Digital Manuscript ProjectL'Innommable / The Unnamable

[2194] I know about these things, how would I understand what they're
talking about, I'll never stir, never speak, they'll never go
silent, never depart, they'll never catch me, never trop trying,
that's that, I'm listening.
[2195.1] Well I prefer that, I must say I
prefer that, that what, oh you know, who you, oh I suppose the audience
well well, so there's an audience, it's a public show, you buy
your seat and you wait, perhaps it's free, a free show,
you take your seat and wait for it to begin, or perhaps it's
compulsory, a compulsory show, you wait for the compulsory show
to begin,it takes time, you hear a voice, perhaps it's a
recitation, that's the show, someone reciting, selected passages,
[2195.1] old favourites, a poetry matinée, or someone improvising, you
can barely hear him, that's the show, [2195.2] you can't leave, you're
afraid to leave, it might be worse elsewhere, you make
, the best of it, try and be reasonable, you came too early, here we'd need latin,
it's only beginning, it hasn't begun, he's only preluding,
clearing his throat, alone in his dressing-room, he'll appear
in a moment, he'll begin in a moment, or it's the stage-manager,
giving his instructions, his last recommendations, before the
[2195.2] curtain rises, that's the show, waiting for the show, to the sound
of a murmur, you pull yourself together try and be reasonable, perhaps it's not a
voice at all, perhaps it's the air, ascending, descending,
flowing, eddying, seeking an exit, finding none, [2195.3] and the
spectators, where are they, you didn't notice, in the anguish
of waiting, never noticed you were waiting alone, that's the show, waiting
alone, in the restless air, for it to begin, for something
to begin, for there to be something else but you, for the power
[2195.3] to go, the courage to leave, try & be reasonable, per-
haps you are blind, probably deaf, the show is over,
all is over, but where then is the hand, the helping hand
or merely charitable, or the hired hand, it's a long time
coming, to take yours and draw you away,
that's the show, free, gratis and for nothing, waiting
alone, blind and deaf, you don't know where,
you don't know for what, for a hand to come,
and draw you away, somewhere else, where
alone, blind and deaf, you don't know where,
you don't know for what, for a hand to come,
and draw you away,
- Segments
- Marginal Additions
L'Innommable / The Unnamable © 2013 Samuel Beckett Digital Manuscript Project.
Editors: Dirk Van Hulle, Shane Weller and Vincent Neyt