The Mousetrap and Other Plays (73 page)

INSPECTOR
. He wears gloves.

SIR
WILFRID
. Invariably?

INSPECTOR
. Almost invariably.

SIR
WILFRID
. So the absence of fingerprints in a case of robbery would hardly surprise you?

INSPECTOR
. No, sir.

SIR
WILFRID
. Now, these chisel marks on the window. Were they on the inside or the outside of the casement?

INSPECTOR
. On the outside, sir.

SIR
WILFRID
. Isn't that consistent—and only consistent—with a breaking in from the outside?

INSPECTOR
. He could have gone out of the house afterwards to have done that, sir, or he could have made those marks from the inside.

SIR
WILFRID
. From the inside, Inspector? Now how could he have possibly done that?

INSPECTOR
. There are two windows together there. Both are casements, and with their catches adjacent. It would have been easy for anyone in the room to open one window, lean out, and force the catch of the other.

SIR
WILFRID
. Tell me, did you find any chisel near the premises, or at the prisoner's flat?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, sir. At the prisoner's flat.

SIR
WILFRID
. Oh?

INSPECTOR
. But it didn't fit the marks on the window.

SIR
WILFRID
. It was a windy night, was it not, on October fourteenth?

INSPECTOR
. I really can't remember, sir. (
He refers to his notes.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. According to my learned friend, Janet MacKenzie said that the curtains were blowing. Perhaps you noticed that fact yourself?

INSPECTOR
. Well, yes, sir, they did blow about.

SIR
WILFRID
. Indicating that it was a windy night. I suggest that if a burglar had forced the window from the outside and then swung it back, some of the loose glass might easily have fallen down
outside
the window, the window having been blown back violently by the wind. That is possible, is it not?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, sir.

SIR
WILFRID
. Crimes of violence, as we all have been unhappily aware, have been much on the increase lately. You would agree to that, would you not?

INSPECTOR
. It's been a little above normal, sir.

SIR
WILFRID
. Let us take the case that some young thugs had broken in, who meant to attack Miss French and steal; it is possible that if one of them coshed her and found that she was dead, they might give way to panic and leave without taking anything? Or they might even have been looking for money and would be afraid to touch anything in the nature of jewellery?

MYERS
. (
Rising
) I submit that it is impossible for Inspector Hearne to guess at what went on in the minds of some
entirely
hypothetical young criminals who may not even exist. (
He sits.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. The prisoner came forward of his own accord and gave his statement quite willingly?

INSPECTOR
. That is so.

SIR
WILFRID
. Is it the case that at all times the prisoner has protested his innocence?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, sir.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Indicating the knife on the table
) Inspector Hearne, will you kindly examine that knife?

(
The
USHER
rises, crosses, picks up the knife and hands it to the
INSPECTOR
.)

You have seen that knife before?

INSPECTOR
. I may have.

SIR
WILFRID
. This is the knife taken from the kitchen table in Leonard Vole's flat and which was brought to your attention by the prisoner's wife on the occasion of your first interview with her.

MYERS
. (
Rising
) My lord, to save the time of the Court, may I say that we accept this knife as being a knife in the possession of Leonard Vole and shown to the Inspector by Mrs. Vole. (
He sits.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. That is correct, Inspector?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, sir.

SIR
WILFRID
. It is what is known, I believe, as a French vegetable knife?

INSPECTOR
. I believe so, sir.

SIR
WILFRID
. Just test the edge of the knife with your finger—carefully.

(
The
INSPECTOR
tests the knife edge.
)

You agree that the cutting edge and the point are razor sharp?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, sir.

SIR
WILFRID
. And if you were cutting—say, ham—carving it, that is, and your hand slipped with this knife, it would be capable of inflicting a very nasty cut, and one which would bleed profusely?

MYERS
. (
Rising
) I object. That is a matter of opinion, and medical opinion at that. (
He sits.
)

(
The
USHER
takes the knife from the
INSPECTOR
,
puts it on the table, crosses and resumes his seat.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. I withdraw the question. I will ask you instead, Inspector, if the prisoner, when questioned by you as to the stains on the sleeve of his jacket, drew your attention to a recently healed scar on his wrist, and stated that it had been caused by a household knife when he was slicing ham?

INSPECTOR
. That is what he said.

SIR
WILFRID
. And you were told the same thing by the prisoner's wife?

INSPECTOR
. The first time. Afterwards . . .

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Sharply
) A simple yes or no, please. Did the prisoner's wife show you this knife, and tell you that her husband had cut his wrist with it slicing ham?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, she did.

(
SIR
WILFRID
resumes his seat.
)

MYERS
. (
Rising
) What first drew your attention to that jacket, Inspector?

INSPECTOR
. The sleeve appeared to have been recently washed.

MYERS
. And you're told this story about an accident with a kitchen knife?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, sir.

MYERS
. And your attention was drawn to a scar on the prisoner's wrist?

INSPECTOR
. Yes, sir.

MYERS
. Granted that the scar was made by this particular knife, there was nothing to show whether it was an accident or done deliberately?

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Rising
) Really, my lord, if my learned friend is going to answer his own questions, the presence of the witness seems to be superfluous. (
He sits.
)

MYERS
. (
Resignedly
) I withdraw the question. Thank you, Inspector.

(
The
INSPECTOR
stands down, crosses and exits up
L
.
The
POLICEMAN
closes the door behind him.
)

Dr. Wyatt.

(
DR
.
WYATT
rises and enters the box. He carries some notes. The
USHER
rises, crosses, hands the Bible to him and holds up the oath card.
)

WYATT
. I swear by Almighty God that the evidence that I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

(
The
USHER
puts the Bible and oath card on the ledge of the witness box, crosses and resumes his seat.
)

MYERS
. You are Dr. Wyatt?

WYATT
. Yes.

MYERS
. You are a police surgeon attached to the Hampstead Division?

WYATT
. Yes.

MYERS
. Dr. Wyatt, will you kindly tell the Jury what you know regarding the death of Miss Emily French?

WYATT
. (
Reading from his notes
) At eleven p.m. on October fourteenth, I saw the dead body of the woman who subsequently proved to be Miss French. By examination of the body I was of the opinion that the death had resulted from a blow on the head, delivered from an object such as a cosh. Death would have been practically instantaneous. From the temperature of the body and other factors, I placed the time of death at not less than an hour previously and not more than, say, an hour and a half. That is to say between the hours of nine-thirty and ten p.m.

MYERS
. Had Miss French struggled with her adversary at all?

WYATT
. There was no evidence that she had done so. I should say, on the contrary, that she had been taken quite unprepared.

(
MYERS
resumes his seat.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Rising
) Doctor, where exactly on the head had this blow been struck? There was only one blow, was there not?

WYATT
. Only one. On the left side of the asterion.

SIR
WILFRID
. I beg your pardon? Where?

WYATT
. The asterion. The junction of the parietal, occipital and temple bones.

SIR
WILFRID
. Oh, yes. And in layman's language, where is that?

WYATT
. Behind the left ear.

SIR
WILFRID
. Would that indicate that the blow had been struck by a left-handed person?

WYATT
. It's difficult to say. The blow appeared to have been struck directly from behind, because the bruising ran perpendicularly. I should say it is really impossible to say whether it was delivered by a right- or left-handed man.

SIR
WILFRID
. We don't know yet that it was a
man
, Doctor. But will you agree, from the position of the blow, that if anything it is more likely to have been delivered by a left-handed person?

WYATT
. That is possibly so. But I would prefer to say that it is uncertain.

SIR
WILFRID
. At the moment the blow was struck, would blood have been likely to have got on to the hand or arm that struck the blow?

WYATT
. Yes, certainly.

SIR
WILFRID
. And only on that hand or arm?

WYATT
. Probably only on that hand and arm, but it's difficult to be dogmatic.

SIR
WILFRID
. Quite so, Doctor Wyatt. Now, would great strength have been needed to strike such a blow?

WYATT
. No. From the position of the wound no great strength would have been needed.

SIR
WILFRID
. It would not necessarily be a man who had struck the blow. A woman could have done so equally well?

WYATT
. Certainly.

SIR
WILFRID
. Thank you. (
He sits.
)

MYERS
. (
Rising
) Thank you, Doctor. (
To the
USHER
.) Call Janet MacKenzie.

(
WYATT
stands down, crosses and exits up
L
.
The
POLICEMAN
opens the door. The
USHER
rises and crosses to
C
.)

USHER
. Janet MacKenzie.

POLICEMAN
. (
Calling
) Janet MacKenzie.

(
JANET
MACKENZIE
enters up
L
.
She is a tall, dour-looking Scots-woman. Her face is set in a grim line. Whenever she looks at
LEONARD
,
she does so with loathing. The
POLICEMAN
closes the door.
JANET
crosses and enters the witness box. The
USHER
moves and stands beside the witness box.
JANET
picks up the Bible in her left hand.
)

USHER
. Other hand, please. (
He holds out the oath card.
)

JANET
. (
Puts the Bible into her right hand.
) I swear by Almighty God that the evidence that I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. (
She hands the Bible to the
USHER
.)

(
The
USHER
puts the Bible and oath card on the ledge of the witness box, crosses and resumes his seat.
)

MYERS
. Your name is Janet MacKenzie?

JANET
. Aye—that's my name.

MYERS
. You were companion housekeeper to the late Miss Emily French?

JANET
. I was her housekeeper. I've no opinion of companions, poor feckless bodies, afraid to do a bit of honest domestic work.

MYERS
. Quite so, quite so, I meant only that you were held in esteem and affection by Miss French, and were on friendly terms together. Not quite those of mistress and servant.