MS-OSU-RARE-29-6

[0033] (fixed gaze, toneless^ly voice). [0034] The end, it's the end, it won't be long now, it can't be long now. ^{Finished, it's finished, it's nearly finished, it must be nearly finished. nearly the end, it must be nearly the end.} [0035] (Pause.) [0036] Grain on grain, one by one, and one day, suddenly, there's a heap, a little heap, the impossible heap. [0037] (Pause.) [0038] I can't

[0038] be punished any more. [0039] (Pause.) [0040] I'll go now to my kitchen, ten feet by ten feet by ten feet, and wait for him to whistle me. [0041] (Pause.) [0042] Nice e^dimensions, nice prop^ortions, I'll lean on the table and look at the wall, and wait for him to whistle me.

[0052] Me - (he yawns)- [0054] to play. [0055] (He holds the handkerchief spread out before him.) [0056] Old stancher! [0057] (He takes off his glasses, wipes his eyes, his face, y^the glasses, puts them on again, folds the handkerchief and puts it back daintily ^neatlyin his breast ^{the breast} pocket of his dressing-gown. [0058] He clears his throat, joins the tips of his fingers.) [0059] Can there be misery - (he yawns) - loftier then mine? [0060] No doubt. [0061] Formerly. [0062] But now? [0063] (Pause.) [0064] My father? [0065] (Pause.) [0066] My mother? [0067] (Pause.) [0068] My...dog? [0069] (Pause.) [0070] Oh I am willing to believe they suffer as much as such creatures can suffer. [0071] But does that mean their sufferings equal ^{put their suffering on a par with} mine? [0072] No douo^bt. [0073] (Pause.) [0074] No, all is a - (he yawns)- bsolute, (proudlyà⁾ the bigger one is ^{a man is} the fuller he is. [0075] (Pause. [0076] Gloomily.) [0077] And the emptier. [0078] (He sniffs.) [0079] Clov! [0080] (Pause.) [0081] No, alone. [0082] (Pause.) [0083] What dreams a dream, what dreams! [0084] Those forests! [0085] (Pause.) [0086] Enough, that's enough, it's time it ended, in the refuge too. [0087] (Pause.) [0088] And yet I hesitate, I hesitate to...to end. [0089] Yes, there it is, it's time it ended and yet I hesitate - (heto - (he yawns) - to end. [0090] (Yawns.) [0091] God, I'm tired, I'd be better off in bed. [0092] (He whistles. [0093] Enter Clov immediately. [0094] He halts beside the chair.) [0095] You pollute the air! [0096] (Pause.) [0097] Get me ready, I'm going to bed.

[0098] I've just got you up.

[0099] And what of it?

[0100] I can't be getting you up and putting you to bed every five minutes, I've things to do.

[0102] Did you ever see my eyes?

[0103] No.

[0104] Did you never have the curiosity, while I was sleeping, to take off my glasses and look at my eyes?

[0105] Pulling back the lids? [0106] (Pause.) [0107] No.

[0108] One of these days I'll show them to you. [0109] (Pause.) [0110] It seems they're ^{they've gone} all white. [0111] (Pause.) [0112] What time is it?

[0113] The same as usual.

[0113|001] (gesture towards window right). [0114] Have you looked?

[0115] Yes.

[0116] Well?

[0117] Zero.

[0118] It'd need to read ^rain.

[0119] O^It won't rain.

[0121] Apart from that, how do you feel?

[0122] I don't complain.

[0123] You feel normal?

[0124] (irritated^bly). [0125] I tell you I don't complain.

[0126] I feel a little queer myself. [0127] (Pause.) [0128] Clov.

[0129] Yes.

[0130] Have you not had enough?

[0131] Yes! [0132] (Pause.) [0133] Of what?

[0134] Of this...this...thing.

[0135] I always had. [0136] (Pause.) [0137] Not you?

[0138] (gloomy). [0139] Then there's no reason for it to change.

[0140] It may end. [0141] (Pause.) [0142] All life long the same questions, the same answers.

[0143] Get me ready. [0143|001] (Pause.) [0143|002] Go and get the sheet [0144] (Clov does not move.) [0145] Go and get the sheet. [0146] (Clov does not move.) [0147] Clov!

[0148] Yes.

[0149] I'll give you nothing more to eat.

[0150] Then we'lld die.

[0151] I'll give you just enoguh^ugh to prevent ^keep you from dying. [0152] You'll be huxⁿgry all the time.

[0153] Then we won't ^shan't die. [0154] (Pause.) [0155] I'll go and and get the sheet.

[0157] No! [0158] (Clov halts.) [0159] I'll give you one biscuit a ^perday. [0160] (Pause.) [0161] One and a he^alf. [0162] (Pause.) [0163] Why do you stay with me?

[0164] Why do you keep me?

[0165] There's no one else.

[0166] There's nowhere else.

[0168] You're leaving me all the same.

[0169] I'm trying to.

[0170] You don't love me.

[0171] No.

[0172] You loved me once.

[0173] Once!

[0174] I've made you suffer too much. [0175] (Pause.) [0176] Haven't I?

[0177] It's not that.

[0178] (shocked). [0179] I haven't made yoy xx made you suffer too much?

[0180] Yes.

[0181] (relieved). [0182] Ah [0183] you gave me a fright! [0183|001] (Pause.) [0184] (Pause. [0185] Coldly.) [0186] Forgive me. [0187] (Pause. [0188] Louder.) [0189] I said, Forgive me.

[0190] I heard you. [0191] 5⁽Pause.) [0192] Have you bled?

[0193] Less. [0194] (Pause.) [0195] Is it not time for my sedative.^{? pain-killer?}

[0196] No.

[0198] How are your eyes?

[0199] Bad.

[0200] How are your legs?

[0201] Bad.

[0202] But you can move?

[0203] Yes.

[0204] (violently). [0205] Then move! [0206] (Clov goes to back wall, leans against it with his forehead and hands.) [0207] Where are you?

[0208] Here.

[0209] Come back! [0210] (Clov returns to his place beside the chair.) [0211] Where are you?

[0212] Here.

[0213] Why don't you kill me?

[0214] I don't know the combination of the larder.

[0216] Go and get two bicycle wheels.

[0217] There are no more bicycle wheels.

[0218] What have you done with your bicycle?

[0219] I never had a bicycle.

[0220] The thing is impossible.

[0221] When there were still bicycles I wept to have one. [0222] I crawled at your feet. [0223] You sent me packing ^{told me to go to hell}. [0224] Now there are none.

[0225] And your rounds? [0226] When you went to see ^inspected my paupers? [0227] Always on foot.^?

[0228] Sometimes on horse. [0229] (The lid of one of the bins lifts and the hands of Nagg appear, gripping the rim. [0230] Then the head emerges,^. [0230|001] covered with a n^Nightcap. [0231] Very white face. [0232] Nagg yawns, then listens.) [0233] I'll leave you, I have things to do.

[0234] In your kitchen?

[0235] Yes.

[0236] Outside of here it's death. [0237] (Pause.x⁾ [0238] All right, be off. [0239] (Exit Clov. [0240] Pause.) [0241] We're getting on.

[0242] Me pap!

[0243] Accursed progenitor!

[0244] Me pap!

[0245] The old folk at home! No decency left! [0246] Guzzle, guzzle, that's all they think about. [0247] (He whistles. [0248] Enter Clov. [0249] He halts beside the chair.) [0250] Well! [0251] I thought you were leaving me.

[0252] Oh not just yet, not just yet.

[0254] Give him his pap.

[0255] There's no more pap.

[0256] (to Nagg). [0257] Do you hear that? There's no more pap. [0258] You'll never have ^get any more pap.

[0259] I want me pap!

[0260] Give him a biscuit. [0261] (Exit Clov.) [0262] Accursed fornicator! [0263] How are your stumps?

[0264] Never mind me stumps.

[0266] I'm back again, with the biscuit.

[0268] (plaintively). [0269] What is it?

[0270] Spratt's medium.

[0271] (as before). [0272] It's hard! [0273] I can't!

[0274] Bottle him!

[0276] (returning to his place beside the chair). [0277] If age but knew!