Night Must Fall : a Play in Three ActsWilliams, Emlyn
General
Night Must Fall : a Play in Three Acts
Williams, Emlyn
English drama -- 20th century; Murder -- Drama
BELSIZE: So you did have an affair with her?
DAN: Oh, no, sir, not that! I avoided her ever after that day she
stopped me, sir!... You see, sir, a lady stayin' where I was workin',
and for all I knew married, and all the other fellers she'd been after,
and the brazen way she went on at me.... You're only human, aren't you,
sir, and when they asked me about her, I got frightened to tell about
her stopping me.... But now you know about it, sir, it's a weight off
my mind, you wouldn't believe!... (_Rising, after seeming to pull
himself together_) As a matter of fact, sir, it was the disgust-like
of nearly gettin' mixed up with her that was keepin' me awake at
nights.
BELSIZE: I see.... You're a bit of a milk-sop, aren't you?
DAN (_apparently puzzled_): Am I, sir?
BELSIZE: Yes.... That'll be all for to-day. I'll let you off this once.
DAN: I'm that relieved, sir!
BELSIZE (_crossing to the table for his hat_): But don't try and
keep things from the police another time.
DAN: No chance!
BELSIZE: They always find you out, you know.
DAN: Yes, sir. Would you like a cup o' tea, sir?
BELSIZE: No, thanks. I've got another inquiry in the village....
(_Turning back, with an afterthought_) Oh, just one thing--might
as well just do it, we're supposed to with all the chaps we're
questioning, matter of form--if you don't mind. I'll have a quick look
through your luggage. Matter of form....
DAN: Oh, yes.
BELSIZE: Where d' you hang out?
DAN (_tonelessly_): Through the kitchen ... here, sir.... First
door facin' ...
BELSIZE: First door facing----
DAN: You can't miss it.
BELSIZE: I'll find it.
DAN: It's open, I think.
BELSIZE _goes into the kitchen. A pause,_ DAN _looks slowly
round the room.
(Turning mechanically to the kitchen door_) You can't miss it....
_A pause. The noise of something being moved beyond the kitchen._
Dan _sits on the sofa with a jerk, looking before him. His fingers
beat a rapid tattoo on the sides of the sofa. He looks at them, rises
convulsively and walks round the room, grasping chairs and furniture as
he goes round. He returns to the sofa, sits, and begins the tattoo
again. With a sudden wild automatic movement he beats his closed fists
in rapid succession against the sides of his head._ BELSIZE
_returns, carrying the hat-box._
BELSIZE (_crossing and placing the hat-box on the table_): This
one's locked. Have you got the key?
DAN _rises, and takes a step into the middle of the room. He looks at
the hat-box at last._
DAN (_in a dead voice_): It isn't mine.
BELSIZE: Not yours?
DAN: No.
BELSIZE: Oh?... Whose is it, then?
DAN: I dunno. It isn't mine.
OLIVIA _stands at the sun-room door._
OLIVIA: I'm sorry, I thought ... Why, inspector, what are you doing
with my box?
BELSIZE: Yours?
OLIVIA: Yes! It's got all my letters in it!
BELSIZE: But it was in ...
OLIVIA: Oh, Dan's room used to be the box-room.
BELSIZE: Oh, I see....
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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