The Mousetrap and Other Plays (25 page)

LADY
WESTHOLME
. (
Rising
) Mr. Higgs—oh!

(
LADY
WESTHOLME
,
limping from a blistered foot, crosses and exits Right.
)

HIGGS
. (
Sniffing
) Ee, there's a champion smell of
animal
sacrifice. Now let's 'ope it won't be a burnt offerin'.

(
HIGGS
exits Right.
GINEVRA
enters cautiously from the marquee, and moves up Centre. She has a long sharp knife in her hand. She is taken unawares by hearing
GERARD
's voice off. She moves quickly to the table, conceals the knife under
GERARD
's medical case, then picks up
SARAH
's hypodermic case as though that had been her business at the table.
GERARD
enters from the marquee.
GINEVRA
moves quickly Centre.
)

GERARD
. (
Noting her confusion
) What have you got there? (
He crosses to Left of
GINEVRA
.)

GINEVRA
. Nothing.

GERARD
. Give that to me. (
He takes the case from her and opens it.
) What have you done with the hypodermic?

GINEVRA
. I don't know. I haven't touched it.

(
GERARD
frowns, moves to the table, puts
SARAH
's case on it, then moves his own case preparatory to opening it and discovers the knife.
)

GERARD
. (
Picking up the knife
) Aha! (
He moves down Right of the table.
)

(
GINEVRA
springs forward and tries to take the knife from him.
)

What is this?

GINEVRA
. Give it me. I must have it.

GERARD
. Where did you get it from?

GINEVRA
. (
Pointing to the marquee
) From in there. I want it—to defend myself—
against them.

GERARD
. (Listen,
mon enfant,
you must give up all this make-believe. (
He puts the knife on the table.
)

GINEVRA
. You say that—but you know that it's true. (
She moves close to him.
) You followed me here, didn't you? From Jerusalem. You're here to protect me. I know you are.

GERARD
. (
Taking her hands
) Listen, Ginevra, I want to help you . . .

GINEVRA
. I knew—I knew. (
Sweetly
) You're in love with me, aren't you?

GERARD
. I'm nearly old enough to be your father.

GINEVRA
. But I like you very much. (
She smiles at him.
) Doctor Gerard, I don't want to die. (
Angrily
) You must believe me—you must. (
Confidentially
) Listen, yesterday, they put poison in my food.

GERARD
. (
Firmly
) No, your food was quite all right.

GINEVRA
. You—you do know that I don't really belong to them? You know that that's true. You can see, can't you, that I'm different?

GERARD
. We would all like to be different.

GINEVRA
. I can't tell you who I am. I promised. (
Grandly
) My lips are sealed.

GERARD
. (
Firmly
) You are Ginevra Boynton.

GINEVRA
. I hate you. I hate you. (
She crosses to the chair Right of the table, sits and cries.
)

GERARD
. (
Moving behind her
) Don't you understand, Ginevra, that what you are doing is dangerous? The way of escape you have found for yourself is no real escape. You must face reality, not lose yourself in a world of fantasy.

GINEVRA
. I thought you would help me to escape.

GERARD
. That is what I want to do. (
He moves to Left of the table.
)

GINEVRA
. You will take me away with you—to France—to Paris?

GERARD
. I would like to take you to France. (
He sits Left of the table.
)

GINEVRA
. You have a house there?

(
GERARD
nods.
)

A castle?

GERARD
. (
With a smile
) No, a clinic.

GINEVRA
. (
Doubtfully
) Oh. (
With curiosity
) Should I like it there?

GERARD
. Yes, you would do real things with your mind—and the unreal things would not be interesting any more.

GINEVRA
. Real things. You wouldn't tell me that I am ill all the time?

GERARD
. No, for you are not ill.

GINEVRA
. (
With a gesture towards
MRS
.
BOYNTON
) She says I am ill. She—she wants me to be ill—she makes me ill. She says—she says—they are going to shut me up—(
Her voice rises
) to shut me up. (
She rises and moves Right.
)

GERARD
. (
Rising and moving above the table to Centre.
) No, no, you must be calm.

GINEVRA
. I want to come with you.

GERARD
. I know.

GINEVRA
. Why can't I? Because she won't let me go?

GERARD
. For the moment, that is true.

GINEVRA
. She won't let me go.

(
GERARD
moves to
GINEVRA
and puts a hand on her shoulder.
)

GERARD
. You must hold on, Jinny—hold on. Do you understand? It is just a question of waiting—perhaps not waiting very long.

GINEVRA
. (
Drawing away; emphatically
) When she is dead, I can go. That is what you mean, isn't it? When she is dead. When she is dead we can all go.

GERARD
. Don't talk like that.

GINEVRA
. Why not? (
She crosses to Left.
)
They did.

GERARD
. Who did?

(
GINEVRA
looks at him sideways and laughs.
)

GINEVRA
. I heard them. They didn't know I was there. They said that she'd got to be killed—that it was the only way.

GERARD
. (
Crossing to her
) Who said that? (
He takes both her hands in his.
)

GINEVRA
. They said one of us would have to do it—for the sake of the others.

GERARD
. Who said so?

GINEVRA
. Lennox and Raymond.

GERARD
. You're inventing again.

GINEVRA
. No, this is really true.

GERARD
. So you admit the other isn't?

GINEVRA
. (
Angrily
) I hate you. Let me go. Let me go.

(
GINEVRA
twists away from him, runs across and exits Right.
NADINE
enters Right as
GINEVRA
exits.
)

NADINE
. (
Crossing to Centre
) What's the matter with Jinny?

(
GERARD
picks up the knife and shows it to
NADINE
.)

What's that? A knife. That's bad—that's very bad.

GERARD
. Yes, the case grows serious. (
He puts the knife on the table.
)

NADINE
. (
Moving Left Centre
) But it's not too late. She could have treatment.

GERARD
. Yes, there is still time, but you understand—not much.

NADINE
. (
Crossing down Left
) Do you believe in the Devil, Doctor Gerard?

GERARD
. You mean, do I believe in Evil, positive Evil? Yes, I do.

NADINE
. So do I.

(
GERARD
and
NADINE
look up at
MRS
.
BOYNTON
.)

GERARD
. And we can do nothing.

NADINE
. Don't be too sure of that.

(
COPE
enters Right and crosses to Centre. He looks radiant.
)

COPE
. Must be nearly supper time.

GERARD
. Yes, I must go and wash. (
He picks up his case of drugs and crosses to Right.
)

COPE
. It seems almost chilly after the heat of the afternoon.

GERARD
. Yes, there is a sharp fall of temperature at sunset.

(
GERARD
exits Right.
)

COPE
. (
Crossing to
NADINE
) Hadn't I better get you a wrap, Nadine?

NADINE
. No, thank you, it will be hot in the marquee. Jeff, I was just—talking about Jinny to Doctor Gerard.

COPE
. (
His face becoming worried
) Oh—Jinny. I was talking to Doctor Gerard yesterday, and he was quite confident that by treatment in his sanatorium he could effect a perfect cure. It's a well-known place and bears the highest reputation. I said as much to Mrs. Boynton.

NADINE
. So you talked to her about it. What did she say?

COPE
. She said a mother's care was worth all the newfangled doctors' cures put together.

NADINE
. (
Crossing to Right Centre
) She isn't Jinny's mother.

COPE
. Why, no, that's true. (
He moves Left Centre
) But I know she's only anxious for Jinny's good.

NADINE
. (
Impatiently yet tenderly
) Oh, Jeff—the worst of a nice person like you—you're so—so trusting.

COPE
. I trust in you.

NADINE
. Don't.

COPE
. You haven't—changed your mind?

NADINE
. (
Moving to him
) Why should you think I have? What's the good of staying with Lennox? I must start a new life—with you. (
She gives him her hand.
)

COPE
. It shall be a happy life, I promise you.

NADINE
. Can anybody promise that?

(
RAYMOND
enters Right, moves to the deckchair down Right and sits lost in a brown study.
)

COPE
. I feel I ought to speak to Lennox. I don't want to be anything but straightforward about this business.

NADINE
. No, Jeff—please. No, I mean it.

DRAGOMAN
. (
Off, calling
) Dinner, him ready.

NADINE
. You go on.

(
COPE
hesitates, then exits to the marquee.
LENNOX
enters Right and crosses to
NADINE
.)

LENNOX
. Nadine.

NADINE
. Yes.

LENNOX
. You took me by surprise this afternoon. Wait until we get back to Jerusalem. Things may be different then.

NADINE
. (
Turning to look at him
) Different? How should they be different?

(
The
DRAGOMAN
enters from the marquee. He holds a gong, which he beats with enjoyment.
)

DRAGOMAN
. Dinner, him ready.

(
NADINE
exits to the marquee.
LENNOX
follows her off. The
ARAB
BOY
enters from the marquee. He has a tray of drinks which he puts on the table. He then exits to the marquee.
HIGGS
enters Right.
)

HIGGS
. (
To the
DRAGOMAN
) Steady on, lad, we're not deaf.

DRAGOMAN
. Dinner, him ready.

HIGGS
. All right, we 'eard yer first time.

(
LADY
WESTHOLME
enters Right. The
DRAGOMAN
crosses and exits Right.
)

LADY
WESTHOLME
. (
Crossing and sitting Right of the table
) Perfectly barbarous! Really, natives are just like children.

HIGGS
. (
Moving above the table
) Aye, my kids at 'ome love bangin' gong. (
He pours drinks for
LADY
WESTHOLME
and himself.
) 'Ave you got any kids, Lady Westholme?

LADY
WESTHOLME
. No.

HIGGS
. Soom'ow I didn't think you 'ad. (
He sits Left of the table.
)

(
GERARD
enters Right and moves to
RAYMOND
.)

LADY
WESTHOLME
. Indeed!

(
LADY
WESTHOLME
and
HIGGS
sip their drinks.
)

GERARD
. (
To
RAYMOND
) Lost in thought?

RAYMOND
. I was thinking of our expedition this morning—to the place of sacrifice.