Samuel Beckett
Digital Manuscript Project
En attendant Godot / Waiting for Godot

MS-HRC-DA-145-1

MS. Pages: cover - 02r 03r - 07r 08r - 12r 13r - 17r 18r - 22r 23r - 27r 28r - 32r 33r - 37r 38r - 42r 43r - 47r 48r - 52r 53r - 57r 58r - 62r 63r - 67r 68r - 72r 73r - 77r 78r - 81v 82r - 86r 87r - 91r 91v - 95r 96r - 99r 100r - 100r
[p. 82r]

ESTRAGON

[3059] Is he there?

VLADIMIR

[3060] As large as life. [3061] (gesture towards Lucky) [3062] For the moment he is inert. [3063] But he might run amuck any minute.

POZZO

[3063|001] Help!

ESTRAGON

[3064] And if suppose we gave him a good beating the two of us?

VLADIMIR

[3065] You mean if we fell on him in his sleep?

ESTRAGON

[3066] Yes.

VLADIMIR

[3067] That seems a good idea all right. [3068] But could we do it? [3069] Is he really asleep?

[3070] (Pause)

[3071] No, the best would be to take advantage of Pozzo's distress to relieve him, in anticipation of some tangible return. calling for help.

[]

POZZO

[3071|001] Help

Vlad:

[3071|002] To To help him.

Est:

[3071|003] We help him?

Vlad:

[3071|004] In anticipation of some tangible return.

Es:

[3071|005] And suppose....

ESTRAGON

[3075] And suppose he -

VLADIMIR

[3076] Let us not waste our time in idle discourse! xxx xxx [3077] (pause. [3078] Vehemently) [3079] Let us do something, while we have the chance! [3080] It is not every day that we are needed. [3081] Not indeed that we personally are needed. [3082] Others would meet the case equally well, if not better. [3083] To all mankind they were addressed, those cries for help still ringing in our ears! [3084] But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not. [3085] Let us make the most of it, before it is too late! [3086] Let us represent worthily for once the foul brood to which a cruel fate consigned us! [3087] What do you say?

[3088] (ESTRAGON says nothing)
[3089] It is true that when with folded arms we weigh the pros and cons we are no less a credit to our species. [3090] The tiger bounds to the help of his congeners without the least reflexion [3091] or else he slinks away into the depths of the thickets. [3092] But that is not the question. [3093] What are we doing here, that is the question. [3094] And we are blessed in this, that we know the answer. [3095] Yes, in this immense confusion one thing alone is clear. We are waiting for Godot to come -

ESTRAGON

[3096] Ah!

POZZO

[3096|001] Help!

[p. 83r]

VLADIMIR

[3097] Or for night to fall. [3098] (pause) [3099] We have kept our appointment, and that's that. [3100] We are not saints, but we have kept our appointment. [3101] How many people can boast as much?

ESTRAGON

[3102] MBillions.

VLADIMIR

[3103] You think so?

ESTRAGON

[3104] I don't know.

VLADIMIR

[3105] You may be right.

POZZO

[3106] Help!

VLADIMIR

[3107] What's certain is that the hours are long, under these conditions, and constrain us to beguile them with proceedings which, how shall I say, which may at first sight seem reasonable to those less familiar with them than ourselves. until they become a habit [3108] You may say it is to prevent our reason from foundering. [3109] No doubt. [3110] But has it not long been straying in the night without end of the abyssal depths? That's what I sometimes wonder. [3111] You follow my reasoning?

ESTRAGON

[3111|001] (Aphoristic) [3112] We are all born mad. [3113] Some remain so.

POZZO

[3114] Help! I'll pay you!

ESTRAGON

[3115] How much?

POZZO

[3116] A hundred francs Two shillings!

ESTRAGON

[3117] It's not enough.

VLADIMIR

[3118] I wouldn't go so far as that.

ESTRAGON

[3119] You think it's enough?

VLADIMIR

[3120] No, I mean so far as to assert that I was weak in the head when I came into the world. [3121] But that is not the question.

POZZO

[3122] Two hundred Five shillings!

VLADIMIR

[3123] We wait. [3124] We are bored. [3125] (he throws up his hand) Down [3126] No, don't protest, we are bored to extinction, death there's no denying it. [3127] Good. [3128] A diversion turns up and comes along and what do we do? [3129] We let it go to waste. [3130] Come, let's get to work! [3131] (he advances towards the heap, stops in his stride) [3132] In an instant all will vanish and we'll be alone again, in the midst of nothingness! [3133] (he broods)

POZZO

[3134] Two hundred Five shillings!

[p. 84r]

VLADIMIR

[3135] We're coming!

[3136] (He tries to pull Pozzo to his feet, fails, tries again, stumbles, falls, tries to get up, fails)

ESTRAGON

[3137] What's the matter with you all?

VLADIMIR

[3138] Help!

ESTRAGON

[3139] I'm going.

VLADIMIR

[3140] Don't abandon leave me! [3141] They'll kill me!

POZZO

[3142] Where am I?

VLADIMIR

[3143] Gogo!

POZZO

[3144] Help!

VLADIMIR

[3145] Help!

ESTRAGON

[3146] I'm going.

VLADIMIR

[3147] Help me up first. [3148] Then we'll go together.

ESTRAGON

[3149] You promise?

VLADIMIR

[3150] I swear it!

ESTRAGON

[3151] And we'll never come back?

VLADIMIR

[3152] Never!

ESTRAGON

[3153] We'll go to the Pyrenees.

VLADIMIR

[3154] Wherever you like.

POZZO

[3155] Three hundred Ten shillings! [3156] Four hundred A pound!

ESTRAGON

[3157] I've always wanted to wander in the Pyrenees.

VLADIMIR

[3158] You'll wander in them.

ESTRAGON

[3158|001] (Recoiling) [3159] Who farted Who belched?

VLADIMIR

[3160] Pozzo.

POZZO

[3161] Here! [3162] Here! [3163] Pity!

ESTRAGON

[3164] It's disgusting revolting!

VLADIMIR

[3165] Quick! [3167] Give me your hand.

[p. 85r]

ESTRAGON

[3168] I'm going. [3169] (Pause. [3170] Louder) [3171] I'm going.

VLADIMIR

[3172] Well I suppose in the end I'll get up under my own steam. [3173] (he tries, fails) [3174] In the fullness of time.

ESTRAGON

[3175] What's the matter with you?

VLADIMIR

[3176] Take yourself off Go to hell.

ESTRAGON

[3177] Are you staying there?

VLADIMIR

[3178] For the time being.

ESTRAGON

[3179] Come on, get up, you'll catch a chill.

VLADIMIR

[3180] Don't worry about me.

ESTRAGON

[3181] Come on, Didi, don't be pig-headed. [3182] (he stretches out his hand which VLADIMIR makes haste to seize)

VLADIMIR

[3184] Pull!

[3185] (ESTRAGON pulls, stumbles, falls. [3186] Long silence)

POZZO

[3187] Help!

VLADIMIR

[3188] We've arrived.

POZZO

[3189] Who are you.

VLADIMIR

[3190] We are men.

[3191] (Silence)

ESTRAGON

[3192] Sweet mother earth!

VLADIMIR

[3193] Can you get up?

ESTRAGON

[3194] I don't know.

VLADIMIR

[3195] Try.

ESTRAGON

[3196] Not now, not now.

[3197] (Silence)

POZZO

[3198] What's happened?

VLADIMIR

[3199] (Violently) [3200] Will you stop it, you! [3201] Pest! [3202] He thinks of nothing but himself!

ESTRAGON

[3203] What about a little snooze?

[p. 86r]

VLADIMIR

[3204] Did you hear him? [3205] He wants to know what happened!

ESTRAGON

[3206] Don't mind him. [3207] Sleep.

[3208] (Silence) Go to xxx

POZZO

[3209] Pity! [3210] Pity!

ESTRAGON

[3211] (With a start) [3213] What is it?

VLADIMIR

[3214] Were you asleep?

ESTRAGON

[3215] I must have been.

VLADIMIR

[3216] It's this bastard Pozzo at it again.

ESTRAGON

[3217] Tell him to stop it. [3218] Kick him in the crotch.

VLADIMIR

[3219] (Striking Pozzo) [3221] Will you stop it! [3222] Crablouse!

[3223] (POZZO extricates himself with cries of pain and crawls away. [3224] Now and then he stops, saws the air blindly, calling for help. [3225] Vladimir, propped on his elbow, observes his retreat)

[3226] He's off!

[3227] (POZZO collapses)

[3229] He's down!

ESTRAGON

[3252] What do we do now?

VLADIMIR

[3253] Perhaps I could crawl to him.

ESTRAGON

[3254] Don't leave me!

VLADIMIR

[3255] Or I could call to him.

ESTRAGON

[3256] Yes, call to him.

VLADIMIR

[3257] Pozzo!

[3258] (Silence.

[3259] Pozzo!

[3260] (Silence.

[3261] No reply.

ESTRAGON

[3262] Together.

MS. Pages: cover - 02r 03r - 07r 08r - 12r 13r - 17r 18r - 22r 23r - 27r 28r - 32r 33r - 37r 38r - 42r 43r - 47r 48r - 52r 53r - 57r 58r - 62r 63r - 67r 68r - 72r 73r - 77r 78r - 81v 82r - 86r 87r - 91r 91v - 95r 96r - 99r 100r - 100r