Part 34 (1/2)

_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_) h.e.l.lo, Dan!

DAN (_quietly, rising and standing by the fireplace_): h.e.l.lo.

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 bl.u.s.ter_): 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.