The Mousetrap

(GUDGEON enters hurriedly Left. A moment later SIR HENRY enters Right. He is followed on by MIDGE.)

SIRHENRY. (Crossing to Right ofJOHN) What’s happened?

(GUDGEON moves to Left of JOHN.)

Cristow! Cristow! Good God, what’s happened? (He kneels beside JOHN.)

MIDGE. (Moving above the sofa) Gerda—John—what is it?

GUDGEON. (Kneeling Left ofJOHN) Doctor Cristow, sir—what is it?

SIRHENRY. (RaisingJOHN’s head and shoulders) He’s been wounded. (He feels JOHN’s heart.)

(JOHN is still breathing. GUDGEON rises and eases Left.)

GUDGEON. Wounded? How did it happen?

SIRHENRY. Ring for a doctor, Gudgeon.

(GUDGEON crosses to the writing table and lifts the telephone receiver.)

MIDGE. Is he dead?

SIRHENRY. No.

(LADY ANGKATELL enters Left. HENRIETTA enters Right.)

HENRIETTA. I heard—a shot. (She kneels down Right of JOHN.) John—John.

(EDWARD enters up Centre from Left and stands Right of the French windows. JOHN opens his eyes and looks at HENRIETTA.)

JOHN. (Trying to raise himself; in a loud urgent voice) Henrietta—Henrietta . . . (He collapses.)

(SIR HENRY feels JOHN’s heart, then looks at HENRIETTA and GERDA.)

GERDA. (Moving below the armchair Left Centre, hysterically) He’s dead—he’s dead. John’s dead.

(HENRIETTA moves to Right of GERDA and takes the revolver from her. LADY ANGKATELL moves to Left of GERDA and puts her arms around her.)

John’s dead.

(The Curtain begins to fall.)

GUDGEON. (Into the telephone) Get me Doctor Murdock.

CURTAIN

Scene II

SCENE: The same. Later the same day.

When Curtain rises, the weather has changed; the wind is rising and the sky is overcast. The windows are closed, with the exception of the right side of the French windows up Centre.LADYANGKATELLis seated on the sofa at the Right end, knitting.MIDGEis seated on the chair down Right.EDWARDis seated in the armchair Left Centre, doing “The Times” crossword.HENRIETTAis standing on the terrace up Centre. After a whileHENRIETTAmoves down Centre. She pauses as the clock strikes two, then paces below the sofa to Right and gazes out of the window Right.)

LADYANGKATELL. I knew the weather was too good to last. I wish I knew what to do about meals. This Inspector person and the other one—does one send them something on a tray? Or do they have a meal with us later?

(HENRIETTA turns.)

The police aren’t at all as they are in books. This Inspector Colquhoun, for instance, well he’s a gentleman. I know one mustn’t say that these days—it annoys people—but he is. (She pauses.)

(HENRIETTA crosses above the sofa to Left.)

(Suddenly.) St. Albans!

(EDWARD and HENRIETTA look at LADY ANGKATELL in surprise.)

HENRIETTA. What about St. Albans? (She moves to the alcove.)

LADYANGKATELL. No, no, Hendon. The police college. Quite unlike our local Inspector Jackson, who is very nice, but such a heavy accent, and such a heavy moustache.

(HENRIETTA opens the curtain of the alcove, switches on the light and stands Right of the arch, looking off Left at the statue.)

MIDGE. Why did they send someone down from Scotland Yard? I thought the local people always dealt with things first.

EDWARD. This is the Metropolitan area.

MIDGE. Oh, I see.