MS-BL-LCP-1954-23

[0103] crown as though to dislodge a foreign body, peers into it again, puts it on again) [0104] Nothing to be done.

[0105] (ESTRAGON with a supreme effort succeeds in pulling off his boot. [0106] He looks inside it, feels about inside it, turns it upside down, shakes it, looks on the ground to see if anything has fallen out, finds nothing, feels inside it again, staring sightlessly before him)

[0107] Well?

[0108] Nothing.

[0109] Show.

[0110] There's nothing to show.

[0111] Try and put it on again.

[0112] (Having examined his foot) [0113] I'll air it for a bit.

[0114] There's man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet. [0115] (he takes off his hat again, looks inside it, feels about inside it, knocks on the crown, blows into it, puts it on again) [0116] This is getting alarming. [0117] (Silence. [0118] VLADIMIR deep in thought, ESTRAGON pulling at his toes) [0119] One of the thieves was saved. [0120] (pause) [0121] It's a reasonable percentage. [0122] (pause) [0123] Gogo.

[0124] What?

[0125] Suppose we repented.

[0126] Repented what?

[0127] Oh... [0128] (he reflects) [0129] We wouldn't have to go into the details.

[0130] Our being born?

[0132] One daren't even laugh any more.

[0133] Dreadful privation.

[0134] Merely smile. [0135] (he smiles suddenly from ear to ear, keeps smiling, ceases as suddenly) [0136] It's not the same thing. [0137] Can't be helped. [0138] (pause) [0139] Gogo.

[0140] (Irritably) [0141] What is it?

[0142] Did you ever read the Bible?

[0143] The Bible...[0144] (he reflects) [0145] I must have taken a look at it.

[0145|001] Do you remember the Gospels?

[0151] I remember the maps of the Holy Land. [0152] Coloured they were. [0153] Very pretty. [0154] The Dead Sea was pale blue. [0155] The very look of it made me thirsty. [0156] There's where we'll go, I used to say, that's where we'll go for our honeymoon. [0157] We'll swim. [0158] We'll be happy.

[0159] You should have been a poet.

[0160] I was. [0161] (gesture towards his rags) [0162] Isn't that obvious?

[0164] Where was I...[0165] How's your foot?

[0166] Swelling visibly.

[0167] Ah yes, the story of the two thieves. [0168] Do you remember it?

[0169] No.

[0170] Shall I tell it to you?

[0171] No.

[0172] It'll pass the time. [0173] (pause) [0174] It was two thieves, crucified at the same time as our Saviour. [0175] One -

[0176] Our what?

[0177] Our Saviour. [0178] Two thieves. [0179] One is supposed to have been saved and the other... (he searches for the contrary of saved) ...damned.

[0180] Saved from what?

[0181] Hell.

[0182] I'm going [0183] (he does not move).

[0184] And yet... [0185] (pause) [0186] ...how is it -[0187] this is not boring you I hope -[0189] how is it that of the four evangelists only one speaks of a thief being saved? [0190] The four of them were there - or thereabouts, [0191] and only one speaks of a thief being saved. [0192] (pause) [0193] Come on, Didi, return the ball, can't you, once in a way?

[0193|001] (With exaggerated enthusiasm) [0194] I find this really most extraordinarily interesting.

[0195] One out of four. [0196] Of the other three two don't mention any thieves at all and the third says that both of them abused him.

[0197] Who?

[0198] What?

[0199] What's all this about? [0200] (pause) [0201] Abused who?

[0202] The Saviour.

[0203] Why?

[0204] Because he wouldn't save them.

[0205] From hell?

[0206] Imbecile! [0207] From death.

[0207|001] I thought you said from hell.

[0207|002] From death, from death.

[0208] Well what about it?

[0209] Then the two of them must have been damned.

[0210] And why wouldn't they?

[0211] But the other apostle says that one was saved.

[0212] Well? [0213] They don't agree and that's all there is to it.

[0214] But all four were there. [0215] And only one speaks of a thief being saved. [0216] Why believe him rather than the others?

[0217] Who believes him?

[0218] Everybody. [0219] It's the only version they know.

[0220] People are bloody apes.

[0223] Pah! [0224] (he spits)

[0226] Charming spot. [0227] (he turns, advances to front, halts facing auditorium) [0228] Inspiring prospects. [0229] (he turns to Vladimir.) [0230] Let's go.

[0231] We can't.

[0232] Why not?

[0233] We're waiting for Godot.

[0234] Ah! [0235] (Pause) [0236] You're sure it was here?

[0237] What?

[0238] That we were to wait.

[0239] He said by the tree. [0240] (they look at the tree) [0241] Do you see any others?

[0242] What is it?

[0243] It looks like a willow.

[0244] Where are the leaves?

[0245] It must be dead.

[0246] No more weeping.

[0247] Perhaps it's not the season.

[0248] It looks to me more like a bush.

[0249] A shrub.

[0250] A bush.

[0251] A - . [0253] What are you insinuating? [0254] That we've come to the wrong place?

[0255] He should be here.

[0256] He didn't say for sure he'd come.

[0257] And if he doesn't come?

[0258] We'll come back to-morrow.

[0259] And then the day after to-morrow.

[0260] Possibly.

[0261] And so on.

[0262] The point is -

[0263] Until he comes.

[0264] You're unmerciful.

[0265] We came here yesterday.

[0266] Ah no, there you're mistaken.

[0267] What did we do yesterday?

[0268] What we did yesterday?

[0269] Yes.

[0270] Why... [0271] (angrily) [0272] Nothing is sure when you're about.

[0273] In my opinion we were here.

[0274] (Looking round) [0275] You recognize the place?

[0276] I didn't say that.

[0277] Well?

[0278] That makes no difference.

[0279] All the same...that tree... (turning towards the auditorium) ...that bog.

[0280] You're sure it was this evening?

[0281] What?

[0282] That we were to wait.

[0283] He said Saturday. [0284] (pause) [0285] I think.

[0286] You think.

[0287] I must have written it down. [0288] (he fumbles in his pockets, bursting with miscellaneous rubbish)

[0288|001] (Very insidious) [0289] But what Saturday? [0290] And is it Saturday? [0291] Is it not rather Sunday? [0291|001] (pause) [0292] Or Monday? [0292|001] (pause) [0293] Or Friday?

[0294] (Looking wildly about him, as though the date was inscribed in the landscape) [0295] It's not possible!