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.OLIVIAturns 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'tyoufeel 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 Imadeyou 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, hidingDANfrom view.
BELSIZE (in the hall): Good evening…. Sorry to pop back like this——
He comes into the room, followed byDORAandMRS. TERENCE,both terrified.
(Looking around) Everything looks all right here.
MRS. TERENCE: I tell you wedid'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——(AsOLIVIAsteps 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—
AsBELSIZEgoes 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—
AsBELSIZE _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.BELSIZEcomes back, his face intent, one hand in coat pocket. A pause.
BELSIZE (toOLIVIA): What are you doing here?
OLIVIA: I'm concerned in—
DAN (loudly, decisively, silencing her): It's all right. (Crossing toBELSIZEand 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 atOLIVIA) … 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 atOLIVIA, DANholds out his hands. Without warning,BELSIZEclaps a pair of handcuffs over his wrists,DANstares 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?… (SeeingOLIVIA) You're not goin' to believe what she said? About helpin' me?
BELSIZE (humouring him): No. (Putting a cigarette betweenDAN'Slips 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——
DANturns to follow him.DORAis 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 atOLIVIA): Just commin' (He goes toOLIVIA,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 pastBELSIZEand out through the front door.BELSIZEfollows him. The bang of the front door.OLIVIA _falls to the sofa.
The sound of_ DORA'Ssobbing.
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 JusticeERIC STANLEY
Mrs. BramsonMAY WHITTY
Olivia GrayneANGELA BADDELEY
Hubert LaurieBASIL RADFORD
Nurse LibbyDOROTHY LANGLEY
Mrs. TerenceKATHLEEN HARRISON
Dora ParkoeBETTY JARDINE
Inspector BelsizeMATTHEW BOULTON
DanEMLYN WILLIAMS
The play produced by MILES MALLESON.