The Mousetrap

HENRIETTA. You don’t understand. John. You don’t know what it is to want something—to look at it day after day—that line of neck—the muscle—the angle of the head—that heaviness under the jaw. I’ve been looking at them, wanting them, every time I saw Gerda. In the end—I just had to have them.

JOHN. Utterly unscrupulous.

HENRIETTA. Yes—I suppose you could call it that.

JOHN. (Uneasily) That’s a terrifying thing you’ve made, Henrietta. What’s she looking at—who is it there, in front of her?

HENRIETTA. I don’t know, John. I think—it might be you.

(EDWARD enters Left. He now wears dinner clothes.)

You remember Edward—John.

JOHN. (Tersely) Of course.

EDWARD. (Moving below the armchair Left Centre) Looking at Henrietta’s latest masterpiece?

JOHN. (Without looking atEDWARD) Yes. (He crosses to the fireplace.) Yes, I was.

EDWARD. What do you think of it?

JOHN. (With his back toEDWARD) I’m not really qualified to judge. (He takes a cigarette from his case.)

EDWARD. Powerful!

JOHN. ’M?

EDWARD. I said it’s powerful.

JOHN. Yes.

HENRIETTA. (Switching off the light and closing the alcove curtain) I must go and change.

EDWARD. Still lots of time. (He crosses to the drinks table.) Can I get you a drink, Cristow?

JOHN. No, thank you. (He taps his cigarette on his case.)

EDWARD. (Moving to the French window Right) Quite a mild evening.

(He glances at HENRIETTA and JOHN, then exits Right.)

HENRIETTA. (Moving Centre) You were very rude, John.

JOHN. (Turning) I’ve no time for that sort of person.

HENRIETTA. Edward’s a dear.

JOHN. Possibly. (He lights his cigarette.) I don’t like him. I think he is quite ineffectual.

HENRIETTA. You know, sometimes, John, I’m afraid for you.

JOHN. Afraid for me? What do you mean?

HENRIETTA. It’s dangerous to be as oblivious as you are.

JOHN. Oblivious?

HENRIETTA. You never see or know anything that people are feeling about you.

JOHN. I should have said the opposite.

HENRIETTA. You see what you’re looking at—yes. You’re like a searchlight. A powerful beam turned on to the one spot where your interest is, but behind it, and each side of it, darkness.

JOHN. Henrietta, darling, what is all this?

HENRIETTA. I tell you, it’s dangerous. You assume everybody likes you—(She moves in to Right of JOHN) Lucy and Gerda, Henry, Midge and Edward.

(JOHN puts his cigarette in the ashtray on the mantelpiece.)

Do you know at all what they feel about you?

JOHN. (Smiling) And Henrietta? What does the feel? At least—(He catches her hand and draws her to him) I’m sure of you.

HENRIETTA. You can be sure of no one in this world, John.

(JOHN kisses her. As she gives in to him helplessly, he releases her, smiles, turns, picks up his cigarette and moves to the door Left. EDWARD enters Right. JOHN gives EDWARD a cynical look Left, then exits Left.)

(She turns to EDWARD.) Get me a drink, would you, Edward, before I go. (She turns, looks in the mirror on the mantelpiece, and touches up her lipstick with her handkerchief.)

EDWARD. (Moving to the drinks table) Sherry?

HENRIETTA. Please.

EDWARD. (Pouring out two sherries) I wish you’d come to Ainswick more often, Henrietta. It’s a long time now.

HENRIETTA. I know. One gets tangled up in things.

EDWARD. Is that the real reason?

HENRIETTA. Not quite.

EDWARD. You can tell me, Henrietta.

HENRIETTA. (Turning; feelingly) You are a dear, Edward. I’m very fond of you.

EDWARD. (Crossing to Right ofHENRIETTAwith the drinks) Why don’t you come to Ainswick? (He hands a drink to her.)

HENRIETTA. Because—one can’t go back.

EDWARD. You used to be happy there, in the old days.

HENRIETTA. Yes, happy in the loveliest way of all—when one doesn’t know one is happy.

EDWARD. (Raising his glass) To Ainswick.