Waiting for Godot (10 page)

ESTRAGON:
Ah!

VLADIMIR:
There . . . there . . . it's all over.

ESTRAGON:
I was falling�

VLADIMIR:
It's all over, it's all over.

ESTRAGON:
I was on top of a�

VLADIMIR:
Don't tell me! Come, we'll walk it off.
He takes Estragon by the arm and walks him up and down until Estragon
refuses to go any further.

ESTRAGON:
That's enough. I'm tired.

VLADIMIR:
You'd rather be stuck there doing nothing?

ESTRAGON:
Yes.

VLADIMIR:
Please yourself.
He releases Estragon, picks up his coat and puts it on.

ESTRAGON:
Let's go.

VLADIMIR:
We can't.

ESTRAGON:
Why not?

VLADIMIR:
We're waiting for Godot.

ESTRAGON:
Ah! (Vladimir walks up and down.) Can you not stay still?

VLADIMIR:
I'm cold.

ESTRAGON:
We came too soon.

VLADIMIR:
It's always at nightfall.

ESTRAGON:
But night doesn't fall.

VLADIMIR:
It'll fall all of a sudden, like yesterday.

ESTRAGON:
Then it'll be night.

VLADIMIR:
And we can go.

ESTRAGON:
Then it'll be day again. (Pause. Despairing.) What'll we do, what'll we do!

VLADIMIR:
(halting, violently). Will you stop whining! I've had about my bellyful of your
lamentations!

ESTRAGON:
I'm going.

VLADIMIR:
(seeing Lucky's hat). Well!

ESTRAGON:
Farewell.

VLADIMIR:
Lucky's hat. (He goes towards it.) I've been here an hour and never saw it.
(Very pleased.) Fine!

ESTRAGON:
You'll never see me again.

VLADIMIR:
I knew it was the right place. Now our troubles are over. (He picks up the hat,
contemplates it, straightens it.) Must have been a very fine hat. (He puts it on
in place of his own which he hands to Estragon.) Here.

ESTRAGON:
What?

VLADIMIR:
Hold that.
Estragon takes Vladimir's hat. Vladimir adjusts Lucky's hat on his head.
Estragon puts on Vladimir's hat in place of his own which he hands to
Vladimir. Vladimir takes Estragon's hat. Estragon adjusts Vladimir's hat on his
head. Vladimir puts on Estragon's hat in place of Lucky's which he hands to
Estragon. Estragon takes Lucky's hat. Vladimir adjusts Estragon's hat on his
head. Estragon puts on Lucky's hat in place of Vladimir's which he hands to
Vladimir. Vladimir takes his hat, Estragon adjusts Lucky's hat on his head.
Vladimir puts on his hat in place of Estragon's which he hands to Estragon.
Estragon takes his hat. Vladimir adjusts his hat on his head. Estragon puts on
his hat in place of Lucky's which he hands to Vladimir. Vladimir takes Lucky's
hat. Estragon adjusts his hat on his head. Vladimir puts on Lucky's hat in
place of his own which he hands to Estragon. Estragon takes Vladimir's hat.
Vladimir adjusts Lucky's hat on his head. Estragon hands Vladimir's hat back
to Vladimir who takes it and hands it back to Estragon who takes it and hands
it back to Vladimir who takes it and throws it down.
How does it fit me?

ESTRAGON:
How would I know?

VLADIMIR:
No, but how do I look in it?
He turns his head coquettishly to and fro, minces like a mannequin.

ESTRAGON:
Hideous.

VLADIMIR:
Yes, but not more so than usual?

ESTRAGON:
Neither more nor less.

VLADIMIR:
Then I can keep it. Mine irked me. (Pause.) How shall I say? (Pause.) It
itched me.
He takes off Lucky's hat, peers into it, shakes it, knocks on the crown, puts it
on again.

ESTRAGON:
I'm going.
Silence.

VLADIMIR:
Will you not play?

ESTRAGON:
Play at what?

VLADIMIR:
We could play at Pozzo and Lucky.

ESTRAGON:
Never heard of it.

VLADIMIR:
I'll do Lucky, you do Pozzo. (He imitates Lucky sagging under the weight of
his baggage. Estragon looks at him with stupefaction.) Go on.

ESTRAGON:
What am I to do?

VLADIMIR:
Curse me!

ESTRAGON:
(after reflection). Naughty!

VLADIMIR:
Stronger!

ESTRAGON:
Gonococcus! Spirochete!
Vladimir sways back and forth, doubled in two.

VLADIMIR:
Tell me to think.

ESTRAGON:
What?

VLADIMIR:
Say, Think, pig!

ESTRAGON:
Think, pig!
Silence.

VLADIMIR:
I can't.

ESTRAGON:
That's enough of that.

VLADIMIR:
Tell me to dance.

ESTRAGON:
I'm going.

VLADIMIR:
Dance, hog! (He writhes. Exit Estragon left, precipitately.) I can't! (He looks
up, misses Estragon.) Gogo! (He moves wildly about the stage. Enter
Estragon left, panting. He hastens towards Vladimir, falls into his arms.)
There you are again at last!

ESTRAGON:
I'm accursed!

VLADIMIR:
Where were you? I thought you were gone for ever.

ESTRAGON:
They're coming!

VLADIMIR:
Who?

ESTRAGON:
I don't know.

VLADIMIR:
How many?

ESTRAGON:
I don't know.

VLADIMIR:
(triumphantly). It's Godot! At last! Gogo! It's Godot! We're saved! Let's go
and meet him! (He drags Estragon towards the wings. Estragon resists, pulls
himself free, exit right.) Gogo! Come back! (Vladimir runs to extreme left,
scans the horizon. Enter Estragon right, he hastens towards Vladimir, falls
into his arms.) There you are again again!

ESTRAGON:
I'm in hell!

VLADIMIR:
Where were you?

ESTRAGON:
They're coming there too!

VLADIMIR:
We're surrounded! (Estragon makes a rush towards back.) Imbecile! There's
no way out there. (He takes Estragon by the arm and drags him towards
front. Gesture towards front.) There! Not a soul in sight! Off you go! Quick!
(He pushes Estragon towards auditorium. Estragon recoils in horror.) You
won't? (He contemplates auditorium.) Well I can understand that. Wait till I
see. (He reflects.) Your only hope left is to disappear.

ESTRAGON:
Where?

VLADIMIR:
Behind the tree. (Estragon hesitates.) Quick! Behind the tree. (Estragon goes
and crouches behind the tree, realizes he is not hidden, comes out from
behind the tree.) Decidedly this tree will not have been the slightest use to
us.

ESTRAGON:
(calmer). I lost my head. Forgive me. It won't happen again. Tell me what to
do.

VLADIMIR:
There's nothing to do.

ESTRAGON:
You go and stand there. (He draws Vladimir to extreme right and places him
with his back to the stage.) There, don't move, and watch out. (Vladimir
scans horizon, screening his eyes with his hand. Estragon runs and takes up
same position extreme left. They turn their heads and look at each other.)
Back to back like in the good old days. (They continue to look at each other
for a moment, then resume their watch. Long silence.) Do you see anything
coming?

VLADIMIR:
(turning his head). What?

ESTRAGON:
(louder). Do you see anything coming?

VLADIMIR:
No.

ESTRAGON:
Nor I.
They resume their watch. Silence.

VLADIMIR:
You must have had a vision.

ESTRAGON:
(turning his head). What?

VLADIMIR:
(louder). You must have had a vision.

ESTRAGON:
No need to shout!
They resume their watch. Silence.
VLADIMIR and ESTRAGON:
(turning simultaneously). Do you�

VLADIMIR:
Oh pardon!

ESTRAGON:
Carry on.

VLADIMIR:
No no, after you.

ESTRAGON:
No no, you first.

VLADIMIR:
I interrupted you.

ESTRAGON:
On the contrary.
They glare at each other angrily.

VLADIMIR:
Ceremonious ape!

ESTRAGON:
Punctilious pig!

VLADIMIR:
Finish your phrase, I tell you!

ESTRAGON:
Finish your own!
Silence. They draw closer, halt.

VLADIMIR:
Moron!

ESTRAGON:
That's the idea, let's abuse each other.
They turn, move apart, turn again and face each other.

VLADIMIR:
Moron!

ESTRAGON:
Vermin!

VLADIMIR:
Abortion!

ESTRAGON:
Morpion!

VLADIMIR:
Sewer-rat!

ESTRAGON:
Curate!

VLADIMIR:
Cretin!

ESTRAGON:
(with finality). Crritic!

VLADIMIR:
Oh!
He wilts, vanquished, and turns away.

ESTRAGON:
Now let's make it up.

VLADIMIR:
Gogo!

ESTRAGON:
Didi!

VLADIMIR:
Your hand!

ESTRAGON:
Take it!

VLADIMIR:
Come to my arms!

ESTRAGON:
Yours arms?

VLADIMIR:
My breast!

ESTRAGON:
Off we go!
They embrace. They separate. Silence.

VLADIMIR:
How time flies when one has fun!
Silence.

ESTRAGON:
What do we do now?

VLADIMIR:
While waiting.

ESTRAGON:
While waiting.
Silence.

VLADIMIR:
We could do our exercises.

ESTRAGON:
Our movements.

VLADIMIR:
Our elevations.

ESTRAGON:
Our relaxations.

VLADIMIR:
Our elongations.

ESTRAGON:
Our relaxations.

VLADIMIR:
To warm us up.

ESTRAGON:
To calm us down.

VLADIMIR:
Off we go.
Vladimir hops from one foot to the other. Estragon imitates him.

ESTRAGON:
(stopping). That's enough. I'm tired.

VLADIMIR:
(stopping). We're not in shape. What about a little deep breathing?

ESTRAGON:
I'm tired breathing.

VLADIMIR:
You're right. (Pause.) Let's just do the tree, for the balance.

ESTRAGON:
The tree?
Vladimir does the tree, staggering about on one leg.

VLADIMIR:
(stopping). Your turn.
Estragon does the tree, staggers.

ESTRAGON:
Do you think God sees me?

VLADIMIR:
You must close your eyes.
Estragon closes his eyes, staggers worse.

ESTRAGON:
(stopping, brandishing his fists, at the top of his voice.) God have pity on me!

VLADIMIR:
(vexed). And me?

ESTRAGON:
On me! On me! Pity! On me!
Enter Pozzo and Lucky. Pozzo is blind. Lucky burdened as before. Rope as
before, but much shorter, so that Pozzo may follow more easily. Lucky
wearing a different hat. At the sight of Vladimir and Estragon he stops short.
Pozzo, continuing on his way, bumps into him.

VLADIMIR:
Gogo!

POZZO:
(clutching onto Lucky who staggers). What is it? Who is it?
Lucky falls, drops everything and brings down Pozzo with him. They lie
helpless among the scattered baggage.

ESTRAGON:
Is it Godot?

VLADIMIR:
At last! (He goes towards the heap.) Reinforcements at last!