Waiting for Godot (6 page)

POZZO:
Wait!
All three take off their hats simultaneously, press their hands to their foreheads,
concentrate.

ESTRAGON:
(triumphantly). Ah!

VLADIMIR:
He has it.

POZZO:
(impatient). Well?

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

VLADIMIR:
Rubbish!

POZZO:
Are you sure?

VLADIMIR:
Damn it haven't you already told us?

POZZO:
I've already told you?

ESTRAGON:
He's already told us?

VLADIMIR:
Anyway he has put them down.

ESTRAGON:
(glance at Lucky). So he has. And what of it?

VLADIMIR:
Since he has put down his bags it is impossible we should have asked why he
does not do so.

POZZO:
Stoutly reasoned!

ESTRAGON:
And why has he put them down?

POZZO:
Answer us that.

VLADIMIR:
In order to dance.

ESTRAGON:
True!

POZZO:
True!
Silence. They put on their hats.

ESTRAGON:
Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it's awful!

VLADIMIR:
(to Pozzo). Tell him to think.

POZZO:
Give him his hat.

VLADIMIR:
His hat?

POZZO:
He can't think without his hat.

VLADIMIR:
(to Estragon). Give him his hat.

ESTRAGON:
Me! After what he did to me! Never!

VLADIMIR:
I'll give it to him.
He does not move.

ESTRAGON:
(to Pozzo). Tell him to go and fetch it.

POZZO:
It's better to give it to him.

VLADIMIR:
I'll give it to him.
He picks up the hat and tenders it at arm's length to Lucky, who does not move.

POZZO:
You must put it on his head.

ESTRAGON:
(to Pozzo). Tell him to take it.

POZZO:
It's better to put it on his head.

VLADIMIR:
I'll put it on his head.
He goes round behind Lucky, approaches him cautiously, puts the hat on his
head and recoils smartly. Lucky does not move. Silence.

ESTRAGON:
What's he waiting for?

POZZO:
Stand back! (Vladimir and Estragon move away from Lucky. Pozzo jerks the rope.
Lucky looks at Pozzo.) Think, pig! (Pause. Lucky begins to dance.) Stop! (Lucky
stops.) Forward! (Lucky advances.) Stop! (Lucky stops.) Think!
Silence.

LUCKY:
On the other hand with regard to�

POZZO:
Stop! (Lucky stops.) Back! (Lucky moves back.) Stop! (Lucky stops.) Turn!
(Lucky turns towards auditorium.) Think!
During Lucky's tirade the others react as follows.
1) Vladimir and Estragon all attention, Pozzo dejected and disgusted.
2) Vladimir and Estragon begin to protest, Pozzo's sufferings increase.
3) Vladimir and Estragon attentive again, Pozzo more and more agitated and
groaning.
4) Vladimir and Estragon protest violently. Pozzo jumps up, pulls on the rope.
General outcry. Lucky pulls on the rope, staggers, shouts his text. All three throw
themselves on Lucky who struggles and shouts his text.

LUCKY:
Given the existence as uttered forth in the public works of Puncher and
Wattmann of a personal God quaquaquaqua with white beard quaquaquaqua
outside time without extension who from the heights of divine apathia divine
athambia divine aphasia loves us dearly with some exceptions for reasons
unknown but time will tell and suffers like the divine Miranda with those who for
reasons unknown but time will tell are plunged in torment plunged in fire whose
fire flames if that continues and who can doubt it will fire the firmament that is to
say blast hell to heaven so blue still and calm so calm with a calm which even
though intermittent is better than nothing but not so fast and considering what is
more that as a result of the labors left unfinished crowned by the Acacacacademy
of Anthropopopometry of Essy-in-Possy of Testew and Cunard it is established
beyond all doubt all other doubt than that which clings to the labors of men that
as a result of the labors unfinished of Testew and Cunnard it is established as
hereinafter but not so fast for reasons unknown that as a result of the public
works of Puncher and Wattmann it is established beyond all doubt that in view of
the labors of Fartov and Belcher left unfinished for reasons unknown of Testew
and Cunard left unfinished it is established what many deny that man in Possy of
Testew and Cunard that man in Essy that man in short that man in brief in spite
of the strides of alimentation and defecation wastes and pines wastes and pines
and concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown in spite of
the strides of physical culture the practice of sports such as tennis football
running cycling swimming flying floating riding gliding conating camogie skating
tennis of all kinds dying flying sports of all sorts autumn summer winter winter
tennis of all kinds hockey of all sorts penicillin and succedanea in a word I
resume flying gliding golf over nine and eighteen holes tennis of all sorts in a
word for reasons unknown in Feckham Peckham Fulham Clapham namely
concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown but time will tell
fades away I resume Fulham Clapham in a word the dead loss per head since the
death of Bishop Berkeley being to the tune of one inch four ounce per head
approximately by and large more or less to the nearest decimal good measure
round figures stark naked in the stockinged feet in Connemara in a word for
reasons unknown no matter what matter the facts are there and considering
what is more much more grave that in the light of the labors lost of Steinweg and
Peterman it appears what is more much more grave that in the light the light the
light of the labors lost of Steinweg and Peterman that in the plains in the
mountains by the seas by the rivers running water running fire the air is the
same and then the earth namely the air and then the earth in the great cold the
great dark the air and the earth abode of stones in the great cold alas alas in the
year of their Lord six hundred and something the air the earth the sea the earth
abode of stones in the great deeps the great cold on sea on land and in the air I
resume for reasons unknown in spite of the tennis the facts are there but time
will tell I resume alas alas on on in short in fine on on abode of stones who can
doubt it I resume but not so fast I resume the skull fading fading fading and
concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown in spite of the
tennis on on the beard the flames the tears the stones so blue so calm alas alas
on on the skull the skull the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the
labors abandoned left unfinished graver still abode of stones in a word I resume
alas alas abandoned unfinished the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the
tennis the skull alas the stones Cunard (m�e, final vociferations) 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.