The Mousetrap

LISA. (gently pushingKARLaway; in a loud, clear, calm voice) I did not murder my cousin.

OGDEN. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to say everything you want, later.

KARL, losing restraint, advances onOGDENbut theDOCTORholds his arm.

KARL. (pushing theDOCTORaway; almost shouting) You can’t do this. You can’t.

OGDEN. (toLISA) If you need a coat or a hat . . .

LISA. I need nothing.

LISAturns and looks atKARLfor a moment, then turns and goes upC. TheSERGEANTopens the door.LISAexits upC. OGDENand theSERGEANTfollow her off.KARLsuddenly makes a decision and runs after them.

KARL. Inspector Ogden! Come back. I must speak to you.

(He moves RC)

OGDEN. (off) Wait in the hall, Sergeant.

SERGEANT. (off) Yes, sir.

OGDENenters upC. TheDOCTORcrosses toLC.

OGDEN. Yes, Professor Hendryk?

KARL. (moving toLof the sofa) I have something to tell you. I know who killed my wife. It was not Miss Koletzky.

OGDEN. (politely) Who was it, then?

KARL. It was a girl called Helen Rollander. She is one of my pupils. (He crosses and sits in the armchair) She—she formed an unfortunate attachment to me.

TheDOCTORmoves toLof the armchair.

She was alone with my wife on the day in question, and she gave her an overdose of the heart medicine.

OGDEN. (moving downC) How do you know this, Professor Hendryk?

KARL. She told me herself, this morning.

OGDEN. Indeed? Were there any witnesses?

KARL. No, but I am telling you the truth.

OGDEN. (thoughtfully) Helen—Rollander. You mean the daughter of Sir William Rollander?

KARL. Yes. Her father is William Rollander. He is an important man. Does that make any difference?

OGDEN. (moving below the left end of the sofa) No, it wouldn’t make any difference—if your story were true.

KARL. (rising) I swear to you that it’s true.

OGDEN. You are very devoted to Miss Koletzky, aren’t you?

KARL. Do you think I would make up a story just to protect her?

OGDEN. (movingC) I think it is quite possible—you are on terms of intimacy with Miss Koletzky, aren’t you?

KARL. (dumbfounded) What do you mean?

OGDEN. Let me tell you, Professor Hendryk, that your daily woman, Mrs. Roper, came along to the police station this afternoon and made a statement.

KARL. Then it was Mrs. Roper who . . .

OGDEN. It is partly because of that statement that Miss Koletzky has been arrested.

KARL. (turning to theDOCTORfor support) You believe that Lisa and I . . .

OGDEN. Your wife was an invalid. Miss Koletzky is an attractive young woman. You were thrown together.

KARL. You think we planned together to kill Anya.

OGDEN. No, I don’t think you planned it. I may be wrong there, of course.

KARLcircles the armchair toC.

I think all the planning was done by Miss Koletzky. There was a prospect of your wife’s regaining her health owing to a new treatment. I think Miss Koletzky was taking no chance of that happening.

KARL. But I tell you that it was Helen Rollander.

OGDEN. You tell me, yes. It seems to me a most unlikely story. (He moves upC)

KARLcrosses and stands downR.

Is it plausible that a girl like Miss Rollander who’s got the world at her feet and who hardly knows you, would do a thing like that? Making up an accusation of that kind reflects little credit on you, Professor Hendryk—trumping it up on the spur of the moment because you think it cannot be contradicted.

KARL. (moving toRofOGDEN) Listen. Go to Miss Rollander. Tell her that another woman has been arrested for the murder. Tell her, from me, that I know—know—that with all her faults, she is decent and honest. I swear that she will confirm what I have told you.

OGDEN. You’ve thought it up very cleverly, haven’t you?

KARL. What do you mean?

OGDEN. What I say. But there’s no one who can confirm your story.

KARL. Only Helen herself.

OGDEN. Exactly.

KARL. And Dr. Stoner knows. I told him.

OGDEN. He knows because you told him.

DOCTOR. I believe it to be the truth, Inspector Ogden. If you remember, I mentioned to you that when we left Mrs. Hendryk that day, Miss Rollander remained behind to keep her company.