Shakespeare was the Achilles heel for all the men and women of Dibu’s uncle’s generation. No argument could withstand Shakespeare. The bard represented all that was great about Bengali culture. Banerjee’s uncle procured the money from an unknown source, a ‘hush’ fund that remained hushed until the debtor failed to settle up; this could then result in broken fingers, to begin with. Sir Cornelius disappeared. A complaint was lodged with the local police station. After three months of investigation, the police discovered that there was no one by the name of Sir Cornelius Traveller at the Bar Council.

‘How could you—’

‘He guaranteed,’ protested the uncle.

‘And you believed him. No one can “guarantee” a verdict in any court.’

‘He was an Englishman. If I were to plead in court and if an Englishman were to do the same, who will the judge listen to?’

‘But—’

‘Don’t worry. We have a written contract on a stamp paper. Sir Cornelius said he would refund the money if we lose.’

‘But he has to at least show up. Now he is an absconder.’

15

‘Nelson.’

‘Yes, sir?’ Natwarlal responded. Young had never spoken to him before and no one in the office had ever called him Nelson.

‘Nelson Napoleon.’

‘Sir Young.’

‘Will you take me to the place?’

‘Sir, please forgive me. I promised Father Brown that I would never work there again.’

‘You don’t have to work there. Just take me there.’

‘Sir, you know best. But—’

‘You don’t have to tell anyone.’

‘I don’t know anything to tell anyone.’

‘Tonight then.’

‘Sir.’

By the time Young returned to the office at 7 p.m., Natwarlal had changed his clothes.

‘You live here, don’t you?’

‘No, no, sir! I have a room in Sion.’

‘Where do you keep your clothes?’ As Young approached the filing room, Natwarlal ran after him in a panic.

‘Please don’t tell anyone, sir. It’s just for this week. The plague, Sir Young, I am afraid, my place, rats, hundreds of rats, thousands of rats! I will die, surely, like the rest.’ He could not speak. Teary-eyed he ran to the bathroom. He returned with a long, thin bamboo stick with which he guardedly poked the bag of clothes. For a moment it seemed like he was wholly oblivious to Young’s presence in the room. He looked startled when he realized Young was standing right beside him and shook his head. The very next moment, both pretended that this incident never took place.