(ROSALIE crosses down R.C.)

HELEN (moving to L. side of ROSALIE).  Mother, you know?  You’ve found out?

(WILLIAM takes ROSALIE’S chair up L. and then comes down L.)

ROSALIE.  It is one thing to know and another to prove.

HELEN (L. of ROSALIE).  Mother, who was it?

ROSALIE.  Child, child, do you think it is a game we do play?  I ’ave two or three minutes.  What I ’ave to do I ’ave to do quickly.

HELEN.  But what, mother, what?

ROSALIE.  I do not know!  I do not know!  Child, if you do not get away from me you will drive me mad.

WILLIAM.  But can’t we—­

ROSALIE.  This is no work for children.  Leave me alone and let me think.

(WILLIAM and HELEN run off L., closing door.)

ROSALIE.  He will never tell in the world.  Never in all this world. (L.C. Half in thought.) Laughing Eyes, you are no good to me in the world.  We ’ave faked all our lives, and now when I want the real thing I get nothing at all.  If I could find the knife, there would be marks of a ’and on that.  But it is gone.  It is gone.  I cannot let ’im get away.  I want a sign.  I want a sign.  Laughing Eyes, are we going to be beaten by a scheming, cold-hearted murderer?

(Two knocks are heard outside the door down L. After five seconds two further knocks.  ROSALIE starts and looks hastily around the room.)

I did not do that.  I did not do that. (She lifts her skirt and sees that her feet are still in her shoes.) It is come!  After all the years, a real message.  A real message.  I will ’ave it in the dark, believing and trusting that I am to be shown.

(She crosses down to door L. and switches off the light.  All the lights in the room are out.  The spot from the window shines on the ceiling, brilliantly illuminating the knife.  ROSALIE moves C.)

Laughing Eyes, have you a message for me? (She looks up at knife in ceiling.) Look at it!  The knife!

(The door at L. opens, POLLOCK stands in the doorway.  He sees that the lights are out and turns them on.  Then he sees ROSALIE, who is standing C., facing front as in a trance.)

POLLOCK.  Excuse me, madam.  I knocked twice, but you didn’t hear me.

ROSALIE.  I ’eard you.  Just the same, it was a message.

POLLOCK.  The Inspector says, have you got anything you want to tell him?

(ROSALIE stands lost in thought.  POLLOCK looks at her for a moment and then nervously begins to place the chair below table to up R. corner of scene.  He notices that the window blind is up, goes over and pulls it down and draws the curtains.  He then comes back to ROSALIE, above table R.)

The Inspector says, have you got anything you want to tell him.