The Mousetrap

GERDA. I’ve taken up leathercraft. (She holds up her handbag.) I made this handbag.

HENRIETTA. Did you? (She rises, crosses to the alcove and opens the curtains.) That reminds me, I’ve something for you.

(She switches on the light and exits. She reenters immediately, carrying a small plaster statuette. She switches off the alcove light, closes the curtain and moves to the armchair Left Centre.)

GERDA. (Rising and crossing toHENRIETTA) Henrietta! The statuette you were doing of me?

(HENRIETTA gives GERDA the statuette.)

Oh, it’s lovely.

HENRIETTA. I’m glad you like it.

GERDA. (Moving below the Left end of the sofa) I do, I like it very much.

JOHN. (Off Right) I say, Sir Henry, your gardener has really made a wonderful job of those roses.

(LADY ANGKATELL, JOHN, MIDGE and SIR HENRY enter Right.)

SIRHENRY. (As he enters) The soil here is pretty good for roses.

JOHN. (Crossing above the sofa to Left of it) Hullo, Henrietta.

HENRIETTA. Hullo, John.

LADYANGKATELL. (Moving below the sofa) How very nice to see you, Gerda.

SIRHENRY. (Moving above the sofa) How are you, Mrs. Cristow?

LADYANGKATELL. (ToGERDA) You haven’t been here for so long. You know my cousin, Midge Harvey? (She sits on the sofa.)

MIDGE. (Moving to the writing table) Yes, we met last year. (She puts her bag on the writing table.)

(HENRIETTA moves to the fireplace, takes a cigarette from the box on the mantelpiece and lights it with the table lighter.)

GERDA. (Turning and moving to Right ofJOHN) John, look what Henrietta’s just given me. (She hands the statuette to him.)

JOHN. (ToHENRIETTA) Why—what on earth made you do this?

GERDA. Oh, John, it’s very pretty.

JOHN. (Crossing down Left turning and facingHENRIETTA) Really, Henrietta.

SIRHENRY. (Tactfully interposing) Mrs. Cristow, I must tell you about our latest excitement. You know the cottage at the end of this lane? It’s been taken by a well-known film star, and all the locals are simply goggling.

GERDA. Oh yes, of course—they will be.

MIDGE. Is she very glamorous?

SIRHENRY. Well, I haven’t seen her yet, though I believe she’s in residence. What’s her name now?

MIDGE. Hedy Lamarr?

SIRHENRY. No. Who’s that girl with her hair over her eyes?

MIDGE. Veronica Lake.

SIRHENRY. No.

MIDGE. Lauren Bacall.

SIRHENRY. No.

LADYANGKATELL. Nazimova—no. We’d better ask Gudgeon. He’ll know.

SIRHENRY. We saw her in that film—you remember, that tough chap—plays gangsters, and they flew to the Pacific and then flew back again, and there was a particularly horrible child . . .

MIDGE. San Francisco Story?

SIRHENRY. Yes.

MIDGE. Veronica Craye.

(JOHN drops the statuette. GERDA moves quickly down Left with a cry and picks up the statuette. It is not broken.)

HENRIETTA. John! (She watches him with sharpened interest.)

LADYANGKATELL. (Rising and crossing to Right ofGERDA) Would you like to see your room, Gerda?

GERDA. Oh—yes, perhaps I’d better go and unpack.

LADYANGKATELL. (Crossing belowGERDAto the door Left) Simmonds will have done that. But if you’d like to come up . . . ?

MIDGE. (Crossing to Left) I’ll come with you. Where am I, Lucy? In the Blue Room?

LADYANGKATELL. Yes, and I’ve put Edward in the Hermit, and I’ve put the rest . . .

(Her voice dies away as she exits Left. GERDA and MIDGE follow her off. JOHN stands in a daze.)

SIRHENRY. Where is Edward? Has he put his car away, I wonder? There’s room in the end garage.