CHATURBHUJ-2 -9. Confession of a culprit

“Are you looking at that drawing?” The King asked his friend.

Sukhdeva was referring to a life-size portrait of his that was hung up on the wall where he was shown in his silver armory with his right hand placed on the hilt of his sword that was inside the steel scabbard.

“Yes, Maharaj! That picture of yours look so real! It is an incredible piece of art!” Haridas exclaimed.

“It has to be, my friend, for it has been done by the great Perimal!” The King responded and keenly looked at Haridas whose face fell pale even as he looked at the floor.

“I am deeply pained by what happened to him!” he rued in a mumbled tone.

The King shook his head in agreement and a few moments of silence followed.

“There is a room in Perimal’s house that is decorated by all of his wonderful drawings. I am musing the idea of converting his house into a museum and throw it open to my subjects. In this way, people would be able to see his work and he will forever be remembered.” Sukhdeva revealed his plans.

“That is a very good idea!” Haridas acknowledged.

“Have you every been to his house?” the King asked and eagerly awaited his response.

“No!” came the prompt reply.

“I see!” the King raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

“I am, Maharaj!” Haridas replied looking surprised as to why the King was stressing upon this question in this manner. Even Nirmala shared the expression.

Sukhdeva clapped his hands hard and in entered a guard with Govind.

“Do you recognize him?” the King prodded his friend.

Haridas gave Govind a confused look. It was as if he had seen the person somewhere but could not recollect it now.

“Alright! I shall ease things for you! He is Govind whose horse cart you had hired to reach Perimal’s house that evening when he was killed!” The King chipped in calmly.

Haridas opened his eyes wide in shock. Nirmala looked at her husband baffled.

“Govind had seen you go to his house! Do you deny that?” the King further questioned the cloth merchant.

Haridas could not reply. He was not only in rude shock but was also completely unprepared for such an instance.

“Nirmala devi, are you aware about this visit?”

“N..No, Maharaj!” she stuttered in her response.

“Govind tells me that you were robbed of your ring that day! Is that true, Haridas?”

Yet again the merchant stood frozen in his seat.

“Are you aware about the theft?” The King turned to Nirmala.

“Y..Yes, Maharaj! However, he told me that the ring had slipped from his finger and rolled over the ground. His efforts of tracing it bore no fruits!”

“You lied to her, my friend!” the King intoned looking at Haridas.

He then gestured the guard to come near him. The guard held a golden plate in his hand that was covered by a white cloth. Sukhdeva uncovered the plate which revealed a piece of drawing. He took it in his hand and showed it to his guests which further had them flabbergasted.

“We found it in the waste bin of Perimal’s house!” The King continued to converse with them calmly, “There is something else which we retrieved from the bin. Any guesses, Haridas?”

Getting no response from the other end, the King called out aloud, “Chaturbhuj!”

This sudden raise in voice startled the guests.

Soon, the famed minister entered in. The King looked at him and shook his head slightly. Chaturbhuj showed the long nail to Haridas.

Pointing to the nail, Sukhdeva ejaculated, “This was what we got from the bin, my friend! I am sure that it belongs to you! Do you know that our nail beds are unique such that it is only our nails which would fit into it! Chaturbhuj, please do the honours!”

As the minister came close to Haridas, he suddenly got up and folded his palms before the King. “Enough, Maharaj! I shall tell you all that you what to know!”

Nirmala, who was already in a state of shock looked at her husband mystified.

“We are waiting, Haridas! Speak up!” Sukhdeva demanded sedately, his voice for the first time matched with the seriousness of the situation.

Haridas began, “Owing to my possessive nature, I always had an eagle’s eye on her. Some time back, I had to move out of the kingdom for a few days owing to some business work. I employed some men to keep an eye on her. When I returned, they informed me that she had been to a drawing exhibition of Perimal. Not only that, even the artist had visited my house! Terribly upset, I confronted her with these facts.”

“Please allow me to make my stand clear, Maharaj!” Nirmala suddenly interrupted.