The Mousetrap

(LENNOX and NADINE enter Right.)

Sit down, Mrs. Boynton. (He indicates the chairs Right of the table for NADINE and Left of it for LENNOX.)

(NADINE sits Right of the table, LENNOX Left of it. There is a pause.)

(He looks at LADY WESTHOLME.) That’s all right, then, Lady Westholme.

(LADY WESTHOLME rises and stamps off Right)

(He watches her go, smiling to himself.) Masterful woman. (He sits above the table.) Thinks she runs the British Empire. (His manner changes.) Now, Mr. Boynton, I shall want a certain amount of details from you. (He taps his papers.) Forms, you know. Curse of our age. Don’t want to worry you more than we can help.

NADINE. Of course, we quite understand.

LENNOX. Yes, we understand.

CARBERY. Deceased’s name and age?

LENNOX. Ada Caroline Boynton. She was sixty-two.

CARBERY. (Making notes) And her health hadn’t been too good, eh?

NADINE. She had congestive cardiac failure. We all knew that death might occur at any moment.

CARBERY. You put it quite professionally.

NADINE. I—I had a certain amount of nursing training before my marriage.

CARBERY. Oh, I see.

LENNOX. My mother was a sick woman—a very sick woman.

CARBERY. (Gently; with something significant in his voice) Rather a strenuous trip, this, to bring a very sick woman, wasn’t it?

NADINE. You didn’t know my mother-in-law. She was a very determined woman. If she wanted to do a thing—(She shrugs her shoulders) well, she just did it. We had to give in.

CARBERY. I know, I know. Awfully obstinate, some of these old people. Just won’t listen to reason. (He pauses.) You did all you could to dissuade her, I suppose?

NADINE. (Quickly) Of course.

CARBERY. Very distressing. (He shoots a quick sideways glance at them.) I quite realize the—er—shock—and—er—grief—it must be to you.

LENNOX. It was a great shock, yes.

CARBERY. Quite, quite.

(There is a pause.)

LENNOX. Is that all?

CARBERY. All?

NADINE. There are no further formalities to go through?

CARBERY. I’ll fix up everything as far as I can. We’ve got to get back to civilization first. There will probably have to be an autopsy.

LENNOX. (Rising; sharply) Is that necessary?

CARBERY. Well, under the circumstances—sudden death, you know. Not being attended by a doctor.

NADINE. But there are two doctors here in camp.

CARBERY. (Very vague) Well, yes, that’s true, of course.

NADINE. Surely one of them could certify the death?

CARBERY. (Rising and moving down Left) Well, I don’t know—they weren’t exactly attending her, were they?

NADINE. I believe Miss King did—talk to my mother-in-law about her state of health.

CARBERY. Did she now? Well, that might help. (Sharply) You don’t like the idea of an autopsy?

LENNOX. Frankly, no. It—it would upset us all very much.

CARBERY. Of course I understand your feeling. Still—she was only your stepmother, wasn’t she, Mr. Boynton?

LENNOX. No—yes . . .

NADINE. (Rising) They were so young when their father remarried that it was like their own mother.

CARBERY. I see. I see.

NADINE. So you will do what you can?

CARBERY. I’ll do what I can.

(LENNOX and NADINE cross and exit Right.)

(He moves above the table, raises his eyebrows and purses his lips.) I wonder now. I wonder. Interestin’.

(RAYMOND and SARAH enter quickly from the marquee, talking. They look happy and animated.)

Oh, Doctor King.

SARAH. (Moving to Left ofCARBERY) Yes?

CARBERY. Just wanted a word. (He indicates the chair Left of the table.)

(SARAH sits Left of the table.)

(To RAYMOND) About your mother’s state of health, Mr. Boynton. Perhaps Doctor King could help us there.

RAYMOND. (Moving to Left ofSARAH) In what way?

CARBERY. (Sitting above the table; toSARAH) I understand that you had a talk with Mrs. Boynton on the subject of her health yesterday.

SARAH. Ye-es. It wasn’t a consultation, though.

CARBERY. You mean she didn’t call you in?

SARAH. No. (She pauses. Embarrassed) Actually, I spoke to her. I—I warned her.