The Mousetrap

DORIS. And what I feel is . . . (She breaks off and listens.) Someone’s coming. (She moves quickly up Centre.) I must hop it. I’m supposed to be counting the laundry.

(She exits up Centre to Left.)

SERGEANT. (Moving up Centre and looking afterDORIS) That’s a useful girl. She’s the one who was hanging about for Miss Craye’s autograph.

(SIR HENRY enters Left.)

INSPECTOR. Good morning, Sir Henry.

SIRHENRY. (Crossing to Left of the sofa) Good morning, Inspector.

SERGEANT. Good morning, sir.

(SIR HENRY nods to the SERGEANT.)

SIRHENRY. (To theINSPECTOR) You wanted to see me?

INSPECTOR. (Crossing to Left Centre) Yes, Sir Henry. We wanted some further information.

SIRHENRY. Yes?

INSPECTOR. Sir Henry, you have a considerable collection of firearms, mostly pistols and revolvers. I wanted to know if any of them are missing.

SIRHENRY. (Sitting on the sofa at the Left end of it) I don’t quite understand. I have already told you that I took two revolvers and one pistol down to the target alley on Saturday morning, and that I subsequently found that one of them, a thirty-eight Smith and Wesson, was missing. I identified this missing revolver as the one that Mrs. Cristow was holding just after the murder.

INSPECTOR. That is quite correct, Sir Henry. According to Mrs. Cristow’s statement, she picked it up from the floor by her husband’s body. We assumed, perhaps naturally, that that was the gun with which Doctor Cristow was shot.

SIRHENRY. Do you mean—it wasn’t?

INSPECTOR. We have now received the report of our ballistics expert. Sir Henry, the bullet that killed Doctor Cristow was not fired from that gun.

SIRHENRY. You astound me.

INSPECTOR. Yes, it’s extremely odd. The bullet was of the right calibre, but that was definitely not the gun used.

SIRHENRY. But may I ask, Inspector, why you should assume that the murder weapon came from my collection?

INSPECTOR. I don’t assume it, Sir Henry—but I must check up before looking elsewhere.

SIRHENRY. (Rising and crossing to Left) Yes, I see that. Well, I can tell you what you want to know in a very few moments.

(He exits Left.)

SERGEANT. He doesn’t know anything.

INSPECTOR. (Moving up Centre) So it seems. (He goes on to the terrace and stands looking off Left.)

SERGEANT. What time’s the inquest?

INSPECTOR. Twelve o’clock. There’s plenty of time.

SERGEANT. Just routine evidence and an adjournment. It’s all fixed up with the Coroner, I suppose?

(MIDGE enters Left. She wears her hat and coat, and carries her handbag, gloves and suitcase.)

INSPECTOR. (Turning) Are you leaving, Miss Harvey?

MIDGE. (Crossing to Centre) I have to get up to town immediately after the inquest.

INSPECTOR. (Moving to Right ofMIDGE) I’m afraid I must ask you not to leave here today.

MIDGE. But that’s very awkward. You see, I work in a dress shop. And if I’m not back by two thirty there’ll be an awful to-do.

INSPECTOR. I’m sorry, Miss Harvey. You can say you are acting on police instructions.

MIDGE. That won’t go down very well, I can tell you. (She crosses below the sofa to the writing table, puts her handbag and gloves on it and stands the case on the floor above the writing table.) Oh well, I suppose I’d better ring up now and get it over. (She lifts the telephone receiver. Into the telephone.) Hullo . . .

(The voice of the OPERATOR is reasonably audible.)

OPERATOR. Number please.

MIDGE. Regent four-six-nine-two, please.

OPERATOR. What is your number?

MIDGE. Dowfield two-two-one.

(The INSPECTOR eases to Left of the sofa and looks at the SERGEANT.)

OPERATOR. Dowfield two-two-one. There’s a twenty-minute delay on the line.

MIDGE. Oh!

OPERATOR. Shall I keep the call in?

MIDGE. Yes, keep the call in, please. You’ll ring me?

OPERATOR. Yes.

MIDGE. Thank you. (She replaces the receiver.)

(SIR HENRY enters Left.)

SIRHENRY. Do you mind leaving us, Midge?