Dr. Ajitesh looked at Subha and understood that I was not sleeping. It gave the doctor a clear indication that Subha was really interested in his relating. Subha took one more cushion from the sofa and made himself more comfortable. In the meantime Dr. Ajitesh began the rest of the story. The doctor had already instructed in the meanwhile to my head nurse as to how the treatment procedure of Mrinal would continue for the next four days. As the doctor would not be available during that period so he cautioned his head nurse not to let Mrinal go anywhere alone. The doctor returned from Medical conference from Calcutta and went straight to see the state of progress of Mrinal. On enquiring about his patient the head nurse stared at him in a surprised manner for a long time. Her facial expression gave him an indication that everything was not right. She with utmost courage stepped forward and said, ‘Sir, have you really come from Calcutta today?’ The doctor’s patience was taking a toll on him and unable to bear any longer he angrily asked in a loud voice, ‘What the hell do you mean to say? Where is Mrinal?’ On understanding that this was not a joke the head nurse started to shiver. Cold sweat made her face wet. The doctor called some other nurses on duty and they all had the same tale to tell. The incident according to the nurses is that, Mrinal’s health was worsening after he left for the conference. And on the early morning of the third day, the doctor suddenly arrived there as his conference ended before time. The doctor tried hard to save him but Mrinal died in front of him and the other nurses. They also said that the body was sent for post mortem. It will be kept for forty eight hours at the nearby morgue. Dr. Ajitesh being a doctor and also a student of science smelled something fishy. How can he believe that he returned two days back, according to the nurses when he returned just a few hours before. The doctor ran as fast as he could towards the morgue. The bodies were covered from head to toe. The only identification was the tag number that is attached to the right hand of the corpses. Dr. Ajitesh was told by the head nurse that Mrinal carried a tag no. 13. As Dr. Ajitesh was examining the tag number of Mrinal it was a bolt from the blue for him. In Mrinal’s right hand ring finger contained the ring that Mrinal claimed was on Mita’s finger before she was buried. Dr. Ajitesh said to him that, ‘You, know Subha I thought that it is better to be silent about the ring to the nurses and also to the ward boys. I myself was in the mist of suspicions. I knew very well that the nurses will dare not tell a blatant lie; So who is the person who came in my absence and declared Mrinal as undergoing critical condition and then the selfsame being dead declared him dead?’
Putting his last empty glass on the table Dr. Ajitesh looked at Subha with curious eyes and smilingly said, ‘What do you think of this whole incident which I partially witnessed and the rest was heard from the guilty itself?’ Subha was all the more spellbound by this sudden turn around in the story. Subha was thinking what to say. Dr. Ajitesh heaved a deep sigh and looking at the wrist watch said, ‘Well, Subha it is 10:30 pm now, surely you want to sleep now.’ Subha should have replied earlier but he was actually brooding over the whole incident and was laughing to himself. Dr. Ajitesh was perhaps not prepared for this. Maybe he expected him to get fear out of this or else ask inquisitive questions. The doctor bend down and sat near Subha on the sofa. He leaned a little towards him and said, ‘What makes you think so hard?’ Subha tilted back and slowly in a relaxed tone said, ‘All the deaths occurred for the small ring itself? The ring must be a wonder to look at or else why would a wife not part with it even at the risk of her husband’s life? The incident centers around the ring. What a pity I could not see it. If only I could have ……… .’ Subha was not able to finish the words when his eyes fell on Dr. Ajitesh. He was trying to take out something from the pocket of his Punjabi. Subha asked what was there in his pocket. He brought out a glittering object towards Subha for greater visibility. When it was more or less visible in the dim kerosene lamp, the doctor said, ‘The story centered around this very ring.’ The moment Subha heard this he gave a loud cry and fainted.
Putting his last empty glass on the table Dr. Ajitesh looked at Subha with curious eyes and smilingly said, ‘What do you think of this whole incident which I partially witnessed and the rest was heard from the guilty itself?’ Subha was all the more spellbound by this sudden turn around in the story. Subha was thinking what to say. Dr. Ajitesh heaved a deep sigh and looking at the wrist watch said, ‘Well, Subha it is 10:30 pm now, surely you want to sleep now.’ Subha should have replied earlier but he was actually brooding over the whole incident and was laughing to himself. Dr. Ajitesh was perhaps not prepared for this. Maybe he expected him to get fear out of this or else ask inquisitive questions. The doctor bend down and sat near Subha on the sofa. He leaned a little towards him and said, ‘What makes you think so hard?’ Subha tilted back and slowly in a relaxed tone said, ‘All the deaths occurred for the small ring itself? The ring must be a wonder to look at or else why would a wife not part with it even at the risk of her husband’s life? The incident centers around the ring. What a pity I could not see it. If only I could have ……… .’ Subha was not able to finish the words when his eyes fell on Dr. Ajitesh. He was trying to take out something from the pocket of his Punjabi. Subha asked what was there in his pocket. He brought out a glittering object towards Subha for greater visibility. When it was more or less visible in the dim kerosene lamp, the doctor said, ‘The story centered around this very ring.’ The moment Subha heard this he gave a loud cry and fainted.
Contd...P/8
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