The Mousetrap

PHILIP. (to Elsa) You’re late on parade. You look on top of the world this morning.

ELSA. (radiant) Do I? I feel it.

(PHILIP exits down L. ELSA goes to the bench and sits facing the pergola, basking in the sun)

AMYAS. (moving above the stool) Caroline, I’ve told you I don’t want to discuss this. I’m sorry Elsa blew her top. I told her not to.

CAROLINE. You didn’t want a scene until you’d finished your picture, is that it?

AMYAS. (moving to Caroline) Thank the Lord you understand.

CAROLINE. I understand you very well.

(ELSA swings her legs over the bench and faces front. After a moment she hears raised voices, rises and goes to the french windows to listen)

AMYAS. Good. (He bends down to kiss Caroline)

(CAROLINE ducks aside, rises and crosses below Amyas to the stool)

CAROLINE. I may understand, but that doesn’t mean that I’m taking this lying down. (She turns to him) Do you really mean you want to marry this girl?

AMYAS. (moving to her) Darling, I’m very fond of you—and of the child. You know that. I always shall be. (Roughly) But you’ve got to understand this. I’m damned well going to marry Elsa and nothing shall stop me.

CAROLINE. (facing front) I wonder.

AMYAS. (moving upRof the stool) If you won’t divorce me, we’ll live together and she can take the name of Crale by deed poll.

(PHILIP enters down L, sees ELSA listening, and unseen, lounges against the downstage pillar of the pergola)

CAROLINE. You’ve thought it all out, haven’t you?

AMYAS. (movingR) I love Elsa—and I mean to have her.

CAROLINE. (trembling) Do as you please—I’m warning you.

AMYAS. (turning) What do you mean by that?

CAROLINE. (turning suddenly on him) I mean you’re mine—and I don’t mean to let you go.

(AMYAS moves to Caroline)

Sooner than let you go to that girl, I’ll . . .

AMYAS. Caroline, don’t be a fool.

CAROLINE. (near to tears) You and your women! You don’t deserve to live.

AMYAS. (trying to embrace her) Caroline . . .

CAROLINE. I mean it. (She pushes him away) Don’t touch me. (She crosses to the door down R in tears) It’s too cruel—it’s too cruel.

AMYAS. Caroline . . .

(CAROLINE exits down R. AMYAS gives a hopeless gesture, turns and crosses towards the french windows. ELSA turns quickly away, sees Philip and quickly looks nonchalant)

(He goes on the terrace) Oh, there you are at last. (He moves to his stool and sits) What do you mean by wasting half the morning? Get into the pose.

ELSA. (looking at Amyas over the top of the easel) I’ll have to get a pullover. It’s quite a chilly wind.

AMYAS. Oh, no, you don’t. It’ll change all the tones of the skin.

ELSA. I’ve got a yellow one like this shirt—and, anyway, you’re painting my hands this morning, you said so.

(ELSA pouts and runs off by the door up L)

AMYAS. (shouting after Elsa) You don’t know what I’m painting. Only I know that. Oh, hell! (He squeezes paint from a tube on to his palette and mixes the paint)

PHILIP. Trouble with Caroline?

AMYAS. (looking up) Heard some of it, did you?

(PHILIP crosses below Amyas to R)

I knew just what would happen. Elsa had to open her big mouth. Caroline gets hysterical and won’t listen to reason.

PHILIP. (turning) Poor Caroline! (He does not say it with pity, instead there is a trace of satisfaction in his tone)

(AMYAS looks sharply at Philip)

AMYAS. Caroline is all right. Don’t waste your pity on her.

PHILIP. (crossing toLC) Amyas, you’re incredible. I don’t know that I’d really blame Caroline if she took a hatchet to you.

AMYAS. (irritably) Do stop pacing, Phil. You’re putting me off. I thought you were going to meet Merry.