Act 2 Flashcards
(Mollie) I don’t know, I tell you. I’m not even sure I heard anything
Can’t you stop bullying her? Can you see she’s all in?
(Trotter) Well, Mrs. Boyle is dead. Unless we get to the bottom of this and quickly mind there may be another death
Another? Nonsense. Why?
(Trotter) Because there were three little blind mice
A death for each of them? But that would have to be some connection with the Longridge Farm business
(Trotter) Yes, there would have to be that
But why another death here?
(Trotter) Mr. Ralston where were you when Mrs. Ralston screamed?
I was still up in the bedroom checking the extension for the telephone. It was Dead. I looked out of the window to see if I could see any sign of the wires being cut there, but I couldn’t. I heard Mollie scream and I rushed down.
(Trotter) Those simple actions took you a rather long tome, didn’t they, Mr. Ralston
I don’t think so
I should say you definitely took time over them
I was thinking about something (Take out bus ticket and turn away)
(Paravicini) I wonder Sergeant, if that’s really true
Look here, aren’t we wasting time? There’s one person who…
(Trotter) Please, Mr. Ralston, I’m in charge of this investigation
Oh, very well, but…
The vital face is that everyone of you was alone at the time the murder was committed
But look here, Sergeant, you speak as though we were all under suspicion. That’s absurd! You know pretty well who killed that woman in Culver Street. You think it’s the eldest of those three children at the farm. A mentally abnormal young man who is now twenty three years of age. Well, damn it all there’s only one person here who fits the bill
I’m not arresting anyone. To do that, I’ve got to have evidence. I haven’t got any evidence yet
I think you’re crazy, Mollie and you too, Detective. There’s just one person who fits the bill and if only as a safety measure, he ought to be put under arrest. It’s only fair to the rest of you
(Trotter) Certainly, Mrs. Ralston. Will the rest of you go into the dinning room, please
I’m staying
(Mollie) No Giles you too please
I’m staying. I don’t know what’s come over you Mollie
(Mollie) Perhaps you can’t trust anybody. Perhaps everyone is a stranger
I seem to be interrupting something
(Mollie) No, we were just talking. I must go to the kitchen there’s the pie and potatoes and I must do do the spinach
(Christopher) I’ll come and give you a hand
No, you won’t
(Mollie) Giles
You keep out of the kitchen and keep away from my wife
(Wren) But really look here
You keep away from my wife, Wren. She’s not going to be the next victim
(Wren) So that’s what you think about me?
There’s a killer loose in this house and it seems to me you fit the bill
(Wren) I’m not the only one to fit the bill
I don’t see who else does
(Wren) How blind you are or do you just pretend to be blind
I tell you. I’m worrying about my wife’s safety
(Wren) So am I. I’m not going to leave you here alone with her
What. The. Hell
(Wren) I shan’t be far away
Mollie you must be crazy. Perfectly prepared to shut yourself up in the kitchen with a homicidal maniac
(Mollie) He isn’t
You’ve only got to look at him to see he’s barmy
(Mollie) He isn’t. He’s just unhappy. I tell you Giles he isn’t dangerous and anyway I can look after myself
That’s what Mrs. Boyle said
(Mollie) Oh Giles don’t
Look here, what is there between you and that wretched boy?
(Mollie) What do you mean by between us? I’m sorry for him that’s all
Perhaps you’d met him before. Perhaps you suggested to him to come here and that you’d both pretend to meet for the first time.
(Mollie) Giles, have you gone out of your mind? How dare you suggest these things?
Rather odd, isn’t it, that he should come and stay ay an out of the way place like this?
(Mollie) No odder that that Miss Casewell and Major Melcalf and Mrs. Boyle should
I read once in a paper that these homicidal cases were able to attract women. How long had this been going on?
(Mollie) You’re being absolutely ridiculous. I never set eyes on Christopher Wren until he arrived yesterday
That’s what you say. Perhaps you’ve been running up to London to meet him on the sly
(Mollie) You know perfectly well that I haven’t been up to London for weeks
You haven’t been up to London for weeks? Is That So?
(Mollie) What on earth do you mean? It’s quite true
Is it? Then what is this? (take out glove with bus ticket) This is one of the gloves you were wearing yesterday. You dropped it. I picked it up this afternoon when I was talking to Sergeant Trotter. You see what’s inside it. A London bus ticket
(Mollie) Oh - that
So it seems that you didn’t only go to the village yesterday, you went to London as well
(Mollie) All right I went to.
Whilst I was safely away racing round the countryside.
(Mollie) Whilst you were racing around the country side
Come on now admit it. You went to London
(Mollie) All right I went to London. So did you
What?
(Mollie) So did you. You brought back an evening paprt
Where did you get hold of that?
(Mollie) It was in your overcoat pocket
All right. Yes I was in London. I didn’t go to meet a woman there.
(Mollie) Didn’t you… Are you sure you didn;t
Eh? What do you mean?
(Mollie) Go away. Don’t come near me
What’s the matter?
(Mollie) Don’t touch me
Did you go to London yesterday to meet Christopher Wren?
(Mollie) Don’t be a fool. Of course I didn’t
Then why did you go?
(Mollie) I shan’t tell you. Perhaps now I’ve forgotten why I went.
Mollie, what’s come over you? I feel as though I don’t know you any more
(Mollie) Perhaps you never did now me. We’ve been married how long - a year? But you don’t really know anything about me. What I’d done or thought or felt or suffered before you knew me
Mollie you’re crazy
(Mollie) All right then. I’m crazy. Why not? Perhaps it’s fun to be crazy!
What the hell are you..
(Paravicini) Now now. I do hope you young people are not both saying a little more that you mean. One is so apt to in these lovers’ quarrels.
“Lovers quarrels. That’s good.
(Paravicini) Not been married long, I imagine
It’s no business of yours, Mr. Paravicini
(Paravicini) No, no, no business at all. But I just came in to say that the Sergeant cannot find his skis and I’m afraid he’s very annoyed
(Mollie) Christopher
What’s that?
(Paravicini) He wants to know if you have by any chance moved them, Mr. Ralston
No, of course not
(Trotter) Mr. Ralston Mrs. Ralston have you removed my skis from the cupboard back there where we put them?
Certainly not
(Paravicini) Somebody may want to get away
What did you mean when you said Christopher just now?
(Mollie) Mr. Wren is very fond of skiing. I thought he might have taken them just to get a little exercise
Exercise?
(Paravicini) I left Major Metcalf in the dining room. Major Metcalf. He’s not there now
I’ll try and find him
(Paravicini) I will come with you to the kitchen and we will see what we can concoct together
I’m helping my wife Paravicini
(Paravicini) Just what a child would adore. Cruel little things children. Some of them never grow up
Stop frightening my wife at once
(Trotter) I rather doubt that
But what’s the idea? You’ve just said you had no means of checking these statements
(Trotter) You will forgive me if I don’t make that clear just at the moment
You want- a repeat performance
(Trotter) I can’t count anybody out. One might almost believe that you’re all guilty by the looks of you. Why are you all so unwilling?
Of course what you say goes Sergeant. We’ll all co-operate. Eh, Mollie
(Mollie) Very well
Mr. Wren, Miss Casewell
(Casewell) Yes
Paravicini
(Paravicini) Oh yes, I consent
Metcalf
(Metcalf) Yes
Are we all to do exactly what we did before?
(Trotter) The same actions will be performed but not necessarily by the same people. Thank you Mrs. Ralston
I don’t see the point
(Paravicini) Parlour games
No objection to my wearing a coat?
(Metcalf) Ralston Ralston
Mollie, Mollie, are you all right say something
(Mollie) Oh Giles
Whoever would have dreamt it was Trotter?
(Mollie) He’s mad quite mad
Yes but you
(Mollie) I was mixed up in it all, I taught in the school. It wasn’t my fault. but he thought I could have saved that child
You should have told me
(Mollie) And I thought it was Paravicini
I gather they’ll examine that car of his rather carefully. I shouldn’t be surprised if they found a thousand or so Swiss watches in the spare wheel. Yes that’s his line of business nasty little bit of goods. Mollie, I believe you thought I was
(Mollie) Giles, what were you doing in London yesterday?
Darling, I was buying you an anniversary present. We’ve been married just a year today
(Mollie) They’re cigars. I do hope they’re all right
Oh, darling, how sweet of you. They’re splendid
(Mollie) You will smoke them?
I’ll smoke them
(Mollie) What’s my present?
Oh yes, I forgot all about your present. It’s a hat
(Mollie) A hat? But I practically never wear one
Just for best
(Mollie) Oh how lovely darling
Put it on
(Mollie) Later when my hair’s done properly
It’s all right, isn’t it? The girl in the shop said it was the last thing in hats
