"During the second act wait, just before the curtain went up."

"The desk was then on the stage, or should I say on the set?"

"Only if you're a talkie actor. The scene was set and the desk was in position."

"I wish there had been no further change of scene. Where exactly was the desk? As I remember, it was about here."

Nigel heard Alleyn walk across the stage. By dint of squinting through the crack in the doorway he saw that the inspector was standing in the prompt first entrance, that is to say, in the doorway on the audience's right of the stage.

"It was just upstage of there," said Simpson.

"And the face of the desk towards the door, wasn't it?" asked Alleyn.

"That is so."

"Now, when you put the dummies in the drawer who was on the stage?"

"The beginners for the third act. Miss Max, Miss Emerald, and—Mr. Surbonadier."

"Did they see you put them there?"

"Oh, yes. Janet said: 'I'm always terrified you'll forget those things, George. You leave it so late!' "

"The drawer was empty when you pulled it out?"

"I think so. I don't know that I'd swear it was—I may not have looked at the back of it."

"Do you remember if any of the others afterwards came near the desk? Perhaps sat down at it while waiting for the curtain to go up?"

"I don't remember," said Simpson in a great hurry.

"Mr. Simpson—try to remember." There was a pause.

"I can't remember," said Simpson querulously.

"Let me try and help. Did you speak to any of them, now?"

"Yes. Yes, I did. I spoke to Miss Max, who was over on the O.P. She said the rug on that side was in the way of the door opening, and I moved it for her. Then she sat down in the chair over there and took out her knitting. The knitting is 'business' in the part."

"Yes. She had it in a red bag."

"That's right." Simpson began to speak very rapidly. "And she didn't move again before the curtain went up. I remember that because she laughed about her knitting and said she was trying to get it finished before we had run three weeks. It's a scarf. She put it round my neck to measure it."

"Now, didn't she sit in that chair for some time after the curtain went up? Wasn't she still sitting there when Surbonadier loaded the revolver?"

Through the crack in the door Nigel saw Simpson's surprised glance at the inspector.

"You've got a good memory," he said. "That's perfectly true."

"I've got a rotten memory really," said Alleyn, "but the scene impressed me, you know. If you think back it's a great help. Now, what did you do after you had straightened the mat and had your merry jape with the knitting?"