The Mousetrap

ANGELA. (moving toRof Caroline) Caroline—(she whispers anxiously) it isn’t possible, is it, for Elsa to marry Amyas?

(CAROLINE replies calmly, overheard only by MEREDITH)

CAROLINE. Amyas will only marry Elsa after I am dead.

ANGELA. Good. It was a joke.

(ANGELA runs off down L)

MEREDITH. (moving toRof Caroline) Caroline—my dear—I can’t tell you . . .

CAROLINE. Don’t . . . Everything’s finished—I’m finished . . .

(PHILIP comes on to the terrace)

PHILIP. The lady’s waiting to be driven.

MEREDITH. (slightly at a loss) Oh.

(MEREDITH goes into the room and escorts ELSA off up C. MISS WILLIAMS enters up C and looks off after Meredith and Elsa. She stands in the room, uncertain for a moment, then goes to the french windows and overhears the last of the conversation between Philip and Caroline)

CAROLINE. (to Philip; brightly) We’ll go by the wood path, shall we?

PHILIP. (moving toRofCAROLINE) Caroline—is it in order for me to offer my condolences?

CAROLINE. Don’t.

PHILIP. Perhaps you realize, now, that you made a mistake.

CAROLINE. When I married him?

PHILIP. Yes.

CAROLINE. (looking Philip straight in the eye) However it may turn out—I made no mistake. (She resumes her light manner) Let’s go.

(CAROLINE exits down L. PHILIP follows her off. MISS WILLIAMS comes on to the terrace)

MISSWILLIAMS. (calling) Mrs. Crale. (She moves below the bench) Mrs. Crale.

(CAROLINE re-enters down L)

CAROLINE. Yes, Miss Williams?

MISSWILLIAMS. I’m going into the village. Shall I post the letters that are on your desk?

CAROLINE. (turning to go) Oh, yes, please. I forgot them.

MISSWILLIAMS. Mrs. Crale——

(CAROLINE turns)

—if I could do anything—anything at all to help . . .

CAROLINE. (quickly) Please. We must go on as usual—just behave as usual.

MISSWILLIAMS. (fervently) I think you’re wonderful.

CAROLINE. Oh, no, I’m not. (She moves to L. of Miss Williams) Dear Miss Williams. (She kisses her) You’ve been such a comfort to me.

(CAROLINE exits quickly down L. MISS WILLIAMS looks after her, then sees the empty beer bottle and glass on the trolley. She picks up the bottle, looks at it for a moment, and then looks off after Caroline. She puts the bottle in the ice-bucket, picks up the ice-bucket and glass and crosses below the bench to the french windows. As she does so, the lights slowly dim to BLACK-OUT. A spotlight comes up on Justin down L)

JUSTIN. We come now to the next morning, the morning of the seventeenth. Miss Williams?

(The spotlight fades, MISS WILLIAMS’ voice can be heard in the darkness)

MISSWILLIAMS. I’d been going through Angela’s school list with Mrs. Crale. She looked tired and unhappy but she was very composed. The telephone rang, and I went into the garden room to answer it.

(The LIGHTS come up. A clean glass and a fresh bottle of beer, not in an ice-bucket, is on the trolley. PHILIP is seated on the bench on the terrace reading a Sunday paper. The telephone rings. MISS WILLIAMS enters up C, goes to the telephone and lifts the receiver. She carries a school list. CAROLINE follows Miss Williams on, with her spectacles in her hand. She looks towards the telephone, then crosses wearily above the stool to the armchair R and sits)