The Mousetrap

(VERONICA turns, glares at the SERGEANT, then exits hurriedly up Centre to Left. The INSPECTOR looks after her, twisting the revolver which he holds carefully in the handkerchief.)

SERGEANT. (Easing to Right of the armchair Left Centre.) But, sir, I . . .

INSPECTOR. But me no buts, Penny. Things are not what they seem, and all the rest of it. (He moves to the armchair Left Centre and sits slowly in it.)

(The SERGEANT opens his mouth to protest.)

(He silences the SERGEANT with a gesture.) I know—I know. Now I wonder . . . ?

CURTAIN

ACT THREE

SCENE: The same. The following Monday morning.

When Curtain rises, it is a fine morning, the French windows are open and a small fire burns in the grate.GUDGEONushers in theINSPECTORand theSERGEANTLeft.

GUDGEON. I will inform Sir Henry you are here, sir.

(He exits Left.)

SERGEANT. (Glancing at the drinks table) Nice flowers. (He moves to the fireplace.)

INSPECTOR. (Moving up Centre and standing in the French windows) Yes.

SERGEANT. (Turning and looking at the picture over the mantelpiece) I rather like this picture. Nice house. I wonder whose it is?

INSPECTOR. That’s Lady Angkatell’s old home.

SERGEANT. Is it now? All sold up like everything else nowadays?

INSPECTOR. No, it belongs to Edward Angkatell. Entailed, you see.

SERGEANT. (Turning) Why not to Sir Henry? He’s got the title.

INSPECTOR. No. He’s a KCB. He was only a second cousin.

SERGEANT. You seem to know all about the family.

INSPECTOR. (Moving down Right) I’ve taken the trouble to find out all I could. I thought it might have a bearing on the case.

SERGEANT. I don’t quite see how. (He eases Left Centre.) Anyway, we’re getting places at last—or aren’t we?

INSPECTOR. Aren’t we is probably right.

(DORIS enters up Centre from Left.)

DORIS. (Standing in the French windows) Ssh!

SERGEANT. Hullo.

DORIS. (Moving Centre; conspiratorially) I come round this way because I didn’t want Mr. Gudgeon to spot me. They say out there it’s common to have anything to do with the police, but what I say is let justice be done.

SERGEANT. That’s the spirit, my girl. And who says it’s common to have anything to do with the police?

DORIS. (Turning to theSERGEANT) Mrs. Medway—the cook. She said it was bad enough anyway to have police in the house and a thing that had never happened to her before and she was afraid she wasn’t going to have a light hand with her pastry. (She pauses for breath.) And if it wasn’t for her ladyship she’d give in her notice, but she couldn’t leave her ladyship in the lurch. (She crosses to Left of the sofa. To the INSPECTOR) All potty about her ladyship they are.

SERGEANT. Well, come to the part about justice being done.

DORIS. (Turning and crossing to Right of theSERGEANT) It’s what I seen with my own eyes.

SERGEANT. And very nice eyes they are, too.

DORIS. (Nudging theSERGEANT) Oh, go on! Well, Saturday afternoon it was—the very day of the murder. I went to shut the bedroom windows because it looked like rain, and I happened to glance over the banisters, and what did I see?

SERGEANT. Well—what did you see?

DORIS. I saw Mr. Gudgeon standing in the front hall with a revolver in his hand and he looked ever so peculiar. Gave me quite a turn it did.

INSPECTOR. Gudgeon?

DORIS. (Moving to Left of the sofa) Yes, sir. And it come to me as perhaps he was the murderer.

INSPECTOR. Gudgeon!

DORIS. (Crossing below the sofa to Left of theINSPECTOR) And I hope I’ve done right in coming to you, but what they’ll say to me in the servants’ hall I don’t know, but what I felt was—let—

SERGEANT. You did quite right, my girl.