The Mousetrap

KAY. Oh, well—all right. (Police-Constable Benson enters L. Leach follows him on. Benson is a youngish man, fairish and very quiet. He moves to L. of the chaise and takes out a notebook and pencil.)

BATTLE. (SittingR. of the card table.) Now, just tell us about last night, Mrs. Strange.

KAY. What about last night?

BATTLE. What did you do—say from after dinner, onwards?

KAY. I had a headache. I—I went to bed quite early.

BATTLE. How early?

KAY. I don’t know exactly. It was about a quarter to ten, I think.

TREVES. (Interposing gently.) Ten minutes to ten.

KAY. Was it? I wouldn’t know to the minute.

BATTLE. We’ll take it was ten minutes to ten. (He makes a sign to Benson. Benson makes a note in his book.) Did your husband accompany you?

KAY. No.

BATTLE. (After a pause.) What time did he come to bed?

KAY. I’ve no idea. You’d better ask him that.

LEACH. (Crossing toL. of Kay.) The door between your room and your husband’s is locked. Was it locked when you went to bed?

KAY. Yes.

LEACH. Who locked it?

KAY. I did.

BATTLE. Was it usual for you to lock it?

KAY. No.

BATTLE. (Rising.) Why did you do so last night, Mrs. Strange? (Kay does not reply. Leach moves upR. C.)

TREVES. (After a pause.) I should tell them, Kay.

KAY. I suppose if I don’t, you will. Oh, well, then. You can have it. Nevile and I had a row—a flaming row. (Leach looks at Benson, who makes a note.) I was furious with him. I went to bed and locked the door because I was still in a flaming rage with him.

BATTLE. I see—what was the trouble about?

KAY. Does it matter? I don’t see how it concerns . . .

BATTLE. You’re not compelled to answer, if you’d rather not.

KAY. Oh, I don’t mind. My husband has been behaving like a perfect fool. It’s all that woman’s fault, though.

BATTLE. What woman?

KAY. Audrey—his first wife. It was she who got him to come here in the first place.

BATTLE. I understood that it was Mr. Strange’s idea.

KAY. Well, it wasn’t. It was hers.

BATTLE. But why should Mrs. Audrey Strange have suggested it? (During the following speech, Leach crosses slowly to the doorL.)

KAY. To cause trouble, I suppose. Nevile thinks it was his own idea—poor innocent. But he never thought of such a thing until he met Audrey in the Park one day in London, and she put the idea into his head and made him believe he’d thought of it himself. I’ve seen her scheming mind behind it from the first. She’s never taken me in.

BATTLE. Why should she be so anxious for you all to come here together?

KAY. (Quickly and breathlessly.) Because she wanted to get hold of Nevile again. That’s why. She’s never forgiven him for going off with me. This is her revenge. She got him to fix it so that we’d be here together and then she got to work on him. She’s been doing it ever since we arrived. (Battle crosses above the card table to C.) She’s clever, damned clever. She knows just how to look pathetic and elusive. Poor sweet, injured little kitten—with all her blasted claws out.

TREVES. Kay—Kay . . .

BATTLE. I see. Surely, if you felt so strongly, you could have objected to this arrangement of coming here?

KAY. Do you think I didn’t try? Nevile was set on it. He insisted.

BATTLE. But you’re quite sure it wasn’t his idea?

KAY. I’m positive. That white-faced little cat planned it all.

TREVES. You have no actual evidence on which to base such an assertion, Kay.

KAY. (Rising and crossing toR. of Treves.) I know, I tell you, and you know it, too, though you won’t admit it. Audrey’s been . . .

BATTLE. Come and sit down, Mrs. Strange. (Kay crosses reluctantly toL. of the card table and sits.) Did Lady Tressilian approve of the arrangement?

KAY. She didn’t approve of anything in connection with me. Audrey was her pet. She disliked me for taking Audrey’s place with Nevile.

BATTLE. Did you—quarrel with Lady Tressilian?

KAY. No.

BATTLE. After you’d gone to bed, Mrs. Strange, did you hear anything? Any unusual sounds in the house?

KAY. I didn’t hear anything. I was so upset I took some sleeping stuff. I fell asleep almost at once.

BATTLE. (Crossing toR. of the card table.) What kind of sleeping stuff?