"I should like to question your attendant," he said. "Will you translate for me? I have not been able to find a Hindu interpreter."
Silva bowed his consent.
"Ask him, please, where he spent Thursday night."
There was a brief interchange between Silva and Mahbub, then the former turned to Goldberger.
"It was as I thought," he said. "He spent the night in the worship of the attributes of Kali."
The coroner opened an envelope which lay on the table at his elbow and took out a piece of knotted cord.
"Ask him if he ever saw this before," he said, and passed it to the witness.
"I notice that it is stained," said Silva, looking at it. "Is it with blood?"
"Yes."
"Then Mahbub will not touch it. For him to do so, would be to defile himself."