The Mousetrap

KAY. (Moving toR. of the chaise.) Ted’s just coming. He’s running the car round into the drive. I came up through the garden.

NEVILE. (Rising and moving above the chaise.) What’s Latimer coming here for? Can’t he keep away for five minutes?

TREVES. I sent for him, Nevile. Kay very kindly took the message. I also asked Battle to come. I would prefer not to explain in detail. Let us say, Nevile, that I am trying out a last forlorn hope.

NEVILE. To save Audrey?

TREVES. Yes.

KAY. (To Nevile.) Can’t you think of anything else but Audrey?

NEVILE. No, I can’t. (Kay moves to the easy chair down R. Latimer enters by the French windows and crosses to R. of Treves.)

LATIMER. I came as quickly as I could, Mr. Treves. Kay didn’t say what you wanted me for, only that it was urgent.

KAY. (Sitting in the easy chair downR.) I said what I was told to say. I haven’t the faintest idea what it’s all about.

MARY. (Crossing to the chaise and sitting.) We’re all in the dark, Kay. As you heard, Mr. Treves is trying to help Audrey.

KAY. Audrey, Audrey, Audrey. It’s always Audrey. I suppose she’ll haunt us for the rest of our lives.

NEVILE. (Moving downR. of the chaise.) That’s a beastly thing to say, Kay.

LATIMER. (Angrily.) Can’t you see that her nerves are all in shreds?

NEVILE. So are everybody’s. (Latimer moves and stands above Kay. Royde enters L.)

ROYDE. Superintendent Battle is here. (To Treves.) He says he’s expected.

TREVES. Bring him in. (Royde turns and beckons off. Battle entersL.)

BATTLE. Good evening. (He looks enquiringly at Treves.)

TREVES. (Moving downC.) Thank you for coming, Superintendent. It is good of you to spare the time.

NEVILE. (Bitterly.) Especially when you’ve got your victim.

TREVES. I don’t think that kind of remark is going to get us anywhere, Nevile. Battle has only done his duty as a police officer.

NEVILE. (Moving upR.) I’m—I’m sorry, Battle.

BATTLE. That’s all right, sir.

TREVES. (Indicating the easy chairL. C.) Sit down, Battle.

BATTLE. (Sitting in the easy chairL. C.) Thank you, sir.

TREVES. Mr. Royde said something to me the other day, Battle, that I’ve thought about a great deal since.

ROYDE. (Surprised.) I did?

TREVES. Yes, Thomas. You were talking about a detective story you were reading. You said that they all begin in the wrong place. The murder should not be the beginning of the story but the end. And, of course, you were right. A murder is the culmination of a lot of different circumstances, all converging at a given moment at a given point. Rather fancifully you called it Zero Hour.

ROYDE. I remember.

NEVILE. (Impatiently.) What’s this got to do with Audrey?

TREVES. A great deal—it’s Zero Hour now. (There is a rather uncomfortable pause.)

MARY. But Lady Tressilian was murdered three days ago.

TREVES. It is not exactly Lady Tressilian’s murder that I am talking about now. There are different kinds of murder. Superintendent Battle, when I put it to you, will you allow that all the evidence against Audrey Strange could have been faked? The weapon taken from her fender. Her gloves, stained with blood, and hidden in the ivy outside her window. Her face powder, dusted on the inside of Nevile’s dinner jacket. Hairs from her brush placed there as well?

BATTLE. (Stirring uncomfortably.) I suppose it could have been done, but . . .

KAY. But she admitted she was guilty—herself—when you arrested her.

ROYDE. (Moving downL.) No, she didn’t.

KAY. She said that she couldn’t escape.

MARY. She said that she was glad it was all over.

KAY. What more do you want? (Treves holds up a hand. They subside. Nevile crosses slowly and stands on theL. end of the rostrum.)

TREVES. (Moving toC. of the rostrum.) Do you remember, Thomas, that when the Superintendent here was questioning you as to what you had heard on the night of the murder, you mentioned rats? Rats in the attic—over your head?

ROYDE. (Sitting in the easy chair downL.) Yes.