Sanat had been suffering from typhoid for nearly twenty-seven days. The location was a tiny suburban town. Trained nurses were not available there. And as a matter of fact Sanat’s father had no inclination to engage one. He had hence left the responsibility of looking after Sanat in Sanat’s friends’ hands.

That day Sanat’s condition was very critical. Four of his friends decided they would remain awake with him throughout the night in twos. Vimal and Paresh were allotted the first part of the night, Debu and Viman the last part.

It was deep into the night. Vimal’s eyes had grown heavy with drowsiness. His hand fan would now and then slip from his hands. Paresh was snoozing where he sat. Sanat seemed to keep on murmuring something under the spell of delirium.

All of a sudden Vimal sensed someone walking on the veranda right outside the room. Otherwise, Vimal thought, it must be an optical illusion. No, there was no mistake… A gentleman with a wooden cane had been pacing for a good while. Now and then he would come up close to the room and suddenly stop and wait. No, no – it couldn’t possibly be an optical illusion. Vimal woke up Paresh. With sleep-laden eyes, Paresh looked up at the man Vimal had seen, and asked him, “Excuse me, won’t you come inside?” The gentleman did not utter a word. He resumed his pacing. By then the night had progressed, and now it was time for Debu and Viman’s watch. But Vimal and Paresh took no heed of the time. It did not even occur to them to check a clock. That man had come in and was practically standing right in the middle of the room – but why wasn’t he saying anything? A strange fire seemed to smoulder in his eyes, while a dark shadow seemed to descend over Sanat’s. His spell of delirium grew even worse. The gentleman again went out towards the veranda.

Sounds of water came from the adjacent bathroom. Vimal thought, let me go see what’s going on. By the time he went out to have a look it was nearly dawn. Sanat’s father was washing his face. Vimal told him, “You know, since midnight a gentleman has been strolling on the veranda. He even came inside a couple of times, but didn’t speak at all with us. Maybe he is some friend or relative of yours. Would you please come and meet him?”

Sanat’s father went to the veranda. Next, shouting “Sunil! Sunil!” twice, he collapsed unconscious. From inside the room Sanat yelled out, “Who’s that? Sunil, you’re here! I’m coming.” Then he fell into eternal sleep.

A few moments later Sanat’s father regained consciousness. The friends looking after Sanat asked him, “What happened? Tell us.”

Sanat’s father, after partially gaining his composure, said, “Sunil was Sanat’s friend since childhood. Their wives were sisters, so in fact they were also relatives. The two of them were quite intimate. Sunil was really headstrong. He’d always carry a wooden cane. Sunil and Sanat used to take an evening walk together every day. Some time back, one evening Sanat was unable to go due to the pressure of some urgent work. That day Sunil went alone. Evening had set in. Suddenly a poisonous cobra struck Sunil on the leg. He was not one to be easily defeated. Even in that condition he beat the snake to death with his cane, but within a few moments he too died. Under the present circumstances, seeing Sunil I became terrified. I realized that today he wanted to take Sanat along with him.”

[Author’s explanation:] Ekajaner saḿskáraja ávesha, bákider pratisáḿvedanika bhrántidarshana [Literally, “One person’s self-hypnotism arising from reactive momenta (saḿskára), and the remaining peoples’ psycho-reactive hallucination” Ekajaner = eka + janer; bhrántidarshana = bhránti + darshana]