Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Trotter: Yes. You’ve been extraordinarily foolish, you know. You’ve run a very good chance of being killed by holding out on me. As a result, you’ve been in serious danger more than once.
Mollie: I don’t know what you mean.
Trotter: (moving slowly above the sofa table to the Right of the sofa; still quite natural and friendly) Come now, Mrs. Ralston. We policemen aren’t quite so dumb as you think. All along I’ve realized that you had first- hand knowledge of the Longridge Farm affair. You know Mrs. Boyle was the magistrate concerned. In fact, you knew all about it. Why didn’t you speak up and say so?
Mollie: (Very much affected) I don’t understand. I wanted to forget-forget. (She sits at the Left end of the sofa.)
(i) What was the ‘Longridge Farm’ affair?
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- Three children (2 boys and a girl) – The Corrigan children were brought before the court as in need of care and protection.
- They were put in the care of Farmer John Stanning and his wife Maureen Stanning at Longridge Farm
- One of the children subsequently died – result of criminal negligence and persistent ill- treatment – Farmer and wife were sentenced to imprisonment.
(ii) Trotter revealed to Mollie some facts that he had uncovered about her past. What were they?
- That her maiden name was Waring
- She had been a school teacher
- The Corrigan children had attended the school where she had been a teacher.
- Jimmy Corrigan had written her a letter begging for help – she had not replied
(iii) What did Mollie want to forget?
Mollie wanted to forget the case / the guilt and the shame associated with it.
How was she linked with the ‘Longridge Farm affair’?
- Mollie was ashamed because she had been unable to help Jimmy Corrigan when he wrote a letter to his kind teacher (Mollie Waring) begging her to help him and his siblings.
- But Mollie was down with pneumonia at that time and when she finally read the letter weeks later, Jimmy had already died.
(iv) How did Trotter manage to pass himself off as a policeman?
Rang Monkswell Manor from a call box /said he was speaking from police headquarters/ that sergeant Trotter was on his way/ cut the phone wires before he came to the front door.
How had he reached Monkswell Manor?
On skis
(v) What did Trotter reveal to Mollie about his true identify?
Trotter reveals that he was Georgie Corrigan / Jimmy’s elder brother / the oldest of the Corrigan children.
How was Mollie saved at the end of the play?
- Just as he reaches for her neck Ms. Casewell (his sister/ Kathy) enters
- Kathy reveals that she is his sister – reminds him of their time together as children on the farm and gently leads him away