MS-BL-LCP-1954-23

[0729] affably) [0730] Gentlemen, I am happy to have met you. [0731] (before their incredulous expression) [0732] Yes yes, sincerely happy. [0733] (he jerks the rope) [0734] Closer! [0735] (LUCKY advances) [0736] Stop! [0737] (LUCKY stops. [0738] To Vladimir and Estragon) [0739] Yes, the road seems long when one journeys all alone... (he consults his watch)... yes...(he calculates) ...six hours, yes, that's right, six hours on end, and never a soul in sight. [0740] (To Lucky) [0741] Coat!

[0742] (LUCKY puts down the bag, advances, gives the coat, goes back to his place, takes up the bag)

[0743] Hold that!

[0744] (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. [0745] POZZO begins to put on his coat, stops)

[0746] Coat!

[0747] (LUCKY puts down the bag, basket and stool, advances, helps Pozzo on with his coat, goes back to his place and takes up bag, basket and stool).

[0748] Touch of autumn in the air this evening. [0749] (POZZO finishes buttoning his coat, stoops, inspects himself, straightens up)

[0750] Whip!

[0751] (LUCKY advances, stoops, POZZO snatches the whip from his mouth, LUCKY goes back to his place)

[0752] Yes, gentlemen, I cannot go for long without the society of my likes. (he looks at the two likes) even when the likeness is an imperfect one. [0754] Stool!

[0755] (LUCKY puts down bag and basket, advances, opens stool, puts it down, goes back to his place, takes up bag and basket. [0759] POZZO sits down, places the butt of his whip against Lucky's chest and pushes)

[0760] Back!

[0761] (LUCKY takes a step back)

[0762] Further!

[0763] (LUCKY takes another step back)

[0764] Stop!

[0765] (LUCKY stops. [0766] To Vladimir and Estragon)

[0767] That is why, with your permission, I propose to dally with you a moment, before I venture any further. [0769] Basket!

[0770] (LUCKY advances, gives the basket, goes back to his place)

[0771] The fresh air stimulates the jaded palate. [0772] (He opens the basket, takes out a piece of chicken, a piece of bread and a bottle of wine) [0774] Basket!

[0775] (LUCKY advances, picks up the basket, goes back to his place)

[0776] Further!

[0777] (LUCKY takes a step back)

[0780] He stinks. [0782] Happy days! [0783] (He drinks from the bottle, puts it down, begins to eat)

[0784] (Silence. [0785] VLADIMIR and ESTRAGON, cautiously at first, then more boldly, begin to circle about LUCKY, inspecting him up and down. [0786] POZZO eats his chicken voraciously, throwing away the bones after having sucked them. [0787] LUCKY sags slowly, until bag and basket touch the ground, then straightens up with a start and begins to sag again. [0788] Rhythm of one sleeping on his feet)

[0789] What ails him?

[0790] He looks tired.

[0791] Why doesn't he put down his bags?

[0792] How do I know? [0793] (they close in on him) [0794] Careful!

[0795] Say something to him.

[0796] Look!

[0797] What?

[0798] (Pointing) [0799] His neck.

[0800] (Looking at the neck) [0801] I see nothing.

[0802] Come over here.

[0804] Oh I say!

[0805] An open sore.

[0806] It's the rope.

[0807] It's the rubbing.

[0808] It's inevitable.

[0809] It's the knot.

[0810] It's the chafing.

[0812] He's not bad looking.

[0813] (Shrugging his shoulders, wry face)[0814] Would you say so?

[0815] A trifle effeminate.

[0816] Look at the slobber.

[0817] It's inevitable.

[0818] Look at the dribble.

[0819] Perhaps he's a half-wit.

[0820] A cretin.

[0821] (Looking closer) [0822] Looks like a goitre.

[0823] (Ditto) [0824] It's not certain.

[0825] He's panting.

[0826] It's inevitable.

[0827] And his eyes!

[0828] What's wrong with them?

[0829] They're goggling out of his head.

[0830] Looks at his last gasp to me.

[0831] It's not certain. [0832] (pause) [0833] Ask him a question?

[0834] Would that be a good thing?

[0835] What do we risk?

[0836] Timidly) [0837] Mister...

[0838] Louder.

[0839] (Louder) [0840] Mister...

[0841] Leave him in peace!

[0842] (They turn towards POZZO who, having finished eating, wipes his mouth with the back of his hand)

[0843] Can't you see he wants to rest. [0843|001] Basket!

[0844] (He strikes a match and begins to light his pipe. [0845] LUCKY sees the chicken bones on the ground and stares at them greedily. [0848] As LUCKY does not move POZZO throws the match angrily away and jerks the rope)

[0849] Basket, pig!

[0850] (LUCKY almost falls, recovers his senses, advances, puts the bottle in the basket, returns to his place. [0851] ESTRAGON stares at the bones. POZZO strikes another match and lights his pipe)

[0852] What can you expect, it's not his job. [0853] (he pulls at his pipe, stretches out his legs) [0854] Ah! That's better.

[0855] (Timidly) [0856] Please Sir...

[0857] What is it, my good man?

[0858] Er...you've finished with the...er...you don't need the...er...bones, Sir?

[0859] (Scandalized) [0860] You couldn't have waited?

[0861] No no, he does well to ask. [0862] Do I need the bones? [0863] (he turns them over with the end of his whip) [0864] No, personally I don't need them any more.

[0865] (ESTRAGON takes a step towards the bones)

[0866] But...
(ESTRAGON stops short)

[0866] ...but in theory the bones go to the carrier. [0867] He is therefore the one to ask.

[0868] (ESTRAGON turns towards Lucky, hesitates)

[0869] Go on, go on, ask him, don't be afraid, he'll tell you.

[0870] (ESTRAGON goes towards Lucky, stops before him)

[0871] Mister...excuse me, Mister...

[0875] You're being spoken to, pig! [0876] Reply! [0877] (To Estragon) [0878] Try again.

[0879] Excuse me, Mister, the bones, will you be wanting the bones?

[0881] (In raptures) [0882] Mister!

[0883] (LUCKY bows his head)

[0884] Reply! [0885] Do you want them or don't you?

[0886] (Silence of Lucky. [0887] To Estragon)

[0888] They're yours.

[0889] (ESTRAGON makes a dart at the bones, picks them up and begins to gnaw them)

[0890] I don't like it. [0891] I've never known him to refuse me a bone before. [0892] (He looks anxiously at Lucky) [0893] A nice business it'd be if he fell sick on me! [0894] (He puffs at his pipe)

[0895] (Exploding) [0896] It's a scandal!

[0901] (To Vladimir) [0902] Are you alluding to anything in particular?

[0903] (Stutteringly resolute) [0904] To treat a man... (gesture towards Lucky)... like that...I think that...no... a human being...no...it's a scandal!

[0905] (Not to be outdone) [0906] A disgrace! [0907] (he resumes his gnawing)