The Mousetrap

BATTLE. (MovingC.) I don’t know, Jim. If you want the truth, I don’t like it. I don’t like any of it. There’s too much evidence against him. Besides, it doesn’t quite fit. Lady Tressilian calls him into the room, and he goes happening to have a niblick in his hand. Why?

LEACH. So as to bash her over the head.

BATTLE. Meaning it’s premeditated? All right, he’s drugged Miss Aldin. But he can’t count on her being asleep so soon. He couldn’t count on anybody being asleep so soon.

LEACH. Well then, say he’s cleaning his clubs. Lady T calls him. They have a row—he loses his temper and bashes her with the club he just happens to be holding.

BATTLE. That doesn’t account for the drugging of Mary Aldin. And she was drugged—the doctor says so. Of course—(Meditatively.) she could have drugged herself.

LEACH. Why?

BATTLE. (Moving toL. of the card table, to Treves.) Is there any possible motive in Miss Aldin’s case?

TREVES. Lady Tressilian left her a legacy—not a very large one—a few hundreds a year. As I told you, Lady Tressilian had very little personal fortune.

BATTLE. A few hundreds a year. (He sitsL. of the card table.)

TREVES. (Rising and moving downR.) I agree. An inadequate motive.

BATTLE. (Sighing.) Well, let’s see the first wife. Jim, get Mrs. Audrey Strange. (Leach exits L.) There’s something peculiar about this business, sir. A mixture of cold premeditation and unpremeditated violence, and the two don’t mix.

TREVES. Exactly, Battle. The drugging of Miss Aldin suggests premeditation . . .

BATTLE. And the way the murder was carried out looks as though it was done in a fit of blind rage. Yes, sir. It’s all wrong.

TREVES. Did you notice what he said—about a trap?

BATTLE. (Thoughtfully.) “A trap.” (Leach enters L. and holds the door open. Audrey enters L. She is very pale but completely composed. Benson rises. Treves moves up R. Leach exits L. and closes the door.)

AUDREY. (Crossing toC.) You wish to see me?

BATTLE. (Rising.) Yes. (He indicates the chairL. of the card table.) Please sit down, Mrs. Strange. (Audrey crosses quickly to the chairL. of the card table and sits.) You’ve already told me how you came to make the discovery, so we needn’t go into that again.

AUDREY. Thank you.

BATTLE. (Moving downR.) I’m afraid, however, that I shall have to ask you several questions that you may find embarrassing. You are not compelled to answer them unless you like.

AUDREY. I don’t mind. I only wish to help. (Treves moves slowly down L.)

BATTLE. First of all, then, will you tell us what you did after dinner last night?

AUDREY. I was on the terrace for some time talking to Mr. Treves. Then Miss Aldin came out to say that Lady Tressilian would like to see him in her room, and I came in here. I talked to Kay and Mr. Latimer and, later, to Mr. Royde and Nevile. Then I went up to bed.

BATTLE. What time did you go to bed?

AUDREY. I think it was about half past nine. I’m not sure of the time exactly. It may have been a little later.

BATTLE. There was some sort of trouble between Mr. Strange and his wife, I believe. Were you mixed up in that?

AUDREY. Nevile behaved very stupidly. I think he was rather excited and overwrought. I left them together and went to bed. I don’t know what happened after that, naturally. (Treves sits in the easy chair L. C.)

BATTLE. Did you go to sleep at once?

AUDREY. No. I was reading for some little while.

BATTLE. (Moving on to the rostrum.) And you heard nothing unusual during the night?

AUDREY. No, nothing. My room is on the floor above Cam—Lady Tressilian’s. I wouldn’t have heard anything.

BATTLE. (Picking up the niblick.) I’m sorry, Mrs. Strange—(He moves to L. of Audrey and shows her the niblick.) we believe this was used to kill Lady Tressilian. It has been identified by Mr. Strange as his property. It also bears his fingerprints.

AUDREY. (Drawing in her breath sharply.) Oh, you—you’re not suggesting that it was—Nevile . . .

BATTLE. Would it surprise you?

AUDREY. Very much. I’m sure you’re quite wrong, if you think so. Nevile would never do a thing like that. Besides, he had no reason.

BATTLE. Not if he wanted money very urgently?