The Complete Dramatic Works (5 page)

ESTRAGON:
[
Timidly
.]
Please, sir …

POZZO:
What is it, my good man?

ESTRAGON:
Er … you’ve finished with the … er … you don’t need the … er … bones, sir?

VLADIMIR:
[
Scandalized
.] You couldn’t have waited?

POZZO:
No no, he does well to ask. Do I need the bones? [
He
turns
them
over
with
the
end
of
his
whip
.]
No, personally I do not need them any more, [
ESTRAGON
takes
a
step
towards
the
bones
.]
But … [
ESTRAGON
stops
short
]
… but in theory the bones go to the carrier. He is therefore the one to ask. [
ESTRAGON
turns
towards 
LUCKY
,
hesitates
.]
Go on, go on, don’t be afraid, ask him, he’ll tell you. [
ESTRAGON
goes
towards
 
LUCKY
,
stops
before
him
.]

ESTRAGON:
Mister … excuse me, Mister …

POZZO:
You’re being spoken to, pig! Reply! [
To
 
ESTRAGON
.] Try him again.

ESTRAGON:
Excuse me, Mister, the bones, you won’t be wanting the bones?
[
LUCKY
looks
long
at
 
ESTRAGON
.]

POZZO:
[
In
raptures
.]
Mister! [
LUCKY
bows
his
head.
]
Reply! Do you want them or don’t you? [
Silence
of
 
LUCKY
.
To
 
ESTRAGON
.] They’re yours, [
ESTRAGON
makes
a
dart
at
the
bones,
picks
them
up
and
begins
to
gnaw
them
.]
I don’t like it. I’ve never known him refuse a bone before. [
He
looks
anxiously
at
 
LUCKY
.] Nice business it’d be if he fell sick on me!
[
He
puffs
at
his
pipe.
]

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
his
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 it 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.