Scene 1 Flashcards
Margot: For a moment I thought it was Tony. I’m sorry I interrupted you. What were we talking about?
I was just telling you that I murdered exactly 52 people since I saw you last
Margot: Oh yes- one a week. How did you do it?
Every way I could think of. I electrocuted some in their baths, locked others in the car with the motor running, or pushed them through windows and over cliffs. Others I prefered to poison, shoot, strangle, slug, or suffocate.
Margot: Just according to how you felt?
When you write for that kind of television, you don’t have time to feel anything
Margot: Where do you get all your ideas from?
Oh- newspaper stories, police files- bad dreams- other writers…
Margot: You once told me you’d never write anything that wasn’t original
Huh, you try being original 52 times a year
Margot: Suppose you just dry up and can’t think of anything?
If it comes to that, I just use my three hats
Margot: What do you mean?
I’ve got three old hats marked: Who kills how, How, and Why.
Margot: Whis is what? I mean what’s why?
Why is the motive for killing. You’ve got to have a motive you know. There are only five important ones. Fear- jealousy- money- revenge- and, protecting someone you love. I just wrote them down on pieces of paper and pick one out of the why hat.
Margot: Sounds rather like sorting the week’s washing
It’s about as artistic as that, but better paid. It’s no more frustrating that writing plays that aren’t produced or novels that aren’t published. And don’t forget this: It all goes to prove that WITO makes teeth bright, white and bite.
Margot: (Laughs) Let’s have your glass Max
No… I’m all right, thanks.
Margot: I could hardly believe it was you when I heard your voice. At first, I thought you were phoning from New York
Yes, I thought you were shouting a little louder than necessary. As a matter of fact, I was just around the corner. (Pause) Was it all right… my phoning like that
Margot: Yes, of course
Was that Tony who answered?
Margot: Yes, it was. I do hope he isn’t going to be too late. Poor darling. He always gets caught when we’re going to the theatre. So you’re not here on a holiday- this time?
No, not this time. I came over to write some short TV films. After that I think I’ll knock off and write that novel. I’ve got to write it some day.
Margot: Another crime story?
I’ve got to stick to crime, it’s my stock in trade. But there’s no reason a murder story can’t be as good as anything else. And I think I could write a good one if I took the time. I thought of a pretty fair gimmick on the plane coming over. There’s a pair of twins, identical, one lives in Paris, the other in New York. All of a sudden, they both decide to…
Margot: Max, before Tony comes I ought to explain something
Yes?
Margot: I didn’t tell him anything about us
Oh
Margot: When you rang up yesterday, I just said you were a television writer I met when he was in America
Well, that’s true enough
Margot: I said I’d met you again just before you went back to New York, and you promised to look us up if you ever came back
I see
Margot: Max, I know you think it’s silly, but when you get to know Tony, you’ll understand why.
Margot, I’d like to get one thing straight. Things are ok between you and Tony?
Margot: They couldn’t be better. And I want to keep them that way
I’m very glad- at least I will be when I get used to the idea
Margot: There’s something else Max
Yes
Margot: I wasn’t going to tell you but…
Come on, let’s have it
Margot: Well, you remember those letters you wrote me?
Of course
Margot: After I read them I burnt them. I thought it best. All except one. You probably know the one I mean
I can guess. I never should have written it.
Margot: I know. But I loved it just the same. I used to carry it round wherever I went. Then one day Tony and I were going to spend the week end with some friends in the country. While we were waiting on the platform, I noticed my handbag was missing… and the letter was inside.
I see… Where was this?
Margot: Victoria Station. I thought I must have left it in the restaurant but when I went to look for it, it was gone
You never found it?
Margot: I recovered the handbag about two weeks later from the lost and found. But the letter wasn’t there. Then a week after I received a note. It told me what I had to do to get the letter back.
Go on
Margot: I was to draw fifty pounds from my bank in five-pound notes, then change them for used one-pound notes. It said that if I went to the police or told anyone else- he would show the letter to my husband.
May I see it? … Printed- all capitals. Anyone could have done this.
Margot: Then- two days later- I got this one.
Both mailed in Brixton. “Tie up money in a package and mail to John S. King, 23 Newport Street, Brixton, SW9. You’ll get your letter by return.” Well, of all the…
Margot: That’s a little shop. People use it as a forwarding address
Did you mail the money?
Margot: Yes, but the letter was never returned… So after waiting two weeks I went there. They said they’d never heard of a man by that name, and the parcel was still there. It had never been opened.
Well, I suppose that’s something… May I keep these?
Margot: Yes… If you’d like
You didn’t tell Tony?
Margot: No, I didn’t tell anyone. I can’t understand why the man didn’t collect the money
He was probably in jail by that time… You never heard from him again?
Margot: No
Well, let me know if you do. I’ll find him and fix him so he can’t read, let alone write… Is that why you asked me to stop writing?
Margot: Yes, I was in an awful panic. I imagined that every letter you wrote would be opened and read by someone
Why didn’t you tell me?
Margot: You couldn’t have done anything. You probably would have made me tell Tony and the police. As it was only fifty pounds I thought I’d pay up and have done with it.
Margo, are you ever going to tell Tony about us?
Margot: No, I couldn’t possibly tell him, Not now
Why not? Don’t you think we’d all get along better in the end if…
Margot: Max, please. I know Tony, you don’t.
You don’t have to tell me. Just the thought of meeting him makes me, shall we say, uncomfortable
Margot: Oh, you’ll get one fine. He’s changed a lot this last year… Now he’s a model husband. In fact, it was exactly a year ago that it happened.
What happened?
Margot: Tony suddenly grew up. He seemed to change over-night from a rather selfish little person into a perfectly reasonable grown-up. You remember that night- I came to say goodbye.
How could I forget? Tony had just gone off to play in a tennis tournament
Margot: He did- but he came back. I’m not much good at writing about things like this, so I didn’t try. But when I left you that night I came back here. I sat down on the sofa and had a good cry. Then I fell asleep. When I woke up he was standing in the hall with all his bags and tennis rackets. He just said that he had decided to give up tennis for good and settle down.
Just like that?
Margot: Just like that. Of course I didn’t believe him at first. I’d got so used to tagging around after him wherever he went, I could see no end to it. But he meant it all right. He went out the very next day and got himself a job. (Chruch bells) What were we doing- exactly a year ago?
I was putting the mushrooms into the spaghetti. I nearly turned round and said “I can’t go through with this. Let’s find Tony and have it out with him.”
Margot: I felt that way too. I wanted so much to say something- and all I could do was stand there- quite uselessly- with a drip on the end of my nose. What did you do when I’d gone?
I walked along the embankment and stared out at the Chelsea Gas Works.
Margot: Were you thinking about the gas works- or me?
Neither, I was writing a story. I always do when I’m miserable.
Margot: A sad story?
A triumphant story. My hero was an eminent writer coming from America with his pockets full of money, ready to snatch his lady love from the arms of her jealous husband.
Margot: Only to find that husband and wife were very happy, thank you
And that, he has very glad to know
Margot: Max, let’s have a drink- to the way things turn out
To the way things turn….
