The Mousetrap and Other Plays (9 page)

WARGRAVE
. I think this problem needs brains to solve it. Rather than brawn. (
Goes up Right on balcony.
)

VERA
. Where are you going?

WARGRAVE
. I'm going to sit in the sun—and think, my dear young lady. (
Goes up Right on balcony.
)

EMILY
. Where did I put the skein of wool? (
Gets up and comes down Right.
)

VERA
. Did you leave it upstairs? Shall I go and see if I can find it?

EMILY
. No, I'll go. I know where it's likely to be. (
Goes out Left 1.
)

VERA
. I'm glad Captain Lombard has got a revolver.

MACKENZIE
. They're all wasting time—wasting time.

VERA
. Do you think so?

MACKENZIE
. Yes, it's much better to sit quietly—and wait.

VERA
. Wait for what? (
Sits Left sofa.
)

MACKENZIE
. For the end, of course. (
There is a pause.
MACKENZIE
rises, opens and shuts both doors Left.
) I wish I could find Lesley.

VERA
. Your wife?

MACKENZIE
. (
Crosses up Right. Below Right sofa
) Yes. I wish you'd known her. She was so pretty. So gay—

VERA
. Was she?

MACKENZIE
. I loved her very much. Of course, I was a lot older than she was. She was only twenty-seven, you know. (
Pause
) Arthur Richmond was twenty-six. He was my ADC. (
Pause
) Lesley liked him. They used to talk of music and plays together, and she teased him and made fun of him. I was pleased. I thought she took a motherly interest in the boy. (
Suddenly to
VERA
,
confidentially
) Damn fool, wasn't I? No fool like an old fool. (
A long pause
) Exactly like a book the way I found out. When I was out in France. She wrote to both of us, and she put the letters in the wrong envelope. (
He nods his head
) So I knew—

VERA
. (
In pity
) Oh, no.

MACKENZIE
. (
Sits Right sofa
) It's all right, my dear. It's a long time ago. But you see I loved her very much—and believed in her. I didn't say anything to him—I let it gather inside—here—(
Strikes chest
) a slow, murderous rage—Damned young hypocrite—I'd liked the boy—trusted him.

VERA
. (
Trying to break spell
) I wonder what the others are doing?

MACKENZIE
. I sent him to his death—

VERA
. Oh—

MACKENZIE
. It was quite easy. Mistakes were being made all the time. All anyone could say was that I'd lost my nerve a bit, made a blunder, sacrificed one of my best men. Yes, it was quite easy—(
Pause
) Lesley never knew. I never told her I'd found out. We went on as usual—but somehow nothing was quite real any more. She died of pneumonia. (
Pause
) She had a heartshaped face—and grey eyes—and brown hair that curled.

VERA
. Oh, don't.

MACKENZIE
. (
Rises
) Yes, I suppose in a way—it was murder. Curious, murder—and I've always been such a law-abiding man. It didn't feel like that at the time. “Serves him damn well right!” that's what I thought. But after—(
Pause
) Well, you know, don't you?

VERA
. (
At a loss
) What do you mean?

MACKENZIE
. (
Stares at her as though something puzzles him
) You don't seem to understand—I thought you would. I thought you'd be glad, too, that the end was coming—

VERA
. (
Draws back, alarmed. Rises; backs down Left.
) I—(
She eyes him warily.
)

MACKENZIE
. (
Follows her—confidentially
) We're all going to die, you know.

VERA
. (
Looking round for help
) I—I don't know.

MACKENZIE
. (
Vaguely to
VERA
) You're very young—you haven't got to that yet. The relief! The blessed relief when you know that you've done with it all, that you haven't got to carry the burden any longer. (
Moves up Right.
)

VERA
. (
Follows him—moved
) General—

MACKENZIE
. Don't talk to me that way. You don't understand. I want to sit here and wait—wait for Lesley to come for me. (
Goes out on balcony and draws up chair and sits. The back of his head down to shoulders is visible through window. His position does not change throughout scene.
)

VERA
. (
Stares after him. Her composure breaks down. Sits Left sofa.
) I'm frightened—Oh! I'm frightened—

(
LOMBARD
comes in up Right.
)

LOMBARD
. (
Crosses Left
) All correct. No secret passage—one corpse.

VERA
. (
Tensely
) Don't!

LOMBARD
. I say, you do look low. How about a drink to steady your nerves?

VERA
. (
Rises, flaring up
) A drink! Two corpses in the house at nine o'clock in the morning and all you say is “Have a drink!” An old man going quite crackers—“Have a drink!” Ten people accused of murder—that's all right—just have a drink. Everything's fine so long as you have a drink.

LOMBARD
. All right. All right.—Stay thirsty. (
Goes to Left 2 door.
)

VERA
. Oh, you—you're nothing but a waster—an adventurer—you make me tired. (
Moves to fireplace.
)

LOMBARD
. (
Crossing to her
) I say, you are het up. What's the matter, my sweet?

VERA
. I'm not your sweet.

LOMBARD
. I'm sorry. I rather thought you were.

VERA
. Well, you can think again.

LOMBARD
. Come now—you know you don't really feel like that. We've got something in common, you and I. Rogues and murderers can't fall out. (
He takes her hand—she draws away.
)

VERA
. Rogues and murderers—!

LOMBARD
. Okay. You don't like the company of rogues and murderers—and you won't have a drink. I'll go and finish searching—(
Exits Left 1.
)

(
EMILY
enters Left 1.
VERA
moves up to window.
)

EMILY
. Unpleasant young man! I can't find it anywhere. (
Sees
VERA
's face
) Is anything the matter? (
To above Left sofa.
)

VERA
. (
Low
) I'm worried about the General. He really is ill, I think.

EMILY
. (
Looks from
VERA
to
MACKENZIE
,
then goes out on balcony and stands behind him. In loud, cheerful voice, as though talking to an idiot child
) Looking out for the boat, General? (
VERA
to down Left.
MACKENZIE
does not answer.
EMILY
waits a minute, then comes slowly in. Unctuously
) His sin has found him out.

VERA
. (
Angrily
) Oh, don't.

EMILY
. One must face facts.

VERA
. Can any of us afford to throw stones?

EMILY
. (
Comes down Centre; sits Right sofa.
) Even if his wife was no better than she should be—and she must have been a depraved woman—he had no right to take judgement into his own hands.

VERA
. (
Coldly angry
) What about—Beatrice Taylor?

EMILY
. Who?

VERA
. That was the name, wasn't it? (
Looks at her challengingly.
)

EMILY
. You are referring to that absurd accusation about myself?

VERA
. Yes.

EMILY
. Now that we are alone, I have no objection to telling you the facts of the case—Indeed, I should like you to hear them. (
VERA
sits Left sofa
) It was not a fit subject to discuss before gentlemen—so naturally I refused to say anything last night. That girl, Beatrice Taylor, was in my service. I was very much deceived in her. She had nice manners and was clean and willing. I was very pleased with her. Of course, all that was sheerest hypocrisy. She was a loose girl with no morals. Disgusting! It was some time before I found out that she was what they call “in trouble.” (
Pause
) It was a great shock to me. Her parents were decent folks, too, who had brought her up strictly. I'm glad to say they didn't condone her behaviour.

VERA
. What happened?

EMILY
. (
Self-righteously
) Naturally, I refused to keep her an hour under my roof. No one shall ever say I condoned immorality.

VERA
. Did she drown herself?

EMILY
. Yes.

VERA
. (
Rises to Left.
) How old was she?

EMILY
. Seventeen.

VERA
. Only seventeen.

EMILY
. (
With horrible fanaticism
) Quite old enough to know how to behave. I told her what a low depraved thing she was. I told her that she was beyond the pale and that no decent person would take her into their house. I told her that her child would be the child of sin and would be branded all its life—and that the man would naturally not dream of marrying her. I told her that I felt soiled by ever having had her under my roof—

VERA
. (
Shuddering
) You told a girl of seventeen all that?

EMILY
. Yes, I'm glad to say I broke her down utterly.

VERA
. Poor little devil.

EMILY
. I've no patience with this indulgence towards sin.

VERA
. (
Moves up Left to above sofa.
) And then, I suppose, you turned her out of the house?

EMILY
. Of course.

VERA
. And she didn't dare go home—(
Comes down Right to Centre
) What did you feel like when you found she'd drowned herself?

EMILY
. (
Puzzled
) Feel like?

VERA
. Yes. Didn't you blame yourself?

EMILY
. Certainly not. I had nothing with which to reproach myself.

VERA
. I believe—I believe you really feel like that. That makes it even more horrible. (
Turns away to Right, then goes up to Centre windows.
)

EMILY
. That girl's unbalanced. (
Opens bag and takes out a small Bible. Begins to read it in a low mutter
) “The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made—(
Stops and nods her head
) In the net which they hid is their own foot taken.” (
ROGERS
enters Left 2.
EMILY
stops and smiles approvingly.
) “The Lord is known by the judgement He executeth, the wicked is snared in the work of his own hand.”

ROGERS
. (
Looks doubtfully at
EMILY
) Breakfast is ready.

EMILY
. “The wicked shall be turned into hell.” (
Turns head sharply
) Be quiet.

ROGERS
. Do you know where the gentlemen are, Miss? Breakfast is ready. (
To above Left sofa.
)

VERA
. Sir Lawrence Wargrave is sitting out there in the sun. Doctor Armstrong and Mr. Blore are searching the island. I shouldn't bother about them. (
She comes in.
)

EMILY
. “Shall not the isles shake at the sound of the fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?”

VERA
. (
To Left. Coldly. After waiting a minute or two
) Shall we go in?

EMILY
. I don't feel like eating.

ROGERS
. (
To
MACKENZIE
) Breakfast is ready. (
Goes off Right on balcony.
)

EMILY
. (
Opens Bible again
) “Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put of their 'broidered garments.” (
Enter
BLORE
up Right
) “They shall clothe themselves with trembling, they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee.” (
Looks up and sees
BLORE
,
but her eyes are almost unseeing.
)

BLORE
. (
Speaks readily, but watches her with a new interest
) Reading aloud, Miss Brent?

EMILY
. It is my custom to read a portion of the Bible every day.

BLORE
. Very good habit, I'm sure. (
To down Right.
)

(
ARMSTRONG
comes Right along balcony and in.
)