‘Repeater? That’s probably some sort of an alarm clock,’ he replied, ‘but I’ve no idea what Perigal might mean. But don’t worry, I know someone who knows a lot about clocks. I’ve heard that he has two hundred and fifty clocks in his house. He’s completely mad about clocks.’

‘Really? Who is he?’

‘Mr Choudhury. Mahadev Choudhury.’

‘A Bengali?’

‘Yes, but I think he was brought up somewhere in western India, or perhaps the north. His spoken Bengali is not that good. In fact, he speaks English most of the time. He’s a very clever man. I believe he was in Bombay before he came here. He’s been buying whatever he can lay his hands on, as long as it’s an antique. Those clocks that you saw here before are now all in his house. He really is quite knowledgeable. Why don’t you go and talk to him? He put an ad in the papers. Didn’t you see it?’

‘What advertisement?’

‘If anyone has an antique clock for sale, he should get in touch with Mr Choudhury.’

‘So he must be extremely wealthy!’

‘Yes, sir. He owns cloth mills, cinemas, tea gardens, jute mills, race horses, business in imports and exports ... just name it!’

‘Do you know where he lives?’

‘Yes. He has a house in Alipore Park in Calcutta, and another one in the country, by the Ganges. I believe his cotton mill is somewhere nearby. He’s probably in Calcutta at the moment, but I suggest you go and see him in the evening. Right now he’ll be in his office ... Wait, let me go and get you his address.’

We took Mahadev Choudhury’s address, and left the auction house. ‘Why don’t you,’ said Feluda, ‘drop me at the Esplanade reading room of the National Library, and go back to the Park Street cemetery? See if there’s anything to report?’

‘Rep-p-port?’ Lalmohan Babu’s voice suddenly sounded unsteady.

‘Yes. All you need to do is take another look at Godwin’s tomb. Today you’ll find that area quite dry; it hasn’t rained in the last couple of days, has it? Have a look around, then come back and collect me. We’ll have lunch somewhere. There won’t be time to go back home for lunch ... we have a lot to do today. Don’t forget we must also return to Ripon Lane.’

Feluda had brought Mr Godwin’s casket—wrapped with brown paper—and was carrying it under his arm.

‘In broad daylight, of course, there’s no reason to feel afraid,’ Lalmohan Babu observed. ‘It’s only after dark that a visit to a cemetery is ... er ... difficult!’

‘You wouldn’t be afraid of spooks and spirits— any time of the day—if your mind wasn’t crammed with superstitions!’ said Feluda.