The Mousetrap

AUDREY. (MovingC.) That’s what I thought, but it’s so unlike Mary. (She turns to Treves.) What shall we do?

TREVES. I think you should get a doctor. She may be ill.

NEVILE. (Crossing to the doorL.) I’ll go and phone Lazenby and get him to come at once. (Nevile exits quickly L.)

TREVES. (MovingL. C.) Have you told Lady Tressilian, Audrey?

AUDREY. (MovingR. C.; shaking her head.) No, not yet. I didn’t want to disturb her. They’re making her some fresh tea in the kitchen. I’m going to take it up. I’ll tell her then.

TREVES. I sincerely hope it’s nothing serious.

KAY. She’s probably taken an overdose of sleeping stuff. (She sits in the easy chair down R.)

TREVES. That could be extremely serious.

AUDREY. I can’t imagine Mary doing such a thing. (Royde enters L.)

ROYDE. (Moving between Treves and Audrey.) I heard Strange telephoning Dr. Lazenby. What’s the matter?

AUDREY. It’s Mary. She’s still asleep and we can’t get her to wake up. Kay thinks she may have taken an overdose of some drug.

KAY. Something like that must have happened or you’d be able to wake her.

ROYDE. Sleeping stuff, do you mean? Shouldn’t think she’d have needed anything like that last night. She was dog tired.

TREVES. I’m sure she wouldn’t take any sort of drug, you know—in case the bell rang.

KAY. Bell?

ROYDE. There’s a bell in her room. Lady Tressilian always rings it if she wants anything in the night. (To Audrey.) Remember she was telling us about it last night.

AUDREY. Mary wouldn’t take anything that would stop her hearing the bell, in case it was urgent. (Nevile enters quickly L.)

NEVILE. Lazenby’s coming round right away.

AUDREY. (Crossing to the doorL.) Oh, good. Before he gets here I’d better go and see about Camilla’s tea. She’ll be wondering what’s happened.

NEVILE. Can I help?

AUDREY. No, thank you. I can manage. (Audrey exitsL. Kay rises and moves upR. of the chaise.)

ROYDE. (Moving to the chaise.) I wonder if it could be some kind of heart attack. (He sits on the chaise. Treves sits in the armchairL. C.)

NEVILE. (Crossing and standing on the right end of the rostrum.) It’s not much use conjecturing, is it? Lazenby’ll be able to tell us. Poor old Mary. I don’t know what will happen if she’s really ill.

TREVES. It would be disastrous. Lady Tressilian relies on Mary for everything.

KAY. (Moving toR. of Nevile, hopefully.) I suppose we should all have to pack up and go?

NEVILE. (Smiling at Kay.) Perhaps it isn’t anything serious after all. (Kay moves down R.)

ROYDE. Must be something pretty bad if she can’t be wakened.

TREVES. It can’t take Dr. Lazenby very long to get here, and then we shall know. He lives a very short distance away.

NEVILE. He ought to be here in about ten minutes, I should think.

TREVES. Possibly he will be able to relieve all our minds. I trust so.

NEVILE. (With a determinedly cheerful air.) No good looking on the black side of things, anyway.

KAY. (Moving toR. of the chaise.) Always the perfect optimist, aren’t you, Nevile?

NEVILE. Well, things usually work out all right.

ROYDE. They certainly do for you.

NEVILE. (Moving toL. of Royde.) I don’t quite know what you mean by that, Thomas.

ROYDE. (Rising.) I should have thought it was obvious.

NEVILE. What are you insinuating?

ROYDE. I’m not insinuating anything. I’m stating facts.

TREVES. (Rising.) Ssh! (He movesC. and hastily changes the subject.) Do you think—er—we ought to see if there is anything we could do to—er—help. Lady Tressilian might wish . . . (Royde crosses above the others and stands on the left end of the rostrum.)

NEVILE. If Camilla wants us to do anything she’ll soon say so. I wouldn’t interfere unless she does, if I were you. (Audrey is heard to scream off L. Royde exits hurriedly. There is a short pause. Audrey, supported by Royde, enters L. She looks almost dazed.)

AUDREY. Camilla—Camilla . . .

TREVES. (Concerned.) My dear! What’s the matter?

AUDREY. (In a husky whisper.) It’s—Camilla.