speak.”

“Does the Eezham mute have children? Do you know?”

"Once, it seems, she gave birth to twins. No one knows what became of those children. I too have been trying for many days to uncover that secret. So far, I have not succeeded."

"Why has the man from Thanjavur come here?"

"He came searching for his uncle's daughter, Poonguzhali. She is not here, so he is waiting."

"Where has she gone?"

"I was about to tell you. The day after my husband took the sorcerer in his boat, two more people came. The men from Pazhuvur followed them to catch them. My cousin took one of them in her boat and set out for Lanka in the dead of night."

"Does she know how to row a boat?"

"Rowing boats is her very occupation. When she is not rowing, she wanders the forests along the Kodikkarai coast. There is not a nook or corner in these woods unknown to her."

"If she has not yet returned, what do you infer from that?"

"They are wailing and lamenting that someone has drowned in the sea, but I say it is not certain. Only after Poonguzhali returns will we know for sure."

"But that woman herself could have drowned, could she not?"

"She would not drown. The sea is her cradle. Moreover..."

"Moreover, what?"

"Just now, I climbed to the top of the lighthouse and looked out. Far in the distance, it seemed as if a boat was approaching..."

"And then?"

"But it did not come to the shore."

"What could have happened?"

"Seeing the crowd gathered here on the shore, she might have taken the boat through another marshy canal and gone elsewhere."

"Is that