B yomkesh had put up his legs on a table and was fidgeting his feet restlessly. The newspaper was open on his lap. On this monsoon morning, we were spending an idle day at home. The last four days had been spent similarly. We were feeling depressed about spending this day in the same way. The constant movement of his feet, did not disturb his concentration. He was reading the paper. I was smoking a cigarette — none of us was exchanging any words. But how long could we keep quiet? Just for the sake of talking, I said, "Is there any news?"

Byomkesh spoke without lifting his eyes from the paper, "The news is serious. Two culprits have been released."

Hopefully, I said, "Who are they?"

"One is Saratchandra's Charitraheen — he has been released in some cinema halls. The other is Ramanath Neogi — he was released from the Alipur jails. It is a ten day old news — and Kalketu has kindly published it only today!" He turned the paper in frustration and got up.

I realised that he had lost patience because of this dearth of news. It was unfair that on such a rainy day there was no crunchy and hot news. I asked, "Who is Ramanath Neogi?"

Byomkesh began pacing the room. He looked out of the window towards a dull and wet day and said, "Neogi is not an unknown person — a few years back his name was published in large print on newspaper."

"You have not answered my question — who is he?"

"He is a thief — not a petty pilferer but a jewel thief. He was as intelligent as bold and daring," Byomkesh heaved a sigh of regret, " Nowadays one doesn't find such great criminals."

I said sarcastically, "It is really the misfortune of our country. But why was his name printed in large letters?"

"Because at last he was caught and tried in a court of law." Byomkesh picked up a cigarette from a tin and lit it carefully, relaxed in his chair and said, "I still remember the incidents although it was ten years ago. I had just started my work — it was long before I met you."

I noticed that though he had started talking casually, he was gradually becoming animated as he recalled the past. I thought that it was better to listen to an interesting story on a dull, lazy, rainy day, rather than be bored. So I said, "Tell me the story."

Byomkesh said, "There is no story — but the whole incident is a mystery to me. The police had worked very hard and showed some success too but could not retrieve the real thing."

"What was the real thing?"

"During that year, there was a sudden spate of jewellry theft in this city of Calcutta — today Jawaharlal Hiralal was robbed, the next day Dutta jewellers was burgled — in fifteen days at least five large shops suffered great