The Mousetrap and Other Plays (97 page)

BATTLE
. You mean someone came from the other side? The Easterhead side?

TREVES
. Yes. (
He turns to Nevile.
) You went over on the ten-thirty-five ferry. You must have got to the
Easterhead Bay Hotel
at about a quarter to eleven—but you weren't able to find Mr. Latimer for some time, were you? (
Latimer makes a move as though to speak, then stops himself.
)

NEVILE
. No, that's true. I looked all around, too. He wasn't in his room—they telephoned up.

LATIMER
. Actually, I was sitting out on the glass-enclosed terrace with a fat, talkative body from Lancashire. (
Easily.
) She wanted to dance—but I stalled her off. Too painful on the feet.

TREVES
. (
Moving
C
.) Strange wasn't able to find you until half past eleven. Three-quarters of an hour. Plenty of time. . . .

LATIMER
. Look here, what do you mean?

NEVILE
. Do you mean that
he . . . ?
(
Kay shows every sign of violent agitation, rises and moves to Latimer.
)

TREVES
. Plenty of time to strip, swim across the estuary—it's narrow just here—swarm up the rope—do what you had to do—swim back, get into your clothes and meet Nevile in the lounge of the hotel.

LATIMER
. Leaving the rope hanging from the window? You're crazy—the whole thing's crazy.

TREVES
. (
With a slight glance towards Kay.
) The same person who arranged the rope for you could have drawn it up again and put it in the attic.

LATIMER
. (
Frenzied.
) You can't do this to me. You can't frame me—and don't you try. I couldn't climb up a rope all that way—and anyway, I can't swim. I tell you, I can't swim.

KAY
. No, Ted can't swim. It's true, I tell you, he can't swim.

TREVES
. (
Gently.
) No, you can't swim. I have ascertained that fact. (
He moves on to the rostrum. Kay moves down. To Nevile.
) But you're a very fine swimmer, aren't you, Nevile? And you're an expert climber. It would be child's play to you to swim across, climb up the rope you'd left ready—(
Latimer moves
R
.
of the chaise.
) go along to Lady Tressilian's room, kill her, and go back the way you came. Plenty of time to dispose of the rope when you got back at two-thirty. You didn't see Latimer at the hotel between ten-forty-five and eleven-thirty—
but
he didn't see you either. It cuts both ways. (
Battle rises and stands in front of the door
L
.)

NEVILE
. I never heard such rubbish! Swim across—kill Camilla. Why ever should I do such a fantastic thing?

TREVES
. Because you wanted to hang the woman who had left you for another man. (
Kay collapses in the easy chair down
R
.
Mary rises, moves to Kay and comforts her. Royde rises and moves to
L
.
of the armchair
L
.
C
.) She had to be punished—your ego has been swelling for a long time—nobody must dare to oppose you.

NEVILE
. Is it likely I'd fake all those clues against
myself?

TREVES
. (
Crossing to
L
.
of Nevile.
) It's exactly what you did do—and took the precaution of ringing Lady Tressilian's bell by pulling the old-fashioned bell wire outside her room, to make sure that Mary would see you leaving the house. Lady Tressilian didn't remember ringing that bell.
You
rang it.

NEVILE
. (
Moving to the French windows.
) What an absurd pack of lies. (
Leach appears at the French windows.
)

TREVES
.
You
murdered Lady Tressilian—but the real murder, the murder that you gloated over secretly, was the murder of Audrey Strange. You wanted her not only to die—but to suffer. You wanted her to be afraid—she was afraid—of you. You enjoyed the idea of her suffering, didn't you?

NEVILE
. (
Sitting on the chaise, thickly.
) All—a tissue of lies.

BATTLE
. (
Crossing to
L
.
of Nevile.
) Is it? I've met people like you before—people with a mental kink. Your vanity was hurt when Audrey Strange left you, wasn't it? You loved her and she had the colossal impertinence to prefer another man. (
Nevile's face shows momentary agreement. He watches Nevile narrowly.
) You wanted to think of something special—something clever, something quite out of the way. The fact that it entailed the killing of a woman who had been almost a mother to you didn't worry you.

NEVILE
. (
With resentment.
) She shouldn't have ticked me off like a child. But it's lies—all lies. And I haven't got a mental kink.

BATTLE
. (
Watching Nevile.
) Oh, yes, you have. Your wife flicked you on the raw, didn't she, when she left you? You—the wonderful Nevile Strange. You saved your pride by pretending that
you'd
left
her
—and you married another girl just to bolster up that story.

KAY
. Oh. (
She turns to Mary. Mary puts her arm around Kay.
)

BATTLE
. But all the time you were planning what you'd do to Audrey. Pity you didn't have the brains to carry it out better.

NEVILE
. (
Almost whimpering.
) It's not true.

BATTLE
. (
Inexorably breaking him down.
) Audrey's been laughing at you—while you've been preening yourself and thinking how clever you were. (
He raises his voice and calls.
) Come in, Mrs. Strange. (
Audrey enters
L
.
Nevile gives a strangled cry and rises. Royde moves to Audrey and puts an arm around her.
) She's never been really under arrest, you know. We just wanted to keep her out of your crazy reach. There was no knowing what you might do if you thought your silly childish plan was going wrong. (
Benson appears at the French windows. Leach moves above the chaise.
)

NEVILE
. (
Breaking down and screaming with rage.
) It wasn't silly. It was clever—it
was
clever. I thought out every detail. How was
I
to know that Royde knew the truth about Audrey and Adrian? Audrey and Adrian . . .(
He suddenly loses control and screams at Audrey.
) How dare you prefer Adrian to me? God damn and blast your soul, you
shall
hang. They've
got
to hang you. They've got to. (
He makes a dash towards Audrey. Battle makes a sign to Leach and Benson, who move one each side of Nevile. Audrey clings to Royde. Half sobbing.
) Leave me alone. I want her to die
afraid
—to die afraid. I hate her. (
Audrey and Royde turn away from Nevile and move up
L
.)

MARY
. (
Moving to the chaise and sitting, almost inaudibly.
) Oh, God!

BATTLE
. Take him away, Jim. (
Leach and Benson close in on Nevile.
)

NEVILE
. (
Suddenly quite calm.
) You're making a great mistake, you know. I can . . .(
Leach and Benson lead Nevile to the door
L
.
Nevile suddenly kicks Benson on the shin, pushes him into Leach, and dashes off
L
.
Leach and Benson dash off after Nevile.
)

BATTLE
. (
In alarm.
) Look out! Stop him. (
Battle dashes off
L
.
Off. Shouting.
) After him—don't let him get away. (
Treves and Royde run out
L
.
Audrey moves slowly to
C
.
of rostrum.
)

ROYDE
. (
Off; shouting.
) He's locked himself in the dining room.

BATTLE
. (
Off; shouting.
) Break the door open. (
The sound of heavy blows on wood is heard off. Kay rises.
)

KAY
. (
Burying her face in Latimer's shoulder.
) Ted—oh, Ted . . .(
She sobs. There is a crash of breaking glass off, followed by the sound of the door breaking open.
)

BATTLE
. (
Off; shouting.
) Jim—you go down by the road. I'll take the cliff path. (
Battle enters quickly
L
.
, and crosses quickly to the French windows. He looks worried. Breathlessly.
) He flung himself through the dining room window. It's a sheer drop to the rocks below. I shouldn't think there was a chance. (
Battle exits by the French windows. Benson enters
L
.
, crosses, exits by the French windows, and is heard to give three shrill blasts on his whistle.
)

KAY
. (
Hysterically.
) I want to get away. I can't . . .

MARY
. (
Rising and moving
C
.) Why don't you take her back to the hotel with you, Mr. Latimer?

KAY
. (
Eagerly.
) Yes. Ted, please—anything to get away from here.

MARY
. Take her. I'll have her things packed and sent over.

LATIMER
. (
Gently.
) Come along. (
Kay exits with Latimer by the French windows. Mary nods and exits
L
.
Audrey moves to the chaise, sits on it, with her back to the bay window, and sobs. There is a slight pause, then the curtains of the bay window are parted a little. Nevile enters quietly over the sill of the bay window. His hair is dishevelled and there are streaks of dirt on his face and hands. There is a cruel and devilish smile on his face as he looks at Audrey. He moves silently towards her.
)

NEVILE
. Audrey! (
Audrey turns quickly and sees Nevile. In a low, tense voice.
) You didn't think I'd come back, did you? I was too clever for them, Audrey. While they were breaking open the door I flung a stool through the window and climbed out on to the stone ledge. Only a man who is used to mountain climbing could have done it—a man with strong fingers—like mine. (
He moves slowly nearer and nearer to Audrey.
) Strong fingers, Audrey—and a soft throat. They wouldn't hang you as I wanted them to, would they? But you're going to die just the same. (
His fingers close on her throat.
) You'll never belong to anyone but me. (
Leach dashes in
L
.
Benson dashes in by the French windows. Leach and Benson drag Nevile from Audrey and exit with him by the French windows. Audrey is left gasping for breath on the chaise. Royde enters
L
.
He stares in a puzzled way towards the French windows and crosses towards them. He has almost passed the upstage end of the chaise when he realizes Audrey is there.
)

ROYDE
. (
Stopping and turning to Audrey.
) I say, are you all right?

AUDREY
. Am I all right? Oh, Thomas! (
She laughs. Royde, with his arms outstretched, moves towards Audrey as
—)

THE CURTAIN FALLS

Verdict

CAST

(
In order of their appearance
)

L
ESTER
C
OLE

M
RS
. R
OPER

L
ISA
K
OLETZKY

P
ROFESSOR
K
ARL
H
ENDRYK

D
R
. S
TONER

A
NYA
H
ENDRYK

H
ELEN
R
OLLANDER

S
IR
W
ILLIAM
R
OLLANDER

D
ETECTIVE
I
NSPECTOR
O
GDEN

P
OLICE
S
ERGEANT
P
EARCE

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES

ACT
I

S
CENE
1
 
  An afternoon in early spring.

S
CENE
2
 
  A fortnight later. Afternoon.

ACT
II

S
CENE
1
 
  Four days later. About midday.

S
CENE
2
 
  Six hours later. Evening.

S
CENE
3
 
  Two months later. Late afternoon.

T
IME
: The Present.

ACT ONE

Scene I

SCENE
:
The living room of
PROFESSOR
HENDRYK
's flat in Bloomsbury. An afternoon in early spring.

The flat is the upper floor of one of the old houses in Bloomsbury. It is a well-proportioned room with comfortable, old-fashioned furniture. The main feature that strikes the eye is books; books everywhere, in shelves against the wall, lying on tables, on chairs, on the sofa and piled up in heaps on the floor. Double doors up
C
lead to an entrance door is
R
and a passage leads off
L
to the kitchen. In the room the door to
ANYA
's bedroom is down
R
and there is a sash window
L
leading on to a small balcony with ivy-covered railings, overlooking the street below and a row of houses opposite.
KARL
's desk is in front of the window with a chair in front of it. The desk is filled with books as well as the telephone, blotter, calendar, etc. Below the desk is a record cabinet, filled with records, more books and odd lecture papers. There is a record player on top. Built into the walls either side of the double doors are bookcases. Below the left one is
ANYA
's small work-table. Between the doors and the bookcase
L
of it there is a three-tiered, round table with books in each tier and a plant on the top one. Against the wall below the door
R
is a small console table with a plant on top and books piled below. Hanging on the wall above the door down
R
is a small set of shelves with more books and
ANYA
's medicine in one corner. Under the shelves is a small cupboard with further books. The cupboards underneath. In front of these shelves, there is a library ladder. A sofa is
RC
with a circular table behind it. Chairs stand above and
L
of the table. All three pieces of furniture have books on them. A large red armchair is
LC
, with still more books on it. At night the room is lit by wall-bracket each side of the window and table-lamps on the desk, on the table
RC
and on the cupboard
R
.
There are switches
L
of the double doors. In the hall there is a chair
R
of the bedroom door.