The Mousetrap

GERDA. (Turning; startled) Oh, Inspector, how you startled me. (She puts her hand over her heart.) My heart—my heart isn’t strong, you know.

INSPECTOR. (Crossing to Right ofGERDA) What were you doing with that gun?

GERDA. I found it here.

INSPECTOR. (Taking the revolver fromGERDA) You know all about loading a gun, don’t you? (He unloads it, puts the cartridges in one pocket and the revolver in another.)

GERDA. Sir Henry very kindly showed me. Is—is the inquest over?

INSPECTOR. Yes.

GERDA. And the verdict?

INSPECTOR. It was adjourned.

GERDA. That’s not right. They should have said it was wilful murder and that she did it.

INSPECTOR. She?

GERDA. That actress. That Veronica Craye. If they adjourn things, she’ll get away—she’ll go back to America.

INSPECTOR. Veronica Craye didn’t shoot your husband, Mrs. Cristow.

GERDA. She did. She did. Of course she did.

INSPECTOR. No. The gun wasn’t in her bag when we first searched this room. It was put there afterwards. (He pauses.) We often know quite well who’s guilty of crime, Mrs. Cristow—(He looks meaningly at her) but we can’t always get sufficient evidence.

(GERDA, terrified, steps back, stumbles and collapses on to the pouffe.)

GERDA. (Wildly) Oh, John—John—where are you? I want you, John.

INSPECTOR. Mrs. Cristow—Mrs. Cristow—don’t—don’t, please.

(GERDA sobs hysterically. The INSPECTOR crosses to the coffee table, picks up HENRIETTA’s glass, sniffs it, takes it to GERDA and hands it to her. GERDA, not noticing what it is, drinks the contents of the glass. After a few moments, she rises, staggers and crosses below the sofa. As she starts to fall the INSPECTOR crosses to her and lowers her on to the sofa. HENRIETTA enters Left. She carries a cup and saucer. She crosses hurriedly to Left of the sofa, kneeling and putting the cup and saucer on the coffee table, as the INSPECTOR takes the empty glass from GERDA.)

HENRIETTA. Gerda, Gerda. (She sees the glass. To theINSPECTOR) Did you—did you give her that?

INSPECTOR. Why, what was in it?

HENRIETTA. She put something in it—out of her bag.

(The INSPECTOR picks up GERDA’s handbag, opens it and takes out the poison bottle.)

INSPECTOR. (Reading the label) I wonder how she got hold of that? (He feelsGERDA’s pulse, then shakes his head.) So—she’s killed herself.

HENRIETTA. (Rising and crossing to Right) No, it was meant for me.

INSPECTOR. For you, why?

HENRIETTA. Because I—I knew—something. (She crosses above the sofa to the back of the armchair Centre.)

INSPECTOR. You knew she’d killed her husband? Oh yes, I knew that too. We get to know people in our job. You’re not the killer type. She was.

HENRIETTA. (Breaking to the fireplace) She loved John Cristow—too much.

INSPECTOR. The worshipper—that was the name of the statue, wasn’t it? What happens next for you?

HENRIETTA. John told me once that if he were dead, the first thing I’d do would be to model a figure of grief. It’s odd, but that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

(The INSPECTOR moves to the writing table. LADY ANGKATELL enters up Centre from Left. She looks radiant.)

LADYANGKATELL. (Moving down Centre) It was a wonderful inquest.

(The INSPECTOR lifts the telephone receiver.)

Exactly as they describe it in books, and . . . (She sees GERDA.) Has—has Gerda . . . ?

(The INSPECTOR looks at her in silence. HENRIETTA puts her hands to her eyes to hide her tears.)

(She nods her head.) How very, very fortunate . . .