The Mousetrap and Other Plays (108 page)

There is a pause.
LISA
enters from her bedroom and comes into the room. She is tying an apron on as she enters, and goes to look out the window.

LISA
. (
casually
) I met Helen on the stairs. She looked very strange. Went past me as though she didn't see me. (
She finishes her apron, turns and sees
KARL
) Karl, what has happened? (
She crosses to him
)

KARL
. (
quite simply
) She killed Anya.

LISA
. (
startled
) What!

KARL
. She killed Anya. Anya asked for her medicine and that miserable child gave her an overdose deliberately.

LISA
. But Anya's fingerprints were on the glass.

KARL
. Helen put them there after she was dead.

LISA
. (
a calm, matter-of-fact mind dealing with the situation
) I see—she thought of everything.

KARL
. I knew. I always knew that Anya wouldn't have killed herself.

LISA
. She's in love with you, of course.

KARL
. Yes, yes. But I never gave her any reason to believe that I cared for her. I didn't, Lisa, I swear I didn't.

LISA
. I don't suppose you did. She's the type of girl who would assume that whatever she wanted must be so. (
She moves to the armchair and sits
)

KARL
. My poor, brave Anya.

There is a long pause.

LISA
. What are you going to do about it?

KARL
. (
surprised
) Do?

LISA
. Aren't you going to report it to the police?

KARL
. (
startled
) Tell the police?

LISA
. (
still calm
) It's murder, you know.

KARL
. Yes, it was murder.

LISA
. Well, you must report what she said to the police.

KARL
. I can't do that.

LISA
. Why not? Do you condone murder?

KARL
rises, paces up
C
, turns slowly to
L
, then crosses above the armchair to
L
of it.

KARL
. But I can't let that girl . . .

LISA
. (
restraining herself; calmly
) We've come of our own accord, as refugees, to a country where we live under the protection of its laws. I think we should respect its law, no matter what our own feelings on the subject may be.

KARL
. You seriously think I should go to the police?

LISA
. Yes.

KARL
. Why?

LISA
. It seems to me pure common sense.

KARL
. (
sitting at the desk
) Common sense! Common sense! Can one rule one's life by common sense?

LISA
. You don't, I know. You never have. You're softhearted, Karl. I'm not.

KARL
. Is it wrong to feel pity? Can mercy ever be wrong?

LISA
. It can lead to a lot of unhappiness.

KARL
. One must be prepared to suffer for one's principles.

LISA
. Perhaps. That is your business. (
She rises and crosses to
L
of the table
RC
) But other people suffer for them as well. Anya suffered for them.

KARL
. I know, I know. But you don't understand.

LISA
. (
turning to face
KARL
) I understand very well.

KARL
. What do you want me to do?

LISA
. I have told you. Go to the police. Anya has been murdered. This girl has admitted to murdering her. The police must be told.

KARL
. (
rising and crossing above the armchair to
C
) You haven't thought, Lisa. The girl is so young. She is only twenty-three.

LISA
. Whereas Anya was thirty-eight.

KARL
. If she is tried and condemned—what good will it do? Can it bring Anya back? Don't you see, Lisa, revenge can't bring Anya back to life again.

LISA
. No. Anya is dead.

KARL
. (
crossing to the sofa and sitting
) I wish you could see it my way.

LISA
. (
moving to
L
of the sofa
) I can't see it your way. I loved Anya. We were cousins and friends. We went about as girls together. I looked after her when she was ill. I know how she tried to be brave, how she tried not to complain. I know how difficult life was for her.

KARL
. Going to the police won't bring Anya back.

LISA
does not answer but turns and moves up
RC
.

And don't you see, Lisa, I'm bound to feel responsible myself. I must in some way have encouraged the girl.

LISA
. You didn't encourage her. (
She moves to
L
of the sofa and kneels, facing
KARL
) Let's speak plainly. She did her utmost to seduce you, and failed.

KARL
. No matter how you put it, I feel responsible. Love for me was her motive.

LISA
. Her motive was to get what she wanted, as she always has got everything she wanted all her life.

KARL
. That's just what has been her tragedy. She has never had a chance.

LISA
. And she's young and beautiful.

KARL
. (
sharply
) What do you mean?

LISA
. I wonder if you'd be so tender if she were one of your plain girl students.

KARL
. (
rising
) You can't think . . .

LISA
. (
rising
) What can't I think?

KARL
. That I want that girl . . .

LISA
. (
moving slowly down
L
) Why not? Aren't you attracted to her? Be honest with yourself. Are you sure you're not really a little in love with the girl?

KARL
. (
crossing to
R
of
LISA
) You can say that? You? When you know—when you've always known . . . ? It's you I love. You! I lie awake at nights thinking about you, longing for you. Lisa, Lisa . . .

KARL
takes
LISA
in his arms. They embrace passionately. There is a shadowy figure in the doorway up
C
.
After a pause, the door closes with a bang. This makes
KARL
and
LISA
move apart and look at the door. They do not see who it was and the audience are left unaware of the identity of the eavesdropper. The lights BLACK-OUT as—

The
CURTAIN
falls.

Scene II

SCENE
:
The same. Six hours later. Evening.

When the CURTAIN rises, the lights come up a very little, leaving most of the room in darkness.
LISA
is seated on the sofa, at the right end, smoking. She is almost invisible. The front door is heard opening and closing and there is the sound of voices in the hall.
KARL
enters up
C
.
He has a newspaper in his overcoat pocket. The
DOCTOR
follows him on.

KARL
. Nobody's at home. I wonder . . .

The
DOCTOR
switches on the lights by the switch
L
of the double doors, and he and
KARL
see
LISA
.

DOCTOR
. Lisa! Why are you sitting here in the dark?

KARL
goes to the desk chair and puts his coat over the back of it.

LISA
. I was just thinking.

KARL
sits in the armchair.

DOCTOR
. I met Karl at the end of the street and we came along together. (
He puts his coat on the chair above the table
RC
) D'you know what I prescribe for you, Karl? A little alcohol. A stiff brandy, eh. Lisa?

LISA
makes a slight move.

No—I know my way about. (
He goes to the cupboard under the bookcase
R
, takes out a bottle of brandy and a glass, and pours a stiff drink
) He's had a shock, you know. A bad shock.

KARL
. I have told him about Helen.

DOCTOR
. Yes, he told me.

LISA
. It's not been such a shock to you, I gather?

DOCTOR
. I've been worried, you know. I didn't think Anya was a suicidal type and I couldn't see any possibility of an accident. (
He crosses to
R
of
KARL
and gives him the brandy
) And then the inquest aroused my suspicions. Clearly the police were behind the verdict. (
He sits
L
of
LISA
on the sofa
) Yes, it looked fishy. The police questioned me fairly closely and I couldn't help seeing what they were driving at. Of course, they didn't actually say anything.

LISA
. So you were not surprised?

DOCTOR
. No, not really. That young woman thought she could get away with anything. Even murder. Well, she was wrong.

KARL
. (
in a low voice
) I feel responsible.

DOCTOR
. Karl, take it from me, you weren't responsible in any way. Compared to that young woman you're an innocent in arms. (
He rises and moves up
C
) Anyway, the whole thing's out of your hands now.

LISA
. You think he should go to the police?

DOCTOR
. Yes.

KARL
. No.

DOCTOR
. Because you insist on feeling partly responsible? You're too sensitive.

KARL
. Poor wretched child.

DOCTOR
. (
crossing above the armchair and standing down
L
) Callous, murdering little bitch! That's nearer the mark. And I shouldn't worry before you need. Ten to one it'll never come to an arrest. (
He crosses below
KARL
to
RC
) Presumably she'll deny everything—and there's got to be evidence, you know. The police may be quite sure who's done a thing, but be unable to make out a case. The girl's father is a very important person. One of the richest men in England. That counts.

KARL
. There I think you are wrong.

DOCTOR
. Oh, I'm not saying anything against the police. (
He moves up
C
) If they've got a case they'll go ahead, without fear or favour. All I mean is that they'll have to scrutinize their evidence with extra care. And on the face of it there can't really be much evidence, you know. Unless, of course, she breaks down and confesses the whole thing. And I should imagine she's much too hard-boiled for that.

KARL
. She confessed to me.

DOCTOR
. That's different. Though as a matter of fact I can't see why she did. (
He moves and sits on the left arm of the sofa
) Seems to me a damn silly thing to do.

LISA
. Because she was proud of it.

DOCTOR
. (
looking curiously at her
) You think so?

KARL
. It is true—that's what is so terrible.

The front door bell rings.

Who can that be?

DOCTOR
. One of your boys or girls, I expect. (
He rises
) I'll get rid of them.

The
DOCTOR
exits up
C
to
R
.
KARL
rises and puts his glass on the desk.

OGDEN
. (
off
) Could I see Professor Hendryk, please?

DOCTOR
. (
off
) Would you come this way, please.

The
DOCTOR
enters up
C
from
R
and stands to one side.

It's Inspector Ogden.

DETECTIVE
INSPECTOR
OGDEN
and
POLICE
SERGEANT
PEARCE
enter up
C
from
R
.
OGDEN
has a pleasant manner and a poker face. The
SERGEANT
closes the doors, then stands above the table
RC
.

OGDEN
. (
very pleasantly
) I hope we're not disturbing you, Professor Hendryk.

KARL
. (
moving down
L
) Not at all.

OGDEN
. Good evening, Miss Koletzky. I expect you didn't think you would see me again—but we have a few more questions to ask. It was an open verdict, you understand. Insufficient evidence as to how the deceased lady came to take the fatal dose.