The Complete Dramatic Works (30 page)

Authors: Samuel Beckett

BOOK: The Complete Dramatic Works

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Simply cannot sing. [
Pause.
]
Not a note. [
Pause.
]
Another thing, Willie, while we are on this subject. [
Pause.
]
The sadness after song. [
Pause.
]
Have you run across that, Willie? [
Pause.
]
In the course of your experience. [
Pause.
]
No? [
Pause.
]
Sadness after intimate sexual intercourse one is familiar with of course. [
Pause.
]
You would concur with Aristotle there, Willie, I fancy. [
Pause.
]
Yes, that one knows and is prepared to face. [
Pause.
]
But after song … [
Pause.
]
It does not last of course. [
Pause.
]
That is what I find so wonderful. [
Pause.
]
It wears away. [
Pause.
]
What are those exquisite lines? [
Pause.
]
Go forget me why should something o’er that something shadow fling … go forget me
… why should sorrow … brightly smile … go forget me … never hear me … sweetly smile
… brightly sing … [
Pause.
With
a
sigh.
]
One loses one’s classics. [
Pause
.]
Oh not all. [
Pause.
]
A part. [
Pause.
]
A part remains. [
Pause.
]
That is what I find so wonderful, a part remains, of one’s classics, to help one
through the day. [
Pause.
]
Oh yes, many mercies, many mercies. [
Pause.
] And now? [
Pause.
]
And now, Willie? [
Long
pause.
]
I call to the eye of the mind … Mr Shower – or Cooker. [
She
closes
her
eyes.
Bell
rings
loudly.
She
opens
her
eyes.
Pause.
]
Hand in hand, in the other hands bags. [
Pause.
] Getting on … in life. [
Pause.
]
No longer young, not yet old. [
Pause.
]
Standing there gaping at me. [
Pause.
]
Can’t have been a bad bosom, he says, in its day. [
Pause.
]
Seen worse shoulders, he says, in my time. [
Pause.
]
Does she feel her legs? he says. [
Pause.
]
Is there any life in her legs? he says. [
Pause.
]
Has she anything on underneath? he says. [
Pause.
]
Ask her, he says, I’m shy. [
Pause.
]
Ask her what? she says. [
Pause.
]
Is there any life in her legs. [
Pause.
]
Has she anything on underneath. [
Pause.
]
Ask her yourself, she says. [
Pause.
With
sudden
violence.
]
Let go of me for Christ sake and drop! [
Pause.
Do.
]
Drop dead! [
Smile.
] But no. [
Smile
broader.
]
No no. [
Smile
off.
]
I watch them recede. [
Pause.
]
Hand in hand – and the bags. [
Pause.
] Dim. [
Pause.
]
Then gone. [
Pause.
]
Last human kind – to stray this way. [
Pause.
]
Up to date. [
Pause.
]
And now? [
Pause.
Low.
]
Help. [
Pause.
Do.
]
Help, Willie. [
Pause.
Do.
]
No? [
Long
pause.
Narrative.
]
Suddenly a mouse … [
Pause.
]
Suddenly a mouse ran up her little thigh and Mildred, dropping Dolly in her fright,
began to scream–[
WINNIE
gives
a
sudden
piercing
scream
]–and screamed and screamed–[
WINNIE
screams
twice
]–screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed till all came running, in their
night attire, papa, mamma, Bibby and … old Annie, to see what was the matter … [
pause
)

… what on earth could possibly be the matter. [
Pause.
]
Too late. [
Pause.
]
Too late. [
Long
pause.
Just
audible.
]
Willie. [
Pause.
Normal
voice.
]
Ah well, not long now, Winnie, can’t be long now, until the bell for sleep. [
Pause.
]
Then you may close your eyes, then you
must
close your eyes – and keep them closed. [
Pause.
]
Why say that again? [
Pause.
]
I used to think … [
pause
]
… I say I used to think there was no difference between one fraction of a second and
the next. [
Pause.
]
I used to say … [
pause
]
… I say I used to say, Winnie, you are changeless, there is never any difference
between one fraction of a second and the next. [
Pause.
]
Why bring that up again? [
Pause.
]
There is so little one can bring up, one brings up all. [
Pause.
]
All one can. [
Pause.
]
My neck is hurting me. [
Pause.
With
sudden
violence.
]
My neck is hurting me! [
Pause.
]
Ah that’s better. [
With
mild
irritation.
]
Everything within reason. [
Long
pause.
]
I can do no more. [
Pause.
]
Say no more. [
Pause.
] But I must say more. [
Pause.
]
Problem here. [
Pause.
]
No, something must move, in the world, I can’t any more. [
Pause.
]
A zephyr. [
Pause.
]
A breath. [
Pause.
]
What are those immortal lines? [
Pause.
]
It might be the eternal dark. [
Pause.
]
Black night without end. [
Pause.
]
Just chance, I take it, happy chance. [
Pause.
]
Oh yes, abounding mercies. [
Long
pause.
]
And now? [
Pause.
]
And now, Willie? [
Long
pause.
]
That day. [
Pause.
]
The pink fizz. [
Pause.
]
The flute glasses. [
Pause.
]
The last guest gone. [
Pause.
]
The last bumper with the bodies nearly touching. [
Pause.
]
The look. [
Long
pause.
]
What day? [
Long
pause.
]
What look? [
Long
pause.
]
I hear cries. [
Pause.
]
Sing. [
Pause.
]
Sing your old song, Winnie.

[
Long
pause.
Suddenly
alert
expression.
Eyes
switch
right.
WILLIE
’
s
head
appears
to
her
right
round
corner
of
mound.
He
is
on
all
fours,
dressed
to
kill
–
top
hat,
morning
coat,
striped
trousers,
etc.,
white
gloves
in
hand.
Very
long
bushy
white
Battle
of
Britain
moustache.
He
halts,
gazes
front,
smooths
moustache.
He
emerges
completely
from
behind
mound,
turns
to
his
left,
halts,
looks
up
at

WINNIE
.
He
advances
on
all
fours
towards
centre,
halts,
turns
head
front,
gazes
front,
strokes
moustache,
straightens
tie,
adjusts
hat,
advances
a
little
further,
halts,
takes
off
hat
and
looks
up
at

WINNIE
.
He
is
now
not
far
from
centre
and
within
her
field
of
vision.
Unable
to
sustain
effort
of
looking
up
he
sinks
head
to
ground.

WINNIE:
[
Mondaine
].
Well this is an unexpected pleasure! [
Pause.
]
Reminds me of the day you came whining for my hand. [
Pause.
]
I worship you, Winnie, be mine. [
He
looks
up.
]
Life a mockery without Win. [
She
goes
off
into
a
giggle.
]
What a get up, you do look a sight! [
Giggles.
] Where are the flowers? [
Pause.
]
That smile today, [
WILLIE
sinks
head.
]
What’s that on your neck, an anthrax? [
Pause.
]
Want to watch that, Willie, before it gets a hold on you. [
Pause.
]
Where were you all this time? [
Pause.
] What were you doing all this time? [
Pause.
]
Changing?
[
Pause.
]
Did you not hear me screaming for you? [
Pause.
] Did you get stuck in your hole? [
Pause.
He
looks
up.
]
That’s right, Willie, look at me. [
Pause.
]
Feast your old eyes,
Willie
. [
Pause.
]
Does anything remain? [
Pause.
]
Any remains? [
Pause.
]
No? [
Pause.
]
I haven’t been able to look after it, you know. [
He
sinks
his
head.
]
You are still recognizable, in a way. [
Pause.
]
Are you thinking of coming to live this side now … for a bit maybe? [
Pause.
]
No? [
Pause.
]
Just a brief call? [
Pause.
]
Have you gone deaf, Willie? [
Pause.
]
Dumb? [
Pause.
]
Oh I know you were never one to talk, I worship you Winnie be mine and then nothing
from that day forth only titbits from
Reynolds
’
News.
[
Eyes
front.
Pause.
]
Ah well, what matter, that’s what I always say, it will have been a happy day, after
all, another happy day. [
Pause.
]
Not long now, Winnie. [
Pause.
]
I hear cries. [
Pause.
]
Do you ever hear cries, Willie? [
Pause.
]
No? [
Eyes
back
on
WILLIE
.] Willie. [
Pause.
]
Look at me again, Willie. [
Pause.
]
Once more, Willie. [
He
looks
up.
Happily.
]
Ah! [
Pause.
Shocked.
] What ails you, Willie, I never saw such an expression! [
Pause.
]
Put on your hat, dear, it’s the sun, don’t stand on ceremony, I won’t mind. [
He
drops
hat
and
gloves
and
starts
to
crawl
up
mound
towards
her.
Gleeful.
]
Oh I say, this is terrific! [
He
halts,
clinging
to
mound
with
one
hand,
reaching
up
with
the
other.
]
Come on, dear, put a bit of jizz into it, I’ll cheer you on. [
Pause.
]
Is it me you’re after,
Willie
… or is it something else? [
Pause.
]
Do you want to touch my face … again? [
Pause.
]
Is it a kiss you’re after, Willie … or is it something else? [
Pause
.]
There was a time when I could have given you a hand. [
Pause.
]
And then a time before that again when I did give you a hand. [
Pause.
] You were always in dire need of a hand, Willie. [
He
slithers
back
to
foot
of
mound
and
lies
with
face
to
ground.
]
Brrum! [
Pause.
He
rises
to
hands
and
knees,
raises
his
face
towards
her.
]
Have another go, Willie, I’ll cheer you on. [
Pause.
] Don’t look at me like that! [
Pause.
Vehement.
]
Don’t look at me like that! [
Pause.
Low.
]
Have you gone off your head, Willie? [
Pause.
Do.
]
Out of your poor old wits, Willie? [
Pause.
]

WILLIE:
[
Just
audible.
] Win.

[
Pause,

WINNIE
’
s
eyes
front.
Happy
expression
appears,
grows.
]

WINNIE:
Win! [
Pause.
]
Oh this
is
a happy day, this will have been another happy day! [
Pause.
]
After all. [
Pause.
]
So far. [
Pause.
She
hums
tentatively
beginning
of
song,
then
sings
softly,
musical-box
tune.
]