The Mousetrap and Other Plays (5 page)

ROGERS
. (
Quickly
) Of course it did. Gave me a turn too. Wicked lies it was! I'd like to know—

(
WARGRAVE
at Centre deliberately clears his throat. It stops
ROGERS
,
who stares at him nervously.
WARGRAVE
clears his throat again, looking hard at
ROGERS
.)

WARGRAVE
. Who was it put that record on the gramophone? Was it you, Rogers?

ROGERS
. I was just obeying orders, sir, that's all.

WARGRAVE
. Whose orders?

ROGERS
. Mr. Owen's.

WARGRAVE
. Let me get this quite clear. Mr. Owen's orders were—what exactly?

ROGERS
. I was to put on a record on the gramophone in the study. I'd find the records in the drawer in there. I was to start with that one, sir. I thought it was just to give you all some music.

WARGRAVE
. (
Sceptically
) A very remarkable story.

ROGERS
. (
Hysterically
) It's the truth, sir. Before Heaven, it's the truth. I didn't know what it was—not for a moment. It had a name on it. I thought it was just a piece of music.

(
WARGRAVE
looks towards
LOMBARD
,
who examines record.
)

WARGRAVE
. Is there a title?

LOMBARD
. (
Grinning
) A title? Yes, sir. It's entitled “Swan Song.”

(
It amuses him, but some of the
OTHERS
react nervously.
)

MACKENZIE
. The whole thing is preposterous—preposterous! Slinging accusations about like this. Something must be done about it. This fellow Owen, whoever he is—(
Moves up Left.
)

EMILY
. That's just it. Who is he?

WARGRAVE
. (
With authority
) That is exactly what we must go into very carefully. I should suggest that you get your wife to bed, Rogers. Then come back here.

ROGERS
. Yes, sir.

ARMSTRONG
. I'll give you a hand.

VERA
. (
Rising
) Will she be all right, Doctor?

ARMSTRONG
. Yes, quite all right.

(
ARMSTRONG
and
ROGERS
help
MRS. ROGERS
up and take her out Left 1.
)

MARSTON
. (
To
WARGRAVE
) Don't know about you, sir, but I feel I need another drink.

WARGRAVE
. I agree.

MARSTON
. I'll get them. (
Goes down Right.
)

MACKENZIE
. (
Muttering angrily
) Preposterous—that's what it is—preposterous. (
Sits up Left.
)

MARSTON
. Whisky for you, Sir Lawrence?

EMILY
. (
Sits Right sofa
) I should like a glass of water, please.

VERA
. Yes, I'll get it. I'll have a little whisky too. (
Crosses down Right.
)

(
VERA
takes glass of water to
EMILY
,
then sits Right Centre with her own drink. They sip drinks without speaking, but they eye each other.
ARMSTRONG
enters Left 1.
)

ARMSTRONG
. She'll be all right. I've given her a sedative.

BLORE
. (
Crosses down Left
) Now then, Doctor, you'll want a drink after all this.

ARMSTRONG
. No, thank you. I never touch it. (
Sits down Left.
)

BLORE
. Oh, so you said. You have this one, General? (
Up Left to
MACKENZIE
.)

(
MARSTON
and
LOMBARD
refill their glasses.
ROGERS
stands near door Left 1. He is nervous.
EVERYONE
focuses attention on him.
)

WARGRAVE
. (
Centre above sofas
) Now then, Rogers, we must get to the bottom of this. Tell us what you know about Mr. Owen.

ROGERS
. He owns this place, sir.

WARGRAVE
. I am aware of that fact. What I want you to tell me is what you yourself know about the man.

ROGERS
. I can't say, sir. You see, I've never seen him.

(
Faint stir of interest.
)

MACKENZIE
. What d'you mean, you've never seen him?

ROGERS
. We've only been here just under a week, sir, my wife and I. We were engaged by letter through a registry office. The Regina, in Plymouth.

BLORE
. That's a high-class firm. We can check on that.

WARGRAVE
. Have you got the letter?

ROGERS
. The letter engaging us? Yes, sir.

(
Hunts for it and hands it to
WARGRAVE
,
who runs through it.
)

WARGRAVE
. Go on with your story.

ROGERS
. We arrived here like the letter said, on the
4
th. Everything was in order, plenty of food in stock and everything very nice. Just needed dusting and that.

WARGRAVE
. What next?

ROGERS
. Nothing, sir. That is, we got orders to prepare the room for a house party—eight. Then yesterday, by the morning post, I received another letter saying Mr. and Mrs. Owen might be detained and, if so, we was to do the best we could, and it gave the instructions about dinner and putting on the gramophone record. Here it is, sir. (
Crosses to Centre. Hands over letter. Retires up Centre.
)

WARGRAVE
. H'mm. Headed Ritz Hotel and typewritten.

(
BLORE
steps up to him and takes letter out of his hands.
MARSTON
to Left of
BLORE
.
MACKENZIE
rises; looks over
WARGRAVE
's shoulder.
)

BLORE
. Coronation machine Number
5
. Quite new. No defects. Ensign paper—most common make. We shan't get much out of this. We might try it for fingerprints, but it's been handled too much.

LOMBARD
. Quite the little detective.

(
WARGRAVE
turns and looks at him sharply.
BLORE'
S
manner has completely changed, so has his voice.
MACKENZIE
sits up Left again.
LOMBARD
sits Left sofa.
)

MARSTON
. (
Taking letter, moving down Right
) Got some fancy Christian names, hasn't he? Ulick Norman Owen. Quite a mouthful.

WARGRAVE
. (
Takes letter from
MARSTON
;
crosses Left below sofa
) I am obliged to you, Mr. Marston. You have drawn my attention to a curious and suggestive point. (
He looks around in his court manner
) I think the time has come for all of us to pool our information. It would be well for everybody to come forward with all the information they have regarding our unknown host. We are all his guests. I think it would be profitable if each one of us were to explain exactly how that came about.

(
There is a pause.
)

EMILY
. (
Rising
) There's something very peculiar about all this. I received a letter with a signature that was not very easy to read. It purported to be from a woman whom I had met at a certain summer resort two or three years ago. I took the name to be Ogden. I am quite certain that I have never met or become friendly with anyone of the name of Owen.

WARGRAVE
. Have you got that letter, Miss Brent?

EMILY
. Yes. I will fetch it for you. (
Goes out Left 1.
)

WARGRAVE
. (
To Left of
VERA
) Miss Claythorne?

VERA
. (
Rises
) I never actually met Mrs. Owen. I wanted a holiday post and I applied to a Secretarial Agency, Miss Grenfell's in London. I was offered this post and accepted.

WARGRAVE
. And you were never interviewed by your prospective employer?

VERA
. No. This is the letter. (
Hands it to him. Sits again chair Right Centre.
)

WARGRAVE
. (
Reading
) “Indian Island, Sticklehaven, Devon. I have received your name from Miss Grenfell's Agency. I understand she knows you personally. I shall be glad to pay you the salary you ask, and shall expect you to take up your duties on August 8th. The train is the 12:10 from Paddington and you will be met at Oakbridge Station. I enclose five pounds for expenses.

Yours truly,

Una Nancy Owen.”

(
MARSTON
starts to go up Right
) Mr. Marston?

MARSTON
. Don't actually know the Owens. Got a wire from a pal of mine, Badger Berkeley. Told me to roll up here. Surprised me a bit because I had an idea the old horse had gone to Norway. I haven't got the wire. (
To Right window.
)

WARGRAVE
. Thank you. Doctor Armstrong?

ARMSTRONG
. (
After a pause, rising and coming Left Centre
) In the circumstances, I think I may admit that my visit here was professional. Mr. Owen wrote me that he was worried about his wife's health—her nerves, to be precise. He wanted a report without her being alarmed. He therefore suggested that my visit should be regarded as that of an ordinary guest.

WARGRAVE
. You had no previous acquaintance with the family?

ARMSTRONG
. No.

WARGRAVE
. But you had no hesitation in obeying the summons?

ARMSTRONG
. A colleague of mine was mentioned and a very handsome fee suggested. I was due for a holiday, anyway. (
Rises; crosses to Right to mantelpiece for cigarette.
)

WARGRAVE
. (
EMILY
reenters and hands letter to
WARGRAVE
,
who unfolds it and reads.
EMILY
sits down Left.
) “Dear Miss Brent: I do hope you remember me. We were together at Bell Haven guest house in August some years ago and we seemed to have so much in common. I am starting a guest house of my own on an island off the coast of Devon. I think there is really an opening for a place where there is good plain English cooking, and a nice old-fashioned type of person. None of this nudity and gramophones half the night. I shall be very glad if you could see your way to spending your summer holiday on Indian Island—as my guest, of course. I suggest August 8th, 12:40 from Paddington to Oakbridge.

Yours sincerely,

U.N.”

H'm, yes, the signature is slightly ambiguous.

LOMBARD
. (
Rises; crosses to
VERA
.
Aside to her
) I like the nudity touch!

WARGRAVE
. (
To above sofas. Takes letter from pocket.
) Here is my own decoy letter. From an old friend of mine, Lady Constance Culmington. She writes in her usual vague, incoherent way, urges me to join her here and refers to her host and hostess in the vaguest of terms.

(
ARMSTRONG
Right of
WARGRAVE
,
MARSTON
to Right of
ARMSTRONG
to look at letter.
MACKENZIE
to Left of
WARGRAVE
.)

LOMBARD
. (
With sudden excitement, staring at
BLORE
) Look here, I've just thought of something—

WARGRAVE
. In a minute.

LOMBARD
. But I—

WARGRAVE
. We will take one thing at a time, if you don't mind, Captain Lombard. General MacKenzie?

(
BLORE
sits Right end of Left sofa.
)

MACKENZIE
. (
Rather incoherently, pulling at moustache
) Got a letter—from this fellow Owen—thought I must have met sometime at the Club—mentioned some old cronies of mine who were to be here—hoped I'd excuse informal invitation. Haven't kept the letter, I'm afraid. (
Sits up Left.
)

WARGRAVE
. And you, Captain Lombard?

LOMBARD
. Same sort of thing. Invitation mentioning mutual friends. I haven't kept the letter either.

(
Pause.
WARGRAVE
turns his attention to
BLORE
.
He looks at him for some minutes. When he speaks, his voice is silky and dangerous.
)

WARGRAVE
. Just now we had a somewhat disturbing experience. An apparently disembodied voice spoke to us all by name, uttering certain definite accusations against us. We will deal with those accusations presently. At the moment I am interested in a minor point. Amongst the names received was that of William Henry Blore. But as far as we know, there is no one named Blore amongst us. The name of Davis was not mentioned. What have you to say about that, Mr. Davis?

BLORE
. (
Rises
) Cat's out of the bag, it seems. I suppose I'd better admit my name isn't Davis.