Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett Page A

you waiting for?
     
    ESTRAGON:
I'm waiting for Godot.
Silence.
     
    VLADIMIR:
What exactly should he do?
     
    POZZO:
Well to begin with he should pull on the rope, as hard as he likes so long as
he doesn't strangle him. He usually responds to that. If not he should give
him a taste of his boot, in the face and the privates as far as possible.
     
    VLADIMIR:
(to Estragon). You see, you've nothing to be afraid of. It's even an
opportunity to revenge yourself.
     
    ESTRAGON:
And if he defends himself?
     
    POZZO:
No no, he never defends himself.
     
    VLADIMIR:
I'll come flying to the rescue.
     
    ESTRAGON:
Don't take your eyes off me.
He goes towards Lucky.
     
    VLADIMIR:
Make sure he's alive before you start. No point in exerting yourself if he's
dead.
     
    ESTRAGON:
(bending over Lucky). He's breathing.
     
    VLADIMIR:
Then let him have it.
With sudden fury Estragon starts kicking Lucky, hurling abuse at him as he
does so. But he hurts his foot and moves away, limping and groaning. Lucky
stirs.
     
    ESTRAGON:
Oh the brute!
He sits down on the mound and tries to take off his boot. But he soon desists
and disposes himself for sleep, his arms on his knees and his head on his
arms.
     
    POZZO:
What's gone wrong now?
     
    VLADIMIR:
My friend has hurt himself.
     
    POZZO:
And Lucky?
     
    VLADIMIR:
So it is he?
     
    POZZO:
What?
     
    VLADIMIR:
It is Lucky?
     
    POZZO:
I don't understand.
     
    VLADIMIR:
And you are Pozzo?
     
    POZZO:
Certainly I am Pozzo.
     
    VLADIMIR:
The same as yesterday?
     
    POZZO:
Yesterday?
     
    VLADIMIR:
We met yesterday. (Silence.) Do you not remember?
     
    POZZO:
I don't remember having met anyone yesterday. But tomorrow I won't
remember having met anyone today. So don't count on me to enlighten you.
     
    VLADIMIR:
But�
     
    POZZO:
Enough! Up pig!
     
    VLADIMIR:
You were bringing him to the fair to sell him. You spoke to us. He danced. He
thought. You had your sight.
     
    POZZO:
As you please. Let me go! (Vladimir moves away.) Up!
Lucky gets up, gathers up his burdens.
     
    VLADIMIR:
Where do you go from here?
     
    POZZO:
On. (Lucky, laden down, takes his place before Pozzo.) Whip! (Lucky puts
everything down, looks for whip, finds it, puts it into Pozzo's hand, takes up
everything again.) Rope!
Lucky puts everything down, puts end of rope into Pozzo's hand, takes up
everything again.
     
    VLADIMIR:
What is there in the bag?
     
    POZZO:
Sand. (He jerks the rope.) On!
     
    VLADIMIR:
Don't go yet.
     
    POZZO:
I'm going.
     
    VLADIMIR:
What do you do when you fall far from help?
     
    POZZO:
We wait till we can get up. Then we go on. On!
     
    VLADIMIR:
Before you go tell him to sing.
     
    POZZO:
Who?
     
    VLADIMIR:
Lucky.
     
    POZZO:
To sing?
     
    VLADIMIR:
Yes. Or to think. Or to recite.
     
    POZZO:
But he is dumb.
     
    VLADIMIR:
Dumb!
     
    POZZO:
Dumb. He can't even groan.
     
    VLADIMIR:
Dumb! Since when?
     
    POZZO:
(suddenly furious.) Have you not done tormenting me with your accursed
time! It's abominable! When! When! One day, is that not enough for you, one
day he went dumb, one day I went blind, one day we'll go deaf, one day we
were born, one day we shall die, the same day, the same second, is that not
enough for you? (Calmer.) They give birth astride of a grave, the light
gleams an instant, then it's night once more. (He jerks the rope.) On!
Exeunt Pozzo and Lucky. Vladimir follows them to the edge of the stage, looks
after them. The noise of falling, reinforced by mimic of Vladimir, announces
that they are down again. Silence. Vladimir goes towards Estragon,
contemplates him a moment, then shakes him awake.
     
    ESTRAGON:
(wild gestures, incoherent words. Finally.) Why will you never let me sleep?
     
    VLADIMIR:
I felt lonely.
     
    ESTRAGON:
I was dreaming I was happy.
     
    VLADIMIR:
That passed the time.
     
    ESTRAGON:
I was dreaming that�
     
    VLADIMIR:
(violently). Don't tell me! (Silence.) I wonder is he really blind.
     
    ESTRAGON:
Blind?