The Mousetrap

INSPECTOR. (Moving up Right) Will you give me your account of what happened?

HENRIETTA. I was in the flower garden. (She points Right.) It’s through there. Not very far from the house. I heard the shot and realized it came from the house and not from the target alley down below. I thought that was strange, so I came in.

INSPECTOR. By which window?

HENRIETTA. (Pointing Right) That one.

INSPECTOR. Will you describe what you saw?

HENRIETTA. Sir Henry and Gudgeon, the butler, were bending over John Cristow. Mrs. Cristow was beside them. She had the revolver in her hand.

INSPECTOR. (Moving to Right of the sofa) And you concluded that she had shot him?

HENRIETTA. Why should I think so?

INSPECTOR. Didn’t you, in fact, think so?

HENRIETTA. No, I didn’t.

INSPECTOR. What did you think, then?

HENRIETTA. I don’t think I thought at all. It was all rather unexpected. Sir Henry told Gudgeon to call the doctor and he went over to the phone.

INSPECTOR. Who else was in the room?

HENRIETTA. Everybody, I think. No—Edward came in after I did.

INSPECTOR. Which way?

HENRIETTA. By the terrace.

INSPECTOR. And then?

HENRIETTA. And then—John died.

INSPECTOR. Was he conscious before he died.

HENRIETTA. Oh yes, he opened his eyes.

INSPECTOR. Did he say anything?

HENRIETTA. (After a pause) He said “Henrietta”.

INSPECTOR. You knew him well?

HENRIETTA. Very well indeed.

INSPECTOR. He didn’t say anything else?

HENRIETTA. No.

INSPECTOR. (Crossing above the sofa to Left of it) What happened next?

HENRIETTA. Let me see—oh yes, Gerda cried out. She was swaying, and waving the revolver about. I thought it might go off. I went and took it from her and tried to get her on to the sofa.

INSPECTOR. (Crossing to the fireplace) Were you particularly a friend of Doctor Cristow or of Mrs. Cristow?

HENRIETTA. That’s rather a difficult question to answer.

INSPECTOR. (Sympathetically and gently) Is it, Miss Angkatell?

HENRIETTA. (Resolutely) Well, I’ll take a short cut. I was John Cristow’s mistress. That’s what you wanted to know, isn’t it?

INSPECTOR. (Crossing toHENRIETTA) Thank you, Miss Angkatell. (He takes a cigarette case from his pocket and offers a cigarette toHENRIETTA. Gently) I’m afraid we have to know all the facts.

HENRIETTA. (Taking a cigarette; in a dry voice) If this particular fact has no bearing on the case, and I don’t see how it can have, is there any necessity to make it public? Not only for my sake. It would give Mrs. Cristow a good deal of unnecessary pain.

INSPECTOR. (LightingHENRIETTA’s cigarette) Mrs. Cristow had no idea of the relationship between you and her husband?

HENRIETTA. None.

INSPECTOR. Are you sure of that?

HENRIETTA. Absolutely.

INSPECTOR. (Crossing above the sofa to Right of it) How long had you and Doctor Cristow been lovers?

HENRIETTA. I became his mistress six months ago. I did not say we were lovers.

INSPECTOR. (Looking at her with quickened interest) I’m not sure that I know what you mean, Miss Angkatell.

HENRIETTA. I think you will know if you think about it.

INSPECTOR. There was no question of a divorce?

HENRIETTA. Certainly not. That’s what I’ve been trying to explain. John Cristow had had affairs with other women. I was only one of—a procession. I don’t think he really cared for any woman except his wife. But she wasn’t the kind of woman he could talk to about his work. He was doing research work on an obscure disease.

(The INSPECTOR sits on the sofa at the Right end of it.)