The Mousetrap

LEONARD. (Resuming his seat; toMAYHEW) Then the money side, too. That worries me. I’ve got a few quid, but it’s not much. Perhaps I oughtn’t to have asked you to do anything for me.

MAYHEW. I think we shall be able to put up adequate defence. The Court provides for these cases you know.

LEONARD. (Rising and moving above the desk) I can’t believe it. I can’t believe that I, Leonard Vole, may be standing in a dock saying “Not guilty.” People staring at me. (He shakes himself as though it were a bad dream then turns to MAYHEW.) I can’t see why they don’t think it was a burglar. I mean, apparently the window was forced and smashed and a lot of things were strewn around, so the papers said. (He resumes his seat.) I mean, it seems much more probable.

MAYHEW. The police must have some good reason for not thinking that it was a burglary.

LEONARD. Well, it seems to me . . .

(CARTER enters.)

SIRWILFRID. Yes, Carter?

CARTER. (Crossing above the desk) Excuse me, sir, there are two gentlemen here asking to see Mr. Vole.

SIRWILFRID. The police?

CARTER. Yes, sir.

(MAYHEW rises.)

SIRWILFRID. (Rising and crossing to the door) All right, John, I’ll go and talk to them.

(SIR WILFRID exits and CARTER follows him off.)

LEONARD. My God! Is this—it?

MAYHEW. I’m afraid it may be, my boy. Now take it easy. Don’t lose heart.

(He pats LEONARD on the shoulder.) Make no further statement—leave it all to us. (He replaces his chair L. of the fireplace.)

LEONARD. But how did they know I’m here?

MAYHEW. It seems probable that they have had a man watching you.

LEONARD. (Still unable to believe it.) Then they really do suspect me.

(SIR WILFRID, DETECTIVE INSPECTOR HEARNE and a plain-clothes detective enter. The INSPECTOR is a tall, good-looking officer.)

INSPECTOR. (As he enters; toSIRWILFRID) I’m sorry to trouble you, sir.

SIRWILFRID. (Standing upL.) This is Mr. Vole.

(LEONARD rises.)

INSPECTOR. (Crossing toLEONARD) Is your name Leonard Vole?

LEONARD. Yes.

INSPECTOR. I am Detective Inspector Hearne. I have here a warrant for your arrest on the charge of murdering Emily French on October fourteenth last. I must warn you that anything you say may be taken down and used in evidence.

LEONARD. O.K. (He looks nervously atSIRWILFRIDthen crosses and takes his hat from the hooks upL.) I’m ready.

MAYHEW. (Moving toL. of theINSPECTOR) Good afternoon, Inspector Hearne. My name is Mayhew. I am representing Mr. Vole.

INSPECTOR. Good afternoon, Mr. Mayhew. That’s quite all right. We’ll take him along and charge him now.

(LEONARD and the DETECTIVE exit.)

(He crosses to SIR WILFRID. To MAYHEW.) Very seasonable weather we’re having just now. Quite a nip of frost last night. We’ll be seeing you later, sir, I expect. (He crosses to the door.) Hope we haven’t inconvenienced you, Sir Wilfrid.

SIRWILFRID. I am never inconvenienced.

(The INSPECTOR laughs politely and exits.)

(He closes the door.) I must say, John, that that young man is in a worse mess than he seems to think.

MAYHEW. He certainly is. How does he strike you?

SIRWILFRID. (Crossing toL. ofMAYHEW) Extraordinarily naïve. Yet in some ways quite shrewd. Intelligent, I should say. But he certainly doesn’t realize the danger of his position.

MAYHEW. Do you think he did it?

SIRWILFRID. I’ve no idea. On the whole, I should say not. (Sharply.) You agree?

MAYHEW. (Taking his pipe from his pocket) I agree.

(SIR WILFRID takes the tobacco jar from the mantelpiece and hands it to MAYHEW, who crosses, stands above the desk and fills his pipe.)

SIRWILFRID. Oh well, he seems to have impressed both of us favourably. I can’t think why. I never heard a weaker story. God knows what we’re going to do with it. The only evidence in his favour seems to be his wife’s—and who’s going to believe a wife?

MAYHEW. (With dry humour.) It has been known to happen.