The Mousetrap and Other Plays (93 page)

TREVES
. Exactly, Battle. The drugging of Miss Aldin suggests premeditation . . .

BATTLE
. And the way the murder was carried out looks as though it was done in a fit of blind rage. Yes, sir. It's all
wrong.

TREVES
. Did you notice what he said—about a trap?

BATTLE
. (
Thoughtfully.
) “A trap.” (
Leach enters
L
.
and holds the door open. Audrey enters
L
.
She is very pale but completely composed. Benson rises. Treves moves up
R
.
Leach exits
L
.
and closes the door.
)

AUDREY
. (
Crossing to
C
.) You wish to see me?

BATTLE
. (
Rising.
) Yes. (
He indicates the chair
L
.
of the card table.
) Please sit down, Mrs. Strange. (
Audrey crosses quickly to the chair
L
.
of the card table and sits.
) You've already told me how you came to make the discovery, so we needn't go into that again.

AUDREY
. Thank you.

BATTLE
. (
Moving down
R
.) I'm afraid, however, that I shall have to ask you several questions that you may find embarrassing. You are not compelled to answer them unless you like.

AUDREY
. I don't mind. I only wish to help. (
Treves moves slowly down
L
.)

BATTLE
. First of all, then, will you tell us what you did after dinner last night?

AUDREY
. I was on the terrace for some time talking to Mr. Treves. Then Miss Aldin came out to say that Lady Tressilian would like to see him in her room, and I came in here. I talked to Kay and Mr. Latimer and, later, to Mr. Royde and Nevile. Then I went up to bed.

BATTLE
. What time did you go to bed?

AUDREY
. I think it was about half past nine. I'm not sure of the time exactly. It may have been a little later.

BATTLE
. There was some sort of trouble between Mr. Strange and his wife, I believe. Were you mixed up in that?

AUDREY
. Nevile behaved very stupidly. I think he was rather excited and overwrought. I left them together and went to bed. I don't know what happened after that, naturally. (
Treves sits in the easy chair
L
.
C
.)

BATTLE
. Did you go to sleep at once?

AUDREY
. No. I was reading for some little while.

BATTLE
. (
Moving on to the rostrum.
) And you heard nothing unusual during the night?

AUDREY
. No, nothing. My room is on the floor above Cam—Lady Tressilian's. I wouldn't have heard anything.

BATTLE
. (
Picking up the niblick.
) I'm sorry, Mrs. Strange—(
He moves to
L
.
of Audrey and shows her the niblick.
) we believe this was used to kill Lady Tressilian. It has been identified by Mr. Strange as his property. It also bears his fingerprints.

AUDREY
. (
Drawing in her breath sharply.
) Oh, you—you're not suggesting that it was—
Nevile
. . .

BATTLE
. Would it surprise you?

AUDREY
. Very much. I'm sure you're quite wrong, if you think so. Nevile would never do a thing like that. Besides, he had no reason.

BATTLE
. Not if he wanted money very urgently?

AUDREY
. He wouldn't. He's not an extravagant person—he never has been. You're quite, quite wrong if you think it was Nevile.

BATTLE
. You don't think he would be capable of violence in a fit of temper?

AUDREY
. Nevile? Oh, no!

BATTLE
. (
Moving and replacing the niblick on the chaise.
) I don't want to pry into your private affairs, Mrs. Strange, but will you explain why you are here? (
He moves to
L
.
of Audrey.
)

AUDREY
. (
Surprised.
) Why? I always come here at this time.

BATTLE
. But not at the same time as your ex-husband.

AUDREY
. He did ask me if I'd mind.

BATTLE
. It was his suggestion?

AUDREY
. Oh, yes.

BATTLE
. Not yours?

AUDREY
. No.

BATTLE
. But you agreed?

AUDREY
. Yes, I agreed—I didn't feel that I could very well refuse.

BATTLE
. Why not? You must have realized that it might be embarrassing?

AUDREY
. Yes—I did realize that.

BATTLE
. You were the injured party?

AUDREY
. I beg your pardon?

BATTLE
. It was you who divorced your husband?

AUDREY
. Oh, I see—yes.

BATTLE
. Do you feel any animosity towards him, Mrs. Strange?

AUDREY
. No—none at all.

BATTLE
. You have a very forgiving nature. (
Audrey does not reply. He crosses and stands down
R
.) Are you on friendly terms with the present Mrs. Strange?

AUDREY
. I don't think she likes me very much.

BATTLE
. Do
you
like her?

AUDREY
. I really don't know her.

BATTLE
. (
Moving to
R
.
of the card table.
) You are quite sure it was not your idea—this meeting?

AUDREY
. Quite sure.

BATTLE
. I think that's all, Mrs. Strange, thank you.

AUDREY
. (
Rising, quietly.
) Thank you. (
She crosses to the door
L
.
then hesitates, turns and moves
L
.
C
.
Treves rises. Nervously and quickly.
) I would just like to say—you think Nevile did this—that he killed her because of the money? I'm quite sure that isn't so. Nevile never cared much about money. I do know that. I was married to him for several years, you see. It—it—isn't
Nevile.
I know my saying this isn't of any value as evidence—but I do wish you would believe it. (
Audrey turns quickly and exits
L
.
Benson sits on the window-seat.
)

BATTLE
. (
Moving
R
.
C
.) It's difficult to know what to make of
her,
sir. I've never seen anyone so devoid of emotion.

TREVES
. (
Moving
L
.
C
.) H'm. She didn't show any, Battle, but it's there—some very strong emotion. I thought—but I may have been wrong . . . (
Mary, assisted by Leach, enters
L
.
Mary is wearing a dressing-gown. She sways a little. He moves to Mary.
) Mary! (
He leads her to the easy chair
L
.
C
.
Mary sits in the easy chair
L
.
C
.)

BATTLE
. Miss Aldin! You shouldn't . . .

LEACH
. She insisted on seeing you, Uncle. (
He stands above the door
L
.)

MARY
. (
Faintly.
) I'm all right. I just feel—a little dizzy still. (
Treves crosses to the card table and pours a glass of water.
) I had to come. They told me something about your suspecting Nevile. Is that true? Do you suspect Nevile? (
Treves crosses with the glass of water to
R
.
of Mary.
)

BATTLE
. (
moving down
R
.
C
.) Who told you so?

MARY
. The cook. She brought me up some tea. She heard them talking in his room. And then—I came down—and I saw Audrey—and she said it
was
so. (
She looks from one to the other.
)

BATTLE
. (
Moving down
R
.;
evasively.
) We are not contemplating an arrest—at this moment.

MARY
. But it
can't
have been Nevile. I had to come and tell you. Whoever did it, it wasn't Nevile. That I
know.

BATTLE
. (
Crossing to
C
.) How do you know?

MARY
. Because I saw her—Lady Tressilian—alive after Nevile had left the house.

BATTLE
. What?

MARY
. My bell rang, you see. I was terribly sleepy. I could only just get up. It was a minute or two before half past ten. As I came out of my room Nevile was in the hall below. I looked over the banisters and saw him. He went out of the front door and slammed it behind him. Then I went in to Lady Tressilian.

BATTLE
. And she was alive and well?

MARY
. Yes, of course. She seemed a little upset and said Nevile had shouted at her.

BATTLE
. (
To Leach.
) Get Mr. Strange. (
Leach crosses and exits by the French windows. Mary takes the glass from Treves and sips the water. He sits on the chair
L
.
of the card table.
) What did Lady Tressilian say exactly?

MARY
. She said——(
She thinks.
) Oh, dear, what did she say? She said, “Did I ring for you? I can't remember doing so. Nevile has behaved very badly—losing his temper—shouting at me. I feel most upset.” I gave her some aspirin and some hot milk from the thermos and she settled down. Then I went back to bed. I was desperately sleepy. Dr. Lazenby asked me if I'd taken any sleeping pills . . .

BATTLE
. Yes, we know . . . (
Nevile and Leach enter by the French windows. Kay follows them on and stands down
R
.
of the card table. Leach stands up
R
.
He rises and moves
L
.
C
.) You are a very lucky man, Mr. Strange.

NEVILE
. (
Moving above the card table.
) Lucky? Why?

BATTLE
. Miss Aldin saw Lady Tressilian alive
after
you left the house, and we've already established you were on the ten-thirty-five ferry.

NEVILE
. (
Bewildered.
) Then—that lets me out? But the bloodstained jacket—(
He moves to
R
.
of the chaise.
) The niblick with my fingerprints on it . . . ? (
Kay sits in the easy chair down
R
.)

BATTLE
. (
Moving to
L
.
of the chaise.
) Planted. Very ingeniously planted. Blood and hair smeared on the niblick head.
Someone
put on your jacket to commit the crime and then stuffed it away in your wardrobe to incriminate you.

NEVILE
. (
Moving behind the chair
L
.
of the card table.
) But why? I can't believe it.

BATTLE
. (
Impressively.
) Who hates you, Mr. Strange? Hates you so much that they wanted you to be hanged for a murder you didn't commit?

NEVILE
. (
After a pause; shaken.
) Nobody—nobody . . . (
Royde enters by the French windows and moves slowly towards the card table as
—)

THE CURTAIN FALLS

ACT THREE

Scene I

SCENE
:
The same. The next morning.

Most of the furniture has been replaced in its original position, but the coffee table is now on the rostrum up
C
.
and the workbasket has been removed.

When the curtain rises it is about eleven o'clock. The sun is shining brightly and the bay and French windows are open. Royde is standing on the rostrum, gazing out of the window. Mary enters by the French windows. She looks a little pale and worried. She moves above the chaise and sees Royde.

MARY
. Oh, dear!

ROYDE
. (
Closing the window and turning.
) Anything the matter?

MARY
. (
Laughing with a slight note of hysteria.
) Nobody but you could say a thing like that, Thomas. A murder in the house and you just say “Is anything the matter?” (
She sits on the chaise, at the upstage end.
)

ROYDE
. I meant anything fresh.

MARY
. Oh, I know what you meant. It's really a wonderful relief to find anyone so gloriously just-the-same-as-usual as you are.

ROYDE
. Not much good, is it, getting all het up over things?

MARY
. No, you're very sensible, of course. It's how you manage to do it, beats me.

ROYDE
. (
Moving down
L
.
C
.) I'm not so—close to things as you are.