The Complete Dramatic Works (9 page)

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
towards
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!

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:
How long have you been here?

BOY:
A good while, sir.

VLADIMIR:
You were afraid of the whip.

BOY:
Yes, sir.

VLADIMIR:
The roars.

BOY:
Yes, sir.

VLADIMIR:
The two big men.

BOY:
Yes, sir.

VLADIMIR:
Do you know them?

BOY:
No, sir.

VLADIMIR:
Are you a native of these parts? [
Silence
.]
Do you belong to these parts?

BOY:
Yes, sir.

ESTRAGON:
That’s all a pack of lies. [
Shaking
the
 
BOY
by
the
arm.
] Tell us the truth.

BOY:
[
Trembling.
]
But it is the truth, sir!

VLADIMIR:
Will you let him alone! What’s the matter with you? [
ESTRAGON
releases
the
BOY
,
moves
away,
covering
his
face
with
his
hands. 
VLADIMIR
and
the
 
BOY
observe
him.
ESTRAGON
drops
his
hands.
His
face
is
convulsed.
] What’s the matter with you?

ESTRAGON:
I’m unhappy.

VLADIMIR:
Not really! Since when?

ESTRAGON:
I’d forgotten.

VLADIMIR:
Extraordinary the tricks that memory plays! [
ESTRAGON
tries
to
speak,
renounces,
limps
to
his
place, sits
down
and
begins
to
take
off
his
boots.
To
 
BOY
.] Well?

BOY:
Mr Godot –

VLADIMIR:
I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?

BOY:
I don’t know sir.

VLADIMIR:
You don’t know me?

BOY:
No, sir.

VLADIMIR:
It wasn’t you came yesterday?

BOY:
No, sir.

VLADIMIR:
This is your first time?

BOY:
Yes, sir.
[
Silence
.]

VLADIMIR:
Words, words. [
Pause.
]
Speak.