Our car got held up for a while in a traffic jam on the way to the reading room. While we were waiting for the jam to clear, Lalmohan Babu said, ‘This clock, or watch, or whatever you’re looking for ... might it be a pocket watch?’

‘I don’t know. I mean, not yet.’

‘If it’s an old pocket watch, I have one of those.’

‘Whose was it?’

‘My grandfather’s. I have three things that were once his. A watch, a walking stick and a turban. The late Pyaricharan Gangopadhyay. I say, where did the name “Pyaricharan” come from, do you think?’

‘Nowhere. It was always here, in this country. You are a writer, and you don’t know the meaning of “Pyari”? It’s another name for Radha, that’s all.’

‘Thank you, sir. Anyway, I’d like to give you that watch.’

Feluda looked quite taken aback. ‘To me? Why?’

‘Well, I wanted to give you something—you know, to show my appreciation. After all, you made such a significant contribution to the success of my Hindi film. And this car is a result of that. Now, if you look at this watch, who knows, you might find that it’s a Peripeter, or whatever.’

‘No, that isn’t likely. But I am very grateful for your offer. Your watch will be very well looked after, I promise you. I cannot, of course, use it every day—not if it’s so old and goes back to the nineteenth century. But certainly I am going to wind it regularly. Does it still work?’

‘Beautifully.’

By the time Lalmohan Babu and I reached the cemetery, having dropped Feluda at the reading room, it was almost twelve o’clock. When we finished our business there, we’d pick him up and go to Nizam’s for mutton rolls. That was Feluda’s plan, and it would be his treat. But, before we went for lunch, we would have to go back to Ripon Lane to return that casket.

Park Street had far less traffic running on it now. The cemetery was therefore quiet. We entered through the main gate and looked for Baramdeo, the chowkidar. He was nowhere in sight, and did not emerge even when we called out to him. Perhaps he had disappeared behind a bush to cremate another dead rat.