Samuel Beckett
Digital Manuscript Project
L'Innommable / The Unnamable

MS-HRC-SB-5-9-2

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Segment 1

[2023] less, as time passes, he continues to suffer
as much, no more no less as much, pre-
cisely, as the first day?
[2024] That must be possible.

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Segment 2

[2025] And but supposing, instead of suffering less
than the first day, or as much, he suffers
more, as time passes, more and more
more and more, as time passes, and the
transfer is effected, the metaphor
meta metaphor
metamorphosis is accomplished,
of unchanging future into unchangeable past.

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Segment 3

[2026] xx Another thing, but of a different order.
[2027] The affair is thorny.[2028] Is not a uniform
suffering preferable to one which, by its
ups and downs, is liable at certain moments
to encourage the view that perhaps after all
it will not last for ever?

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Segment 4

[2029] That must depend on
what is aimed at the object pursued.
[2030] That is
to say?
Namely?
[2031] A little access of impatience,
on the part of the patient.
[2032] Thank you.[2033] That's
the immediate object.
[2034] Afterwards there will be
others.
[2035] Afterwards he'll be taught to stay quiet.

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Segment 5

[2036] For the moment let him xxx toss and fidget [place = supralinear] turn at
least, roll sprawl roll on the ground, damn
it all, since there's no other remedy, anything,
to break the monotony.

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Segment 6

[2037] They waste no time
look at the burnt alive,
Damn it all, look
at the burnt alive, they don't have [place = supralinear] wait to be told,
when they're [place = supralinear] not tied down, to rush about in
every direction, without method, crackling,
in search of a little cool.

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Segment 7

[2038] There are some who
even have the sang-froid to throw themselves out
of the window.
[2039] They don't No one asks him to
go that far.

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Segment 8

[2040] May he Let him try xxx [place = supralinear] But simply to [place = inline] But simply to
discovers for himself without assistance further
assistance the consolations of flight from self,
that's all, he won't go far, he won't need to go far.

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Segment 9

[2041] xxx To find within himself a palliative for
what he is, through no fault of his own.
[2042] To
imitate the hussar who gets up on a chair the
better to adjust the plume on his busby, it's
the least he might do.

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Segment 10

[2043] No one asks him to [place = supralinear] think
reason, simply to suffer suffer, always in
the same way, without hope of diminution,
without hope of dissolution, it's no more
complicated than that.
[2044] No need to reason [place = supralinear] think in order to be
without hope.
[2045] Agreed then on monotony, it's
more stimulating.
[2046] But how can it be ensured?

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Segment 11

[2047] No matter, no no no no No matter, no matter,
No matter how, no matter how, they're doing
the best they can, with the wretched means at
their disposal, a voice, a little light, the
poor devils, that's what they're paid for, they

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