The Mousetrap and Other Plays (43 page)

EDWARD
. I don't know.

MIDGE
. (
Moving up Centre
) Is something wrong? (
She closes the French windows up Centre, then crosses and closes the window Right.
) Do we want the windows open? Edward—(
She touches his hand
) you're icy cold. (
She takes his hand and leads him to the fireplace.
) Come over here and I'll light a fire. (
She takes a box of matches from the mantelpiece, kneels and lights the fire.
)

EDWARD
. (
Moving to the armchair Left Centre, deeply moved
) You're a dear child, Midge. (
He sits.
)

MIDGE
. No, not a child. Do you still have fir cones at Ainswick?

EDWARD
. Oh yes, there's always a basket of them beside the fire.

MIDGE
. Dear Ainswick.

EDWARD
. (
Looking towards the French windows Right.
) One shouldn't have to live there alone.

MIDGE
. Did Henrietta go out?

EDWARD
. Yes.

MIDGE
. What an odd thing to do. It's raining.

EDWARD
. She was upset. Did you know that she and John Cristow . . . ?

MIDGE
. Were having an affair? (
She rises and replaces the matches on the mantelpiece.
) Yes, of course.

EDWARD
. Everybody knew, I suppose.

MIDGE
. (
Turning
) Everybody except Gerda.

EDWARD
. Damn him!

MIDGE
. (
Moving to
EDWARD
and kneeling down Left of him
) Darling—don't. (
She holds his arm.
)

EDWARD
. Even dead—he's got her.

MIDGE
. Don't, Edward—please.

EDWARD
. She's changed so much—since those days at Ainswick.

MIDGE
. We've all changed.

EDWARD
. I haven't. I've just stayed still.

MIDGE
. What about me?

EDWARD
. You haven't changed.

MIDGE
. (
Releasing his arm and looking away; bitterly
) How do you know? You never look at me.

(
EDWARD
is startled. He takes her face in his left hand.
)

I'm a woman, Edward.

(
GUDGEON
enters Left.
MIDGE
rises.
)

GUDGEON
. The Inspector would like to see you in the dining room, sir.

EDWARD
. (
Rising
) Oh yes, certainly.

(
He exits Left.
GUDGEON
closes the door after him.
MIDGE
moves above the armchair Left Centre to Right of it. During the ensuing dialogue,
GUDGEON
collects the tray from the coffee table, gets the coffee cups and saucers and puts them on it.)

MIDGE
. Is Mrs. Cristow still resting?

GUDGEON
. As far as I know, Miss, yes. Doctor Murdock left her some tablets and Simmonds has instructions to administer one every two hours.

MIDGE
. Would you like one of us to go up to her?

GUDGEON
. I hardly think that necessary, Miss. Simmonds is quite reliable.

MIDGE
. I'm sure she is.

GUDGEON
. (
Moving to the door Left.
) Thank you, Miss. Thank you.

(
He exits Left taking the tray and coffee cups with him.
MIDGE
closes the door behind him.
HENRIETTA
enters the terrace up Centre from Left and taps on the window.
MIDGE
runs up Centre, lets
HENRIETTA
in, then closes the window behind her.
)

MIDGE
. How you startled me. (
She nods Right.
) I expected you to come in that way.

HENRIETTA
. (
Crossing to the fire
) I've been walking round and round the house. I'm glad you lit a fire.

MIDGE
. (
Moving to Left of the sofa; accusingly
) What did you do to Edward?

HENRIETTA
. (
Absently
) Edward?

MIDGE
. Yes, when I came in just now, he was looking dreadful—so cold and grey.

HENRIETTA
. (
Turning
) Midge—Midge, if you care so much for Edward, why don't you do something about him?

MIDGE
. Do something? What do you mean?

HENRIETTA
. (
Impatiently
) I don't know. Stand on a table and shout. Draw attention to yourself. Don't you know that's the only hope with a man like Edward?

MIDGE
. (
Sitting on the sofa at the Left end of it
) I don't think Edward will ever care for anyone but you, Henrietta.

HENRIETTA
. Then it's very unintelligent of him.

MIDGE
. Perhaps—but there it is.

HENRIETTA
. He doesn't even know what I'm like. He just goes on caring for his idea of what I once was. Today—I hate Edward.

MIDGE
. You
can't
hate Edward.
Nobody
could hate Edward.

HENRIETTA
. I can.

MIDGE
. But why?

HENRIETTA
. Because he reminds me of a lot of things I'd like to forget.

MIDGE
. What things?

HENRIETTA
. Ainswick.

MIDGE
. Ainswick? You want to forget Ainswick?

HENRIETTA
. Yes, yes. I was happy at Ainswick. (
She moves Left Centre.
) Don't you understand that I can't bear just now to be reminded of a time when I was happy?

(
LADY
ANGKATELL
enters Left.
MIDGE
rises.
)

(
Abruptly
) I shall never go back to Ainswick.

(
She moves to the door Left, ignores
LADY
ANGKATELL
and exits.
)

LADY
ANGKATELL
. What did she say?

MIDGE
. (
Crossing to Right.
) She said she would never go back to Ainswick.

LADY
ANGKATELL
. (
Closing the door
) Oh, I think she will, darling.

MIDGE
. You mean she'll—marry Edward?

LADY
ANGKATELL
. Yes. (
She crosses to the drinks table, picks up the box of chocolates, then moves to Left of
MIDGE
.) I think so. (
Cheerfully
) Now that John Cristow's out of the way. Oh yes, I think she'll marry Edward. Everything's working out quite for the best, isn't it?

MIDGE
. Perhaps John Cristow wouldn't think so.

LADY
ANGKATELL
. No, well, I wasn't thinking of him.

(
The
INSPECTOR
enters Left. He is followed on by
DETECTIVE
SERGEANT
PENNY
.
The
SERGEANT
is in plain clothes. He carries a notebook to which he frequently refers, and in which he makes further notes.
)

INSPECTOR
. Is Miss Angkatell about?

MIDGE
. She went upstairs to change, I think. Shall I fetch her?

LADY
ANGKATELL
. (
Crossing to Left.
) No, no, I'll go. I want to see how Gerda is. (
She offers the chocolates to the
INSPECTOR
.) Sweetie? Soft centres.

INSPECTOR
. No, thank you.

LADY
ANGKATELL
. (
Offering the sweets to the
SERGEANT
) There's a jelly baby there.

SERGEANT
. No, thank you.

(
LADY
ANGKATELL
exits Left. The
SERGEANT
closes the door.
)

INSPECTOR
. (
Crossing to Left of the sofa
) You're Miss Harvey, aren't you?

MIDGE
. Yes. Margerie Harvey.

INSPECTOR
. You don't live here? (
He indicates the sofa.
) Do sit down.

MIDGE
. No, I live at twenty-seven Strathmere Mansions, W—two.

INSPECTOR
. But you are a relation?

MIDGE
. (
Sitting on the sofa at the Right end of it
) My mother was Lady Angkatell's first cousin.

INSPECTOR
. And where were you when the shot was fired?

MIDGE
. In the garden.

INSPECTOR
. You were all rather scattered, weren't you? (
He crosses above the sofa to Right of it.
) Lady Angkatell had just come in from the farm. Mr. Angkatell down from the woods. You from the garden, Mrs. Cristow from her bedroom, Sir Henry from the target alley. And Miss Angkatell?

MIDGE
. She'd been in the garden somewhere.

INSPECTOR
. (
Crossing above the sofa to Left of it
) You quite boxed the compass between you all. Now, Miss Harvey, I'd like you to describe what you saw when you came in here, very carefully.

MIDGE
. (
Pointing Left Centre
) John Cristow was lying there. There was blood—Mrs. Cristow was standing with the—revolver in her hand.

INSPECTOR
. And you thought she had shot him?

MIDGE
. Well, frankly, yes, I did.

INSPECTOR
. You had no doubt about it?

MIDGE
. No, not then.

INSPECTOR
. (
Quickly
) But you have now. Why?

MIDGE
. I suppose because I realized that I simply jumped to conclusions.

INSPECTOR
. Why were you so sure she had shot him?

MIDGE
. Because she had the revolver in her hand, I suppose.

INSPECTOR
. But you must have thought she had some reason for shooting him. (
He looks keenly at her.
)

MIDGE
. (
Looking troubled
) I . . .

INSPECTOR
. Well, Miss Harvey?

MIDGE
. I don't know of any reason.

INSPECTOR
. In fact, as far as you know, they were a very devoted couple?

MIDGE
. Oh yes, they were.

INSPECTOR
. I see. (
He crosses below the sofa to Right of it.
) Let's get on. What happened next?

MIDGE
. I think—yes, Sir Henry went and knelt down by him. He said he wasn't dead. He told Gudgeon to telephone for the doctor.

INSPECTOR
. Gudgeon? That's the butler. So he was there too.

MIDGE
. Yes, he was. Gudgeon went to the telephone and just then John Cristow opened his eyes. I think he tried to struggle up. And then—then he died. It was horrible.

INSPECTOR
. And that's all?

MIDGE
. Yes.

INSPECTOR
. (
Moving up Right
) He didn't say anything at all before he died?

MIDGE
. I think he said “Henrietta.”

INSPECTOR
. (
Turning
) he said “Henrietta.”

MIDGE
. She—(
Agitatedly
) she was just opposite him when he opened his eyes. He was looking right at her. (
She looks at the
INSPECTOR
as if in explanation.
)

INSPECTOR
. I see. That's all for now, thank you, Miss Harvey.

MIDGE
. (
Rising and crossing to the door Left
) Well, I'd better go and find Henrietta. Lady Angkatell is so very vague, you know. She usually forgets what she went to do.

(
The
SERGEANT
opens the door.
MIDGE
exits Left and the
SERGEANT
closes the door behind her.
)

INSPECTOR
. (
Thoughtfully
) Lady Angkatell is so very vague.

SERGEANT
. (
Crossing to Centre
) She's bats, if you ask me.

(
The
INSPECTOR
holds out his hand and the
SERGEANT
gives him his notebook.
)

INSPECTOR
. I wonder. I wonder. (
He flicks over the pages of the notebook.
) Interesting discrepancies. Lady Angkatell says, (
He reads
) “He murmured something before he died, but she couldn't catch what it was.”

SERGEANT
. Perhaps she's deaf.

INSPECTOR
. Oh no, I don't think she is. According to Sir Henry, John Cristow said “Henrietta” in a loud voice. When I put it to her—but not before—Miss Harvey says the same thing. Edward Angkatell says Cristow died without saying a word. Gudgeon does not precisely recollect. (
He moves below the sofa.
) They all know something, Penny, but they're not telling us. (
He sits on the sofa at the Right end of it.
)