‘Why not? That’s how they make a living!’

‘Does Chris Godwin lead the band? Could you please give me his address?’

The manager wrote the address on a piece of paper and gave it to Feluda. It said: 14/1 Ripon Lane.

On any other day, we would have taken much longer to finish our food and chat for a while afterwards. Today, we spent very little time. Feluda only ate one sandwich. He was not hungry any more, he said. Lalmohan Babu worked at enormous speed and gobbled the two remaining sandwiches on Feluda’s plate as well as the three on his own. ‘Why waste good food when we’re going to pay for all of it?’ he said as he finished.

*

My heart sank as we approached 14/1 Ripon Lane. I hadn’t been able to forget the stories of opulence of Sadat Ali’s court. The exterior of the house in Ripon Lane was so ugly and uninviting that the contrast struck me as horrific. Feluda said I should not feel surprised. In four or five generations, a wealthy and affluent family could sink to abject poverty; there was no end to the hardships they might have to suffer. The houses in the street were not small—each had three or four floors. But I just didn’t feel like stepping into any of them. Lalmohan Babu said it was obvious to him that every house was haunted. Feluda decided to speak to a paan-wala outside 14/1, just to make sure we had come to the right place.

‘Does anyone called Godwin live in this house?’ ‘Goodin sahib? Which one? The one who plays music?’

‘Yes, but is there another one?’

‘There’s the old man. Markis sahib. Markis Goodin.’

‘Which floor ...?’

‘Second. There’s Arkis sahib on the third.’ ‘Arkis and Markis? Are they brothers?’ Lalmohan Babu wanted to know.

‘No, babu. Arkis sahib is Arkis sahib. Markis is Goodin ... go to the second floor. You’ll find him.’

Feluda left the discussion on Arkis and Markis and walked into the building. We followed him.

I was right. The interior of the building was no better than its exterior. Since it was an evening in June, it was still bright outside at half-past six; but near the staircase, it was pitch dark. Undaunted, Feluda quickly began climbing the stairs. He has a special gift—he can see in the dark, far better than most people. Lalmohan Babu clutched the railing and proceeded with considerable difficulty. ‘Cat burglars I had heard of,’ he muttered. ‘This is the first time I have seen a cat detective!’