The Mousetrap and Other Plays (109 page)

KARL
. I know.

OGDEN
. Have your own ideas changed as to that, sir, since we first talked about it?

KARL
looks quickly at
LISA
.
OGDEN
and the
SERGEANT
note the look and exchange quick glances. There is a pause.

KARL
. (
deliberately
) They have not changed. I still think it must have been some sort of—accident.

LISA
turns away. The
DOCTOR
almost snorts and turns aside.

OGDEN
. But definitely not suicide.

KARL
. Definitely not suicide.

OGDEN
. Well, you're quite right as to that, sir. (
With emphasis
) It was not suicide.

KARL
and
LISA
turn to
OGDEN
.

LISA
. (
quietly
) How do you know?

OGDEN
. By evidence that was not given at the inquest. Evidence as to the fingerprints found on the bottle containing the fatal drug—and on the glass, also.

KARL
. You mean . . . But they were my wife's fingerprints, weren't they?

OGDEN
. Oh, yes, sir. They were your wife's fingerprints. (
Softly
) But she didn't make them. (
He moves the chair
L
of the table
RC
and sets it
L
of the sofa
)

The
DOCTOR
and
KARL
exchange looks.

KARL
. What do you mean?

OGDEN
. It's the sort of thing that an amateur criminal thinks is so easy. To pick up a person's hand and close it round a gun or a bottle or whatever it may be. (
He sits on the chair he has placed
C
) But actually it's not so easy to do.

KARL
sits in the armchair.

The position of those fingerprints is such that they couldn't have been made by a living-woman grasping a bottle. That means that somebody else took your wife's hand and folded the fingers round the bottle and the glass so as to give the impression that your wife committed suicide. A rather childish piece of reasoning and done by someone rather cocksure of their own ability. Also, there ought to have been plenty of other prints on the bottle, but there weren't—it had been wiped clean before your wife's were applied. You see what that means?

KARL
. I see what it means.

OGDEN
. There would be no reason to do such a thing if it was an accident. That only leaves one possibility.

KARL
. Yes.

OGDEN
. I wonder if you do see, sir. It means—an ugly word—murder.

KARL
. Murder.

OGDEN
. Doesn't that seem very incredible to you, sir?

KARL
. (
more to himself than
OGDEN
) You cannot know how incredible. My wife was a very sweet and gentle woman. It will always seem to me both terrible and unbelievable that anyone should have—killed her.

OGDEN
. You, yourself . . .

KARL
. (
sharply
) Are you accusing me?

OGDEN
. (
rising
) Of course not, sir. If I'd any suspicions concerning you, I should give you the proper warning. No, Professor Hendryk, we've checked your story and your time is fully accounted for. (
He resumes his seat
) You left here in the company of Dr. Stoner and he states that there was no medicine bottle or glass on your wife's table at that time. Between the time you left and the time Miss Koletzky says she arrived here and found your wife dead, every moment of your time is accounted for. You were lecturing to a group of students at the university. No, there is no suggestion of your having been the person to put the fingerprints on the glass.

The
DOCTOR
moves down
L
.

What I am asking you, sir, is whether you have any idea yourself as to who could have done so?

There is quite a long pause.
KARL
stares fixedly ahead of him.

KARL
. (
presently
) I—(
He pauses
) cannot help you.

OGDEN
rises and as he replaces the chair beside the table, he exchanges glances with the
SERGEANT
, who moves to the door down
R
.

OGDEN
. (
moving
C
) You will appreciate, of course, that this alters things. I wonder if I might have a look round the flat. Round Mrs. Hendryk's bedroom in particular. I can get a search warrant if necessary, but . . .

KARL
. Of course. Look anywhere you please. (
He rises
)

LISA
rises.

My wife's bedroom—(
He indicates the door down
R
) is through there.

OGDEN
. Thank you.

KARL
. Miss Koletzky has been sorting through her things.

LISA
crosses to the door
R
and opens it.
OGDEN
and the
SERGEANT
exit down
R
.
LISA
turns and looks at
KARL
, then exits down
R
, closing the door behind her.

DOCTOR
. (
moving up
L
of the armchair
) I've known you long enough, Karl, to tell you plainly that you're being a fool.

KARL
. (
moving up
R
of the armchair
) I can't be the one to put them on her track. They'll get her soon enough without my help.

DOCTOR
. I'm not so sure of that. And it's all high-falutin' nonsense. (
He sits in the armchair
)

KARL
. She didn't know what she was doing.

DOCTOR
. She knew perfectly.

KARL
. She didn't know what she was doing because life has not yet taught her understanding and compassion. (
He moves above the armchair
)

LISA
enters down
R
, closing the door behind her.

LISA
. (
moving
RC
; to the
DOCTOR
) Have you made him see sense?

DOCTOR
. Not yet.

LISA
shivers.

You're cold.

LISA
. No—I'm not cold. I'm afraid. (
She moves towards the doors up
C
) I shall make some coffee.

LISA
exits up
C
.
The
DOCTOR
rises and moves below the sofa.

KARL
. (
moving down
L
of the armchair
) I wish I could get you and Lisa to see that revenge will not bring Anya back to life again.

DOCTOR
. (
moving up
LC
) And suppose our little beauty goes on disposing of wives that happen to stand in her way?

KARL
. I will not believe that.

The
SERGEANT
and
OGDEN
enter down
R
.
The sergeant stands above the table
RC
and
OGDEN
stands down
R
.

OGDEN
. I gather some of your wife's clothing and effects have already been disposed of?

KARL
. Yes. They were sent off to the East London Mission, I think.

The
SERGEANT
makes a note.

OGDEN
. (
moving to
R
of the sofa
) What about papers, letters?

KARL
. (
crossing to the table
RC
) I was going through them this morning. (
He indicates the little drawer
) Though what you expect to find . . .

OGDEN
. (
evading the issue; vaguely
) One never knows. Some note, a memorandum set down . . .

KARL
. I doubt it. Still, look through them, of course, if you must. I don't expect you'll find . . . (
He picks up a bundle of letters tied with ribbon
) Will you need these? They are the letters I wrote to my wife many years ago.

OGDEN
. (
gently
) I'm afraid I must just look through them. (
He takes the letters from
KARL
)

There is quite a pause, then
KARL
turns impatiently towards the doors up
C
.

KARL
. I shall be in the kitchen if you want me, Inspector Ogden.

The
DOCTOR
opens the right half of the doors up
C
.
KARL
exits up
C
.
The
DOCTOR
follows him off, closing the door behind him.
OGDEN
moves to
R
of the table
RC
.

SERGEANT
. Do you think he was in on it?

OGDEN
. No, I don't. (
He starts to go through the papers in the drawer
) Not beforehand. Hadn't the faintest idea. I should say. (
Grimly
) But he knows now—and it's been a shock to him.

SERGEANT
. (
also going through the papers, etc., in the drawer
) He's not saying anything.

OGDEN
. No. That would be too much to expect. Doesn't mean to be much here. Not likely to be, under the circumstances.

SERGEANT
. If there had been, our Mrs. Mop would have known about it. I'd say she was a pretty good snooper. That kind always knows the dirt. And did she enjoy spilling it!

OGDEN
. (
with distaste
) An unpleasant woman.

SERGEANT
. She'll do all right in the witness-box.

OGDEN
. Unless she overdoes it. Well, nothing additional here. We'd better get on with the job. (
He moves to the doors up
C
, opens one and calls
) Will you come in here, please. (
He moves below the armchair
)

LISA
enters up
C
and moves down
C
.
The
DOCTOR
enters up
C
and moves down
R
of the sofa.
KARL
enters up
C
and stands up
L
of the sofa. The
SERGEANT
moves to the doors up
C
, closes them and stands in front of them.

Miss Koletzky, there are some additional questions I would like to ask you. You understand that you are not forced to answer anything unless you please.

LISA
. I do not want to answer any questions.

OGDEN
. Perhaps you're wise. Lisa Koletzky, I arrest you on the charge of administering poison to Anya Hendryk on March the fifth last—

KARL
moves to
R
of
LISA
.

—and it is my duty to warn you that anything you say will be taken down and may be used in evidence.

KARL
. (
horror struck
) What's this? What are you doing? What are you saying?

OGDEN
. Please, Professor Hendryk, don't let's have a scene.

KARL
. (
moving behind
LISA
and holding her in his arms
) But you can't arrest Lisa, you can't, you can't. She's done nothing.

LISA
. (
gently pushing
KARL
away; in a loud, clear, calm voice
) I did not murder my cousin.

OGDEN
. You'll have plenty of opportunity to say everything you want, later.

KARL
, losing restraint, advances on
OGDEN
but the
DOCTOR
holds his arm.

KARL
. (
pushing the
DOCTOR
away; almost shouting
) You can't do this. You can't.

OGDEN
. (
to
LISA
) If you need a coat or a hat . . .

LISA
. I need nothing.

LISA
turns and looks at
KARL
for a moment, then turns and goes up
C
.
The
SERGEANT
opens the door.
LISA
exits up
C
.
OGDEN
and the
SERGEANT
follow her off.
KARL
suddenly makes a decision and runs after them.