The Mousetrap and Other Plays (44 page)

SERGEANT
. We'll get round to it. (
He crosses to the
INSPECTOR
.) Think the wife did shoot him? (
He takes his notebook from the
INSPECTOR
,
then eases to Right of the sofa.
)

INSPECTOR
. Wives so often have excellent reasons for shooting their husbands that one tends to suspect them automatically.

SERGEANT
. It's clear enough that all the others think she did it.

INSPECTOR
. Or do they probably all
want
to think she did it?

SERGEANT
. Meaning exactly?

INSPECTOR
. There's an atmosphere of family solidarity in this house. They're all blood relations. Mrs. Cristow's the only outsider. Yes, I think they'd be glad to be sure she did it.

SERGEANT
. (
Crossing above the sofa to Centre.
) But you're not so sure?

INSPECTOR
. Actually anyone could have shot him. There are no alibis in this case. (
He rises and stands Right of the sofa.
) No times or places to check. Just look at the entrances and exits. You could shoot him from the terrace, pop round the house and—(
He indicates the window Right
) in by this window. Or through the front door and hall and in by that door, and if you say you've come from the farm or the kitchen garden or from shooting in the woods, nobody can check that statement. (
He looks through the window Right.
) There are shrubs and undergrowth right up to the house. You could play hide-and-seek there for hours. (
He moves above the sofa.
) The revolver was one of those used for target practice. Anyone could have picked it up and they'd all handled it, though the only clear prints on it are those of Mrs. Cristow and Henrietta Angkatell. (
He moves Left of the sofa.
) It all boils down really to what sort of a man John Cristow was. (
He moves below the sofa.
) If you know all about a man, you can guess who would have wanted to murder him.

SERGEANT
. We'll pick up all that in London, in Harley Street. Secretary, servants.

INSPECTOR
. (
Sitting on the sofa at the Left end of it
) Any luck with the servants here?

SERGEANT
. Not yet. They're the starchy kind. There's no kitchen maid unfortunately. I always had a success with kitchen maids. (
He moves above the armchair Left Centre to the fireplace.
) There's a daily girl as underhousemaid I've got hopes of. I'd like to put in a little more work on her now, sir, if you don't want me.

(
The
INSPECTOR
nods. The
SERGEANT
grins and exits Left. The
INSPECTOR
rises, moves to the window Right, looks out for a moment, then turns, moves up Centre and goes out on to the terrace. After a few moments he moves to the sofa and sits on it at the Left end. He becomes aware of something under the cushion behind him, moves the cushion and picks up
VERONICA
's red handbag. He opens the bag, looks into it and shows considerable surprise. He closes the bag, rises, moves to Left of the sofa and weighs the bag in his hand. As he does so voices are heard off Left. He immediately replaces the bag on the sofa and covers it with the cushion.
)

MIDGE
. (
Off Left
) Oh, there you are, Henrietta. The Inspector would like to see you.

HENRIETTA
. (
Off Left
) Thank you, Midge. Lucy's just told me. I'm going in to see him now.

MIDGE
. (
Off Left
) Oh good. I thought she might forget.

(
The
INSPECTOR
crosses to Left of the sofa.
HENRIETTA
enters Left.
)

HENRIETTA
. (
Closing the door
) You wanted to see me? (
She crosses to the sofa and sits on it at the Left end.
)

INSPECTOR
. Yes, Miss Angkatell. You're a relation as well, aren't you?

HENRIETTA
. Yes, we're all cousins. It's rather confusing because Lady Angkatell married her second cousin and is actually an Angkatell herself.

INSPECTOR
. Just a family party—with the exception of Doctor and Mrs. Cristow?

HENRIETTA
. Yes.

INSPECTOR
. (
Moving up Right
) Will you give me your account of what happened?

HENRIETTA
. I was in the flower garden. (
She points Right.
) It's through there. Not very far from the house. I heard the shot and realized it came from the house and not from the target alley down below. I thought that was strange, so I came in.

INSPECTOR
. By which window?

HENRIETTA
. (
Pointing Right
) That one.

INSPECTOR
. Will you describe what you saw?

HENRIETTA
. Sir Henry and Gudgeon, the butler, were bending over John Cristow. Mrs. Cristow was beside them. She had the revolver in her hand.

INSPECTOR
. (
Moving to Right of the sofa
) And you concluded that she had shot him?

HENRIETTA
. Why should I think so?

INSPECTOR
. Didn't you, in fact, think so?

HENRIETTA
. No, I didn't.

INSPECTOR
. What did you think, then?

HENRIETTA
. I don't think I thought at all. It was all rather unexpected. Sir Henry told Gudgeon to call the doctor and he went over to the phone.

INSPECTOR
. Who else was in the room?

HENRIETTA
. Everybody, I think. No—Edward came in after I did.

INSPECTOR
. Which way?

HENRIETTA
. By the terrace.

INSPECTOR
. And then?

HENRIETTA
. And then—John died.

INSPECTOR
. Was he conscious before he died.

HENRIETTA
. Oh yes, he opened his eyes.

INSPECTOR
. Did he say anything?

HENRIETTA
. (
After a pause
) He said “Henrietta”.

INSPECTOR
. You knew him well?

HENRIETTA
. Very well indeed.

INSPECTOR
. He didn't say anything else?

HENRIETTA
. No.

INSPECTOR
. (
Crossing above the sofa to Left of it
) What happened next?

HENRIETTA
. Let me see—oh yes, Gerda cried out. She was swaying, and waving the revolver about. I thought it might go off. I went and took it from her and tried to get her on to the sofa.

INSPECTOR
. (
Crossing to the fireplace
) Were you particularly a friend of Doctor Cristow or of Mrs. Cristow?

HENRIETTA
. That's rather a difficult question to answer.

INSPECTOR
. (
Sympathetically and gently
) Is it, Miss Angkatell?

HENRIETTA
. (
Resolutely
) Well, I'll take a short cut. I was John Cristow's mistress. That's what you wanted to know, isn't it?

INSPECTOR
. (
Crossing to
HENRIETTA
) Thank you, Miss Angkatell. (
He takes a cigarette case from his pocket and offers a cigarette to
HENRIETTA
.
Gently
) I'm afraid we have to know all the facts.

HENRIETTA
. (
Taking a cigarette; in a dry voice
) If this particular fact has no bearing on the case, and I don't see how it can have, is there any necessity to make it public? Not only for my sake. It would give Mrs. Cristow a good deal of unnecessary pain.

INSPECTOR
. (
Lighting
HENRIETTA
's cigarette
) Mrs. Cristow had no idea of the relationship between you and her husband?

HENRIETTA
. None.

INSPECTOR
. Are you sure of that?

HENRIETTA
. Absolutely.

INSPECTOR
. (
Crossing above the sofa to Right of it
) How long had you and Doctor Cristow been lovers?

HENRIETTA
. I became his mistress six months ago. I did not say we were lovers.

INSPECTOR
. (
Looking at her with quickened interest
) I'm not sure that I know what you mean, Miss Angkatell.

HENRIETTA
. I think you will know if you think about it.

INSPECTOR
. There was no question of a divorce?

HENRIETTA
. Certainly not. That's what I've been trying to explain. John Cristow had had affairs with other women. I was only one of—a procession. I don't think he really cared for any woman except his wife. But she wasn't the kind of woman he could talk to about his work. He was doing research work on an obscure disease.

(
The
INSPECTOR
sits on the sofa at the Right end of it.
)

He was a very brilliant man, and his research work was the real passion of his life. He got into the habit of coming into my studio and talking to me about it. Actually it was a good deal above my head, but I got some books on the subject and read it up, so that I could understand better. And my questions, even if they weren't very technical, helped him to formulate his own ideas. (
She speaks naturally, as to a friend.
) And then—suddenly—I got between John and what he was thinking about. I began to affect him as a woman. He didn't want to fall in love with me—he'd been in love when he was a young man, and it had left him afraid of going through it again. No, he just wanted an affair, like other affairs he had. I think he thought that if he had an affair with me, he'd get me out of his system and not be distracted from his work any more.

INSPECTOR
. And was that satisfactory to you?

HENRIETTA
. No, no, of course not. But it had to do. I loved John Cristow, and I was content that he should have what he wanted.

INSPECTOR
. I see. It was like that.

HENRIETTA
. I've been forgetting that you're a policeman.

INSPECTOR
. Policemen are quite like other men. We hear a good deal that isn't strictly relevant—perhaps it's because we're impersonal—like priests.

HENRIETTA
. Yes, yes, I suppose you must learn a good deal about the human heart. (
She rises and flicks her cigarette ash into the ashtray on the coffee table. The following sentence does not ring quite true.
) So now you understand why John said “Henrietta” just before he died.

(
The
SERGEANT
enters Left.
)

INSPECTOR
. It's a small point, Miss Angkatell—(
He rises and stands Right of the sofa
) but why did you take the revolver away from Mrs. Cristow?

HENRIETTA
. I told you. I thought she was going to faint.

INSPECTOR
. It was one of the revolvers used earlier for target practice. The only clear prints on it are Mrs. Cristow's and—naturally—yours. (
He pauses.
) It would have been better if nobody had touched it.

HENRIETTA
. One doesn't realize these things at the time. Is that all, Inspector?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, thank you, Miss Angkatell, that's all for the present.

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

SERGEANT
. Get anything useful out of her?

INSPECTOR
. She was Cristow's mistress. She told me that accounts for his saying “Henrietta” before he died.

SERGEANT
. (
Crossing to Left of the sofa
) That seems fair enough.

INSPECTOR
. If it's true.

SERGEANT
. What other reason could he have for saying her name?

INSPECTOR
. It could have been—an accusation.

SERGEANT
. You mean she might have done him in?

INSPECTOR
. (
Crossing to the fireplace
) It's possible.

SERGEANT
. My money's on the wife. If Mrs. Cristow had found out about her husband and this Henrietta, it gives us what we want—a motive.

INSPECTOR
. Henrietta Angkatell says she didn't know.

SERGEANT
. You can't be sure of that. Somebody tipped Mrs. Cristow off as like as not.

INSPECTOR
. (
Moving to the alcove and looking off at the statue
) She couldn't have hidden her feelings for long. She's not that kind of woman.

SERGEANT
. What about the others? They're in the clear, I suppose?

INSPECTOR
. There doesn't seem any reason why any of them should have wanted John Cristow dead. (
He turns and crosses above the sofa to the writing table.
) But there's a good deal we don't know yet. They're all watchful and cagey about what they say.

SERGEANT
. I can't see how Sir Henry or Lady Angkatell could have any reason for wanting Cristow out of the way.

INSPECTOR
. Nor the little girl—Miss Harvey. But remember that statement of Edward Angkatell's: “Did John Cristow say anything before he died? Nothing at all.” A flat denial, that of what we know to be true. Both Sir Henry and Miss Harvey say that John Cristow said “Henrietta” in quite a loud voice.