Chapter 6

_The music plays a few bars, then dies down proportionately as the lights come up again.

Half an hour later. The scene is the same, with the same lighting; the room is empty and the wheel-chair has been removed._

DAN _comes in from the sun-room, smoking the stub of a cigarette. He crosses smartly, takes the bottle and glasses from the floor by the sofa and places them on the table, pours himself a quick drink, places the bottle on the floor next the desk, throws away his stub, takes another cigarette from his pocket, puts it in his mouth, takes out a box of matches, and lights a match. The clock chimes. He looks at it, seems to make a decision, blows out the match, throws the matchbox on the table, takes_ MRS. BRAMSON'S _tape and keys from his trouser pocket, crosses quickly to the safe by the fireplace, opens it, takes out the cash-box, sits on the sofa, unlocks the cash-box, stuffs the keys back into his trousers, opens the cash-box, takes out the notes, looks at them, delighted, stuffs them into his pocket, hurries into the sun-room, returns a second later with the empty invalid chair, plants it in the middle of the room, picks up the cushion from the floor above the table, looks at it a moment, arrested, throws it callously on the invalid chair, hurries into the kitchen, returns immediately with the paraffin, sprinkles it freely over the invalid chair, places the can under the table, lifts the paraffin lamp from the table, and is just about to smash it over the invalid chair when there is the sound of a chair falling over in the sun-room. His face inscrutable, he looks towards it. He carries the lamp stealthily to the desk, puts it down, looks round, picks a chair from near the table, and stands at the sun-room door with the chair held high above his head.

The stagger of footsteps;_ OLIVIA _stands in the doorway to the sun-room. She has been running through the forest; her clothes are wild, her hair has fallen about her shoulders, and she is no longer wearing her spectacles. She looks nearly beautiful. Her manner is quiet, almost dazed. He lowers the chair slowly and sits on the other side of the table. A pause._

OLIVIA: I've never seen a dead body before.... I climbed through the window and nearly fell over it. Like a sack of potatoes, or something. I thought it was, at first.... And that's murder.

_As he looks up at her._

But it's so ordinary.... I came back ...

_As he lights his cigarette._

... expecting ... ha (_laughing hysterically_) ... I don't know ... and here I find you, smoking a cigarette ... you might have been tidying the room for the night. It's so ... ordinary.... (_After a pause, with a cry_) Why don't you _say_ something!

DAN: I thought you were goin' to stay the night at that feller's.

OLIVIA: I was.

DAN: What d'you come back for?

OLIVIA (_the words pouring out_): To find you out. You've kept me guessing for a fortnight. Guessing hard. I very nearly knew, all the time. But not quite. And now I do know.

DAN: Why was you so keen on finding me out?

OLIVIA (_vehemently, coming to the table_): In the same way any sane, decent-minded human being would want--would want to have you arrested for the monster you are!

DAN (_quietly_): What d'you come back for?

OLIVIA: I ... I've told you....

_He smiles at her slowly and shakes his head. She sits at the table and closes her eyes._

I got as far as the edge of the wood. I could see the lights in the village.... I came back.

_She buries her head in her arms._ DAN _rises, looks at her a moment regretfully, puts away his cigarette, and stands with both hands over the invalid chair._

DAN (_casually_): She didn't keep any money anywhere else, did she?

OLIVIA: I've read a lot about evil----

DAN _realises his hands are wet with paraffin and wipes them on his trousers._

DAN: Clumsy....

OLIVIA: I never expected to come across it in real life.

DAN (_lightly_): You didn't ought to read so much. I never got through a book yet.... But I'll read you all right.... (_Crossing to her, leaning over the table, and smiling at her intently_) You haven't had a drop to drink, and yet you feel as if you had. You never knew there was such a secret part inside of you. All that book-learnin' and moral-me-eye here and social-me-eye there--you took that off on the edge of the wood same as if it was an overcoat ... and you left it there!

OLIVIA: I hate you. I ... hate you!

DAN (_urgently_): And same as anybody out for the first time without their overcoats, you feel as light as air! Same as I feel, sometimes--only I never had no overcoat--(_Excited_) Why--this is my big chance! You're the one I can tell about meself! Oh, I'm sick o' hearin' how clever everybody else is--I want to tell 'em how clever _I_ am for a change!... Money I'm goin' to have, and people doin' what they're told, and _me_ tellin' them to do it! There was a 'oman at the Tallboys, wasn't there? She wouldn't be told, would she? She thought she was up 'gainst a soft fellow in a uniform, didn't she? She never knew it was _me_ she was dealin' with--(_striking his chest in a paroxysm of elation_)--_me!_ And this old girl treatin' me like a son 'cause I made her think she was a chronic invalid--ha! She's been more use to me to-night (_tapping the notes in his jacket pocket, smartly_) than she has to any other body all her life. Stupid, that's what people are ... stupid. If those two hadna' been stupid they might be breathin' now; you're not stupid; that's why I'm talkin' to you. (_With exaggerated self-possession_) You said just now murder's ordinary.... Well, it isn't ordinary at all, see? And I'm not an ordinary chap. There's one big difference 'tween me and other fellows that try this game. I'll _never be found out_. 'Cause I don't care a----(_Snapping his fingers grandly_) The world's goin' to hear from me. That's me. (_Chuckling_) You wait.... (_After a pause_) But you can't wait, can you?

OLIVIA: What do you mean?

DAN: Well, when I say I'll never be found out, what I mean is, no living soul will be able to tell any other living soul about me. (_Beginning to roll up a sleeve, nonchalantly_) Can you think of anybody ... who can go to-morrow ... and tell the police the fire at Forest Corner ... wasn't an accident at all?

OLIVIA: I--I can.

DAN: Oh, no, you can't.

OLIVIA: Why can't I?

DAN: Well, I'm up against a very serious problem, I am. But the answer to it is as simple as pie, to a feller like me, simple as pie ... (_Rolling up the other sleeve a little way_) She isn't going to be the only one ... found to-morrow ... in the fire at Forest Corner.... (_After a pause_) Aren't you frightened? You ought to be! (_Smiling_) Don't you think I'll do it?

OLIVIA: I know you will. I just can't realise it.

DAN: You know, when I told you all that about meself just now, I'd made up my mind then about you. (_Moving slowly after her, round the table, as she steps back towards the window._) That's what I am, see? I make up me mind to do a thing, and I do it.... You remember that first day when I come in here? I said to meself then, There's a girl that's got her wits about her; she knows a thing or two; different from the others. I was right, wasn't I? You----(_Stopping abruptly, and looking round the room_) What's that light in here?

OLIVIA: What light?

DAN: There's somebody in this room's holdin' a flashlight.

OLIVIA: It can't be in this room.... It must be a light in the wood.

DAN: It can't be.

_A flashlight crosses the window-curtains._ OLIVIA _turns and stares at it._

OLIVIA: Somebody's watching the bungalow....

_He looks at her, as if he did not understand._

DAN (_fiercely_): Nobody's watching!... (_He runs to the window. She backs into the corner of the room._)

I'm the one that watches! They've got no call to watch me! I'll go out and tell them that, an' all! (_Opening the curtains in a frenzy_) I'm the one that watches!

_The light crosses the window again. He stares, then claps his hands over his eyes.

(Backing to the sofa_) Behind them trees.

(_Clutching the invalid chair_) Hundreds back of each tree.... Thousands of eyes. The whole damn world's on my track!... (_Sitting on the edge of the sofa, and listening_) What's that?... Like a big wall fallin' over into the sea.... (_Closing his hands over his ears convulsively_.)

OLIVIA (_coming down to him_): They mustn't come in....

DAN (_turning to her_): Yes, but ... (_Staring_) you're lookin' at me as if you never see'd me before....

OLIVIA: I never have. Nobody has. You've stopped acting at last. You're real. Frightened. Like a child. (_Putting her arm about his shoulders_) They mustn't come in....

DAN: But everything's slippin' away. From underneath our feet.... Can't _you_ feel it? Starting slow ... and then hundreds of miles an hour.... I'm goin' backwards!... And there's a wind in my ears, terrible blowin' wind.... Everything's going past me, like the telegraph-poles.... All the things I've ever seen ... faster and faster ... backwards--back to the day I was born. (_Shrieking_) I can see it coming ... the day I was born!... (_Turning to her, simply_) I'm goin' to die.

_A pause.

A knock at the front door._

It's getting cold.

_Another knock, louder. She presses his head to her._

OLIVIA: It's all right. You won't die. I'll tell them I _made_ you do it. I'll tell lies--I'll tell----

_A third and louder knock at the front door. She realises she must answer, goes into the hall, opens the front door, and comes back, hiding_ DAN _from view._

BELSIZE (_in the hall_): Good evening.... Sorry to pop back like this----

_He comes into the room, followed by_ DORA _and_ MRS. TERENCE, _both terrified_.

(_Looking around_) Everything looks all right here.

MRS. TERENCE: I tell you we _did_ 'ear her! Plain as plain! And we'd gone near a quarter of a mile----

DORA: Plain as plain----

MRS. TERENCE: Made my blood run cold. "Danny!" she screamed. "Danny, where are you?" she said. She wanted 'im back, she did, to save 'er----

DORA: Because she was bein' murdered. I knew it! I'd never a' run like that if I 'adn't 'eard----

BELSIZE: We'll soon find out who's right.... Now then----(_As_ OLIVIA _steps aside behind the sofa_) Hello, Dan!

DAN (_quietly, rising and standing by the fireplace_): Hello.

BELSIZE (_standing behind the invalid chair_): Second time to-day, eh?...

DAN: That's right.

BELSIZE: How's the old lady?

DAN (_after a pause_): Not so bad, thanks, inspector! Gone to bed, and says she didn't want to be disturbed----

BELSIZE: Smell of paraffin ...

DAN (_with a last desperate attempt at bluster_): You know what she's like, inspector, a bit nervy these days--

_As_ BELSIZE _goes to the bedroom and flashes a light into it_.

I'd no sooner got round the corner she screamed for me--"Danny, Danny, Danny!" she was screamin'--"Danny," she calls me, a pet name for Dan, that is--

_As_ BELSIZE _goes into the sun-room.

(Rambling on mechanically_) I told her so then. I said, "It's dangerous, that's what it is, havin' so much paraffin in the house." That paraffin--she shouldn't ha' so much paraffin in the house--

_His voice trails away. Silence._ BELSIZE _comes back, his face intent, one hand in coat pocket. A pause._

BELSIZE (_to_ OLIVIA): What are you doing here?

OLIVIA: I'm concerned in--

DAN (_loudly, decisively, silencing her_): It's all right. (_Crossing to_ BELSIZE _and swaggering desperately, in front of the women_) I'm the feller. Anything I'm concerned in, I run all by myself. If there's going to be any putting me on a public platform to answer any questions, I'm going to do it by myself ... (_looking at_ OLIVIA) ... or not at all. I'll manage myself all right--

BELSIZE: I get you. Like a bit of limelight, eh?

DAN (_smiling_): Well ...

BELSIZE (_as if humouring him_): Let's have a look at your hands, old boy, will you?

_With an amused look at_ OLIVIA, DAN _holds out his hands. Without warning,_ BELSIZE _claps a pair of handcuffs over his wrists,_ DAN _stares at them a moment, then sits on the sofa and starts to pull at them furiously over his knee. He beats at them wildly, moaning and crying like an animal. He subsides gradually, looks at the others and rises._

DAN (_muttering, holding his knee_): Hurt meself....

BELSIZE: That's better.... Better come along quietly....

_He goes up towards the hall._ DAN _follows him, and takes his hat from the occasional table. As puts it on he catches sight of his face in the mirror.

(To the others, crisply, during this_) I've a couple of men outside. I'll send 'em in. See that nothing's disturbed.... Coming, old chap?

DORA: What's 'e doin'?

MRS. TERENCE: He's lookin' at himself in the glass....

_A pause._

DAN (_speaking to the mirror_): This is the real thing, my boy. Actin'.... That's what she said, wasn't it? She was right, you know ... I've been playin' up to you, haven't I? I showed you a trick or two, didn't I?... But this is the real thing. (_Swaying_) Got a cigarette?... (_Seeing_ OLIVIA) You're not goin' to believe what she said? About helpin' me?

BELSIZE (_humouring him_): No. (_Putting a cigarette between_ DAN'S _lips and lighting it_) Plenty of women get a bit hysterical about a lad in your position. You'll find 'em queuing up all right when the time comes. Proposals of marriage by the score.

DAN (_pleased_): Will they?

BELSIZE: Come along----

DAN _turns to follow him._ DORA _is in the way._

DAN: Oh, yes ... I forgot about you.... (_smiling with a curious detached sadness_) Poor little fellow. Poor little chap.... (_Looking round_) You know, I'd like somethin' now I never wanted before. A long walk, all by meself. And just when I can't have it. (_Laughing_) That's contrary, isn't it?

BELSIZE (_sternly_): Coming?

DAN (_looking at_ OLIVIA): Just commin' (_He goes to_ OLIVIA, _takes out his cigarette, puts his manacled arms round her, and kisses her suddenly and violently on the mouth. He releases her with an air of bravado, puts back his cigarette, and looks at her_) Well, I'm goin' to be hanged in the end.... But they'll get their money's worth at the trial. You wait!

_He smiles, and raises his hand to his hat-brim with the old familiar jaunty gesture of farewell. He walks past_ BELSIZE _and out through the front door._ BELSIZE _follows him. The bang of the front door._ OLIVIA _falls to the sofa.

The sound of_ DORA'S _sobbing._

CURTAIN

NIGHT MUST FALL was first presented in London by J. P. Mitchelhill at the Duchess Theatre on May 31st, 1935, with the following cast:

_The Lord Chief Justice_ ERIC STANLEY

_Mrs. Bramson_ MAY WHITTY

_Olivia Grayne_ ANGELA BADDELEY

_Hubert Laurie_ BASIL RADFORD

_Nurse Libby_ DOROTHY LANGLEY

_Mrs. Terence_ KATHLEEN HARRISON

_Dora Parkoe_ BETTY JARDINE

_Inspector Belsize_ MATTHEW BOULTON

_Dan_ EMLYN WILLIAMS

The play produced by MILES MALLESON.