Free The Mousetrap and Other Plays by Agatha Christie Page B

Laughs in an unbalanced way ) We can’t afford time. We shall all be dead.
    WARGRAVE . I think the precautions we have now adopted will be adequate.
    ARMSTRONG . I tell you—we shall all be dead. All but one—He’ll think up something else—he’s thinking now—( Sits Right sofa again. )
    LOMBARD . Poor Louise—what was her name—Clees? Was it nerves that made you do her in, Doctor?
    ARMSTRONG . ( Almost mechanically ) No, drink. I used to be a heavy drinker. God help me, I was drunk when I operated—Quite a simple operation. My hand shaking all over the place—( Buries his face in his hands ) I can remember her now—a big, heavy, countrified woman. And I killed her!
    LOMBARD . ( Rises; to Right above VERA ) So I was right—that’s how it was?
    ARMSTRONG . Sister knew, of course, but she was loyal to me—or to the Hospital. I gave up drink—gave it up altogether. I went in for a study of nervous diseases.
    WARGRAVE . Very successfully. ( Rises; to up Centre. )
    ARMSTRONG . One or two lucky shots. Good results with one or two important women. They talked to their friends. For the last year or two, I’ve been so busy I’ve hardly known which way to turn. I’d got to the top of the tree.
    LOMBARD . Until Mr. Unknown Owen—and down will come cradle and doctor and all.
    ARMSTRONG . ( Rises ) Will you stop your damnable sneering and joking?
    WARGRAVE . ( Comes down Right between ARMSTRONG and LOMBARD ) Gentlemen, gentlemen, please. We can’t afford to quarrel.
    LOMBARD . That’s okay by me. I apologize.
    ARMSTRONG . It’s this terrible inactivity that gets on my nerves. ( Sits Right sofa. )
    WARGRAVE . ( To Left sofa; sits ) We are adopting, I feel convinced, the only measures possible. So long as we remain together, all within sight of each other, a repetition of the tragedies that have occurred is—must be—impossible. We have all submitted to a search. Therefore, we know that no man is armed either with firearms or a knife. Nor has any man got cyanide or any drug about his person. If we remain, as I say, within sight of each other, nothing can happen.
    ARMSTRONG . But we can’t go on like this—we shall need food—sleep—
    BLORE . That’s what I say.
    WARGRAVE . Obviously, the murderer’s only chance is to get one of us detached from the rest. So long as we prevent that we are safe.
    ARMSTRONG . Safe—?
    LOMBARD . You’re very silent, Vera?
    VERA . There isn’t anything to say—( Pause. WARGRAVE rises; to up Centre ) I wonder what the time is. It’s this awful waiting—waiting for the hours to go by and yet feeling that they may be the last. What is the time?
    LOMBARD . Half past eight.
    VERA . Is that all?
    LOMBARD . Pretty awful light, this. How are the candles holding out?
    BLORE . There’s a whole packet. Storm’s dying down a bit, what do you think, sir? ( Rises; goes up to window. )
    WARGRAVE . Perhaps. We mustn’t get too optimistic.
    ARMSTRONG . The murderer’s got everything on his side. Even the weather seems to be falling in with his plans.
    ( WARGRAVE sits Left sofa. Long pause. )
    BLORE . ( Rising ) What about something to eat?
    VERA . ( Rises. Crossing up Left ) If you like, I’ll go out and open some tongue and make some coffee. But you four stay here. ( To WARGRAVE ) That’s right, isn’t it?
    WARGRAVE . Not quite. You see, Miss Claythorne, it might be inadvisable to eat or drink something that you had prepared out of our sight.
    VERA . Oh! ( Slowly ) You don’t like me, do you?
    WARGRAVE . It’s not a question of likes or dislikes.
    ( VERA sits down Left. )
    LOMBARD . There are very few tricks that will get past you, Sir Lawrence. You know, if you won’t be offended at my saying so, you’re my fancy.
    WARGRAVE . ( Rises to Left, looking at him coldly through his spectacles in the best court manner ) This is hardly the moment,