The Collected Shorter Plays by Samuel Beckett Page A

after
.]
    A [
turning
] Hsst! [
They advance, halt in the corner. A strikes a match, holds it above his head. Pause. Low
.] She’s not here. [
He drops the match and crosses the stage on tiptoe followed on tiptoe by B. They pass before the window, halt in the corner upstage left. Match as before. Pause
.] Here she is!
    B [
recoiling
] Where?
[
A squats. Pause
.]
    A Lend me a hand.
    B Let her be! [
A straightens up painfully, clutching to his belly a large birdcage covered with a green silk cloth fringed with beads. He starts to stagger with it towards the table
.] Give it here.
[
B helps to carry the cage. Holding it between them they advance warily towards A’s table
.]
    A [
breathing hard
] Hold on a second. [
They halt. Pause
.] Let’s go. [
They move on, set down cage gently on the table. A lifts cautiously the cloth on the side away from the audience, peers. Pause
.] Show a light.
[
B takes up the lamp and shines it inside the cage. They peer, stooped. Long pause
.]
    B There’s one dead.
[
They peer
.]
    A Have you a pencil? [
B hands him a long pencil. A pokes it between the bars of the cage. Pause
.] Yes. [
He withdraws the pencil, puts it in his pocket
.]
    B Hi!
[
A gives him back his pencil. They peer. A takes B’s hand and changes its position
.]
    A There.
[
They peer
.]
    B Is it the cock or the hen?
    A The hen. See how drab she is.
    B [
revolted
] And he goes on singing! [
Pause
.] There’s love birds for you!
    A Lovebirds! [
Guffaw
.] Ah Morvan, you’d be the death of me if I were sufficiently alive! Lovebirds! [
Guffaw
.] Finches, pinhead! Look at thatlovely little green rump! And the blue cap! And the white bars! And the gold breast! [
Didactic
.] Note moreover the characteristic warble, there can be no mistaking it. [
Pause
.] Oh you pretty little pet, oh you bonny wee birdie! [
Pause. Glum
.] And to think all that is organic waste! All that splendour!
[
They peer
.]
    B They have no seed. [
Pause
.] No water. [
Pointing
.] What’s that there?
    A That? [
Pause. Slow, toneless
.] An old cuttle-bone.
    B Cuttle-bone?
    A Cuttle-bone.
[
He lets the cloth fall back. Pause
.]
    B Come, Bertrand, don’t, there is nothing we can do. [
A takes up the cage and goes with it upstage left. B puts down the lamp and hastens after him
.] Give it here.
    A Leave it, leave it! [
He advances to the corner, followed by B, and puts down the cage where be found it. He straightens up and moves back towards his table, still followed by B. A stops short
.] Will you have done dogging me! Do you want me to jump too? [
Pause. B goes to A’s table, takes up briefcase and chair, goes to his table and sits with back to window. He switches on his lamp, switches it off again immediately
.] How end? [
Long pause. A goes to window; strikes a match, holds it high and inspects C’s face. The match burns out, he throws it out of window
.] Hi! Take a look at this! [
B does not move. A strikes another match, holds it high and inspects C’s face
.] Come on! Quick! [
B does not move. The match burns out, A lets it fall
.] Well I’ll be . . . !
[
A takes out his handkerchief and raises it timidly towards C’s face
.]
    Curtain

EMBERS
    A piece for radio

    Sea scarcely audible
.
    Henry’s boots on shingle. He halts
.
    Sea a little louder
.
HENRY
On. [
Sea. Voice louder
.] On! [
He moves on. Boots on shingle. As he goes
.] Stop. [
Boots on shingle. As he goes, louder
.] Stop! [
He halts. Sea a little louder
.] Down. [
Sea. Voice louder
.] Down! [
Slither of shingle as he sits. Sea, still faint, audible throughout what follows whenever pause indicated
.] Who is beside me now? [
Pause
.] An old man, blind and foolish. [
Pause
.] My father, back from the dead, to be with me. [
Pause
.] As if he hadn’t died. [
Pause
.] No, simply back from the dead, to be with me, in this strange place. [
Pause
.] Can he hear me? [
Pause
.] Yes, he must hear me. [
Pause
.] To answer me? [
Pause
.] No, he doesn’t answer me. [
Pause
.] Just be with me. [
Pause
.]