The Mousetrap and Other Plays (86 page)

AUDREY
. Oh, dear, this is all very uncomfortable.

TREVES
. Why did you come here, my dear?

AUDREY
. I suppose because I always come here at this time. (
She crosses and stands below the armchair
L
.
C
.)

TREVES
. But with Nevile coming here, wouldn't it have been better to have postponed your visit?

AUDREY
. I couldn't do that. I have a job, you know. I have to earn my living. I have two weeks' holiday and once that is arranged I can't alter it.

TREVES
. An interesting job?

AUDREY
. Not particularly, but it pays quite well.

TREVES
. (
Moving to
R
.
of the coffee table.
) But, my dear Audrey, Nevile is a very well-to-do man. Under the terms of your divorce he has to make suitable provision for you.

AUDREY
. I have never taken a penny from Nevile. I never shall.

TREVES
. Quite so. Quite so. Several of my clients have taken that point of view. It has been my duty to dissuade them. In the end, you know, one must be guided by common sense. You have hardly any money of your own, I know. It is only just and right that you should be provided for suitably by Nevile, who can well afford it. Who were your solicitors, because I could . . .

AUDREY
. (
Sitting in the armchair
L
.
C
.) It's nothing to do with solicitors. I won't take anything from Nevile—anything at all.

TREVES
. (
Eyeing her thoughtfully.
) I see—you feel strongly—very strongly.

AUDREY
. If you like to put it that way, yes.

TREVES
. Was it really Nevile's idea to come here all together?

AUDREY
. (
Sharply.
) Of course it was.

TREVES
. But you agreed?

AUDREY
. I agreed. Why not?

TREVES
. It hasn't turned out very well, has it?

AUDREY
. That's not my fault.

TREVES
. No, it isn't your fault—ostensibly.

AUDREY
. (
Rising.
) What do you mean?

TREVES
. I was wondering . . .

AUDREY
. You know, Mr. Treves, sometimes I think I'm just a little frightened of you.

TREVES
. Why should you be?

AUDREY
. I don't know. You're a very shrewd observer. I sometimes . . . (
Mary enters
L
.)

MARY
. Audrey, will you go to Lady Tressilian? She's in the library.

AUDREY
. Yes. (
Audrey crosses and exits
L
.
Treves sits on the chaise. Mary goes to the butler's tray and collects the dirty sherry glasses.
)

TREVES
. Miss Aldin, who do you think is behind this plan of meeting here?

MARY
. (
Moving to
R
.
of the butler's tray.
) Audrey.

TREVES
. But why?

MARY
. (
Moving to
L
.
of Treves.
) I suppose—she still cares for him.

TREVES
. You think it's that?

MARY
. What else can it be? He's not really in love with Kay, you know.

TREVES
. (
Primly.
) These sudden passionate infatuations are very often not of long duration.

MARY
. You'd think Audrey would have more pride.

TREVES
. In my experience, pride is a word often on women's lips—but they display little sign of it where love affairs are concerned.

MARY
. (
With bitterness.
) Perhaps. I wouldn't know. (
She looks towards the French windows.
) Excuse me. (
Mary exits
L
.
Royde enters by the French windows. He carries a book.
)

TREVES
. Ah, Thomas, have you been down to the ferry?

ROYDE
. (
Crossing to
C
.) No, I've been reading a detective story. Not very good. (
He looks down at the book.
) Always seems to me these yarns begin in the wrong place. Begin with the murder. But the murder's not really the beginning.

TREVES
. Indeed? Where would you begin?

ROYDE
. As I see it, the murder is the end of the story. (
He sits in the armchair
L
.
C
.) I mean, the real story begins long before—years before, sometimes. Must do. All the causes and events that bring the people concerned to a certain place on a certain day at a certain time. And then, over the top—zero hour.

TREVES
. (
Rising.
) That is an interesting point of view.

ROYDE
. (
Apologetically.
) Not very good at explaining myself, I'm afraid.

TREVES
. (
Moving above the coffee table.
) I think you've put it very clearly, Thomas. (
He uses the coffee table as a globe.
) All sorts of people converging towards a given spot and hour—all going towards zero. (
He pauses briefly.
) Towards Zero. (
Treves looks at Royde, and the lights fade to Black-Out, as—the Curtain falls.
)

CURTAIN

Scene II

SCENE
:
The same. After dinner, four days later. When the Curtain rises, the lights are on. The curtains of the bay window are half closed. The French windows are open, the curtains undrawn. The night is very warm, sultry and cloudy. Kay is seated on the chaise, smoking a cigarette. She is in evening dress and looks rather sulky and bored. Ted Latimer is standing on the rostrum, gazing out of the window. He is a very dark, good-looking man of about twenty-six. His dinner suit fits him a shade too well.

KAY
. (
After a pause.
) This is what I call a wildly hilarious evening, Ted.

LATIMER
. (
Turning.
) You should have come over to the hotel as I suggested. (
He moves to the downstage edge of the rostrum.
) They've got a dance on. The band's not so hot, but it's fun.

KAY
. I wanted to, but Nevile wasn't keen.

LATIMER
. So you behaved like a dutiful wife.

KAY
. Yes—and I've been rewarded by being bored to death.

LATIMER
. The fate of most dutiful wives. (
He moves to the record player on the window-seat.
) Aren't there any dance records? We could at least dance.

KAY
. There's nothing like that
here.
Only Mozart and Bach—all classical stuff.

LATIMER
. (
Moving to the coffee table.
) Oh, well—at least we've been spared the old battleaxe tonight. (
He takes a cigarette from the box.
) Doesn't she ever appear at dinner, or did she just shirk it because I was there? (
He lights his cigarette.
)

KAY
. Camilla always goes to bed at seven. She's got a groggy heart or something. She has her dinner sent up on a tray.

LATIMER
. Not what you'd call a gay life.

KAY
. (
Rising abruptly.
) I hate this place. (
She moves below the chaise then up
R
.
of it.
) I wish to God we'd never come here.

LATIMER
. (
Moving to
L
.
of her.
) Steady, honey. What's the matter?

KAY
. I don't know. (
She crosses and stands below the armchair
L
.
C
.) It's just—sometimes I get—
scared.

LATIMER
. (
Moving to
R
.
of the coffee table.
) That doesn't sound like you, Kay.

KAY
. (
Recovering.
) It doesn't, does it? But there's something queer going on. I don't know what, but I'll swear that Audrey's behind it all.

LATIMER
. It was a damn silly idea of Nevile's—coming here with you at the same time as his ex-wife.

KAY
. (
Sitting in the armchair
L
.
C
.) I don't think it
was
his idea. I'm convinced
she
put him up to it.

LATIMER
. Why?

KAY
. I don't know—to cause trouble probably.

LATIMER
. (
Moving to Kay and touching her arm.
) What
you
want is a drink, my girl.

KAY
. (
Moving his hand from her arm, irritably.
) I don't want a drink and I'm not your girl.

LATIMER
. You would have been if Nevile hadn't come along. (
He moves to the butler's tray and pours two glasses of whisky and soda.
) Where
is
Nevile, by the way?

KAY
. I've no idea.

LATIMER
. They're not a very sociable crowd, are they? Audrey's out on the terrace talking to old Treves, and that fellow Royde's strolling about the garden all by himself, puffing at that eternal pipe of his. Nice, cheery lot.

KAY
. (
Crossly.
) I wouldn't care a damn if they were all at the bottom of the sea—except Nevile.

LATIMER
. I should have felt much happier, darling, if you'd included Nevile. (
He picks up the drinks and takes one to Kay.
) You drink that, my sweet. You'll feel much better. (
Kay takes her drink and sips it.
)

KAY
. God, it's strong.

LATIMER
. More soda?

KAY
. No, thanks. I wish you wouldn't make it so clear you don't like Nevile.

LATIMER
. Why should I like him? He's not my sort. (
Bitterly.
) The ideal Englishman—good at sport, modest, good-looking, always the little pukka sahbit. Getting everything he wants all along the line—even pinched my girl.

KAY
. I wasn't your girl.

LATIMER
. (
Moving above the coffee table.
) Yes, you were. If I'd been as well off as Nevile . . .

KAY
. I didn't marry Nevile for his money.

LATIMER
. Oh, I know, and I understand—Mediterranean nights and dewy-eyed romance . . .

KAY
. I married Nevile because I fell in love with him.

LATIMER
. I'm not saying you didn't, my sweet, but his money helped you to fall.

KAY
. Do you
really
think that?

LATIMER
. (
Moving up
C
.) I try to—it helps soothe my injured vanity.

KAY
. (
Rising and moving to
L
.
of him.
) You're rather a dear, Ted—I don't know what I should do without you, sometimes.

LATIMER
. Why try? I'm always around. You should know that by this time. The faithful swain—or should it be swine? Probably depends which you happen to be—the wife or the husband. (
He kisses Kay's shoulder. Mary enters
L
.
She wears a plain dinner frock. Kay moves hastily on to the rostrum up
L
.)

MARY
. (
Pointedly.
) Have either of you seen Mr. Treves? Lady Tressilian wants him.

LATIMER
. He's out on the terrace, Miss Aldin.

MARY
. Thank you, Mr. Latimer. (
She closes the door.
) Isn't it stifling? I'm sure there's going to be a storm. (
She crosses to the French windows.
)

LATIMER
. I hope it holds off until I get back to the hotel. (
He moves to
L
.
of Mary and glances off.
) I didn't bring a coat. I'll get soaked to the skin going over in the ferry if it rains.

MARY
. I daresay we could find you an umbrella if necessary, or Nevile could lend you his raincoat. (
Mary exits by the French windows.
)

LATIMER
. (
Moving up
C
.) Interesting woman, that—bit of a dark horse.

KAY
. I feel rather sorry for her. (
She moves to the armchair
L
.
C
.,
sits and sips her drink.
) Slaving for that unpleasant old woman—and she won't get anything for it, either. All the money comes to me and Nevile.

LATIMER
. (
Moving to
R
.
of Kay.
) Perhaps she doesn't know that.

KAY
. That would be rather funny. (
They laugh. Audrey and Treves enter by the French windows. Treves is wearing an old-fashioned dinner suit. Audrey is in evening dress. She notices Latimer and Kay together, then moves below the chaise. Treves stops in the doorway and speaks over his shoulder.
)

TREVES
. I shall
enjoy
a little gossip with Lady Tressilian, Miss Aldin. With, perhaps, the remembering of a few old scandals. A touch of malice, you know, adds a certain savour to conversation. (
He crosses to the door
L
.) Doesn't it, Audrey?