Aniruddhar gazed intently at Poonguzhali for a while, then summoned the nursemaids who had brought her. In a soft voice, he asked them something. After they replied, he instructed them to leave the room.

Turning to Azhwarkkadiyan, he said, “Thirumalai! It seems some mistake has occurred!”

“Yes, sir! I feel the same way,” replied Azhwarkkadiyan.

“This young woman must be about twenty years old.”

“She may not even be that old.”

“The lady I was expecting should be around forty.”

“She would be older than that.”

“Yes, yes, you have seen Mandakini Devi on the island of Lanka, haven’t you?”

“Yes, sir! I saw her, and as per your orders, I tried to bring her here, but I could not.”

“This woman is not Mandakini Devi, is she?”

“No, Gurudeva! She is certainly not that lady!”

“Then who could she be? How did she end up here?”

“We can simply ask her!” said Azhwarkkadiyan.

“What is the use of asking a mute?”

“Gurudeva! That she is mute…”

“That is what I asked the nursemaids. They said she has not spoken a word since she arrived here.”

“Gurudeva! Whom did you send to identify and bring her here?”

“Ah! Did that fool make some mistake, I wonder?” “What kind of fool, O Gurudeva! Would you have sent such a simpleton for these tasks?”

“He seemed clever enough; do you not recall, the day I went to Pazhaiyarai, a young man fought with Vallavaraiyan of the Vanar clan?”

“Yes! The son of the Pazhaiyarai physician, Pinagapani.”

“That’s the one! After I sent you and Vallavaraiyan to meet Karikalan, I had that physician’s son released from prison and brought before me. Seeing that he was fit for our spy network, I sent him to Kodikkarai. He was already familiar with that place, it seems.”

“Was it he who brought this woman here?”

“I gave him all the signs and instructions. He took her to Thiruvaiyaru and sent word that the task was accomplished, that all had gone well…”

“Sir! That clever spy who succeeded where I failed—where is he now? Would it not be best to ask him directly about this woman?”

“That would indeed be best! But last night, he met with an unexpected accident…”

“Alas! What accident befell him, and how did it happen?”

“He was following behind the palanquin. Since I had ordered that they must reach the fort after nightfall, they set out from Thiruvaiyaru at dusk and were nearing the fort in the early hours of the night. Surely you heard of the sudden storm that struck?”

“Yes, sir! I too, frightened by the tempest, was forced to take shelter for a while in a wayside rest pavilion.”

“When the palanquin was a short distance from the fort, a great tree was uprooted and fell across the road. By fortune, it did not fall upon the palanquin, but struck those walking behind. The physician’s son, Pinagapani, was caught beneath the fallen tree…”

As the Prime Minister spoke thus,