
[2397] through what breach.
[2398] I succeeded however in dozing off, which is not so
easy, when pain is speculative.
[2399] And I was marvelling, in that half sleep,
at my half sleeping, when my son came in,without knocking.
[2400] Now if there
is one thing I abhor, it is someone coming into my room,without knocking.
[2401] I might just happen to be masturbating, before my cheval-glass.
[2402] Father
with yawning fly and starting eyes, toiling to scatter on the ground his
joyless seed, that was no sight for a small boy.
[2403] Harshly I recalled him
to the proprieties.
[2404] He protested he had knocked twice.
[2405] If you had knocked
a hundred times, I replied, it would not give you the right to come in
without being invited.
[2406] But, he said.
[2407] But what? I said. [2408] You told me to be
here at half-past four, he said.
[2409] There is something, I said, more important
in life than punctuality, and that is decorum.
[2410] Repeat.
[2411] In that disdainful
mouth my phrase put me to shame.
[2412] He was soaked.
[2413] What have you been
looking at? I said.
[2414] The [⁁]liliaceae, papa, he answered.
[2415] The [⁁]liliaceae papa!
[2416] My
son had a way of saying papa, when he wanted to hurt me, that was very
special.
[2417] Now listen to me, I said.
[2418] His face took on an expression of
anguished attention.
[2419] We leave this evening, I said in substance, on a
journey.
[2420] Put on your school suit, the green—.
[2421] But it's blue, papa,
he said.
[2422] Blue or green, put it on, I said violently.
[2423] I went on.
[2424] Put in
your little knapsack, the one I gave you for your birthday, your toilet
things, one shirt, one pair of socks and seven pairs of drawers.
[2425] Do you
understand?
[2426] Which shirt, papa? he said.
[2427] It doesn't matter which shirt,
I cried, any shirt!
[2428] Which shoes am I to wear? he said.
[2429] You have two pairs
of shoes, I said, one for Sundays and one for weekdays, and you ask me
which you are to wear.
[2430] I sat up.
[2431] I want none of your lip, I said.
- Segments
Molloy © 2016 Samuel Beckett Digital Manuscript Project.
Editors: Magessa O'Reilly, Dirk Van Hulle, Pim Verhulst and Vincent Neyt