Act 1 (Scene 2)

Question 1

(Mollie) Giles

Answer 1

Yes

Question 2

(Mollie) Can you shovel the snow away again from the back door?

Answer 2

Coming

Question 3

(Mollie) Hullo Hullo

Answer 3

Mollie, do you know where there’s another spade?

Question 4

(Mollie) They’re sending our an inspector or a sergeant or something

Answer 4

But he’ll never get here

Question 5

(Mollie) That’s what I told them. But they seemed quite confident that he would

Answer 5

Nonsense. Even a jeep couldn’t get through today. Anyway, what’s it all about

Question 6

(Mollie) That’s what I asked. But he wouldn’t say. Just said I was to impress on my husband to listen very carefully to what Sergeant Trotter, I think it was, had to say, and to follow his instructions implicitly. Isn’t it extraordinary

Answer 6

What on earth do you think we’ve done?

Question 7

(Mollie) Do you think it’s those nylons from Gibraltar

Answer 7

I had a rather near shave with the car the other day but it was entirely the other fellow’s fault.

Question 8

(Mollie) We must have done something

Answer 8

Probably something to do with running this place. I expect we’ve ignored some tinpot regulation of some Ministry or other.

Question 9

(Mollie) Oh, dear. I wish we’d never started this place. We’re going to be snowed up for days and everyone is cross, and we shall go through all our reserve of tins

Answer 9

Cheer up, darling. Everything’s going all right at the moment. I’ve filled up all the coalscuttles and brought in the wood. You know, Mollie, come to think of it, it must be something pretty serious to send a police sergeant trekking out in all this.

Question 10

(Boyle) I am paying seven guineas a week here - seven guineas and I do not want to freeze

Answer 10

I’ll go and check the furnace

Question 11

(Mollie) They rang up. Just now. To say they’re sending a sergeant out here. But I don’t think he’ll ever get here

Answer 11

Hullo, is anything the matter

Question 12

(Metcalf) I hear the police are on their way here. Why

Answer 12

Oh, that’s all right. No-one can get through in this. Why the drifts must be five feet deep. The roads are all banked up. Nobody will get here today. Excuse me, Mr. Paravicini. May I put these down?

Question 13

(Trotter) Are you Mr. Ralston?

Answer 13

Yes

Question 14

(Mollie) But I didn’t

Answer 14

Er- this is Detective Sergeant Trotter

Question 15

(Trotter) Now can we get down to business, Mr. Ralston. Mrs. Ralston?

Answer 15

Do you want to see us alone? If so, we can go into the library

Question 16

(Trotter) That’s right madam. The first thing I want to know is if any of you were acquainted with this Mrs. Lyon?

Answer 16

Never heard of her

Question 17

(Trotter) Her husband was a farmer, John Stanning, who resided at Longridge Farm not very far from here

Answer 17

Longridge Farm! Wasn’t that where those children…

Question 18

(Trotter) The other was was Monkswell Manor

Answer 18

What?

Question 19

(Trotter) find out if you knew of any connection between this house or anyone in this house and the Longridge Farm Case

Answer 19

There’s nothing - absolutely nothing. It must be coincidence

Question 20

(Trotter) I thought fit to ensure the safety of the household

Answer 20

Safety? What danger does he think we’re in? Good Lord he’s not suggesting that somebody is going to be killed here.

Question 21

(Trotter) I don’t want to frighten any of the ladies - but frankly, yes, that is the idea

Answer 21

But - why?

Question 22

(Trotter) That’s what I’m here to find out

Answer 22

But the whole thing’s crazy

Question 23

(Mollie) Three Blind Mice See How They Run. They All Ran After The Farmers’ Wife. Oh it’s horrible

Answer 23

There were three children and one died?

Question 24

(Trotter) Yes, the youngest, a boy of eleven

Answer 24

What happened to the other two?

Question 25

(Trotter) Now you state sire that you yourself have never had any connection with the Longridge Farm Case?

Answer 25

No

Question 26

(Trotter) I wonder. It may have been cut

Answer 26

Cut? But who could cut it?

Question 27

(Trotter) Mr. Ralston… Just how much do you know about these people who are staying in your guest house?

Answer 27

I - we - we don’t really know anything about them.

Question 28

(Trotter) Unless he’s here already

Answer 28

Here already?

Question 29

(Trotter) Why not, Mr. Ralston? All these people arrived here yesterday evening. Some hours after the murder of Mrs. Stanning. Plenty of time to get here.

Answer 29

But except for Mr. Paravicini, they’d all booked beforehand

Question 30

(Trotter) Well, why not? These crimes were planned

Answer 30

Crimes? There’s only been one crime. In Culver Street. Why are you sure there will be another here?

Question 31

Trotter looks for the phone wire

Answer 31

Let me help you (sees glove and bus card)

Question 32

(Trotter) Is there an extension?

Answer 32

Ignore

Question 33

(Trotter) Is there an extension?

Answer 33

I beg your pardon. Did you say something?

Question 34

(Trotter) Yes, Mr. Ralston, I said Is there an extension?

Answer 34

Yes up in our bedroom