The Mousetrap and Other Plays (70 page)

LEONARD
. O.K. (
He looks nervously at
SIR
WILFRID
then crosses and takes his hat from the hooks up
L
.) I'm ready.

MAYHEW
. (
Moving to
L
.
of the
INSPECTOR
) Good afternoon, Inspector Hearne. My name is Mayhew. I am representing Mr. Vole.

INSPECTOR
. Good afternoon, Mr. Mayhew. That's quite all right. We'll take him along and charge him now.

(
LEONARD
and the
DETECTIVE
exit.
)

(
He crosses to
SIR
WILFRID
.
To
MAYHEW
.) Very seasonable weather we're having just now. Quite a nip of frost last night. We'll be seeing you later, sir, I expect. (
He crosses to the door.
) Hope we haven't inconvenienced you, Sir Wilfrid.

SIR
WILFRID
. I am never inconvenienced.

(
The
INSPECTOR
laughs politely and exits.
)

(
He closes the door.
) I must say, John, that that young man is in a worse mess than he seems to think.

MAYHEW
. He certainly is. How does he strike you?

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Crossing to
L
.
of
MAYHEW
) Extraordinarily naïve. Yet in some ways quite shrewd. Intelligent, I should say. But he certainly doesn't realize the danger of his position.

MAYHEW
. Do you think he did it?

SIR
WILFRID
. I've no idea. On the whole, I should say
not.
(
Sharply.
) You agree?

MAYHEW
. (
Taking his pipe from his pocket
) I agree.

(
SIR
WILFRID
takes the tobacco jar from the mantelpiece and hands it to
MAYHEW
, who crosses, stands above the desk and fills his pipe.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. Oh well, he seems to have impressed both of us favourably. I can't think why. I never heard a weaker story. God knows what we're going to do with it. The only evidence in his favour seems to be his wife's—and who's going to believe a wife?

MAYHEW
. (
With dry humour.
) It has been known to happen.

SIR
WILFRID
. She's a foreigner, too. Nine out of the twelve in a jury box believe a foreigner is lying anyway. She'll be emotional and upset, and won't understand what the prosecuting counsel says to her. Still, we shall have to interview her. You'll see, she'll have hysterics all over my Chambers.

MAYHEW
. Perhaps you'd prefer not to accept the brief.

SIR
WILFRID
. Who says I won't accept it? Just because I point out that the boy has an absolute tomfool story to tell.

MAYHEW
. (
Crossing and handing the tobacco jar to
SIR
WILFRID
) But a true one.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Replacing the jar on the mantelpiece
) It must be a true one. It couldn't be so idiotic if it wasn't true. Put all the facts down in black and white and the whole thing is utterly damning.

(
MAYHEW
feels in his pockets for matches.
)

And yet, when you talk to the boy, and he blurts out these damning facts, you realize that the whole thing could happen just as he said. Damn it, I had the equivalent of an Aunt Betsy myself. I loved her dearly.

MAYHEW
. He's got a good personality, I think. Sympathetic.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Taking a matchbox from his pocket and handing it to
MAYHEW
) Yes, he ought to go down well with the jury. That cuts no ice with the Judge, though. And he's the simple sort of chap who may get rattled easily in the box.

(
MAYHEW
finds that the box is empty and throws it in the wastepaper basket.
)

A lot depends on this girl.

(
There is a KNOCK at the door.
)

(
He calls.
) Come in.

(
GRETA
enters. She is excited and a little scared. She closes the door.
)

Yes, Greta, what is it?

GRETA
. (
In a whisper.
) Mrs. Leonard Vole is here.

MAYHEW
. Mrs. Vole.

SIR
WILFRID
. Come here. You saw that young man? He's been arrested for murder.

GRETA
. (
Crossing to
L
.
of
SIR
WILFRID
) I know. Isn't it exciting?

SIR
WILFRID
. Do you think he did it?

GRETA
. Oh no, sir, I'm sure he didn't.

SIR
WILFRID
. Oh, why not?

GRETA
. He's far too nice.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
To
MAYHEW
) That makes three of us. (
To
GRETA
.) Bring Mrs. Vole in.

(
GRETA
crosses and exits.
)

And we're probably three credulous fools—(
He crosses to the chair
L
.
of the desk.
) taken in by a young man with a pleasing personality. (
He sets the chair in readiness for
ROMAINE
.)

CARTER
. (
Enters and stands to one side. Announcing
) Mrs. Vole.

(
ROMAINE
enters. She is a foreign woman of great personality, but very quiet. Her voice has a strangely ironic inflection.
)

MAYHEW
. (
Crossing to
R
.
of
ROMAINE
) My dear Mrs. Vole. (
He goes towards her with a great air of sympathy, but is slightly rebuffed by her personality.
)

(
CARTER
exits, closing the door behind him.
)

ROMAINE
. Ah! You are Mr. Mayhew.

MAYHEW
. Yes. This is Sir Wilfrid Robarts, who has agreed to handle your husband's case for him.

ROMAINE
. (
Crossing to
C
.) How do you do, Sir Wilfrid?

SIR
WILFRID
. How do you do?

ROMAINE
. I have just come from your office, Mr. Mayhew. They told me you were here with my husband.

SIR
WILFRID
. Quite, quite.

ROMAINE
. Just as I arrived I thought I saw Leonard getting into a car. There were two men with him.

SIR
WILFRID
. Now, my dear Mrs. Vole, you must not upset yourself.

(
ROMAINE
is not in the least upset.
)

(
He is slightly disconcerted.
) Won't you sit down, here?

ROMAINE
. Thank you. (
She sits in the chair
L
.
of the desk.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Moving above the desk to
R
.
of it
) There is nothing to be alarmed about as yet, and you must not give way. (
He moves below the desk.
)

ROMAINE
. (
After a pause.
) Oh, no, I shall not give way.

SIR
WILFRID
. Then let me tell you that, as perhaps you already suspect, your husband has just been arrested.

ROMAINE
. For the murder of Miss Emily French?

SIR
WILFRID
. I'm afraid so, yes. But please don't be upset.

ROMAINE
. You keep saying that, Sir Wilfrid, but I am not upset.

SIR
WILFRID
. No. No, I see you have great fortitude.

ROMAINE
. You can call it that if you like.

SIR
WILFRID
. The great thing is to be calm and to tackle all this sensibly.

ROMAINE
. That suits me very well. But you must not hide anything from me, Sir Wilfrid. You must not try and spare me. I want to know everything. (
With a slightly different inflection.
) I want to know—the worst.

SIR
WILFRID
. Splendid. Splendid. That's the right way to tackle things. (
He moves to
R
.
of the desk.
) Now, dear lady, we're not going to give way to alarm or despondency, we're going to look at things in a sensible and straightforward manner. (
He sits
R
.
of the desk.
) Your husband became friendly with Miss French about six weeks ago. You were—er—aware of that friendship?

ROMAINE
. He told me that he had rescued an old lady and her parcels one day in the middle of a crowded street. He told me that she had asked him to go and see her.

SIR
WILFRID
. All very natural, I think. And your husband did go and see her.

ROMAINE
. Yes.

SIR
WILFRID
. And they became great friends.

ROMAINE
. Evidently.

SIR
WILFRID
. There was no question of your accompanying your husband on any occasion?

ROMAINE
. Leonard thought it better not.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Shooting a keen glance at her
) He thought it better not. Yes. Just between ourselves, why did he think it better not?

ROMAINE
. He thought Miss French would prefer it that way.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
A little nervously and sliding off the subject.
) Yes, yes, quite. Well, we can go into that some other time. Your husband, then, became friends with Miss French, he did her various little services, she was a lonely old woman with time on her hands and she found your husband's companionship congenial to her.

ROMAINE
. Leonard can be very charming.

SIR
WILFRID
. Yes, I'm sure he can. He felt, no doubt, it was a kindly action on his part to go and cheer up the old lady.

ROMAINE
. I daresay.

SIR
WILFRID
. You yourself did not object at all to your husband's friendship with this old lady?

ROMAINE
. I do not think I objected, no.

SIR
WILFRID
. You have, of course, perfect trust in your husband, Mrs. Vole. Knowing him as well as you do . . .

ROMAINE
. Yes, I know Leonard very well.

SIR
WILFRID
. I can't tell you how much I admire your calm and your courage, Mrs. Vole. Knowing as I do how devoted you are to him . . .

ROMAINE
. So you know how devoted I am to him?

SIR
WILFRID
. Of course.

ROMAINE
. But excuse me, I am a foreigner. I do not always know your English terms. But is there not a saying about knowing something of your own knowledge? You do not know that I am devoted to Leonard, of your own knowledge, do you, Sir Wilfrid? (
She smiles.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Slightly disconcerted.
) No, no, that is of course true. But your husband told me.

ROMAINE
. Leonard told you how devoted I was to him?

SIR
WILFRID
. Indeed, he spoke of your devotion in the most moving terms.

ROMAINE
. Men, I often think, are very stupid.

SIR
WILFRID
. I beg your pardon?

ROMAINE
. It does not matter. Please go on.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Rising and crossing above the desk to
C
.) This Miss French was a woman of some considerable wealth. She had no near relations. Like many eccentric elderly ladies she was fond of making wills. She had made several wills in her lifetime. Shortly after meeting your husband she made a fresh will. After some small bequests she left the whole of her fortune to your husband.

ROMAINE
. Yes.

SIR
WILFRID
. You know that?

ROMAINE
. I read it in the paper this evening.

SIR
WILFRID
. Quite, quite. Before reading it in the paper, you had no idea of the fact? Your husband had no idea of it?

ROMAINE
. (
After a pause.
) Is that what he told you?

SIR
WILFRID
. Yes. You don't suggest anything different?

ROMAINE
. No. Oh, no. I do not suggest anything.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Crossing above the desk to
R
.
of it and sitting
) There seems to be no doubt that Miss French looked upon your husband rather in the light of a son, or perhaps a very favourite nephew.

ROMAINE
. (
With distinct irony.
) You think Miss French looked upon Leonard as a son?