Samuel Beckett
Digital Manuscript Project
Molloy

MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-2

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Segment 1

[1971] It is midnight. [1972] The rain is beating on the windows. [1973] I am calm. [1974] All
is sleeping.
[1975] Nevertheless I get up and go to my desk. [1976] I can't sleep. [1977] My
lamp sheds a soft and steady light.
[1978] I have trimmed it. [1979] It will last till
morning.
[1980] I hear the eagle-owl. [1981] What a terrible battlecry! [1982] Once I
listened to it unmoved.
[1983] My son is sleeping. [1984] Let him sleep. [1985] The night
will come when he too, unable to sleep, will get up and go to his desk.
[1986] I shall be forgotten.

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Segment 2

[1987] My report will be long. [1988] Perhaps I shall not finish it. [1989] My name is
Moran, Jacques.
[1990] That is the name I am known by. [1991] I am done for. [1992] My son
too.
[1993] All unsuspecting. [1994] He must think he's on the threshold of
life, of real life.
[1995] He's right there. [1996] His name is Jacques, like mine.
[1997] This cannot lead to confusion.

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Segment 3

[1998] I remember the day I received the order to see about Molloy. [1999] It was
a Sunday in summer.
[2000] I was sitting in my little garden, in a wicker
chair, a black book closed on my knees.
[2001] It must have been about eleven
o'clock, still too early to go to church.
[2002] I was savouring the day of
rest, while deploring the importance attached to it, in certain parishes.

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Segment 4

[2003] To work, even to play on Sunday, was not of necessity reprehensible, in
my opinion.
[2004] It all depended on the state of mind of him who worked, or
played, and on the nature of his work, of his play, in my opinion.
[2005] I was
reflecting with satisfaction on this, that this slightly libertarian

Transcription
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