Digital Manuscript ProjectFootfalls / Pas

[0122] (Pause.) [0123] At nightfall. [0124] (Pause.) [0125] My voice is in her
head [place = supralinear] mind. [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 [place = supralinear] poor mind, 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] [place = margin left] His last mess. [0148|005] Made a mess of [0148|006]
us it. Of us. it. (Pause.) [0148|007] Of us. [0148|008] (Pause.) [0148|009] Though
always plain and dull, she once had an admirer.
[0148|010] (Pause.) [0148|011] That she is [place = supralinear] She must be still a maid [place = inline] . is almost certain.
[0148|012] (Pause.) [0149] [place = margin right] But this [place = margin left] But this, [place = supralinear] it may be asked, this,[⁁] W [place = overwritten] when did this begin? [0150] (Pause.) [0151] When other girls
of her age were out at hockey and [place = supralinear] at ... lacrosse w [place = overwritten] she was
already here. [0153] At this [0152] (Pause.) [0153] At this. [0155] The fl [0154] (Pause.)
[0155] The floor here, now bare, was o, [place = overwritten] nce [place = margin left] [stet] - [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] [place = supralinear] Three F [place = overwritten] four five six. [0165] (M turns at L,
paces one more length, halts facing front at R.)[0166] The [place = inline] I say the
floor here then, [place = margin left] now bare this strip of floor, once was carpeted,
a deep pile, [0167] till one day, while still little more than
[0167] 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. [place = supralinear] Not enough. [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. [place = margin left] [Stet]
[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 snay [place = overwritten] tches 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.
[0190] M continues pacing. [0191] Five seconds. [0192] Fade out on strip.
[0193] All in darkness. [0194] Steps silent.
[0195] Long pause.
[0196] Sound [place = supralinear] Gong a little fainter still. [0197] [place = inline] Pause for echoes.
[0198] Fade up to a little less still on strip. [0199] Rest in
darkness.
- Segments
- Marginal Additions
- Doodles
Footfalls / Pas © 2022 Samuel Beckett Digital Manuscript Project.
Editors: James Little and Vincent Neyt