Samuel Beckett
Digital Manuscript Project
Molloy

MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-1

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Segment 1

[1314] came to rest against my side. [1315] At last I began to think, that is to say
to listen harder.
[1316] Little chance of my being found there, I was in peace
for as long as I could endure peace.
[1317] For the space of an instant I
[]considered settling down there, making it my lair and sanctuary,
for the space of an instant.
[1318] I took the vegetable knife from my pocket
and set about opening my wrist.
[1319] But pain soon got the better of me.

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Segment 2

[1320] First I cried out, then I gave up, closed the knife and put it back in
my pocket.
[1321] I wasn't particularly disappointed, in my heart of hearts
I []had not hoped for anything []better.
[1322] So much for that. [1323] And backsliding
has always depressed me, but life seems made up of back sliding, and
death itself must be a kind of backsliding, I wouldn't be surprised.
[1324] Did I say []the wind had fallen?

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Segment 3

[1325] A fine rain falling,
somehow that seems to exclude all idea of wind.
[1326] My knees are enormous,
I have just []caught a glimpse of them, when I got up for a second.
[1327] My two legs are as stiff
as a life-sentence and yet I sometimes get up.
[1328] What can you expect?
[1329] []Thus from time to time I shall recall my present existence compared to
which this is a nursery tale.

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Segment 4

[1330] But only from time to time, so that it
may be said, []if necessary, whenever necessary,, Is it possible that thing is still
alive?
[1331] Or again, Oh it's only a diary, it'll soon be over. [1332] That my
knees are enormous, that I still get up from time to time, these are
things that do not seem at first sight to signify anything in particular.
[1333] I record them all the more willingly.

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Segment 5

[1334] In the end I left the impasse,
where half-standing half-lying I may have had a little sleep, my little
morning sleep, and I set off, believe it or not, towards the sun, why
not, the wind having fallen.
[1335] Or rather towards the least gloomy quarter
of the heavens which a vast cloud was shrouding from the zenith to the
skylines.
[1336] It was from this cloud the above rain was falling. [1337] See how
all things hang together.
[1338] And as to making up my mind which quarter
of the heavens was the least gloomy, it was no easy matter.
[1339] For at

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