The Mousetrap

LISA. You don’t, I know. You never have. You’re softhearted, Karl. I’m not.

KARL. Is it wrong to feel pity? Can mercy ever be wrong?

LISA. It can lead to a lot of unhappiness.

KARL. One must be prepared to suffer for one’s principles.

LISA. Perhaps. That is your business. (She rises and crosses toLof the tableRC) But other people suffer for them as well. Anya suffered for them.

KARL. I know, I know. But you don’t understand.

LISA. (turning to faceKARL) I understand very well.

KARL. What do you want me to do?

LISA. I have told you. Go to the police. Anya has been murdered. This girl has admitted to murdering her. The police must be told.

KARL. (rising and crossing above the armchair toC) You haven’t thought, Lisa. The girl is so young. She is only twenty-three.

LISA. Whereas Anya was thirty-eight.

KARL. If she is tried and condemned—what good will it do? Can it bring Anya back? Don’t you see, Lisa, revenge can’t bring Anya back to life again.

LISA. No. Anya is dead.

KARL. (crossing to the sofa and sitting) I wish you could see it my way.

LISA. (moving toLof the sofa) I can’t see it your way. I loved Anya. We were cousins and friends. We went about as girls together. I looked after her when she was ill. I know how she tried to be brave, how she tried not to complain. I know how difficult life was for her.

KARL. Going to the police won’t bring Anya back.

LISAdoes not answer but turns and moves upRC.

And don’t you see, Lisa, I’m bound to feel responsible myself. I must in some way have encouraged the girl.

LISA. You didn’t encourage her. (She moves to L of the sofa and kneels, facing KARL) Let’s speak plainly. She did her utmost to seduce you, and failed.

KARL. No matter how you put it, I feel responsible. Love for me was her motive.

LISA. Her motive was to get what she wanted, as she always has got everything she wanted all her life.

KARL. That’s just what has been her tragedy. She has never had a chance.

LISA. And she’s young and beautiful.

KARL. (sharply) What do you mean?

LISA. I wonder if you’d be so tender if she were one of your plain girl students.

KARL. (rising) You can’t think . . .

LISA. (rising) What can’t I think?

KARL. That I want that girl . . .

LISA. (moving slowly downL) Why not? Aren’t you attracted to her? Be honest with yourself. Are you sure you’re not really a little in love with the girl?

KARL. (crossing toRofLISA) You can say that? You? When you know—when you’ve always known . . . ? It’s you I love. You! I lie awake at nights thinking about you, longing for you. Lisa, Lisa . . .

KARLtakesLISAin his arms. They embrace passionately. There is a shadowy figure in the doorway upC. After a pause, the door closes with a bang. This makesKARLandLISAmove apart and look at the door. They do not see who it was and the audience are left unaware of the identity of the eavesdropper. The lights BLACK-OUT as—

TheCURTAINfalls.

Scene II

SCENE: The same. Six hours later. Evening.

When the CURTAIN rises, the lights come up a very little, leaving most of the room in darkness.LISAis seated on the sofa, at the right end, smoking. She is almost invisible. The front door is heard opening and closing and there is the sound of voices in the hall.KARLenters upC. He has a newspaper in his overcoat pocket. TheDOCTORfollows him on.

KARL. Nobody’s at home. I wonder . . .

TheDOCTORswitches on the lights by the switchLof the double doors, and he andKARLseeLISA.

DOCTOR. Lisa! Why are you sitting here in the dark?

KARLgoes to the desk chair and puts his coat over the back of it.

LISA. I was just thinking.

KARLsits in the armchair.