Digital Manuscript ProjectL'Innommable / The Unnamable

[2151] But how can you think and say something at the
same time,
think about
what you have said, are saying, may say,
[2151] and go on saying, you think about any
old thing, you say any old thing, more or
less, more or less, you heap on yourself
undeserved reproaches, and can't reply to
them, the subject changes, that's why they
always repeat the same thing, the same
litany, the one they know by heart, it's
[2151] to try and think about something different,
about how to say something
different from the same thing, always the
same wrong thing said always wrong,
they can think of nothing,
[2151] they can think of nothing else to say but
the thing that prevents them from thinking,
they'd be better advised to think
of what they're saying, in order to
vary his presentation at least, it's the
presentation that counts, but how can you
think and say something at the same
time, it requires a special faculty, your
[2151] thought wanders, your words too, far
apart, no, that's an exaggeration, apart,
between them would be
the place to be, where you suffer, rejoice,
to be bereft of speech, bereft of thought, and
where you feel nothing, hear nothing, know
nothing, say nothing, are nothing, that
would be a blessed place to be, where you are.
[2152]
[ADDITION]Addition on page
02vIt's a lucky thing they are there, there in the sense of
anywhere of course, to bear the responsibility of
this state of affairs, with respect which if
one does not know very
much, one knows at least this, that one would
care to have it on one's conscience, to have it on
one's stomach is enough.
[2153] Yes,
I'm a lucky man to have them, these
voluble shades, I won't have them all for ever,
I feel it, they'll make me believe I've
piped up before they're finished.
[2154] The master
in any case, we don't intend, look at them
pulling in their horns, we don't intend, unless
absolutely necessary, to make the mistake
of inquiring into him, he'd turn out to be
[2154] a mere high official, we'd end up by having
need of God, we may have lost all pride, but
there are certain infamies one prefers
to avoid.
[2155] Let us keep to the family circle,
it's more intimate, we know each other by
now, no surprises to be feared, the will has
been opened, nothing for anybody.
- Segments
L'Innommable / The Unnamable © 2013 Samuel Beckett Digital Manuscript Project.
Editors: Dirk Van Hulle, Shane Weller and Vincent Neyt