Waiting for Godot (4 page)

VLADIMIR:
(exploding). It's a scandal!
Silence. Flabbergasted, Estragon stops gnawing, looks at Pozzo and Vladimir in
turn. Pozzo outwardly calm. Vladimir embarrassed.

POZZO:
(To Vladimir). Are you alluding to anything in particular?

VLADIMIR:
(stutteringly resolute). To treat a man . . . (gesture towards Lucky) . . . like that .
. . I think that . . . no . . . a human being . . . no . . . it's a scandal!

ESTRAGON:
(not to be outdone). A disgrace!
He resumes his gnawing.

POZZO:
You are severe. (To Vladimir.) What age are you, if it's not a rude question?
(Silence.) Sixty? Seventy? (To Estragon.) What age would you say he was?

ESTRAGON:
Eleven.

POZZO:
I am impertinent. (He knocks out his pipe against the whip, gets up.) I must be
getting on. Thank you for your society. (He reflects.) Unless I smoke another
pipe before I go. What do you say? (They say nothing.) Oh I'm only a small
smoker, a very small smoker, I'm not in the habit of smoking two pipes one on
top of the other, it makes (hand to heart, sighing) my heart go pit-a-pat.
(Silence.) It's the nicotine, one absorbs it in spite of one's precautions. (Sighs.)
You know how it is. (Silence.) But perhaps you don't smoke? Yes? No? It's of no
importance. (Silence.) But how am I to sit down now, without affectation, now
that I have risen? Without appearing to �how shall I say� without appearing to
falter. (To Vladimir.) I beg your pardon? (Silence.) Perhaps you didn't speak?
(Silence.) It's of no importance. Let me see . . .
He reflects.

ESTRAGON:
Ah! That's better.
He puts the bones in his pocket.

VLADIMIR:
Let's go.

ESTRAGON:
So soon?

POZZO:
One moment! (He jerks the rope.) Stool! (He points with his whip. Lucky moves
the stool.) More! There! (He sits down. Lucky goes back to his place.) Done it!
He fills his pipe.

VLADIMIR:
(vehemently). Let's go!

POZZO:
I hope I'm not driving you away. Wait a little longer, you'll never regret it.

ESTRAGON:
(scenting charity). We're in no hurry.

POZZO:
(having lit his pipe). The second is never so sweet . . . (he takes the pipe out of
his mouth, contemplates it) . . . as the first I mean. (He puts the pipe back in his
mouth.) But it's sweet just the same.

VLADIMIR:
I'm going.

POZZO:
He can no longer endure my presence. I am perhaps not particularly human, but
who cares? (To Vladimir.) Think twice before you do anything rash. Suppose you
go now while it is still day, for there is no denying it is still day. (They all look up
at the sky.) Good. (They stop looking at the sky.) What happens in that case�
(he takes the pipe out of his mouth, examines it) �I'm out� (he relights his pipe)
�in that case� (puff) �in that case� (puff) �what happens in that case to your
appointment with this . . . Godet . . . Godot . . . Godin . . . anyhow you see who I
mean, who has your future in his hands . . . (pause) . . . at least your immediate
future?

VLADIMIR:
Who told you?

POZZO:
He speaks to me again! If this goes on much longer we'll soon be old friends.

ESTRAGON:
Why doesn't he put down his bags?

POZZO:
I too would be happy to meet him. The more people I meet the happier I
become. From the meanest creature one departs wiser, richer, more conscious of
one's blessings. Even you . . . (he looks at them ostentatiously in turn to make it
clear they are both meant) . . . even you, who knows, will have added to my
store.

ESTRAGON:
Why doesn't he put down his bags?

POZZO:
But that would surprise me.

VLADIMIR:
You're being asked a question.

POZZO:
(delighted). A question! Who? What? A moment ago you were calling me Sir, in
fear and trembling. Now you're asking me questions. No good will come of this!

VLADIMIR:
(to Estragon). I think he's listening.

ESTRAGON:
(circling about Lucky). What?

VLADIMIR:
You can ask him now. He's on the alert.

ESTRAGON:
Ask him what?

VLADIMIR:
Why he doesn't put down his bags.

ESTRAGON:
I wonder.

VLADIMIR:
Ask him, can't you?

POZZO:
(who has followed these exchanges with anxious attention, fearing lest the
question get lost). You want to know why he doesn't put down his bags, as you
call them.

VLADIMIR:
That's it.

POZZO:
(to Estragon). You are sure you agree with that?

ESTRAGON:
He's puffing like a grampus.

POZZO:
The answer is this. (To Estragon). But stay still, I beg of you, you're making me
nervous!

VLADIMIR:
Here.

ESTRAGON:
What is it?

VLADIMIR:
He's about to speak.
Estragon goes over beside Vladimir. Motionless, side by side, they wait.

POZZO:
Good. Is everybody ready? Is everybody looking at me? (He looks at Lucky, jerks
the rope. Lucky raises his head.) Will you look at me, pig! (Lucky looks at him.)
Good. (He puts the pipe in his pocket, takes out a little vaporizer and sprays his
throat, puts back the vaporizer in his pocket, clears his throat, spits, takes out
the vaporizer again, sprays his throat again, puts back the vaporizer in his
pocket.) I am ready. Is everybody listening? Is everybody ready? (He looks at
them all in turn, jerks the rope.) Hog! (Lucky raises his head.) I don't like talking
in a vacuum. Good. Let me see.
He reflects.

ESTRAGON:
I'm going.

POZZO:
What was it exactly you wanted to know?

VLADIMIR:
Why he�

POZZO:
(angrily). Don't interrupt me! (Pause. Calmer.) If we all speak at once we'll never
get anywhere. (Pause.) What was I saying? (Pause. Louder.) What was I saying?
Vladimir mimics one carrying a heavy burden. Pozzo looks at him, puzzled.

ESTRAGON:
(forcibly). Bags. (He points at Lucky.) Why? Always hold. (He sags, panting.)
Never put down. (He opens his hands, straightens up with relief.) Why?

POZZO:
Ah! Why couldn't you say so before? Why he doesn't make himself comfortable?
Let's try and get this clear. Has he not the right to? Certainly he has. It follows
that he doesn't want to. There's reasoning for you. And why doesn't he want to?
(Pause.) Gentlemen, the reason is this.

VLADIMIR:
(to Estragon). Make a note of this.

POZZO:
He wants to impress me, so that I'll keep him.

ESTRAGON:
What?

POZZO:
Perhaps I haven't got it quite right. He wants to mollify me, so that I'll give up
the idea of parting with him. No, that's not exactly it either.

VLADIMIR:
You want to get rid of him?

POZZO:
He wants to con me, but he won't.

VLADIMIR:
You want to get rid of him?

POZZO:
He imagines that when I see how well he carries I'll be tempted to keep him on in
that capacity.

ESTRAGON:
You've had enough of him?

POZZO:
In reality he carries like a pig. It's not his job.

VLADIMIR:
You want to get rid of him?

POZZO:
He imagines that when I see him indefatigable I'll regret my decision. Such is his
miserable scheme. As though I were short of slaves! (All three look at Lucky.)
Atlas, son of Jupiter! (Silence.) Well, that's that, I think. Anything else?
Vaporizer.

VLADIMIR:
You want to get rid of him?

POZZO:
Remark that I might just as well have been in his shoes and he in mine. If chance
had not willed otherwise. To each one his due.

VLADIMIR:
You waagerrim?

POZZO:
I beg your pardon?

VLADIMIR:
You want to get rid of him?

POZZO:
I do. But instead of driving him away as I might have done, I mean instead of
simply kicking him out on his arse, in the goodness of my heart I am bringing
him to the fair, where I hope to get a good price for him. The truth is you can't
drive such creatures away. The best thing would be to kill them.
Lucky weeps.

ESTRAGON:
He's crying!

POZZO:
Old dogs have more dignity. (He proffers his handkerchief to Estragon.) Comfort
him, since you pity him. (Estragon hesitates.) Come on. (Estragon takes the
handkerchief.) Wipe away his tears, he'll feel less forsaken.
Estragon hesitates.

VLADIMIR:
Here, give it to me, I'll do it.
Estragon refuses to give the handkerchief.
Childish gestures.

POZZO:
Make haste, before he stops. (Estragon approaches Lucky and makes to wipe his
eyes. Lucky kicks him violently in the shins. Estragon drops the handkerchief,
recoils, staggers about the stage howling with pain.) Hanky!
Lucky puts down bag and basket, picks up handkerchief and gives it to Pozzo,
goes back to his place, picks up bag and basket.

ESTRAGON:
Oh the swine! (He pulls up the leg of his trousers.) He's crippled me!

POZZO:
I told you he didn't like strangers.

VLADIMIR:
(to Estragon). Show me. (Estragon shows his leg. To Pozzo, angrily.) He's
bleeding!

POZZO:
It's a good sign.

ESTRAGON:
(on one leg). I'll never walk again!

VLADIMIR:
(tenderly). I'll carry you. (Pause.) If necessary.

POZZO:
He's stopped crying. (To Estragon.) You have replaced him as it were. (Lyrically.)
The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep,
somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh. (He laughs.) Let us
not then speak ill of our generation, it is not any unhappier than its predecessors.
(Pause.) Let us not speak well of it either. (Pause.) Let us not speak of it at all.
(Pause. Judiciously.) It is true the population has increased.

VLADIMIR:
Try and walk.
Estragon takes a few limping steps, stops before Lucky and spits on him, then
goes and sits down on the mound.

POZZO:
Guess who taught me all these beautiful things. (Pause. Pointing to Lucky.) My
Lucky!

VLADIMIR:
(looking at the sky.) Will night never come?

POZZO:
But for him all my thoughts, all my feelings, would have been of common things.
(Pause. With extraordinary vehemence.) Professional worries! (Calmer.) Beauty,
grace, truth of the first water, I knew they were all beyond me. So I took a
knook.

VLADIMIR:
(startled from his inspection of the sky). A knook?

POZZO:
That was nearly sixty years ago . . . (he consults his watch) . . . yes, nearly sixty.
(Drawing himself up proudly.) You wouldn't think it to look at me, would you?
Compared to him I look like a young man, no? (Pause.) Hat! (Lucky puts down
the basket and takes off his hat. His long white hair falls about his face. He puts
his hat under his arm and picks up the basket.) Now look. (Pozzo takes off his
hat. [All four wear bowlers.] He is completely bald. He puts on his hat again.) Did
you see?

VLADIMIR:
And now you turn him away? Such an old and faithful servant!

ESTRAGON:
Swine!
Pozzo more and more agitated.

VLADIMIR:
After having sucked all the good out of him you chuck him away like a . . . like a
banana skin. Really . . .

POZZO:
(groaning, clutching his head). I can't bear it . . . any longer . . . the way he goes
on . . . you've no idea . . . it's terrible . . . he must go . . . (he waves his arms) . .
. I'm going mad . . . (he collapses, his head in his hands) . . . I can't bear it . . .
any longer . . .
Silence. All look at Pozzo.

VLADIMIR:
He can't bear it.

ESTRAGON:
Any longer.

VLADIMIR:
He's going mad.

ESTRAGON:
It's terrible.

VLADIMIR:
(to Lucky). How dare you! It's abominable! Such a good master! Crucify him like
that! After so many years! Really!

POZZO:
(sobbing). He used to be so kind . . . so helpful . . . and entertaining . . . my
good angel . . . and now . . . he's killing me.