There had been a rain shower before evening, so I was a bit late leaving home for my walk. In those days, every day in the evening Dhiren and I would meet together in the club’s reading room and around seven o’clock set out towards the field. Being late that day, I just went straight to the field. Of course there was an agreement to this effect between Dhiren and me. If we had not met at the club by seven we would each go alone and meet together in a designated spot in the field. That day I figured perhaps he had gone earlier and was sitting in the field, but reaching there I looked around – where was Dhiren?

In the field that day – well not just the field, the whole vicinity – I was completely alone. In the middle of the field was the grave of an uncommonly brave Englishman. He had died fighting with a tiger. I went and sat on the side of the grave. But because there was not any grass in that spot, after a little while I got up from there and sat down with my back to the grave in a small area amidst three palm trees. Of course I was not really at ease since I would constantly look back to see whether or not Dhiren was coming.

Suddenly I noticed someone dressed in white coming towards me from the grave. I figured perhaps someone I knew wanted to come and sit with me or had something urgent to discuss. At that time since the sky was overcast there was a play of light and shade. Objects were not so clearly distinguishable. Hence, looking at his clothes I could not quite figure out his nationality. Anyhow I figured that whether he was an Englishman or Indian surely I knew him, which was why he was coming towards me. After a little while I looked back again and saw that the gentleman had come quite close. I then motioned towards the ground next to me with my hand and said, “Who’s there? Please come and sit.”

But the man did not sit down. When I looked around there was nobody in sight. Immediately I got up and went up to the grave. I spoke, addressing that man: “Who are you? Please come before me. While I don’t believe in ghosts, even if you do happen to be one, please boldly come to me. I guarantee your safety.”

But Ká kasya parivedaná? [“Who bothers about another’s anguish?”].

The clock struck ten. I got up from the grave. The next day I saw Dhiren. I asked him, “Why didn’t you go yesterday? What happened?”

He said, “I most certainly went! But I won’t go again alone. Yesterday evening because of the rain I became a bit late leaving. I reached the field around eight and saw there was no one around. I started shivering with fear. Next I noticed some man dressed in white was sitting right between three palm trees with his back toward the grave.”

I realized Dhiren had spotted me. I inquired, “What happened next?”

He said, “Then I saw another man dressed in white get up from the grave and stand. I thought that was you, so I started moving quickly in that direction. Gradually the man in white who had gotten up from the grave started towards the man in white sitting at the base of the palm trees. Next, when he had reached within two or three yards of the man sitting down, he seemed to suddenly vanish into thin air. I started shaking in fear, and without a second glance fled the field. Never again will I go to that field after sunset.”

[Author’s explanation:] Eker drśt́ibhrama, anyer pratisáḿvedanika ávesha [Literally, “One person’s optical illusion, and another’s psycho-reactive self-hypnotism” drśt́ibhrama = drśt́i + bhrama]