The Complete Dramatic Works (2 page)

VLADIMIR:
We’re waiting for Godot.

ESTRAGON:
[
Despairingly.
]
Ah! [
Pause.
]
You’re sure it was here?

VLADIMIR:
What?

ESTRAGON:
That we were to wait.

VLADIMIR:
He said by the tree. [
They
look
at
the
tree.
]
Do you see any others?

ESTRAGON:
What is it?

VLADIMIR:
I don’t know. A willow.

ESTRAGON:
Where are the leaves?

VLADIMIR:
It must be dead.

ESTRAGON:
No more weeping.

VLADIMIR:
Or perhaps it’s not the season.

ESTRAGON:
Looks to me more like a bush.

VLADIMIR:
A shrub.

ESTRAGON:
A bush.

VLADIMIR:
A –. What are you insinuating? That we’ve come to the wrong place?

ESTRAGON:
He should be here.

VLADIMIR:
He didn’t say for sure he’d come.

ESTRAGON:
And if he doesn’t come?

VLADIMIR:
We’ll come back tomorrow.

ESTRAGON:
And then the day after tomorrow.

VLADIMIR:
Possibly.

ESTRAGON:
And so on.

VLADIMIR:
The point is –

ESTRAGON:
Until he comes.

VLADIMIR:
You’re merciless.

ESTRAGON:
We came here yesterday.

VLADIMIR:
Ah no, there you’re mistaken.

ESTRAGON:
What did we do yesterday?

VLADIMIR:
What did we do yesterday?

ESTRAGON:
Yes.

VLADIMIR:
Why … [
Angrily.
]
Nothing is certain when you’re about.

ESTRAGON:
In my opinion we were here.

VLADIMIR:
[
Looking
round.
]
You recognize the place?

ESTRAGON:
I didn’t say that.

VLADIMIR:
Well?

ESTRAGON:
That makes no difference.

VLADIMIR:
All the same … that tree … [
Turning
towards
the
auditorium
]
… that bog.

ESTRAGON:
You’re sure it was this evening?

VLADIMIR:
What?

ESTRAGON:
That we were to wait.

VLADIMIR:
He said Saturday. [
Pause.
]
I think.

ESTRAGON:
You think.

VLADIMIR:
I must have made a note of it.
[
He
fumbles
in
his
pockets,
bursting
with
miscellaneous
rubbish.
]

ESTRAGON:
[
Very
insidious.
]
But what Saturday? And is it
Saturday? Is it not rather Sunday? [
Pause.
]
Or Monday? [
Pause.
]
Or Friday?

VLADIMIR:
[
Looking
wildly
about
him,
as
though
the
date
was
inscribed
in
the
landscape.
]
It’s not possible!

ESTRAGON:
Or Thursday?

VLADIMIR:
What’ll we do?

ESTRAGON:
If he came yesterday and we weren’t here you may be sure he won’t come again today.

VLADIMIR:
But you say we were here yesterday.

ESTRAGON:
I may be mistaken. [
Pause.
]
Let’s stop talking for a minute, do you mind?

VLADIMIR:
[
Feebly.
]
All right, [
ESTRAGON
sits
down
on
the
mound.
VLADIMIR
paces
agitatedly
to
and
fro,
halting
from
time
to
time
to
gaze
into
the
distance
off. 
ESTRAGON
 
falls
asleep.
VLADIMIR
halts
before 
ESTRAGON
.] Gogo! … Gogo! …
GOGO
! [
ESTRAGON
wakes
with
a
start.
]

ESTRAGON:
[
Restored
to
the
horror
of
his
situation.
]
I was asleep! [
Despairingly.
]
Why will you never let me sleep?

VLADIMIR:
I felt lonely.

ESTRAGON:
I had a dream.

VLADIMIR:
Don’t tell me!

ESTRAGON:
I dreamt that –

VLADIMIR:
DON’T TELL ME!

ESTRAGON:
[
Gesture
towards
the
universe.
]
This one is enough for you? [
Silence.
]
It’s not nice of you, Didi. Who am I to tell my private nightmares to if I can’t
tell them to you?

VLADIMIR:
Let them remain private. You know I can’t bear that.

ESTRAGON:
[
Coldly.
]
There are times when I wonder if it wouldn’t be better for us to part.

VLADIMIR:
You wouldn’t go far.

ESTRAGON:
That would be too bad, really too bad. [
Pause.
] Wouldn’t it, Didi, be really too bad? [
Pause.
]
When you think of the beauty of the way. [
Pause.
]
And the goodness of the wayfarers. [
Pause.
Wheedling.
]
Wouldn’t it, Didi?

VLADIMIR:
Calm yourself.

ESTRAGON:
[
Voluptuously.
]
Calm … calm … The English say cawm. [
Pause.
]
You know the story of the Englishman in the brothel?

VLADIMIR:
Yes.

ESTRAGON:
Tell it to me.

VLADIMIR:
Ah stop it!

ESTRAGON:
An Englishman having drunk a little more than usual goes to a brothel. The bawd asks
him if he wants a fair one, a dark one, or a red-haired one. Go on.

VLADIMIR:
STOP IT!
[
Exit
VLADIMIR
hurriedly, 
ESTRAGON
gets
up
and
follows
him
as
far
as
the
limit
of
the
stage.
Gestures
of
 
ESTRAGON
like
those
of
a
spectator
encouraging
a
pugilist.
Enter
VLADIMIR
.
He
brushes
past
 
ESTRAGON
,
crosses
the
stage
with
bowed
head, 
ESTRAGON
takes
a
step
towards
him,
halts.
]

ESTRAGON:
[
Gently.
]
You wanted to speak to me? [
Silence.
ESTRAGON
takes
a
step
forward.
]
You had something to say to me? [
Silence.
Another
step
forward.
]
Didi …

VLADIMIR:
[
Without
turning.
]
I’ve nothing to say to you.

ESTRAGON:
[
Step
forward.
]
You’re angry? [
Silence.
Step
forward
.]
Forgive me. [
Silence.
Step
forward, 
ESTRAGON
 
lays
his
hand
on
VLADIMIR
’
S
shoulder.
]
Come, Didi. [
Silence.
]
Give me your hand. [
VLADIMIR
half
turns.
] Embrace me! [
VLADIMIR
stiffens.
]
Don’t be stubborn! [
VLADIMIR
softens.
They
embrace, 
ESTRAGON
recoils.
] You stink of garlic!

VLADIMIR:
It’s for the kidneys. [
Silence, 
ESTRAGON
looks
attentively
at
the
tree.
]
What do we do now?

ESTRAGON:
Wait.

VLADIMIR:
Yes, but while waiting.

ESTRAGON:
What about hanging ourselves?

VLADIMIR:
Hmm. It’d give us an erection!

ESTRAGON:
[
Highly
excited.
]
An erection!

VLADIMIR:
With all that follows. Where it falls mandrakes grow. That’s why they shriek when
you pull them up. Did you not know that?

ESTRAGON:
Let’s hang ourselves immediately!

VLADIMIR:
From a bough? [
They
go
towards
the
tree.
]
I wouldn’t trust it.

ESTRAGON:
We can always try.

VLADIMIR:
Go ahead.

ESTRAGON:
After you.

VLADIMIR:
No no, you first.

ESTRAGON:
Why me?

VLADIMIR:
You’re lighter than I am.

ESTRAGON:
Just So!

VLADIMIR:
I don’t understand.

ESTRAGON:
Use your intelligence, can’t you?
[
VLADIMIR
uses
his
intelligence.
]

VLADIMIR:
[
Finally.
]
I remain in the dark.

ESTRAGON:
This is how it is. [
He
reflects.
]
The bough … the bough … [
Angrily.
]
Use your head, can’t you?

VLADIMIR:
You’re my only hope.

ESTRAGON:
[
With
effort.
]
Gogo light – bough not break – Gogo dead. Didi heavy – bough break – Didi alone.
Whereas –

VLADIMIR:
I hadn’t thought of that.

ESTRAGON:
If it hangs you it’ll hang anything.

VLADIMIR:
But am I heavier than you?

ESTRAGON:
So you tell me. I don’t know. There’s an even chance. Or nearly.

VLADIMIR:
Well? what do we do?

ESTRAGON:
Don’t let’s do anything. It’s safer.

VLADIMIR:
Let’s wait and see what he says.

ESTRAGON:
Who?

VLADIMIR:
Godot.

ESTRAGON:
Good idea.

VLADIMIR:
Let’s wait till we know exactly how we stand.

ESTRAGON:
On the other hand it might be better to strike the iron before it freezes.

VLADIMIR:
I’m curious to hear what he has to offer. Then we’ll take it or leave it.

ESTRAGON:
What exactly did we ask him for?

VLADIMIR:
Were you not there?

ESTRAGON:
I can’t have been listening.

VLADIMIR:
Oh … nothing very definite.

ESTRAGON:
A kind of prayer.

VLADIMIR:
Precisely.

ESTRAGON:
A vague supplication.

VLADIMIR:
Exactly.

ESTRAGON:
And what did he reply?

VLADIMIR:
That he’d see.

ESTRAGON:
That he couldn’t promise anything.

VLADIMIR:
That he’d have to think it over.

ESTRAGON:
In the quiet of his home.

VLADIMIR:
Consult his family.

ESTRAGON:
His friends.

VLADIMIR:
His agents.

ESTRAGON:
His correspondents.

VLADIMIR:
His books.

ESTRAGON:
His bank account.

VLADIMIR:
Before taking a decision.