The Mousetrap and Other Plays (112 page)

LISA
. No, Karl. What happens to the women who love you? Anya loved you and she died. Helen loved you and she's dead. I—have been very near death. I've had enough. I want to be free of you—for ever.

KARL
. But where will you go?

There is a pause as
LISA
crosses below
KARL
to
C
.

LISA
. You told me to go away and marry and have children. Perhaps that's what I'll do. If so, I'll find someone like that little man on the jury, someone who'll be human and a person, like me. (
She suddenly cries out
) I've had enough. I've loved you for years and it's broken me. I'm going away and I shall never see you again. Never!

KARL
. Lisa!

LISA
. (
moving down
L
) Never!

The
DOCTOR
is suddenly heard calling from the hall.

DOCTOR
. (
off; calling
) Karl! Karl!

The
DOCTOR
enters up
C
from
R
and moves towards
KARL
, without noticing
LISA
.

It's all right, my boy. She's acquitted. (
During this he is quite out of breath
) Do you understand? She's acquitted. (
He suddenly sees
LISA
and crosses to her with outstretched arms
) Lisa—my dear Lisa. Thank God we've got you safe. It's wonderful. Wonderful!

LISA
. (
trying to respond to him
) Yes, it's wonderful.

DOCTOR
. (
holding her away from him and looking her up and down
) How are you? A little fine drawn—thinner—only natural with all you've been through. But we'll make it up to you. (
He crosses above the armchair to
KARL
) We'll look after you. As for Karl here, you can imagine the state he's been in. Ah, well, thank God that's all over now. (
He turns to
KARL
) What do you say—shall we go out—celebrate? A bottle of champagne—eh? (
He beams expectantly
)

LISA
. (
forcing a smile
) No, Doctor—not tonight.

DOCTOR
. Ah, what an old fool I am. Of course not. You need rest.

LISA
. I am all right. (
She moves towards the doors up
C
) I must just get my things together.

DOCTOR
. (
moving to
LISA
) Things?

LISA
. I am not—staying here.

DOCTOR
. But . . . (
Enlightened
) Oh, I see—well, perhaps that is wise—with people like your Mrs. Roper about, with their evil minds and tongues. But where will you go? To an hotel? Better come to us. Margaret will be delighted. It's a very tiny room that we have, but we'll look after you well.

LISA
. How kind you are. But I have all my plans made. Tell—tell Margaret that I will come to see her very soon.

LISA
goes into the hall and exits to her bedroom. The
DOCTOR
turns back to
KARL
and begins to realize that all is not well.

DOCTOR
(
moving
C
) Karl—is anything wrong?

KARL
. What should be wrong?

DOCTOR
. (
semi-relieved
) She has been through a terrible ordeal. It takes a little time to—to come back to normal. (
He looks around
) When I think we sat here—waiting—with that damn telephone ringing all the time—hoping—fearing—and now—all over.

KARL
. (
tonelessly
) Yes—all over.

DOCTOR
. (
robustly
) No decent jury would ever have convicted her. (
He moves and sits
L
of
KARL
on the sofa
) I told you so. You look half dazed still, Karl. Can't you believe it yet? (
He takes
KARL
affectionately by the shoulder
) Karl, snap out of it. We've got our Lisa back again.

KARL
turns sharply away.

Oh, I know—I'm clumsy—it takes a little time to get used to the joy.

LISA
enters from her bedroom and comes into the room. She carries a hold-all which she puts on the floor up
C
.
She avoids looking at
KARL
and stands up
LC
.

LISA
. I'm going now.

DOCTOR
. (
rising
) I'll get a taxi for you.

LISA
. (
sharply
) No—please—I'd rather be alone. (
She turns away
L
)

The
DOCTOR
is slightly taken aback. She relents, moves to the
DOCTOR
and puts her hands on his shoulders.

Thank you—for all your kindness—for all you did for Anya—you have been a good friend—I shall never forget.

LISA
kisses the
DOCTOR
, picks up her hold-all and without once looking at
KARL
exits up
C
to
R
.

DOCTOR
. (
moving to
KARL
) Karl—what does this mean. There is something wrong.

KARL
. Lisa is going away.

DOCTOR
. Yes, yes—temporarily. But—she is coming back.

KARL
. (
turning to face the
DOCTOR
) No, she is not coming back.

DOCTOR
. (
appalled
) What do you mean?

KARL
. (
with complete conviction and force
) She—is—not—coming—back.

DOCTOR
. (
incredulously
) Do you mean—you have parted?

KARL
. You saw her go—that was our parting.

DOCTOR
. But—why?

KARL
. She had had enough.

DOCTOR
. Talk sense, man.

KARL
. It's very simple. She has suffered. She doesn't want to suffer any more.

DOCTOR
. Why should she suffer?

KARL
. It seems—I am a man—who brings suffering to those who love him.

DOCTOR
. Nonsense!

KARL
. Is it? Anya loved me and she is dead. Helen loved me and she died.

DOCTOR
. Did Lisa say that to you?

KARL
. Yes. Am I such a man? Do I bring suffering to those who love me? What did she mean when she talked of fields of amaranth?

DOCTOR
. Fields of amaranth. (
He thinks for a moment, then recollects, moves to the table
RC
, picks up the “Walter Savage Landor” and gives it to
KARL
) Yes, I was reading there. (
He points to the quotation
)

KARL
. Please leave me.

DOCTOR
. I'd like to stay.

KARL
. I must get used to being alone.

DOCTOR
. (
moving up
C
, then hesitating and returning to
KARL
) You don't think . . . ?

KARL
. She will not come back.

The
DOCTOR
exits reluctantly up
C
to
R
.

(
He rises, crosses to the desk, switches on the desk light, draws the curtains, then sits at the desk and reads
) “There are no fields of Amaranth this side of the grave. There are no voices, oh Rhodope, that are not soon mute, however tuneful: there is no name, with whatever emphasis of passionate love repeated, of which the echo is not faint at last . . .” (
He puts the book gently on the desk, rises, picks up the record, goes to the record player, puts on the record, switches on, then goes slowly to the armchair and sinks into it
) Lisa—Lisa—how can I live without you? (
He drops his head into his hands
)

The door up
C
opens slowly.
LISA
enters up
C
, moves slowly to
R
of
KARL
and puts her hand gently on his shoulder.

(
He looks up at
LISA
) Lisa? You've come back. Why?

LISA
. (
kneeling at
KARL
's side
) Because I am a fool.

LISA
rests her head on
KARL
's lap, he rests his head on hers and the music builds up as
—

The
CURTAIN
falls.

Go Back for Murder

Presented by Peter Saunders at the Duchess Theatre, London, on the 23rd March, 1960, with the following cast of characters:

(
in the order of their appearance
)

D
IRECTED
BY
H
UBERT
G
REGG

Décor by
M
ICHAEL
W
EIGHT

 

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES

ACT
I

London

S
CENE
1
 
  A lawyer's office

S
CENE
2
 
  A City office

S
CENE
3
 
  A room in an hotel suite

S
CENE
4
 
  A bed-sitting-room

S
CENE
5
 
  A table in a restaurant

ACT
II

Alderbury, a house in the West of England

Time—the present. Autumn

 

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Carla and her mother, Caroline Crale, are played by the same actress.

As regards the characters in Act II,
P
HILIP
is not greatly changed, but his hair is not grey at the temples, and he is more slender, his manner is less pompous.
M
EREDITH
is less vague, and more alert, his face is less red, and there is no grey in his hair. There is very little change in
M
ISS
W
ILLIAMS
, except that she is also not so grey.
A
NGELA
can have plaits, or long hair. E
LSA
must present the greatest change from
L
ADY
M
ELKSHAM
, young, and eager, with her hair on her neck.
C
AROLINE
is distinguishable from
C
ARLA
by a different hair style, as well as by an older make-up. Her voice, too, must be different, deeper in tone, and her manner more impulsive and intense.

Each scene of Act I represents a small portion of a room. In the original production the scenes were on trucks, but the whole of this Act can be quite simply staged by lighting up different parts of the stage in turn, or by cut-outs.

ACT ONE

Scene I

SCENE
—
Justin Fogg's room in the offices of Fogg, Fogg, Bamfylde and Fogg, Solicitors. An early autumn afternoon in London.