The Mousetrap

(He turns, crosses and exits Left. They all laugh.)

LADYANGKATELL. Gudgeon is wonderful. (She sits on the sofa.) He always appears at the right moment.

HENRIETTA. (Aside) Could I have a light, Midge?

EDWARD. (Moving toLADYANGKATELLand offering her a cigarette) How’s the sculpture, Henrietta?

LADYANGKATELL. You know I don’t smoke, dear.

(MIDGE picks up the table lighter from the mantelpiece.)

HENRIETTA. Getting along. I’ve finished the big wooden figure for the International Group. Would you like to see it?

EDWARD. Yes.

HENRIETTA. It’s concealed in what I believe the house agent who sold Henry this house calls the “breakfast nook.”

(MIDGE lights HENRIETTA’s cigarette, then replaces the lighter on the mantelpiece.)

LADYANGKATELL. Thank heavens that’s something I have never had—my breakfast in a nook.

(They all laugh. HENRIETTA moves to the alcove up Left, draws back the curtain, switches on the light, then moves up Centre. EDWARD leads MIDGE to the alcove and stands Right of her as they both look off Left.)

HENRIETTA. It’s called The Worshipper.

EDWARD. (Impressed) That’s a very powerful figure. Beautiful graining. What wood is it?

HENRIETTA. Pearwood.

EDWARD. (Slowly) It’s—an uncomfortable sort of thing.

MIDGE. (Nervously) It’s horrible.

EDWARD. That heavy forward slant of the neck and shoulders—the submission. The fanaticism of the face—the eyes—she’s blind? (He turns to face HENRIETTA.)

HENRIETTA. Yes.

EDWARD. What’s she looking at—with her blind eyes?

HENRIETTA. (Turning away) I don’t know. Her God, I suppose.

LADYANGKATELL. (Softly) Poor Henrietta.

HENRIETTA. (Moving to Right of the armchair Left Centre) What did you say, Lucy?

(EDWARD crosses to the fireplace and flicks his ash into it.)

LADYANGKATELL. (Rising) Nothing. (She moves to Right of the sofa and glances off Right.) Ah look, chaffinches. Sweet. One ought to look at birds through glasses, on tops of trees, oughtn’t one? (She turns.) Are there still herons at Ainswick, Edward?

EDWARD. Ah, yes—down by the river.

LADYANGKATELL. (Softly) Down by the river—ah dear.

(Her voice fades away as she exits Right.)

EDWARD. Why did she say “Poor Henrietta?”

(MIDGE closes the alcove curtain, switches off the light, crosses above the sofa to Right of it, then sits on it at the Right end.)

HENRIETTA. Lucy isn’t blind.

EDWARD. (Stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray on the mantelpiece) Shall we go for a walk, Henrietta? (He moves Left Centre) I’d like to stretch my legs after that drive.

HENRIETTA. I’d love to. (She moves to the coffee table and stubs out her cigarette in the ashtray on it.) I’ve been modelling most of the day. Coming, Midge?

MIDGE. No, thank you.

(EDWARD moves slowly up Centre.)

I’ll stay here and help Lucy with the Cristows when they arrive.

EDWARD. (Stopping and turning; sharply) Cristow? Is he coming?

HENRIETTA. Yes.

EDWARD. I wish I’d known.

HENRIETTA. (Belligerently) Why?

EDWARD. (Very quietly) I could have come—some other weekend.

(There is a pause, then HENRIETTA and EDWARD exit up Centre to Left. MIDGE watches them go, her face revealing her hopeless love for EDWARD. LADY ANGKATELL enters Right and moves above the Right end of the sofa.)

LADYANGKATELL. (Whispering) Have Henrietta and Edward gone for a walk?

MIDGE. Yes.

LADYANGKATELL. Does Edward know about the Cristows?

MIDGE. Yes.

LADYANGKATELL. Was it all right?

MIDGE. Not noticeably.