Samuel Beckett
Digital Manuscript Project
L'Innommable / The Unnamable

MS-HRC-SB-5-10

MS. Pages: 1pp. 01r - 06r 2pp. 06r(2) - 10r 3pp. 11r - 15r 4pp. 16r - 20r 5pp. 21r - 25r 6pp. 26r - 30r 7pp. 31r - 35r 8pp. 36r - 40r 9pp. 41r - EXTRACT1-01r 10pp. EXTRACT1-02r - EXTRACT1-06r 11pp. 48r - 52r 12pp. 53r - 57r 13pp. 58r - 62r 14pp. 63r - 67r 15pp. 68r - 72r 16pp. 73r - 77r 17pp. 78r - 82r 18pp. 83r - 87r 19pp. 88r - 92r 20pp. 93r - 97r 21pp. 98r - 103r 22pp. 104r - 108r 23pp. 109r - 113r 24pp. 114r - 118r 25pp. 119r - 123r 26pp. 124r - 128r 27pp. EXTRACT2-01r - 133r 28pp. 134r - 138r 29pp. 139r - 143r 30pp. 144r - 146r

[2206.1] No point either [place = inline] , in your thirst [place = inline] , your hunger [place = inline] , no [place = inline] , no need of hunger [place = inline] , thirst is enough [place = inline] , in your thirst [place = inline] , no point in telling yourself stories [place = inline] , to pass the time [place = inline] , stories don't pass the time [place = inline] , nothing passes the time [place = inline] , that doesn't matter [place = inline] , that's the way it is [place = inline] , you tell yourself stories [place = inline] , then any old thing [place = inline] , saying [place = inline] , No more stories fo [place = overwritten] rom now on [place = inline] , whereas it's stories still [place = inline] , or rather there were never any stories [place = inline] , it was always any old thing [place = inline] , for as long as you can remember [place = inline] , no [place = inline] , a little longer than that [place = inline] , you don't remember anything [place = supralinear] nothing [place = inline] , always any old thing [place = inline] , always the same old thing [place = inline] , to pass the time [place = inline] , [2206.2] and then as time didn't pass [place = inline] , for no reason at all [place = inline] , in your thirst [place = inline] , trying to stop [place = inline] , unable to stop [place = inline] , searching for [place = supralinear] seeking [ [place = margin left] "seeking" throughout?] the cause [place = inline] , the cause of this need to talk [place = inline] , of this inabilu [place = overwritten] ity to stop [place = inline] , finding the cause [place = inline] , losing it again [place = inline] , finding it againn [place = inline] , not finding it again [place = inline] , search [place = supralinear] seeking ing no longer [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking again [place = inline] , finding again [place = inline] , losing again [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking no more [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking again [place = inline] , finding nothing [place = inline] , finding at last [place = inline] , losing again [place = inline] , talking without stopping [place = inline] , as thirsty as [place = supralinear] thirstier than ever [place = inline] , sr [place = overwritten] earching [place = supralinear] seeking as usual [place = inline] , losing as usual [place = inline] , talking [place = supralinear] blathering away [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking again again [place = inline] , wondering for what [place = inline] , what it's all about [place = inline] , searching for [place = supralinear] seeking what it can be you are searching for [place = supralinear] seeking [place = inline] , exclaiming [place = inline] , Ah yes [place = inline] , sighing No no [place = inline] , crying [place = inline] , Enough [place = inline] , ejaculating [place = inline] , Not yet [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking anew [place = inline] , losing your head [place = inline] , searching for [place = supralinear] seeking your head [place = inline] , talkig [place = overwritten] ng incessantly [place = inline] , any old thing [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking once more [place = inline] , for any old thing [place = inline] , thirsting away you don't know for what[p. 113r] away [place = inline] , you don't know for what [place = inline] , ah yes [place = inline] , [place = supralinear] [] for something to do [place = inline] , no no [place = inline] , nothing more to be done [place = inline] , since when [place = inline] , the beginning of time [place = inline] , [2206.3] and [place = supralinear] now enough of that [place = inline] , unless perhaps [place = inline] , thay [place = overwritten] t's an idea [place = inline] , let's search [place = supralinear] seek over there [place = inline] , one last effort [place = inline] , search for [place = supralinear] seek what [place = inline] , pertinent objection [place = inline] , let us try and discover [place = inline] , before we search [place = supralinear] seek [place = inline] , what it can [place = supralinear] be, before we search [place = supralinear] seek over there [place = inline] , over where [place = inline] , talking unceasingly [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking inceassantly [place = inline] , in yourself [place = inline] , outside yourself [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking no longer losing your head [place = inline] , cursing God [place = inline] , stopping cursing [place = inline] , unable to [place = supralinear] past bear [place = supralinear] ing any more [place = supralinear] it [place = inline] , going on bearing [place = supralinear] it [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking indefatigably [place = inline] , in the world of nature [place = inline] , the world of man [place = inline] , not know where [place = inline] , where is nature [place = inline] , where is man [place = inline] , what are you searching for [place = supralinear] are seeking [place = inline] , who is searching [place = supralinear] seeking [place = inline] , searching for [place = supralinear] seeking who you are [place = inline] , supreme aberration [place = inline] , where you are [place = inline] , what you're doing [place = inline] , what you'b [place = overwritten] ve done to them [place = inline] , what they've done to you [place = inline] , [2206.4] talo [place = overwritten] king fluently [place = supralinear] babbling along [place = inline] , where are the others [place = inline] , who is taling talking [place = inline] , not I [place = inline] , where am I [place = inline] , where is it [place = supralinear] the place where I've always been [place = inline] , where are the others [place = inline] , it is they are talking [place = inline] , talking to me [place = inline] , talking of me [place = inline] , I'm I hear them [place = inline] , I'm dumb [place = supralinear] speechless [place = inline] , what do they want [place = inline] , what have I done to them [place = inline] , what have I done to God [place = inline] , what have they done to God [place = inline] , what has God done to us [place = inline] , nothing [place = inline] , and we've done nothing to him [place = inline] , you can't do anything to him [place = inline] , he can't do anything to us [place = inline] , we're innocent [place = inline] , he's innocent [place = inline] , it's nobody's fault [place = inline] , what's nobody's fault [place = inline] , this state of affairs [place = inline] , what state of affairs [place = inline] , so it is [place = inline] , so be it [place = inline] , don't fret [place = inline] , so it will be [place = inline] , how so [place = inline] , talking excitably [place = supralinear] rattling on [place = inline] , parched with [place = supralinear] dying of thirst [place = inline] , losing your head [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking dtereminedly [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking no longer [place = inline] , searching [place = supralinear] seeking again [place = inline] , what do [place = supralinear] it is they they want [place = inline] , they want me to be [place = inline] , this [place = inline] , that [place = inline] , they want me to howl [place = inline] , stir [place = inline] , emerge from here [place = inline] , be born [place = inline] , die [place = inline] , listen [place = inline] , I'm listening [place = inline] , [2206.5] I [place = overwritten] it's not enough [place = inline] , I must understand [place = inline] , I'm doing my best [place = inline] , I can't undef [place = overwritten] rstand [place = inline] , I stop doing my best [place = inline] , I can't do my best [place = inline] , I've had enough [place = inline] , poor darling so have they[p. 114r] devil, so have they, let them tell me what they want, give me sp [place = overwritten] omething to do, within my power [place = supralinear] something doable to do, poor devils, they can't [place = inline] , they don't know, they're like me;, more and more, no more need of them, no more need of any one, no one can do anything, it's I am talking, thirsting, starving, in the ice and in the furnace, you feel nothing, strange, you don't feel a mouth on you, you don't feel your mouth any more, no need of a mouth, the words are everywhere, within me, outside me, well well, listen to that,, a minute ago I had no thickness, I hear them, no need to hear them, no need of a head, impossible to stop them, impossible to stop, I'm in words, made of words, others' words, what others, the place too, the air, the walls, the floor, the ceiling, words, the whole universe is g [place = overwritten] here,with me, I'm the air, the walls, the walled-in one, everything yields, opens, ebbs, flows, [place = supralinear] like flakes, I'm all these flaskes flakes, meeting, mingling, falling asunder, wherevr I go, wherever I go I find myself [place = supralinear] me, leave myself [place = supralinear] me, go towards [ [place = inline] /]me, come from me, nothing ever but me, a particle of me, retrieved, lost, gone astray, [2206.6] words, I am all these words, all these strangers, this dust of words, with no ground for their setting, so sky for their dispersing, coming together to say, fleeing one another to say, that I am they, all of them, those that merge, those that part, those strangers never me [place = supralinear] et, and nothing else, yes, something else, that I'm something quite different, a quite different thing, a dumb thing in an empty place, a hard shut dry cold black place, where nothing stirs, nothing speaks, and that I listen, ad [place = overwritten] nd that I seek, like a caged beast born of caged beasts born of caged beat [place = overwritten] sts borns of caged beasts born of caged beasts bo [place = inline] rn in a cage and dead in a cage, a caged beast born of caged beat [place = overwritten] sts born and dead in a cage, born and then dead, born in a cage and then dead in a cage, in a word like a beast, in one of their words, like such a beast, and that I seek, like such a beast, with my feeble strength, such a beast, with nothing left of its species but fear and fury, no, the fury is past, nothing but fear, nothing left of all its due but fear, centupled, fear of its shadow, [2206.7] no, blind from birth, of sound then, if you like, we'll have that,[p. 115r] one must have something, its a pity, but the [place = inline] re it is, fear of soun sound, fear of sounds, the sounds of beasts, the sounds of men, sounds in the daytime and sounds at night, that's sufficient, fear of sounds, all sounds, more or less, more or less fear, all sounds, there's only one, one sound, continuous, day and night, what is it, it's steps coming and going, it's voices speaking for a moment, , it's bodies making their way, its it's the air, it's things, it'sthe it's the air among things, that's sufficient, that I seek, like it, no, like me not like it, like me, in my own way, what am I saying, after my fashion, that I seek, what do I seek now, what it is, it must be that, it can only be that, what it is, what it can be, what what can be, what I seek, no, what I hear, now it comes back to me, all back to me, I seek, I hear them say I seek what it is I hear, [2206.8] now it comes back to me, what it can possibly be, and where it can possibly com come from, to me, since all is silent here, and the walls thick, and how I mab [place = overwritten] nage, without feeling an ear on me, or a head, or a body, or a soul, how I manage, to do what, why nothing obviously [place = inline] , how I manage, it's not clear, [place = supralinear] dear dear, you say it's not clear, something is lacking [place = supralinear] wanting to make it clear, I'll seek, what is lacking [place = supralinear] wanting, to make everything clear, I'm always seeking something, it's wearisome in the end, and it's only the beginning, how I manage, under such conditions, to do what I'm doing, what am I doing, I must find out what I'm doing, tell me what you're doing, [place = supralinear] and I'll ask how it [place = inline] 's is possible, [2206.9] I hear, you say I hear, ad [place = overwritten] nd that I seek, it's a lie, I seek nothing, nothing any more, no matter, let's leave it, no harking, and that I seek, now they are [place = supralinear] listen to them refreshing [place = supralinear] jogging my memory, and that I seek, firstly, what it is, secondly, where it comes from, and thirdly, how I manage, that's it, now we've got [place = supralinear] [] it, how I manage, to do it, seeing that this, considering that that, inasmuch as God knows what, that's clear enough [place = supralinear] now, how I manage, [place = supralinear] to hear, and how I manage, to understand, it's a lie, what would I understand with, that's why I'm asking, how I manage, to understand, oh not the half, not the hudreth hundredth, nor the five thousandth, let us go on dividing by fifty, nor the quarter millionth, that's sufficient,[p. 116r] but a little nevertheless, it's essential, it's preferable, it's a pity, but there it is, just a little all the same, the least possible, it's appreciable, it's sufficient, the rough meaning of one expression in at a thousand, in ten thousand, let us go on multiplying by ten, nothing is more restful than arithmetic, in a hundred t [place = supralinear] housand, in a million, it's [place = supralinear] too much, too little, we've gone wrong somewhere, no matter, there is no great difference here between one expression and the next, when you grasp one you g grasp them all, I am not in that fortunate position, all, [place = supralinear] how you exaggerate [place = supralinear] go ov, always for the whole hog, the al [place = inline] l of all and the all of nothing, never in the happy mean, never, always, it's too much, too little, often, seldom, [2206.10] let me now sum up, after this digression, there is I, it's essential, it's preferable I feel it, yes, I confess, I give in, therei there is I, it's essential, it's preferable, I wouldn't have said so, I won't always say so, so let me hasten to take advantage of being now obliged to say, in a manner of speaking, that there is I, on theo one hand, and this noise on the other, that I never doubted, no, let us be logical, there was never any doubt about that, this noise, on the other, if it is the other, that will doubte [place = overwritten] less be the subject of our next deliberation, I sum up, now that I am there it's I will do the summing up, it's I will say what is to be said and then say what it was, that will be fun, I sum up, I and this noise, I see nothing else for the moment, but I have only just taken over my functions, I and this noise, and what about it, don't interrupt me, I'm doing my best, I repeat, I and this noise, two things, on the subk [place = overwritten] ject of which, inverting the natural order, we would seem to know for certain, among other things, what follows, namely, on the one hand, with regard to the noise, that it has not been possible up to date to determine with certainty, or even apporximately , what it is, in the way of noise, or how it comes to me, or by what organ it is emitted, or by what perceived, or by what intelligence apprehended, in its main drift, and, on the other, that is to say with regard to me, this is going to take a little longer, with regard to me, nice time we're going[p. 117r] to have now, [place = supralinear] with regard to me, that it has not been yet our good fortune to establish with any degree of accuracy what I am, where I am, whether I am words among words, or whethr [place = overwritten] er I am silence in the midst of silence, to recall only two of the hypotheses launched in this connexion, though silence to tell the truth has not been very conspicuous up to now, [2206.11] but appearances are deceptib [place = overwritten] ve, I resume, not yet our good fortune to establish, among other things, what, no, no, already mentioned that what I am, no, already mentioned that, what I'm doing, how I manage, to hear, if I hear, ifit it is I who hear, and who can doubt it, I don't know, doubt is present, in this connexion, somewhere or other, I resume, how I succeed in hearing, if it's I who hear, and how in understanding, ellipse when possible, it saves time, how in understanding, same observation, and how it happens, if it is [place = supralinear] I who speak, and it may be assumed it is, as it may be suspected it is not, if it's I who speak, that I speak without stopping, that I long to stop, that I can't stop, I indicate the principal divisions, it's more synoptic, I resume, not the good fortune to establish, with regard to me, if it is I who seek, what exactly it is I seek, find, lose, find again, throw away, find again, throw away again, no, I never threw anything away, never threw anything away of all the things I found, never found anything that I didn't lose, never lost anything that I might not have thrown away, [2206.12] if it is I who seek, find, lose, find again, lose again, seek again, seek in vain, seek again, find again, lose again, seek no more, I [place = overwritten] if it's I what it is, and if it's not I who it is, and what it is, I see nothing else fo [place = inline] r the moment, yes, I do, I conclude, [place = supralinear] not the good fortune to establish, considering the futility of my telling myself even any old thing, to pass the time, why I do it, if it's I who do it, as if reasons were required for doing any old thing, to pass the time, no matter, the question may be asked, off the record, why time does not pass, does not pass from you, why it piles up all about you, instant on instant, on all sides, deeper and deeper, thicker and thicker, your time, others' time, the time of the ancient dead and the dead yet unborn, why it br [place = overwritten] uries you[p. 118r] grain by grain neither dead nor alive, with no memory of anything, no prospect [place = supralinear] hope of anything, no knowledge of anything, no history and no prospects, buried under the seconds, saying any old thing, your mother [place = supralinear] uth full of sand, oh I know it's immaterial, time is one thing, I am another, but the question may be asked, why time does not pass, just like that, off the red [place = overwritten] cord, en passant, to pass by the time, I think that's all, for the moment, I see nothing else, I see nothing whatever, fr [place = overwritten] or the time being. [2207] [place = inline] But I [place = supralinear] really must not ask myself any more questions, if it's I, I really mustn't [place = supralinear] must not. [2208] More resolutions, while we're at it, that's right, resolutely, more resolutions. [2209] Make abundant use of the principle of parcimony , as if it were familiar to me, it is not too m [place = overwritten] late. [2210] Assume notably henceforward that the thing said and the thing heard have a common source, resisting for this purpose the temptation to call in question the possibility of assuming anything whatever. [2211] Situate this source in me, without specifying where exactly, no finicking, anything is preferable to the conscio consciousness of third parties and, more gene [place = inline] rally speaking, of an outer world. [2212] Carry if necessary this process of compression to the point of abandoning all other postulates than that of a deaf and exceptionally backward cretin [place = supralinear] idiot [place = supralinear] [] half-wit [place = supralinear] unprecedently deficient cretin, hearing nothing of what he says, and understanding even less. [2213] Evoke at painful junctures, when discouragement threatens to make itself felt [place = supralinear] raise its head, the image of a vast cretinous mouth, red, blubber and slavering, in solitary confinement, extruding indefatigably, with a noise of washing and wet kisses, the words that obstruct it. [2214] Set aside once and for all, at the same time as the analogy with orthodox damnation, all idea of beginning and end. [2215] Overcome, that goes without saying, the fatal leaning towards expressiveness. [2216] Equate me, without pity or scruple, with him who exists, somehow, no matter how, no finicking, , [place = overwritten] with him whose story this story had the brief ambition to be. [2217] Better, ascribe to me a body. [2218] Better still, arrogate to me a mind. [2219] Speak of a wo [place = inline] rld of my own, sometimes referred to as the inner, without choking. [2220] Doubt no more. [2221] Seek no more. [2222] Take advantage of the brand new soul and substantiality to abandon,[p. 119r] with the only possible abandon, deep down within.

MS. Pages: 1pp. 01r - 06r 2pp. 06r(2) - 10r 3pp. 11r - 15r 4pp. 16r - 20r 5pp. 21r - 25r 6pp. 26r - 30r 7pp. 31r - 35r 8pp. 36r - 40r 9pp. 41r - EXTRACT1-01r 10pp. EXTRACT1-02r - EXTRACT1-06r 11pp. 48r - 52r 12pp. 53r - 57r 13pp. 58r - 62r 14pp. 63r - 67r 15pp. 68r - 72r 16pp. 73r - 77r 17pp. 78r - 82r 18pp. 83r - 87r 19pp. 88r - 92r 20pp. 93r - 97r 21pp. 98r - 103r 22pp. 104r - 108r 23pp. 109r - 113r 24pp. 114r - 118r 25pp. 119r - 123r 26pp. 124r - 128r 27pp. EXTRACT2-01r - 133r 28pp. 134r - 138r 29pp. 139r - 143r 30pp. 144r - 146r