The Mousetrap and Other Plays (62 page)

GILES
. Where did you get hold of that?

MOLLIE
. It was in your overcoat pocket.

GILES
. Anyone could have put it in there.

MOLLIE
. Did they? No, you were in London.

GILES
. All right. Yes, I was in London. I didn't go to meet a woman there.

MOLLIE
. (
In horror; whispering
) Didn't you—are you sure you didn't?

GILE
. Eh? What d'you mean? (
He comes nearer to her.
)

(
MOLLIE
recoils, backing away down Left.
)

MOLLIE
. Go away. Don't come near me.

GILES
. (
Following her
) What's the matter?

MOLLIE
. Don't touch me.

GILES
. Did you go to London yesterday to meet Christopher Wren.

MOLLIE
. Don't be a fool. Of course I didn't.

GILES
. Then why did you go?

(
MOLLIE
changes her manner. She smiles in a dreamy fashion.
)

MOLLIE
. I—shan't tell you that. Perhaps—now—I've forgotten why I went . . . (
She crosses towards the archway up Right.
)

GILES
. (
Moving to Left of
MOLLIE
) Mollie, what's come over you? You're different all of a sudden. I feel as though I don't know you any more.

MOLLIE
. Perhaps you never did know me. We've been married how long—a year? But you don't really know anything about me. What I'd done or thought or felt or suffered before you knew me.

GILES
. Mollie, you're crazy . . .

MOLLIE
. All right then, I'm crazy! Why not? Perhaps it's fun to be crazy!

GILES
. (
Angrily
) What the hell are you . . .?

(
MR
.
PARAVICINI
enters from the archway up Right. He moves between them.
)

PARAVICINI
. Now, now. I do hope you young people are not both saying a little more than you mean. One is so apt to in these lovers' quarrels.

GILES
. “Lovers' quarrels!” That's good. (
He moves to Left of the refectory table.
)

PARAVICINI
. (
Moving down to the small armchair Right
) Quite so. Quite so. I know just how you feel. I have been through all this myself when I was a younger man.
Jeunesse—jeunesse
—as the poet says. Not been married long, I imagine?

GILES
. (
Crossing to the fire
) It's no business of yours, Mr. Paravicini . . .

PARAVICINI
. (
Moving down Centre
) No, no, no business at all. But I just came in to say that the Sergeant cannot find his skis and I'm afraid he is very annoyed.

MOLLIE
. (
Moving to Right of the sofa table
) Christopher!

GILES
. What's that?

PARAVICINI
. (
Moving to face
GILES
) He wants to know if you have by any chance moved them, Mr. Ralston.

GILES
. No, of course not.

(
SERGEANT
TROTTER
enters from the archway up Right, looking red and annoyed.
)

TROTTER
. Mr. Ralston—Mrs. Ralston—have you removed my skis from the cupboard back there where we put them?

GILES
. Certainly not.

TROTTER
. Somebody's taken them.

PARAVICINI
. (
Moving to Right of
TROTTER
) What made you happen to look for them?

TROTTER
. The snow is still lying. I need help here, reinforcements. I was going to ski over to the police station at Market Hampton to report on the situation.

PARAVICINI
. And now you can't—dear, dear . . . Somebody's seen to it that you certainly shan't do that. But there could be another reason, couldn't there?

TROTTER
. Yes, what?

PARAVICINI
. Somebody may want to get away.

GILES
. (
Moving to Right of
MOLLIE
;
to her
) What did you mean when you said “Christopher” just now?

MOLLIE
. Nothing.

PARAVICINI
. (
Chuckling
) So our young architect has hooked it, has he? Very, very interesting.

TROTTER
. Is this true, Mrs. Ralston? (
He moves to Centre of the refectory table.
)

(
CHRISTOPHER
enters from the stairs Left and comes to Left of the sofa.
)

MOLLIE
. (
Moving slightly Left
) Oh, thank goodness. You haven't gone, after all.

TROTTER
. (
Crossing to Right of
CHRISTOPHER
) Did you take my skis, Mr. Wren?

CHRISTOPHER
. (
Surprised
) Your skis, Sergeant? No, why should I?

TROTTER
. Mrs. Ralston seemed to think . . . (
He looks at
MOLLIE
.)

MOLLIE
. Mr. Wren is very fond of skiing. I thought he might have taken them just to—get a little exercise.

GILES
. Exercise? (
He moves up to Centre of the refectory table.
)

TROTTER
. Now, listen, you people. This is a serious matter. Somebody has removed my only chance of communication with the outside world. I want everybody here—at once.

PARAVICINI
. I think Miss Casewell has gone upstairs.

MOLLIE
. I'll get her.

(
MOLLIE
exits up the stairs.
TROTTER
moves to Left of the arch up Left.
)

PARAVICINI
. (
Moving down Right
) I left Major Metcalf in the dining room. (
He opens the door down Right and looks in.
) Major Metcalf! He's not there now.

GILES
. I'll try and find him.

(
GILES
exits up Right.
MOLLIE
and
MISS
CASEWELL
enter from the stairs.
MOLLIE
moves to Right of the refectory table and
MISS
CASEWELL
to Left of it.
MAJOR
METCALF
enters up Left from the library.
)

MAJOR
METCALF
. Hullo, wanting me?

TROTTER
. It's a question of my skis.

MAJOR
METCALF
. Skis? (
He moves to Left of the sofa.
)

PARAVICINI
. (
Moving to the archway up Right and calling
) Mr. Ralston!

(
GILES
enters up Right and stands below the arch.
PARAVICINI
returns and sits in the small armchair down Right.
)

TROTTER
. Did either of you two remove a pair of skis from the cupboard near the kitchen door?

MISS
CASEWELL
. Good Lord, no. Why should I?

MAJOR
METCALF
. And I didn't touch 'em.

TROTTER
. Nevertheless, they are gone. (
To
MISS
CASEWELL
) Which way did you go to your room?

MISS
CASEWELL
. By the back stairs.

TROTTER
. Then you passed the cupboard door.

MISS
CASEWELL
. If you say so—I've no idea where your skis are.

TROTTER
. (
To
MAJOR
METCALF
) You were actually
in
that cupboard today.

MAJOR
METCALF
. Yes, I was.

TROTTER
. At the time Mrs. Boyle was killed.

MAJOR
METCALF
. At the time Mrs. Boyle was killed I'd gone down to the cellar.

TROTTER
. Were the skis in the cupboard when you passed through?

MAJOR
METCALF
. I haven't the least idea.

TROTTER
. Didn't you see them there?

MAJOR
METCALF
. Can't remember.

TROTTER
. You must remember if those skis were there then?

MAJOR
METCALF
. No good shouting at me, young fellow. I wasn't thinking about any damned skis. I was interested in the cellars. (
He moves to the sofa and sits.
) Architecture of this place is very interesting. I opened the other door and I went on down. So I can't tell you whether the skis were there or not.

TROTTER
. (
Moving down to Left of the sofa
) You realize that you, yourself, had an excellent opportunity of taking them?

MAJOR
METCALF
. Yes, yes, I grant you that. If I wanted to, that is.

TROTTER
. The question is, where are they now?

MAJOR
METCALF
. Ought to be able to find them if we all set to. Not a case of “Hunt the Thimble.” Whacking great things, skis. Supposing we all set to. (
He rises and crosses Right towards the door.
)

TROTTER
. Not quite so fast, Major Metcalf. That may be, you know, what we are meant to do.

MAJOR
METCALF
. Eh? I don't get you.

TROTTER
. I'm in the position now where I've got to put myself in the place of a crazy cunning brain. I've got to ask myself what he wants us to do and what he, himself, is planning to do next. I've got to try and keep just one step ahead of him. Because if I don't, there's going to be another death.

MISS
CASEWELL
. You still don't believe that?

TROTTER
. Yes, Miss Casewell. I do. Three blind mice. Two mice cancelled out—a third mouse still to be dealt with. (
Moving down Centre, with his back to the audience
) There are six of you here listening to me. One of you's a killer!

(
There is a pause. They are all affected and look uneasily at one another.
)

One of you's a killer. (
He moves to the fire.
) I don't know which yet, but I shall. And another of you is the killer's prospective victim. That's the person I'm speaking to. (
He crosses to
MOLLIE
.) Mrs. Boyle held out on me—Mrs. Boyle is dead. (
He moves up Centre.
) You—whoever you are—are holding out on me. Well—don't. Because you're in danger. Nobody who's killed twice is going to hesitate to kill a third time. (
He moves to Right of
MAJOR
METCALF
.) And as it is, I don't know which of you it is who needs protection.

(
There is a pause.
)

(
Crossing down Centre and turning his back to the audience
) Come on, now, anybody here who has anything, however slight, to reproach themselves for in that bygone business, had better come out with it.

(
There is a pause.
)

All right—you won't. I'll get the killer—I've no doubt of that—but it may be too late for one of you. (
He moves up to Centre of the refectory table.
) And I'll tell you another thing. The killer's enjoying this. Yes, he's enjoying himself a good deal . . .

(
There is a pause.
)

(
He moves round the Right end of the refectory table to behind it. He opens the Right curtain, looks out and then sits at the Right end of the window-seat
) All right—you can go.

(
MAJOR
METCALF
exits into the dining room down Right.
CHRISTOPHER
exits up the stairs Left.
MISS
CASEWELL
crosses to the fire and leans on the mantelpiece.
GILES
moves Centre and
MOLLIE
follows
;
GILES
stops and turns Right.
MOLLIE
turns her back on him and moves behind the armchair Centre.
PARAVICINI
rises and moves to Right of
MOLLIE
.)

PARAVICINI
. Talking of chicken, dear lady, have you ever tried chickens' livers served on toast that has been thickly smeared with
foie gras
, with a very thin rasher of bacon just touched with a
soupçon
of fresh mustard? I will come with you to the kitchen and we will see what we can concoct together. A charming occupation.

(
PARAVICINI
takes
MOLLIE
's right arm and starts to move up Right.
)

GILES
. (
Taking
MOLLIE
's left arm
) I'm helping my wife, Paravicini.

(
MOLLIE
throws off
GILES
's arm.
)

PARAVICINI
. Your husband is afraid for you. Quite natural under the circumstances. He doesn't fancy your being alone with me.

(
MOLLIE
throws off
PARAVICINI
's arm.
)