Rope
(Rope’s End)
A Play in Three Acts
by
Patrick Hamilton
Anthony Walter Patrick Hamilton
To
Reginald Denham
Act I
The scene is a room on the first floor of the house in Mayfair shared by Brandon and Granillo. The room is a combination of a study and a drawing-room. It is furnished in a luxurious and faintly bizarre manner and on no discernible model. Nevertheless, there are really many good things about if you care to look for them. At the back, to the right, there are long French windows. To the left of these a fine grandfather clock. Next, against the wall, is a wireless set. Next, a large divan. Door left. Fireplace left.
In the corner, up stage R., is a piano — baby grand. Against wall R., a sideboard, with glasses and drinks on it. Table down R. with a lamp on it. Armchair left of table. Another small table down L., also with armchair. Down stage, in the centre, is a large chest. Red curtains. Red upholstery. The clock, when the curtain rises, stands at eight-forty at night. The action of the play is continuous, and the fall of the curtain at the end of each Act denotes the lapse of no time whatever.
Curtain rises on room completely darkened save for the pallid gleam from lamplight in the street below, which comes through the window. Against this are silhouetted the figures of Granillo and Brandon. They are bending over the chest, intent, working at something — exactly what you cannot discern. The silence is complete. Suddenly the lid of the chest falls with a bang. Brandon goes over to window and draws the heavy curtains to. Complete black out. They continue whatever they are doing. Brandon murmurs “All right, all right,” but there are no other sounds. Pause. Brandon comes down R., and switches on the light at the little table.
Granillo (at chest). Put out that light! Put out that light!
[Instantly it goes out.
Brandon (voice from darkness). Steady, Granno.
[No reply from other. Brandon is down right. Granillo is somewhere centre. Pause. Brandon suddenly lights a match and applies it to his cigarette. The cigarette glows in the darkness. He is now seated in the armchair. Pause.
Brandon. Feeling yourself, Granno?
[No answer.
Brandon. Feeling yourself again, Granno?
[No answer.
Brandon. Granno.
Granillo. Give me some matches.
Brandon. Matches? Here you are. Coming. (He throws the matches over.)
[They can be heard rattling in the air and falling on the floor. Granillo picks them up and lights his own cigarette. The two pin-points of light are all that come from the darkness. Pause.
It’s about time you pulled yourself together, isn’t it, Granno? Sabot will be here in a quarter of an hour.
[Pause.
Granillo. You fully understand, Brandon, what we’ve done?
Brandon. Do I know what I’ve done?… Yes. I know quite well what I’ve done. (He speaks in a rich, easy, powerful, elated and yet withal slightly defiant voice.) I have done murder.
Granillo. Yes.
Brandon (continuing in same voice). I have committed murder. I have committed passionless — motiveless — faultless — and clueless murder. Bloodless and noiseless murder.
Granillo. Yes.
Brandon. An immaculate murder. I have killed. I have killed for the sake of danger and for the sake of killing. And I am alive. Truly and wonderfully alive. That is what I have done, Granno. (Long pause.) What’s the matter? Are you getting superstitious?
Granillo. No. I’m not superstitious.
Brandon (suavely). Then I may put on the light?
Granillo. No. You mayn’t….
[Their figures may now be dimly discerned in the faint glow from the fire.
Brandon?
Brandon. Yes?
Granillo. You remember when Ronald came in?…
Brandon. What do you mean — “when Ronald came in”?
Granillo. When Ronald came in here … when he came in from the car. You were standing at the door.
Brandon. Yes.
Granillo. Did you see anyone standing there?… Up the street … about seventy yards?
Brandon. No.
Granillo. There was someone. There was a man. I saw him. I’ve remembered.
Brandon. Well, what of it?
Granillo. Oh, nothing…. Brandon …
Brandon. Yes?
Granillo. When I met Ronald. When I met him — coming out of the Coliseum — when I met him, and got him into the car — why shouldn’t someone have seen us?
Brandon. What do you mean by someone?
Granillo. Oh, someone. Anyone. Did we think of that, Brandon?
Brandon. I did.
[Granillo is now seated in armchair L. Pause.
Granillo. It’s in the room, you know. Do you think we’ll get away with it?
Brandon. When? To-night?
Granillo. Yes.
Brandon. Are you suggesting that some psychic force, emanating from that chest there, is going to advise Sir Johnstone Kentley of the fact that the remains — or shall I say the lifeless entirety — of his twenty-year-old son and heir is contained therein? (Pause.) My dear Granillo, if you are feeling in any way insecure, perhaps I had better fortify you with a brief summary of facts — with mathematics as it were. Let me please give you —
Granillo. Listen!
[There is a tense stillness.
Brandon. What are — ?
Granillo. Listen, I tell you! (Another pause. Granillo springs up and goes over to window, where he can be seen peeping through the curtains.) It’s all right. I thought it was Sabot. (He comes down to chair again.)
