Vera Lines act 2

Vera-It's very early still

Dr. Armstrong-We've been up to the top. No sign of the boat yet

Vera-Oh, don't let's bother about breakfast

Blore-No sign of breakfast yet, where's that fellow Rogers?

Vera-Dr. Armstrong, I suppose it was suicide?

Blore-In the study - put him there myself

Vera-I don't know. But suicide,

Dr. Armstrong-What else could it be?

Vera-I wish the boat would come. I hate this place

Dr. Armstrong-You won't leave the island without me?

Vera-The police?

Wargrave-Yes, I think the sooner we can get in touch with the police, the better

Vera-Oh, yes - of course

Wargrave-The police have to be notified in the case of suicide, you know, Miss Claythorne

Vera-Are you hungry, General? Feeling like breakfast?

Blore-What's going on here? No sign of any breakfast

Vera-No, I'm not, I'm Vera Claythorne

General Mackenzie-Lesly, Lesly, my dear

Vera-Oh

General Mackenzie-Of course, forgive me, I took you for my wife

Vera-But I thought your wife was dead, long ago

General Mackenzie-I was waiting for her you see

Vera-Too bad you overslept yourself

Lombard-Good morning. You and I could have had a swim before breakfast. Too bad all this.

Vera-Hullo, that's strange

Lombard-Oh, well, we can always forage for ourselves

Vera-You remember we found one of these little soldiers smashed last night?

Lombard-What is?

Vera-That ought to leave nine. I'm certain there were ten of them here when we arrived

Lombard-Yes - That ought to leave nine.

Vera-There are only eight

Lombard-Well?

Vera-I think it's queer, don't you?

Lombard-So there are

Vera & Blore-No how?

Dr. Armstrong-Mrs. Rogers is dead

Vera-She was a very nervous looking creature. She had a bad fright last night. Perhaps it was heart failure

Dr. Armstrong-Without any previous knowledge of the woman's state of health, I could certainly not give a certificate

Vera-Happy?

Blore-Well, why not? You heard that accusation last night. What if it's true? Miss Brent thinks it is, for one. Rogers and his missus did the old lady in. They're feeling quite safe and happy about it-

Vera-Oh, no. That's impossible - a man wouldn't do that to his wife

Blore-He drops a nice little dollop of something into a nice cup of tea, and when she's had it, he washes up the cup and saucer and tells the doctor she ain't had nothing

Vera-That will be fine, Rogers

Rogers-Excuse me, Miss, I'm getting on with breakfast. I'm not much of a hand as a cook I'm afraid. It's lunch that's worrying me, would cold tongue and gelatine be satisfactory? And I could manage some fried potatoes. And then there's tinned fruit and cheese and biscuits.

Vera-No, thank you, Rogers

Rogers-Fred Narracott's always here right before eight. Is there anything else you require, Miss?

Vera-Oh, don't you see? He's dazed. He's just carrying on automatically as a good servant would. It's - It's pathetic, really

Blore-What??

Vera-Couldn't we light a bonfire up on the top of the island? So that they'd see it?

Lombard-Why not? Soldier Island's got a reputation for people having crazy parties. This is just one more crazy idea, that's all. Narracott knows there's plenty of food and drink in the island. Probably thinks it's all a huge joke

Vera-But can't we do something?

Lombard-That's probably been provided against. All signals are to be ignored. We're cut off all right.

Vera-You don't think -? Do you mean that he wants to kill us all?

Lombard-Warning? My god yes! That's our warning ten little soldier boys! There were ten of us after Narracott went weren't there?

\n "Ten little soldier boys, going out to dine, one choked his little self..." \n \n Martson choked himself didn't he? And then- \n \n "Nine little boys, sat up very late, when overslept himself.." \n \n Overslept himself - that last part fits Mrs. Rogers very well, doesn't it?

Vera-And each one fits with the rhyme!

Lombard-Yes, I think he does

Vera-Don't you think he's right? If someone is hiding on the island, they'll be bound to find him. It's practically bare rock

Wargrave-A very energetic young man, Captain Lombard

Vera-Where are you going?

Wargrave-I think this problem needs brains to solve it. Rather than brawn.

Vera-Did you leave it upstairs? Shall I go and see If I can find it?

Emily-Where did I put that skein of wool?

Vera-I´m glad Captain Lombard has got a revolver

Emily-No, I´ll go. I know where is likely to be

Vera-Do you think so?

General Mackenzie-They´re all wasting time - wasting time

Vera-Wait for what?

General Mackenzie-Yes, it´s much better to sit quietly - and wait

Vera-Your wife?

General Mackenzie-For the end of course (pause) I wish I could find Lesly

Vera-Was she?

General Mackenzie-Yes. I wish you known her. She was so pretty, so gay-

Vera-Oh, no

General Mackenzie-She wrote to both of us, and she put the letters in the wrong envelope. So I knew-

Vera-I wonder what the others are doing?

General Mackenzie-A slow murderous rage - damned young hypocrite - I liked the boy - trusted him.

Vera-Oh,

General Mackenzie-I sent him to his death

Vera-Oh, don't

General Mackenzie-She had a heart shaped face - and grey eyes - and brown hair that curled

Vera-What do you mean?

General Mackenzie-Yes, I suppose in a way - it was murder. Curious, murder - and I've always been such a law abiding man. It didn't feel like that time. "Serves him damn well right! that's what I thought. But after - Well, you know, don't you?

Vera-I,

General Mackenzie-You don't seem to understand - I thought you would. I thought you'd be glad, too, that the end was coming

Vera-I, I don't know

General Mackenzie-We're all going to die, you know

Vera-General,

General Mackenzie-You're very young - you haven't got to that yet. The relief! The blessed relief when you know that you've done with it all, that you haven't got to carry that burden any longer

Vera-I'm frightened, Oh! I'm frightened

General Mackenzie-Don't talk to me that way. You don't understand. I want to sit here and wait - wait for Lesley to come for me

Vera-Don't!

Lombard-All correct. No secret passage - one corpse

Vera-A drink! Two corpses in the house at nine o' clock in the morning and all you say, "Have a drink!" An old man going quite crackers - "Have a drink!" Ten people accused of murder - that's all right - just have a drink. Everything's fine so long as you have a drink

Lombard-I say, you do look low. How about a drink to steady your nerves?

Vera-Oh you - you're nothing but a waster - an adventurer - you make me tired

Lombard-All right, All right, stay thirsty

Vera-I'm not your sweet

Lombard-I say, you are het up. What's the matter, my sweet?

Vera-Well, you can think again

Lombard-I'm sorry. I rather thought you were

Vera-Rogues and murderers!

Lombard-Come now - you don't really feel like that. We've got something in common, you and I. Rogues and murderers can't fall out

Vera-I'm worried about the General. He really is ill, I think

Emily-Unpleasant young man! I can't find it anywhere. Is anything the matter?

Vera-Oh, don't

Emily-Looking for the boat General? His sin has found him out

Vera-Can any of us afford to throw stones?

Emily-One must face facts

Vera-What about, Beatrice Taylor?

Emily-Even if his wife was no better than she should be - and she must have been a depraved woman - he had no right to take judgement into his own hands

Vera-That was the name, wasn't it?

Emily-Who?

Vera-Yes

Emily-You are referring to that absurd accusation about myself?

Vera-What happened?

Emily-Now that we are alone, I have no objection to telling you the facts of the case - Indeed I should like you to hear them. It was not a fit subject to discuss before gentlemen - so naturally I refused to say anything last night. That girl, Beatrice Taylor, was in my service. I was very much deceived in her. She had nice manners and was clean and willing. I was very pleased with her. Of course, all that was sheerest hypocrisy. She was a loose girl with no morals. Disgusting! It was some time before I found out that she was what they call, "in trouble". It was a great shock to me. Her parents were decent folks too, who had brought her up strictly. I'm glad to say they didn't condone her behavior.

Vera-Did she drown herself?

Emily-Naturally, I refused to keep her an hour under my roof. No one shall ever say I condoned immorality

Vera-How old was she?

Emily-Yes

Vera-Only seventeen

Emily-Seventeen

Vera-You told a girl on seventeen?

Emily-Quite old enough to know how to behave. I told her what a low depraved thing she was. I told her that she was beyond the pale and that no decent person would take her into her house. I told her that her child would be the child of sin and would be branded all it's life - and that the man would naturally not dream of marrying her. I told her that I felt soiled by ever having her under roof?

Vera-Poor little devil

Emily-Yes. I'm glad to say I broke her down utterly

Vera-And then, I suppose, you turned her out of the house?

Emily-I've no patience with this indulgence toward sin

Vera-And she didn't dare go home - What did you feel like when she'd drown herself?

Emily-Of course

Vera-Yes. Didn't you blame yourself?

Emily-Feel like?

Vera-I believe, I believe you really feel like that. That makes it even more horrible

Emily-Certainly not. I had nothing with which to reproach myself

Vera-Sir Lawrence Wargrave is sitting out there in the sun. Doctor Armstrong and Mr. Blore are searching the island. I shouldn't bother about them

Rogers-Do you know where the gentlemen are, Miss? Breakfast is ready

Vera-Shall we go in?

Emily-"Shall not the isles shake at the sound of the fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?"

Vera-What luck did you have?

Blore-Very good habit, I'm sure

Vera-We've made some coffee. Brr - it's cold in here

Blore-Yes - but I've changed my min, and I'll tell you why - she's not scared and she's the only one who isn't. Why? Because she knows quite well she's in no danger - hush

Vera-Are Captain Lombard and Rogers still out?

Blore-You'd hardly believe it when you think what a beautiful day it was this morning.

Vera-Miss Brent's

Blore-Yes. No boat will put out in this - and it couldn't land, anyway.

Vera-You were right to insist on our going to lunch - and drinking some brandy with it. I feel much better

Wargrave-Allow me

Vera-All the same, it's a nightmare. It seems as though it can't be true. What - what are we going to do about it?

Wargrave-The court always adjourns for lunch

Vera-I'm sure it isn't any of you. If you ask me who I suspect, I'd say Doctor Armstrong

Wargrave-If Miss Claythorne suspects one of us three, that is a rather awkward question

Vera-Yes. Because, don't you see, he's had far and away the best chance to kill Mrs. Rogers. Terribly easy for him, as a doctor, to give her an overdose of sleeping stuff

Blore-Amstrong?

Vera-Who did you think it was? Beatrice Taylor?

Emily-Oh, it's only you

Vera-Such restraint in the face of danger is nothing short of heroic

Lombard-Not a hope of rescue until this dies down. Is that coffee? Good. I'm taking to coffee now, you see.

Vera-You're awfully wet

Wargrave-I do not of course, profess to be a weather prophet. But I should say that it is very unlikely that a boat could reach us, even if it knew our plight, in under twenty-four hours. Even if the wind drops, the sea has still to go down

Vera-It's over a mile, and in this sea you'd be dashed on the rocks and drowned

Blore-Is anyone a swimmer? Would it be possible to swim to the mainland?

Vera-It's terribly cold in here

Blore-After dinner nap

Vera-That would be a good idea

Rogers-I could light a fire if you like, Miss?

Vera-I wonder if he would like some hot coffee. He's very wet.

Rogers-I'll get some sticks and a few knobs of coal and get a nice fire going.

Vera-He'd rather make himself a nice cup of tea! What about Doctor Armstrong? Do you think we ought to take him up a cup?

Lombard-Hear, hear. Well, does he want some coffee?

Vera-Yes, you ought to. You'll catch cold.

Lombard-I'll take it. I want to change

Vera-Do go and change

Blore-Ah, the revolver. I want a word with you about that-

Vera-Oh, do go and change, please!

Lombard-Yes, quite

Vera-Don't be ridiculous

Lombard-I'm going my sweet, I'm going. The maternal instinct, I think it's called.

Vera-Perhaps it is

He might have thought that this was exactly the emergency for which he had been prepared

Vera-Are you such a good judge of the truth?

Blore-If it's true, he's a wrong 'un, that man. I wouldn't trust him a yard.

Vera-I wish Rogers would hurry up

Blore-Brr! It's cold in here, isn't it?

Vera-He said he'd got to get some sticks

Blore-Yes, where is Rogers? He's been a long time

Vera-Five?

Dr. Armstrong-There are only five

Vera-Oh, no, not Phillip!

Wargrave-Rogers and Lombard?

Vera-Oh, Phillip, I

Lombard-Where the hell is Blore off to like a madman?

Vera-I thought it was you

Lombard-Two?

Vera-Is he?

Blore-In the scullery

Vera-How?

Blore-Oh, yes, he's dead all right

Vera-"One chopped himself in half - and then there were six"

Blore-With an axe. Somebody must have come up behind him whilst he was bent over the wood box