The Mousetrap

(MAJOR METCALF exits up the stairs. GILES enters from the arch up Right. He rushes over to MOLLIE on the sofa, sits and takes her in his arms, placing the revolver on the sofa table.)

GILES. Mollie, Mollie, are you all right? Darling, darling.

MOLLIE. Oh, Giles.

GILES. Whoever would have dreamt it was Trotter?

MOLLIE. He’s mad, quite mad.

GILES. Yes, but you . . .

MOLLIE. I was mixed up in it all, I taught in the school. It wasn’t my fault—but he thought I could have saved that child.

GILES. You should have told me.

MOLLIE. I wanted to forget.

(MAJOR METCALF enters from the stairs and comes to Centre.)

MAJORMETCALF. Everything’s under control. He will be unconscious soon with a sedative—his sister’s looking after him. Poor fellow’s as mad as a hatter, of course. I’ve had my suspicions of him all along.

MOLLIE. You did? Didn’t you believe he was a policeman?

MAJORMETCALF. I knew he wasn’t a policeman. You see, Mrs. Ralston, I’m a policeman.

MOLLIE. You?

MAJORMETCALF. As soon as we got hold of that notebook with “Monkswell Manor” written in it, we saw it was vital to have someone on the spot. When it was put to him, Major Metcalf agreed to let me take his place. I couldn’t understand it when Trotter turned up. (He sees the revolver on the sofa table and picks it up.)

MOLLIE. And Casewell is his sister?

MAJORMETCALF. Yes, it seems she recognized him just before this last business. Didn’t know what to do, but fortunately came to me about it, just in time. Well, it’s started to thaw, help should be here pretty soon. (Moving up to the arch Right) Oh, by the way, Mrs. Ralston, I’ll remove those skis. I hid them on top of the fourposter.

(MAJOR METCALF exits up Right.)

MOLLIE. And I thought it was Paravicini.

GILES. I gather they’ll examine that car of his rather carefully. I shouldn’t be surprised if they found a thousand or so Swiss watches in the spare wheel. Yes, that’s his line of business, nasty little bit of goods. Mollie, I believe you thought I was . . .

MOLLIE. Giles, what were you doing in London yesterday?

GILES. Darling, I was buying you an anniversary present. We’ve been married just a year today.

MOLLIE. Oh. That’s what I went to London for, and I didn’t want you to know.

GILES. No.

(MOLLIE rises, goes to the desk cupboard, and takes out the parcel. GILES rises and goes to Right of the sofa table.)

MOLLIE. (Handing him the parcel) They’re cigars. I do hope they’re all right.

GILES. (Unwrapping the parcel) Oh, darling, how sweet of you. They’re splendid.

MOLLIE. You will smoke them?

GILES. (Heroically) I’ll smoke them.

MOLLIE. What’s my present?

GILES. Oh yes, I forgot all about your present. (He rushes up to the chest in the entrance hall, takes out the hatbox and returns. Proudly) It’s a hat.

MOLLIE. (Taken aback) A hat? But I practically never wear one.

GILES. Just for best.

MOLLIE. (Lifting out the hat) Oh, how lovely, darling.

GILES. Put it on.

MOLLIE. Later, when my hair’s done properly.

GILES. It is all right, isn’t it? The girl in the shop said it was the last thing in hats.

(MOLLIE puts the hat on. GILES moves below the desk. MAJOR METCALF rushes in up Right.)

MAJORMETCALF. Mrs. Ralston! Mrs. Ralston! There’s a terrible smell of burning coming from the kitchen.

(MOLLIE rushes up Right towards the kitchen.)

MOLLIE. (Wailing) Oh, my pie!

QUICK CURTAIN

Witness for the Prosecution

Produced by Peter Saunders at The Winter Garden Theatre, London, on the 28th October 1953, with the following cast of characters:

(in the order of their appearance)

 

GRETA, typist to Sir Wilfrid

Rosalie Westwater

 

 

CARTER, Sir Wilfrid’s Chief Clerk

Walter Horsbrugh

 

 

MR. MAYHEW, a solicitor

Milton Rosmer

 

 

LEONARD VOLE

Derek Blomfield

 

 

SIR WILFRID ROBARTS, Q.C.

David Horne

 

 

INSPECTOR HEARNE

David Raven

 

 

PLAIN-CLOTHES DETECTIVE

Kenn Kennedy