The Mousetrap and Other Plays (22 page)

RAYMOND
. (
Looking at the case
) Doctor Gerard's. (
He moves a step or two forward from the table, intent on the bottle in his hand.
)

(
MRS
.
BOYNTON
and
NADINE
move down Centre.
)

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. I think I'll sit here for a bit.

(
RAYMOND
,
startled, drops the bottle and turns.
)

(
She indicates the chair Right of the table.
) There.

NADINE
. Won't it be too hot for you in the sun?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. I don't mind the sun. It's really hotter up there among the rocks because of the refraction. This will do very well. (
She sits Right of the table. To
RAYMOND
) I saw you talking to that girl, son.

RAYMOND
. (
Frightened
) I— . . . (
With an effort
) Yes, I did speak to her. Why not?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Why not, indeed. After all, you're young. You'd better go for a walk this afternoon.

RAYMOND
. Go—for a walk? You—you want me to?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Young people must enjoy themselves.

NADINE
. Cat and mouse.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. That's an odd thing to say, Nadine.

NADINE
. Is it?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
To
RAYMOND
) Your friend went that way. (
She points with her stick to the marquee.
)

(
RAYMOND
exits doubtfully to the marquee.
NADINE
looks at
MRS
.
BOYNTON
.)

(
She chuckles quietly
) Yes, young people must enjoy themselves—in their own way.

NADINE
. (
Crossing above
MRS
.
BOYNTON
and standing above the table
) And old people in theirs.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Now what do you mean by that, my dear?

NADINE
. Just—cat and mouse.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Very cryptic. You ought to go for a walk, Nadine, with that nice friend of yours—Mr. Cope.

NADINE
. I suppose you saw us talking, too?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Yes. He's very fond of you.

NADINE
. (
Moving Left of the table
) I know.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. I'm afraid you don't get as much fun as you ought to get. It's a very dull life waiting on a sick old woman—and Lennox—he's changed a lot—yes, he's changed.

NADINE
. (
Moving down Left
) He is not very happy.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. He ought to be—married to a charming and good-looking girl like you. I'm afraid sometimes he doesn't appreciate you as much as he ought to do.

NADINE
. You think Jefferson Cope appreciates me better?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. I think he's very much in love with you.

NADINE
. And you want me to go away with him and leave Lennox—why?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
Smoothly; with faint malicious amusement
) Really, Nadine, what words you put into my mouth—I've said nothing of the kind.

NADINE
. It's what you mean, though. (
Slowly
) It was one of your reasons for coming here.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. You are talking very extravagantly, Nadine dear. Naturally I want you to be happy—but of course I am not urging you to leave your husband. That would be a very wrong thing to do.

(
NADINE
stares at
MRS
.
BOYNTON
in silence for a moment or two.
)

NADINE
. (
Moving up Left of the table
) Why do you hate us all so much?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
Amused
) Really, my dear child!

NADINE
. (
Still staring at her
) You like hurting people—don't you? You like the sense of power. I've thought sometimes that it came from your having been a wardress—but I think I see further than that—it was what made you become a wardress.

(
MRS
.
BOYNTON
smiles gently.
)

There are a lot of people who can't stand that job—but you—(
She slows down, dropping truth after truth as she stares at
MRS
.
BOYNTON
) liked it. When you married, you missed it—but you found consolation in the children—three helpless children. You started on
them.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Dear me, what an imagination you have got, Nadine dear.

NADINE
. You've never been physically cruel. It's been a mental sport. You've thwarted and tortured Jinny until she's gone nearly over the edge. You know only too well what you've done to Lennox—I can't reach him any more. He doesn't give you much sport nowadays, does he? But Raymond does. Raymond's still able to rebel. You can have some fun with Raymond, can't you?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Such curious ideas you have, Nadine, haven't you?

NADINE
. That's why you came abroad. You were bored, weren't you? You'd tamed your wild beasts. You'd got them jumping through hoops just as you told them to. It was dull for you. So you brought them abroad—hoping they would rebel—hoping they'd suffer and that you'd have some fresh fun hurting them, seeing them writhe and squirm. (
Sharply
) Haven't you any pity?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
Turning an impassive face to her
) I don't know what you mean.

NADINE
. (
Crossing above the table to Right Centre
) Why do you like hurting people? It seems so senseless.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
In a thick voice
) Does it?

NADINE
. So it's true—you
are
like that.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
With infinite scorn
) You little fool.

NADINE
. (
Turning on her
) It's you who are the fool. Hasn't it ever occurred to you that what you're doing is
dangerous
?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Dangerous?

NADINE
. Yes, dangerous. You can drive people too far.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. I'm not afraid.

NADINE
. You might—die.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. I'm not going to die for a long time to come, Nadine dear. I may not have good health, but I've great powers of enjoyment—(
She chuckles grimly
) great powers of enjoyment.

NADINE
. I think you're mad.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Not in the legal sense, my dear.

(
GINEVRA
enters Right and stands listening.
)

You won't be able to get me certified. (
She looks at
NADINE
and laughs.
) There's someone else who's likely to be certified before me.

NADINE
. (
Catching her breath
) You mean—Jinny?

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
Smoothly
) Poor child.

(
GINEVRA
runs off Right.
)

NADINE
. Doctor Gerard is very interested in Jinny's case.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
Almost with a snarl
) It's nothing to do with him.

NADINE
. He assures me that with treatment Jinny would become perfectly normal. I think we ought to get his advice.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Jinny is under age—and what you think or don't think, Nadine, doesn't matter. I'm the one who decides.

NADINE
. Yes—we're all in your power—but if Jinny gets worse . . .

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. If Jinny gets violent—(
Smoothly
) she will have, of course, to be restrained.

NADINE
. Certified. Shut up. (
She shivers
) That's what you want to happen. I'm beginning to understand you—at last.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. My poor dear admirable daughter-in-law. And you don't know what to do about it.

NADINE
. (
In a low voice
) Perhaps I do.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Still going to remain devoted to Lennox however little he notices the fact? Jefferson Cope won't wait for ever, you know.

NADINE
. (
Crossing below the table to Left
) As long as Lennox wants me I shall stay with him.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Does Lennox want you very much?

(
NADINE
winces.
)

You must face facts, you know.

NADINE
. What will you do if Raymond—escapes? (
She turns to her.
)

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. I can manage Raymond.

NADINE
. Perhaps you won't be able to manage Sarah King. You may find that she's stronger than you are.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. She's a fool!

NADINE
. Not Sarah.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Have you been asking Lennox to go away with you lately? You haven't had much success with that idea of yours, have you?

(
NADINE
turns away.
)

Dear Lennox. He's always been such an obedient, devoted son. (
She laughs.
)

(
COPE
enters Right.
)

COPE
. (
Moving Right Centre
) You sound in good spirits, Mrs. Boynton. That's fine. I was afraid, you know, that the journey here might knock you up completely.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. I'm enjoying myself here. I'm enjoying myself a good deal.

COPE
. It's a wonderful place, it certainly is. (
To
NADINE
) Are we going to have our walk? (
He looks at
MRS
.
BOYNTON
) But perhaps . . .

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Oh, don't mind leaving me. Nadine didn't go on the expedition this morning. She ought to have a little exercise.

COPE
. You're always so considerate, Mrs. Boynton. (
To
NADINE
) Shall we start? (
He crosses to the slope Left.
)

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. (
To
NADINE
) Just give me my medicine first, dear.

(
NADINE
exits to the marquee.
)

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. A tired heart, you know. A tired heart. It has to be constantly stimulated. Never any good making a fuss. One must think of others—not oneself.

(
NADINE
enters from the marquee, carrying a glass of medicine.
)

NADINE
(
Moving to
MRS
.
BOYNTON
) Here it is.

(
MRS
.
BOYNTON
takes the glass and drinks the medicine.
)

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Isn't it rather stronger than usual? (
She puts the glass on the table.
)

NADINE
. I don't think so.

COPE
. Shall we go now?

NADINE
. (
Moving to the slope Left
) Yes, we'll go now.

(
COPE
exits up the slope.
)

(
She goes up the slope a few steps, then stops.
) Good-bye, Mother.

MRS
.
BOYNTON
. Good-bye.

(
NADINE
exits up the slope.
MRS
.
BOYNTON
chuckles a little as she is left to herself. She examines the contents of
GERARD
's case, takes out a bottle or two and looks at them.
LENNOX
enters Right and crosses towards the marquee. He has a book in his hand but walks like one in a dream.
)

Lennox.

(
LENNOX
does not hear.
)

(
Louder
)
Lennox.
Come here.

(
LENNOX
moves to Right of
MRS
.
BOYNTON
.)

What have you been doing, son?

(
LENNOX
acts throughout as though it took a long time for words to reach him.
)

LENNOX
. I've been reading.