Waiting for Godot (7 page)

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. . . tennis . . . the stones . . . so calm . . . Cunard . . . unfinished . . .

POZZO:

His hat!

Vladimir seizes Lucky's hat. Silence of Lucky. He falls. Silence. Panting of the victors.

ESTRAGON:

Avenged!

Vladimir examines the hat, peers inside it.

POZZO:

Give me that! (
He snatches the hat from Vladimir, throws it on the ground, tramples on it.
) There's an end to his thinking!

VLADIMIR:

But will he be able to walk?

POZZO:

Walk or crawl! (
He kicks Lucky.
) Up pig!

ESTRAGON:

Perhaps he's dead.

VLADIMIR:

You'll kill him.

POZZO:

Up scum! (
He jerks the rope.
) Help me!

VLADIMIR:

How?

POZZO:

Raise him up!

Vladimir and Estragon hoist Lucky to his feet, support him an instant, then let him go. He falls.

ESTRAGON:

He's doing it on purpose!

POZZO:

You must hold him. (
Pause.
) Come on, come on, raise him up.

ESTRAGON:

To hell with him!

VLADIMIR:

Come on, once more.

ESTRAGON:

What does he take us for?

They raise Lucky, hold him up.

POZZO:

Don't let him go! (
Vladimir and Estragon totter.
) Don't move! (
Pozzo fetches bag and basket and brings them towards Lucky.
) Hold him tight! (
He puts the bag in Lucky's hand. Lucky drops it immediately.
) Don't let him go! (
He puts back the bag in Lucky's
hand. Gradually, at the feel of the bag, Lucky recovers his senses and his fingers finally close round the handle.
) Hold him tight! (
As before with basket.
) #

Now! You can let him go. (
Vladimir and Estragon move away from Lucky who totters, reels, sags, but succeeds in remaining on his feet, bag and basket in his hands. Pozzo steps back, cracks his whip.
) Forward! (
Lucky totters forward.
) Back! (
Lucky
totters back.
) Turn! (
Lucky turns.
) Done it! He can walk. (
Turning to Vladimir and Estragon.
) Thank you, gentlemen, and let me . . . (
he fumbles in his pockets
) . . . let me wish you . . . (
fumbles
) . . . wish you . . . (
fumbles
) . . . what have I done with my watch? (
Fumbles.
) A genuine half-hunter, gentlemen, with deadbeat escapement! (
Sobbing.
) Twas my granpa gave it to me! (
He searches on the ground, Vladimir and Estragon likewise. Pozzo turns over with his foot the remains of Lucky's hat.
) Well now isn't that just—

VLADIMIR:

Perhaps it's in your fob.

POZZO:

Wait! (
He doubles up in an attempt to apply his ear to his stomach, listens. Silence.
) I hear nothing. (
He beckons them to approach, Vladimir and Estragon go over to him, bend over his stomach.
) Surely one should hear the tick-tick.

VLADIMIR:

Silence!

All listen, bent double.
#

ESTRAGON:

I hear something.

POZZO:

Where?

VLADIMIR:

It's the heart.

POZZO:

(
disappointed
)
.
Damnation!

VLADIMIR:

Silence!

ESTRAGON:

Perhaps it has stopped.

They straighten up.

POZZO:

Which of you smells so bad?

ESTRAGON:

He has stinking breath and I have stinking feet.

POZZO:

I must go.

ESTRAGON:

And your half-hunter?

POZZO:

I must have left it at the manor.

Silence.

ESTRAGON:

Then adieu.

POZZO:

Adieu.

VLADIMIR:

Adieu.

POZZO:

Adieu.

Silence. No one moves.

VLADIMIR:

Adieu.

POZZO:

Adieu.

ESTRAGON:

Adieu.

Silence.

POZZO:

And thank you.

VLADIMIR:

Thank
you
.

POZZO:

Not at all.

ESTRAGON:

Yes yes.

POZZO:

No no.

VLADIMIR:

Yes yes.

ESTRAGON:

No no.

Silence.

POZZO:

I don't seem to be able . . . (
long hesitation
) . . . to depart.

ESTRAGON:

Such is life.

Pozzo turns, moves away from Lucky towards the wings, paying out the rope as he goes.

VLADIMIR:

You're going the wrong way.

POZZO:

I need a running start. (
Having come to the end of the rope, i.e., off stage, he stops, turns and cries.
) Stand back! (
Vladimir and Estragon stand back, look towards Pozzo. Crack of whip.
) On! On!

ESTRAGON:

On!

VLADIMIR:

On!

Lucky moves off.

POZZO:

Faster! (
He appears, crosses the stage preceded by Lucky. Vladimir and Estragon wave their hats. Exit Lucky.
) On! On! (
On the point of disappearing in his turn he stops and turns. The rope tautens. Noise of Lucky falling off.
) Stool! (
Vladimir fetches stool
and gives it to Pozzo who throws it to Lucky.
) Adieu!

VLADIMIR and ESTRAGON:

(
waving
)
.
Adieu! Adieu!

POZZO:

Up! Pig! (
Noise of Lucky getting up.
) On! (
Exit Pozzo.
) Faster! On! Adieu! Pig! Yip! Adieu!

Long silence.

VLADIMIR:

That passed the time.

ESTRAGON:

It would have passed in any case.

VLADIMIR:

Yes, but not so rapidly.

Pause.

ESTRAGON:

What do we do now?

VLADIMIR:

I don't know.

ESTRAGON:

Let's go.

VLADIMIR:

We can't.

ESTRAGON:

Why not?

VLADIMIR:

We're waiting for Godot.

ESTRAGON:

(
despairingly
)
.
Ah!

Pause.

VLADIMIR:

How they've changed!

ESTRAGON:

Who?

VLADIMIR:

Those two.

ESTRAGON:

That's the idea, let's make a little conversation.

VLADIMIR:

Haven't they?

ESTRAGON:

What?

VLADIMIR:

Changed.

ESTRAGON:

Very likely. They all change. Only we can't.

VLADIMIR:

Likely! It's certain. Didn't you see them?

ESTRAGON:

I suppose I did. But I don't know them.

VLADIMIR:

Yes you do know them.

ESTRAGON:

No I don't know them.

VLADIMIR:

We know them, I tell you. You forget everything. (
Pause. To himself.
) Unless they're not the same . . .

ESTRAGON:

Why didn't they recognize us then?

VLADIMIR:

That means nothing. I too pretended not to recognize them. And then nobody ever recognizes us.

ESTRAGON:

Forget it. What we need– Ow! (
Vladimir does not react.
) Ow!

VLADIMIR:

(
to himself
)
.
Unless they're not the same . . .

ESTRAGON:

Didi! It's the other foot!

He goes hobbling towards the mound.

VLADIMIR:

Unless they're not the same . . .

BOY:

(
off
)
.
Mister!

Estragon halts. Both look towards the voice.

ESTRAGON:

Off we go again.

VLADIMIR:

Approach, my child.

Enter Boy, timidly. He halts.

BOY:

Mister Albert . . . ?

VLADIMIR:

Yes.

ESTRAGON:

What do you want?

VLADIMIR:

Approach!

The Boy does not move.

ESTRAGON:

(
forcibly
)
.
Approach when you're told, can't you?

The Boy advances timidly, halts.

VLADIMIR:

What is it?

BOY:

Mr. Godot . . .

VLADIMIR:

Obviously . . . (
Pause.
) Approach.

ESTRAGON:

(
violently
)
.
Will you approach! (
The Boy advances timidly.
) What kept you so late?

VLADIMIR:

You have a message from Mr. Godot?

BOY:

Yes Sir.

VLADIMIR:

Well, what is it?

ESTRAGON:

What kept you so late?

The Boy looks at them in turn, not knowing to which he should reply.

VLADIMIR:

(
to Estragon
)
.
Let him alone.

ESTRAGON:

(
violently
)
.
You let me alone. (
Advancing, to the Boy.
) Do you know what time it is?

BOY:

(
recoiling
)
.
It's not my fault, Sir.

ESTRAGON:

And whose is it? Mine?

BOY:

I was afraid, Sir.

ESTRAGON:

Afraid of what? Of us? (
Pause.
) Answer me!

VLADIMIR:

I know what it is, he was afraid of the others.

ESTRAGON: