The Mousetrap and Other Plays (80 page)

SCENE
:
The Old Bailey. The next morning.

When the Curtain rises, the Court is awaiting the entry of the
JUDGE
.
Leonard and the
WARDER
are seated in the dock. Two
BARRISTERS
are seated at the
L
.
end of the back row of
BARRISTERS
'
seats.
SIR
WILFRID
and his
ASSISTANT
are in their places.
MAYHEW
is standing
L
.
of the table talking to
SIR
WILFRID
.
The
CLERK
OF
THE
COURT
, the
JUDGE
'
S
CLERK
and the
STENOGRAPHER
are in their places. The three visible
MEMBERS
OF
THE
JURY
are seated. The
POLICEMAN
is at the doors up
L
.
The
USHER
is standing at the top of the steps up
R
.
C
.
MYERS
,
his
ASSISTANT
and two
BARRISTERS
enter up
C
.
MYERS
crosses to
SIR
WILFRID
and starts talking angrily. The
ASSISTANT
and the
BARRISTERS
take their seats. There are three KNOCKS on the
JUDGE
'
S
door. The
USHER
comes down the steps to
R
.
C
.

USHER
. Stand up.

(
ALL
stand. The
JUDGE
and
ALDERMAN
enter by the
JUDGE
'
S
door and take their seats.
)

All persons who have anything further to do before my lady the Queen's justices of Oyer and Terminer and general gaol delivery for the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court draw near and give your attendance. God Save the Queen.

(
The
JUDGE
bows to the Court and
ALL
take their seats. The
USHER
sits on the stool down
R
.)

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Rising
) My lord, since this was adjourned, certain evidence of a rather startling character has come into my hands. This evidence is such that I am taking it upon myself to ask your lordship's permission to have the last witness for the prosecution, Romaine Heilger, recalled.

(
The
CLERK
rises and whispers to the
JUDGE
.)

JUDGE
. When exactly, Sir Wilfrid, did this evidence come to your knowledge?

(
The
CLERK
sits.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. It was brought to me after the Court was adjourned last night.

MYERS
. (
Rising
) My lord, I must object to my learned friend's request. The case for the prosecution is closed and . . .

(
SIR
WILFRID
sits.
)

JUDGE
. Mr. Myers, I had not intended to rule on this question without first observing the customary formality of inviting your observations on the matter. Yes, Sir Wilfrid?

(
MYERS
sits.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Rising
) My lord, in a case where evidence vital to the prisoner comes into possession of his legal advisers at any time before the jury have returned their verdict, I contend that such evidence is not only admissible, but desirable. Happily there is clear authority to support my proposition, to be found in the case of the King against Stillman, reported in nineteen twenty-six
Appeal Cases
at page four-six-three. (
He opens a law volume in front of him.
)

JUDGE
. You needn't trouble to cite the authority, Sir Wilfrid. I am quite familiar with it. I should like to hear the prosecution. Now, Mr. Myers.

(
SIR
WILFRID
sits.
)

MYERS
. (
Rising
) In my respectful submission, my lord, the course my friend proposes is, save in exceptional circumstances, quite unprecedented. And what, may I ask, is this startling new evidence of which Sir Wilfrid speaks?

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Rising
) Letters, my lord. Letters from Romaine Heilger.

JUDGE
. I should like to see these letters to which you refer, Sir Wilfrid.

(
SIR
WILFRID
and
MYERS
sit. The
USHER
rises, crosses to
SIR
WILFRID
,
collects the letters, passes them to the
CLERK
,
who hands them to the
JUDGE
.
The
JUDGE
studies the letters. The
USHER
resumes his seat.
)

MYERS
. (
Rising
) My friend was good enough to tell me only as we came into Court that he intended to make this submission, so that I have had no opportunity to examine the authorities. But I seem to remember a case in, I think, nineteen thirty, the King against Porter, I believe . . .

JUDGE
. No, Mr. Myers, the King against Potter, and it was reported in nineteen thirty-one. I appeared for the prosecution.

MYERS
. And if my memory serves me well, your lordship's similar objection was sustained.

JUDGE
. Your memory for once serves you ill, Mr. Myers. My objection then was overruled by Mr. Justice Swindon—as yours is now, by me.

(
MYERS
sits.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Rising
) Call Romaine Heilger.

USHER
. (
Rises and moves down
C
.) Romaine Heilger.

POLICEMAN
. (
Opens the door. Calling
) Romaine Heilger.

JUDGE
. If these letters are authentic it raises very serious issues. (
He hands the letters to the
CLERK
.)

(
The
CLERK
hands the letters to the
USHER
,
who returns them to
SIR
WILFRID
.
During the slight wait that ensues
,
LEONARD
is very agitated. He speaks to the
WARDER
,
then puts his hands to his face. The
USHER
sits on the stool
R
.
of the table.
MAYHEW
rises, speaks to
LEONARD
and calms him down.
LEONARD
shakes his head and looks upset and worried.
ROMAINE
enters up
L
.,
crosses and enters the witness box. The
POLICEMAN
closes the door.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. Mrs. Heilger, you appreciate that you are still on your oath?

ROMAINE
. Yes.

JUDGE
. Romaine Heilger, you are recalled to this box so that Sir Wilfrid may ask you further questions.

SIR
WILFRID
. Mrs. Heilger, do you know a certain man whose Christian name is Max?

ROMAINE
. (
Starts violently at the mention of the name.
) I don't know what you mean.

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Pleasantly.
) And yet it's a very simple question. Do you or do you not know a man called Max?

ROMAINE
. Certainly not.

SIR
WILFRID
. You're quite sure of that?

ROMAINE
. I've never known anyone called Max. Never.

SIR
WILFRID
. And yet I believe it's a fairly common Christian name, or contraction of a name, in your country. You mean that you have never known anyone of that name?

ROMAINE
. (
Doubtfully.
) Oh, in Germany—yes—perhaps, I do not remember. It is a long time ago.

SIR
WILFRID
. I shall not ask you to throw your mind back such a long way as that. A few weeks will suffice. Let us say—(
He picks up one of the letters and unfolds it, making rather a parade of it.
) the seventeenth of October last.

ROMAINE
. (
Startled.
) What have you got there?

SIR
WILFRID
. A letter.

ROMAINE
. I don't know what you're talking about.

SIR
WILFRID
. I'm talking about a letter. A letter written on the seventeenth of October. You remember that date, perhaps.

ROMAINE
. Not particularly, why?

SIR
WILFRID
. I suggest that on that day, you wrote a certain letter—a letter addressed to a man called Max.

ROMAINE
. I did nothing of the kind. These are lies that you are telling. I don't know what you mean.

SIR
WILFRID
. That letter was one of a series written to the same man over a considerable period of time.

ROMAINE
. (
Agitated.
) Lies—all lies!

SIR
WILFRID
. You would seem to have been on—(
Significantly.
)
intimate
terms with this man.

LEONARD
. (
Rising
) How dare you say a thing like that?

(
The
WARDER
rises and attempts to restrain
LEONARD
.)

(
He waves the
WARDER
aside.
) It isn't true!

JUDGE
. The prisoner in his own interest will remain silent.

(
LEONARD
and the
WARDER
resume their seats.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. I am not concerned with the general trend of this correspondence. I am only interested in one particular letter. (
He reads.
) “My beloved Max. An extraordinary thing has happened. I believe all our difficulties may be ended . . .”

ROMAINE
. (
Interrupting in a frenzy
) It's a lie—I never wrote it. How did you get hold of that letter? Who gave it to you?

SIR
WILFRID
. How the letter came into my possession is irrelevant.

ROMAINE
. You stole it. You are a thief as well as a liar. Or did some woman give it to you? Yes, I am right, am I not?

JUDGE
. Kindly confine yourself to answering Counsel's questions.

ROMAINE
. But I will not listen.

JUDGE
. Proceed, Sir Wilfrid.

SIR
WILFRID
. So far you have only heard the opening phrases of the letter. Am I to understand that you definitely deny writing it?

ROMAINE
. Of course I never wrote it. It is a forgery. It is an outrage that I should be forced to listen to a pack of lies—lies made up by a jealous woman.

SIR
WILFRID
. I suggest it is
you
who have lied. You have lied flagrantly and persistently in this Court and upon oath. And the reason
why
you have lied is made clear by— (
He taps the letter.
) this letter—written down by you in black and white.

ROMAINE
. You are crazy. Why should I write down a lot of nonsense?

SIR
WILFRID
. Because a way had opened before you to freedom—and in planning to take that way, the fact that an innocent man would be sent to his death meant nothing to you. You have even included that final deadly touch of how you yourself managed accidentally to wound Leonard Vole with a ham knife.

ROMAINE
. (
Carried away with fury.
) I never wrote that. I wrote that he did it himself cutting the ham . . . (
Her voice dies away.
)

(
All eyes in court turn on her.
)

SIR
WILFRID
. (
Triumphantly.
) So you know what is in the letter—before I have read it.

ROMAINE
. (
Casting aside all restraint
) Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!

LEONARD
. (
Shouting
) Leave her alone. Don't bully her.

ROMAINE
. (
Looking wildly around
) Let me get out of here—let me go. (
She comes out of the witness box.
)

(
The
USHER
rises and restrains
ROMAINE
.)