The Complete Dramatic Works (4 page)

ESTRAGON:
[
Hastily.
]
We’re not from these parts, sir.

POZZO:
[
Halting
.]
You are human beings none the less. [
He
puts
on
his
glasses
.]
As far as one can see. [
He
takes
off
his
glasses
.]
Of the same species as myself. [
He
bursts
into
an
enormous
laugh
.]
Of the same species as Pozzo! Made in God’s image!

VLADIMIR:
Well you see –

POZZO:
[
Peremptory
.]
Who is Godot?

ESTRAGON:
Godot?

POZZO:
You took me for Godot.

ESTRAGON:
Oh no, sir, not for an instant, sir.

POZZO:
Who is he?

VLADIMIR:
Oh, he’s a … he’s a kind of acquaintance.

ESTRAGON:
Nothing of the kind, we hardly know him.

VLADIMIR:
True … we don’t know him very well … but all the same …

ESTRAGON:
Personally I wouldn’t even know him if I saw him.

POZZO:
You took me for him.

ESTRAGON:
[
Recoiling
before
POZZO
.] That’s to say … you understand … the dusk … the strain … waiting … I confess …
I imagined … for a second …

POZZO:
Waiting? So you were waiting for him?

VLADIMIR:
Well you see –

POZZO:
Here? On my land?

VLADIMIR:
We didn’t intend any harm.

ESTRAGON:
We meant well.

POZZO:
The road is free to all.

VLADIMIR:
That’s how we looked at it.

POZZO:
It’s a disgrace. But there you are.

ESTRAGON:
Nothing we can do about it.

POZZO:
[
With
magnanimous
gesture
.]
Let’s say no more about it. [
He
jerks
the
rope
.]
Up pig! [
Pause.
]
Every time he drops he falls asleep. [
Jerks
the
rope.
]
Up hog! [
Noise
of
 
LUCKY
getting
up
and
picking
up
his
baggage,
 
POZZO
jerks
the
rope
.]
Back! [
Enter
LUCKY
backwards.
]
Stop! [
LUCKY
stops
.]
Turn! [
LUCKY
turns.
To
VLADIMIR
and
 
ESTRAGON
,
affably
.]
Gentlemen, I am happy to have met you. [
Before
their
incredulous
expression
.]
Yes, yes, sincerely happy. [
He
jerks
the
rope
.]
Closer! [
LUCKY
 
advances
.]
Stop! [
LUCKY
stops
.]
Yes, the road seems long when one journeys all alone for … [
He
consults
his
watch
]
… yes … [
He
calculates
]
…
yes, six hours, that’s right, six hours on end, and never a soul in sight. [
To
LUCKY
.] Coat! [
LUCKY
puts
down
the
bag,
advances,
gives
the
coat,
goes
back
to
his
place,
takes
up
the
bag
.] Hold that! [
POZZO
holds
out
the
whip,
LUCKY
advances
and,
both
his
hands
being
occupied,
takes
the
whip
in
his
mouth,
then
goes
back
to
his
place,
POZZO
begins
to
put
on
his
coat,
stops
.]
Coat! [
LUCKY
puts
down
bag,
basket
and
stool,
advances,
helps
 
POZZO
on
with
his
coat,
goes
back
to
his
place
and
takes
up
bag,
basket
and
stool.
] Touch of autumn in the air this evening, [
POZZO
finishes
buttoning
his
coat,
stoops,
inspects
himself,
straightens
up
.]
Whip! [
LUCKY
advances,
stoops, 
POZZO
snatches
the
whip
from
his
mouth,
 
LUCKY
goes
back
to
his
place
.]
Yes, gentlemen, I cannot go for long without the society of my likes [
He
puts
on
his
glasses
and
looks
at
the
two
likes
] even when the likeness is an imperfect one. [
He
takes
off
his
glasses.
]
Stool! [
LUCKY
puts
down
bag
and
basket,
advances,
opens
stool,
puts
it
down,
goes
back
to
his
place,
takes
up
bag
and
basket
.]
Closer! [
LUCKY
puts
down
bag
and
basket,
advances,
moves
stool,
goes
back
to
his
place,
takes
up
bag
and
basket,
POZZO
sits
down,
places
the
butt
of
his
whip
against 
LUCKY
’
s
chest
and
pushes
.]
Back! [
LUCKY
takes
a
step
back
.]
Further! [
LUCKY
takes
another
step
back
.]
Stop! [
LUCKY
stops.
To
 
VLADIMIR
and
ESTRAGON
.] That is why, with your permission, I propose to dally with you a moment, before
I venture any further. Basket! [
LUCKY
advances,
gives
the
basket,
goes
back
to
his
place.
]
The fresh air stimulates the jaded appetite. [
He
opens
the
basket,
takes
out
a
piece
of
chicken
and
a
bottle
of
wine
.]
Basket! [
LUCKY
advances,
picks
up
the
basket,
goes
back
to
his
place
.]
Further! [
LUCKY
takes
a
step
back
.]
He stinks. Happy days! [
He
drinks
from
the
bottle,
puts
it
down
and
begins
to
eat.
Silence.
VLADIMIR
and
 
ESTRAGON
cautiously
at
first,
then
more
boldly,
begin
to
circle
about
 
LUCKY
inspecting
him
up
and
down,
POZZO
eats
his
chicken
voraciously,
throwing
away
the
bones
after
having
sucked
them.
 
LUCKY
sags
slowly,
until
bag
and
basket
touch
the
ground,
then
straightens
up
with
a
start
and
begins
to
sag
again.
Rhythm
of
one
sleeping
on
his
feet
.]

ESTRAGON:
What ails him?

VLADIMIR:
He looks tired.

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

VLADIMIR:
How do I know? [
They
close
in
on
him.
]
Careful!

ESTRAGON:
Say something to him.

VLADIMIR:
Look!

ESTRAGON:
What?

VLADIMIR:
[
Pointing.
]
His neck!

ESTRAGON:
[
Looking
at
his
neck
.]
I see nothing.

VLADIMIR:
Here.
[
ESTRAGON
goes
over
beside
VLADIMIR
.]

ESTRAGON:
Oh I say.

VLADIMIR:
A running sore!

ESTRAGON:
It’s the rope.

VLADIMIR:
It’s the rubbing. estragon: It’s inevitable.

VLADIMIR:
It’s the knot.

ESTRAGON:
It’s the chafing.
[
They
resume
their
inspection,
dwell
on
the
face.
]

VLADIMIR:
[
Grudgingly.
]
He’s not bad looking.

ESTRAGON:
[
Shrugging
his
shoulders,
wry
face
.]
Would you say so?

VLADIMIR:
A trifle effeminate.

ESTRAGON:
Look at the slobber.

VLADIMIR:
It’s inevitable.

ESTRAGON:
Look at the slaver.

VLADIMIR:
Perhaps he’s a half-wit.

ESTRAGON:
A cretin.

VLADIMIR:
[
Looking
closer
.]
It looks like a goitre.

ESTRAGON:
[
Ditto
.]
It’s not certain.

VLADIMIR:
He’s panting.

ESTRAGON:
It’s inevitable.

VLADIMIR:
And his eyes!

ESTRAGON:
What about them?

VLADIMIR:
Goggling out of his head.

ESTRAGON:
Looks at his last gasp to me.

VLADIMIR:
It’s not certain. [
Pause
.]
Ask him a question.

ESTRAGON:
Would that be a good thing?

VLADIMIR:
What do we risk?

ESTRAGON:
[
Timidly
.]
Mister …

VLADIMIR:
Louder.

ESTRAGON:
Mister …

POZZO:
Leave him in peace! [
They
turn
towards
 
POZZO
,
who,
having
finished
eating,
wipes
his
mouth
with
the
back
of
his
hand
.]
Can’t you see he wants to rest? Basket! [
He
strikes
a
match
and
begins
to
light
his
pipe, 
ESTRAGON
 
sees
the
chicken
bones
on
the
ground
and
stares
at
them
greedily.
As
 
LUCKY
does
not
move
 
POZZO
throws
the
match
angrily
away
and
jerks
the
rope.
]
Basket! [
LUCKY
 
starts,
almost
falls,
recovers
his
senses,
advances,
puts
the
bottle
in
the
basket,
returns
to
his
place, 
ESTRAGON
stares
at
the
bones,
 
POZZO
strikes
another
match
and
lights
his
pipe
.] What can you expect, it’s not his job. [
He
pulls
at
his
pipe,
stretches
out
his
legs.
]
Ah! That’s better.