Digital Manuscript ProjectFootfalls / Pas

[0122] (Pause.) [0123] At nightfall. [0124] (Pause.) [0125] My voice is in her
head. [0126] (Pause.) [0127] She fancies she is alone. [0128] (Pause.)
[0129] See how still she stands, how firm, with her face
to the wall. [0130] (Pause.) [0131] How outwardly unmoved. [0132] (Pause.)
[0133] She has not been out since girlhood. [0134] (Pause.) [0135] [Sxhe]
She hears in her head, She has not been out since
girlhood. [0136] (Pause.) [0137] Not out since girlhood. [0138] (Pause.)
[0139] Where is she, it may be asked. [0140] (Pause.) [0141] In the old
home, the same where she - [0142] (Pause.) [0143] The same where
she began. [0144] (Pause.) [0145] Where it began. [0146] (Pause.) [0147] It all
began. [0148] (Pause.) [0148|001] A general practitioner named Haddon.
[0148|002] Long past his best. [0148|003] Not long to live. [0148|004] Made a mess of His last mess. [0148|005] (Pause.) [0148|006] Though
[us] it. Of [us] it (Pause.) Of us
always plain and dull, she once had an admirer.
[0148|007] (Pause.) [0148|008] That she is still a maid is almost certain.
[0148|009] (Pause.) [0149] When did this begin? [0150] (Pause.) [0151] When other girls
of her age were out at hockey and lacrosse wshe was
already here. [0153] At this [0152] (Pause.) [0153] At this. [0155] The fl [0154] (Pause.)
[0155] The floor here, now bare, was o,nce - [0156] (M begins pacing.
[0157] Steps audible as before.) [0158] But let us watch her move
in silence. [0159] (M paces. [0160] Towards end of second length.)
[0161] Watch how feat she wheels. [0162] (M turns, paces. [0163] Synchronous
with steps third length.) [0164] Four five six. [0165] (M turns at L,
paces one more length, halts facing front at R.) [0166] The
floor here then, this strip of floor, once was carpeted,
a deep pile, [0167] till one day, while still little more than
a child, she called her mother and said, Mother, this
is not enough. [0168] The mother: Not enough? [0169] Mary - the child's
given name - Mary: No, Mother.
[0170] The mother: What do you
mean, Mary, not enough, what can you possibly mean, Mary,
not enough? [0171] Mary: No, Mother, I must hear the feet, how-
even faint they fall. [0172] The mother: The motion alone is not
enough? [0173] Mary: No, Mother, the motion alone is not enough,
I must hear the steps feet, however faint they fall.
[0174] (Pause.) [0174] (Pause. [0175] M resumes pacing. [0176] With pacing.) [0177] Does
she still sleep, it may be asked. [0178] Yes, in snatches, bows
her head against the wall and snaytches a little sleep.
[0179] (Pause.) [0180] Still speak? [0181] Yes, some nights she does, when
she fancies none can hear. [0182] (Pause.) [0183] Tells how it was.
[0184] (Pause.) [0185] Tries to tell how it was. [0186] (Pause.) [0187] It all.
[0188] (Pause.) [0189] It all.
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Footfalls / Pas © 2022 Samuel Beckett Digital Manuscript Project.
Editors: James Little and Vincent Neyt