blue.Thevery
lookofitmademethirsty.That'swhere
we'llgo,Iused
tosay,that'swherewe'llgoforour
honeymoon.We'll
swim.We'llbehappy.
VLADIMIR:
Youshouldhavebeenapoet.
ESTRAGON:
Iwas.(Gesturetowardshisrags.)Isn't
thatobvious?
Silence.
VLADIMIR:
WherewasI...How'syourfoot?
ESTRAGON:
Swellingvisibly.
VLADIMIR:
Ahyes,thetwothieves.Doyouremember
thestory?
ESTRAGON:
No.
VLADIMIR:
ShallItellittoyou?
ESTRAGON:
No.
VLADIMIR:
It'llpassthetime.(Pause.)Two
thieves,crucifiedatthe
sametimeasourSaviour.One–
ESTRAGON:
Ourwhat?
VLADIMIR:
OurSaviour.Twothieves.Oneis
supposedtohavebeen
savedandtheother...(hesearches
forthecontrary
ofsaved)...damned.
ESTRAGON:
Savedfromwhat?
VLADIMIR:
Hell.
ESTRAGON:
I'mgoing.
Hedoesnotmove.
VLADIMIR:
Andyet...(pause)...howisit—
thisisnotboringyou
Ihope—howisitthatofthefour
Evangelistsonlyone
speaksofathiefbeingsaved.Thefour
ofthemwere
there—orthereabouts—andonlyone
speaksofathief
beingsaved.(Pause.)Comeon,Didi,
returntheball,can't
you,onceinawhile?
ESTRAGON:
(withexaggeratedenthusiasm).Ifind
thisreallymost
extraordinarilyinteresting.
VLADIMIR:
Oneoutoffour.Oftheotherthreetwo
don'tmentionany
thievesatallandthethirdsaysthat
bothofthemabused
him.
ESTRAGON:
Who?
VLADIMIR:
What?
ESTRAGON:
What'sallthisabout?Abusedwho?
VLADIMIR:
TheSaviour.
ESTRAGON:
Why?
VLADIMIR:
Becausehewouldn'tsavethem.
ESTRAGON:
Fromhell?
VLADIMIR:
Imbecile!Fromdeath.
ESTRAGON:
Ithoughtyousaidhell.
VLADIMIR:
Fromdeath,fromdeath.
ESTRAGON:
Wellwhatofit?
VLADIMIR:
Thenthetwoofthemmusthavebeen
damned.
ESTRAGON:
Andwhynot?
VLADIMIR:
Butoneofthefoursaysthatoneofthe
twowassaved.
ESTRAGON:
Well?Theydon'tagreeandthat'sall
thereistoit.
VLADIMIR:
Butallfourwerethere.Andonlyone
speaksofathief
beingsaved.Whybelievehimratherthan
theothers?
ESTRAGON:
Whobelieveshim?
VLADIMIR:
Everybody.It'stheonlyversionthey
know.
ESTRAGON:
Peoplearebloodyignorantapes.
Herisespainfully,goeslimpingto
extremeleft,halts,
gazesintodistanceoffwithhishand
screeninghiseyes,
turns,goestoextremeright,gazesinto
distance.
Vladimirwatcheshim,thengoesand
picksuptheboot,
peersintoit,dropsithastily.
VLADIMIR:
Pah!
Hespits.Estragonmovestocenter,
haltswithhisback
toauditorium.
ESTRAGON:
Charmingspot.(Heturns,advancesto
front,haltsfacing
auditorium.)Inspiringprospects.(He
turnstoVladimir.)
Let'sgo.
VLADIMIR:
Wecan't.
ESTRAGON:
Whynot?
VLADIMIR:
We'rewaitingforGodot.
ESTRAGON:
(despairingly).Ah!(Pause.)You'resure
itwashere?
VLADIMIR:
What?
ESTRAGON:
Thatweweretowait.
VLADIMIR:
Hesaidbythetree.(Theylookatthe
tree.)Doyousee
anyothers?
ESTRAGON:
Whatisit?
VLADIMIR:
Idon'tknow.Awillow.
ESTRAGON:
Wherearetheleaves?
VLADIMIR:
Itmustbedead.
ESTRAGON:
Nomoreweeping.
VLADIMIR:
Orperhapsit'snottheseason.
ESTRAGON:
Lookstomemorelikeabush.
VLADIMIR:
Ashrub.
ESTRAGON:
Abush.
VLADIMIR:
A–.Whatareyouinsinuating?That
we'vecometothe
wrongplace?
ESTRAGON:
Heshouldbehere.
VLADIMIR:
Hedidn'tsayforsurehe'dcome.
ESTRAGON:
Andifhedoesn'tcome?
VLADIMIR:
We'llcomebacktomorrow.
ESTRAGON:
Andthenthedayaftertomorrow.
VLADIMIR:
Possibly.
ESTRAGON:
Andsoon.
VLADIMIR:
Thepointis–
ESTRAGON:
Untilhecomes.
VLADIMIR:
You'remerciless.
ESTRAGON:
Wecamehereyesterday.
VLADIMIR:
Ahno,thereyou'remistaken.
ESTRAGON:
Whatdidwedoyesterday?
VLADIMIR:
Whatdidwedoyesterday?
ESTRAGON:
Yes.
VLADIMIR:
Why...(Angrily.)Nothingiscertain
whenyou'reabout.
ESTRAGON:
Inmyopinionwewerehere.
VLADIMIR:
(lookinground).Yourecognizethe
place?
ESTRAGON:
Ididn'tsaythat.
VLADIMIR:
Well?
ESTRAGON:
Thatmakesnodifference.
VLADIMIR:
Allthesame...thattree...
(turningtowards
auditorium)thatbog...
ESTRAGON:
You'resureitwasthisevening?
VLADIMIR:
What?
ESTRAGON:
Thatweweretowait.
VLADIMIR:
HesaidSaturday.(Pause.)Ithink.
ESTRAGON:
Youthink.
VLADIMIR:
Imusthavemadeanoteofit.(He
fumblesinhis
pockets,burstingwithmiscellaneous
rubbish.)
ESTRAGON:
(veryinsidious).ButwhatSaturday?And
isitSaturday?
IsitnotratherSunday?(Pause.)Or
Monday?(Pause.)Or
Friday?
VLADIMIR:
(lookingwildlyabouthim,asthoughthe
datewas
inscribedinthelandscape).It'snot
possible!
ESTRAGON:
OrThursday?
VLADIMIR:
What'llwedo?
ESTRAGON:
Ifhecameyesterdayandweweren'there
youmaybe
surehewon'tcomeagaintoday.
VLADIMIR:
Butyousaywewerehereyesterday.
ESTRAGON:
Imaybemistaken.(Pause.)Let'sstop
talkingfora
minute,doyoumind?
VLADIMIR:
(feebly).Allright.(Estragonsitsdown
onthemound.
Vladimirpacesagitatedlytoandfro,
haltingfromtimeto
timetogazeintodistanceoff.Estragon
fallsasleep.
VladimirhaltsfinallybeforeEstragon.)
Gogo!...Gogo!.
..GOGO!
Estragonwakeswithastart.
ESTRAGON:
(restoredtothehorrorofhis
situation).Iwasasleep!
(Despairingly.)Whywillyouneverlet
mesleep?
VLADIMIR:
Ifeltlonely.
ESTRAGON:
Ihadadream.
VLADIMIR:
Don'ttellme!
ESTRAGON:
Idreamtthat–
VLADIMIR:
DON'TTELLME!
ESTRAGON:
(gesturetowardtheuniverse).Thisone
isenoughfor
you?(Silence.)It'snotniceofyou,
Didi.WhoamItotell
myprivatenightmarestoifIcan'ttell
themtoyou?
VLADIMIR:
Letthemremainprivate.YouknowI
can'tbearthat.
ESTRAGON:
(coldly.)TherearetimeswhenIwonder
ifitwouldn'tbe
betterforustopart.
VLADIMIR:
Youwouldn'tgofar.
ESTRAGON:
Thatwouldbetoobad,reallytoobad.
(Pause.)Wouldn't
it,Didi,bereallytoobad?(Pause.)
Whenyouthinkofthe
beautyoftheway.(Pause.)Andthe
goodnessofthe
wayfarers.(Pause.Wheedling.)Wouldn't
it,Didi?
VLADIMIR:
Calmyourself.
ESTRAGON:
(voluptuously.)Calm...calm...
TheEnglishsaycawm.
(Pause.)Youknowthestoryofthe
Englishmaninthe
brothel?
VLADIMIR:
Yes.
ESTRAGON:
Tellittome.
VLADIMIR:
Ahstopit!
ESTRAGON:
AnEnglishmanhavingdrunkalittlemore
thanusual
proceedstoabrothel.Thebawdaskshim
ifhewantsa
fairone,adarkoneorared-haired
one.Goon.
VLADIMIR:
STOPIT!
ExitVladimirhurriedly.Estragongets
upandfollowshim
asfarasthelimitofthestage.
GesturesofEstragonlike
thoseofaspectatorencouraginga
pugilist.Enter
Vladimir.HebrushespastEstragon,
crossesthestage
withbowedhead.Estragontakesastep
towardshim,
halts.
ESTRAGON:
(gently.)Youwantedtospeaktome?
(Silence.Estragon
takesastepforward.)Youhadsomething
tosaytome?
(Silence.Anotherstepforward.)Didi.
..
VLADIMIR:
(withoutturning).I'venothingtosay
toyou.
ESTRAGON:
(stepforward).You'reangry?(Silence.
Stepforward).
Forgiveme.(Silence.Stepforward.
Estragonlayshis
handonVladimir'sshoulder.)Come,
Didi.(Silence.)Give
meyourhand.(Vladimirhalfturns.)
Embraceme!
(Vladimirstiffens.)Don'tbestubborn!
(Vladimirsoftens.
Theyembrace.Estragonrecoils.)You
stinkofgarlic!
VLADIMIR:
It'sforthekidneys.(Silence.Estragon
looksattentively
atthetree.)Whatdowedonow?
ESTRAGON:
Wait.
VLADIMIR:
Yes,butwhilewaiting.
ESTRAGON:
Whatabouthangingourselves?
VLADIMIR:
Hmm.It'dgiveusanerection.
ESTRAGON:
(highlyexcited).Anerection!
VLADIMIR:
Withallthatfollows.Whereitfalls
mandrakesgrow.
That'swhytheyshriekwhenyoupull
themup.Didyou
notknowthat?
ESTRAGON:
Let'shangourselvesimmediately!
VLADIMIR:
Fromabough?(Theygotowardsthe
tree.)Iwouldn't
trustit.
ESTRAGON:
Wecanalwaystry.
VLADIMIR:
Goahead.
ESTRAGON:
Afteryou.
VLADIMIR:
Nono,youfirst.
ESTRAGON:
Whyme?
VLADIMIR:
You'relighterthanIam.
ESTRAGON:
Justso!
VLADIMIR:
Idon'tunderstand.
ESTRAGON:
Useyourintelligence,can'tyou?
Vladimiruseshisintelligence.
VLADIMIR:
(finally).Iremaininthedark.
ESTRAGON:
Thisishowitis.(Hereflects.)The
bough...thebough
...(Angrily.)Useyourhead,can't
you?
VLADIMIR:
You'remyonlyhope.
ESTRAGON:
(witheffort).Gogolight–boughnot
break–Gogodead.Didi
heavy–boughbreak–Didialone.Whereas
–
VLADIMIR:
Ihadn'tthoughtofthat.
ESTRAGON:
Ifithangsyouit'llhanganything.
VLADIMIR:
ButamIheavierthanyou?
ESTRAGON:
Soyoutellme.Idon'tknow.There'san
evenchance.Or
nearly.
VLADIMIR:
Well?Whatdowedo?
ESTRAGON:
Don'tlet'sdoanything.It'ssafer.
VLADIMIR:
Let'swaitandseewhathesays.
ESTRAGON:
Who?
VLADIMIR:
Godot.
ESTRAGON:
Goodidea.
VLADIMIR:
Let'swaittillweknowexactlyhowwe
stand.
ESTRAGON:
Ontheotherhanditmightbebetterto
striketheiron
beforeitfreezes.
VLADIMIR:
I'mcurioustohearwhathehasto
offer.Thenwe'lltake
itorleaveit.
ESTRAGON:
Whatexactlydidweaskhimfor?
VLADIMIR:
Wereyounotthere?
ESTRAGON:
Ican'thavebeenlistening.
VLADIMIR:
Oh...Nothingverydefinite.
ESTRAGON:
Akindofprayer.
VLADIMIR:
Precisely.
ESTRAGON:
Avaguesupplication.
VLADIMIR:
Exactly.
ESTRAGON:
Andwhatdidhereply?
VLADIMIR:
Thathe'dsee.
ESTRAGON:
Thathecouldn'tpromiseanything.
VLADIMIR:
Thathe'dhavetothinkitover.
ESTRAGON:
Inthequietofhishome.
VLADIMIR:
Consulthisfamily.
ESTRAGON:
Hisfriends.
VLADIMIR:
Hisagents.
ESTRAGON:
Hiscorrespondents.
VLADIMIR:
Hisbooks.
ESTRAGON:
Hisbankaccount.
VLADIMIR:
Beforetakingadecision.
ESTRAGON:
It'sthenormalthing.
VLADIMIR:
Isitnot?
ESTRAGON:
Ithinkitis.
VLADIMIR:
Ithinksotoo.
Silence.
ESTRAGON:
(anxious).Andwe?
VLADIMIR:
Ibegyourpardon?
ESTRAGON:
Isaid,Andwe?
VLADIMIR:
Idon'tunderstand.
ESTRAGON:
Wheredowecomein?
VLADIMIR:
Comein?
ESTRAGON:
Takeyourtime.
VLADIMIR:
Comein?Onourhandsandknees.
ESTRAGON:
Asbadasthat?
VLADIMIR:
YourWorshipwishestoasserthis
prerogatives?
ESTRAGON:
We'venorightsanymore?
LaughofVladimir,stifledasbefore,
lessthesmile.
VLADIMIR:
You'dmakemelaughifitwasn't
prohibited.
ESTRAGON:
We'velostourrights?
VLADIMIR:
(distinctly).Wegotridofthem.
Silence.Theyremainmotionless,arms
dangling,heads
sunk,saggingattheknees.
ESTRAGON:
(feebly).We'renottied?(Pause.)We're
not–
VLADIMIR:
Listen!
Theylisten,grotesquelyrigid.
ESTRAGON:
Ihearnothing.
VLADIMIR:
Hsst!(Theylisten.Estragonloseshis
balance,almost
falls.HeclutchesthearmofVladimir,
whototters.They
listen,huddledtogether.)NorI.
Sighsofrelief.Theyrelaxand
separate.
ESTRAGON:
Yougavemeafright.
VLADIMIR:
Ithoughtitwashe.
ESTRAGON:
Who?
VLADIMIR:
Godot.
ESTRAGON:
Pah!Thewindinthereeds.
VLADIMIR:
IcouldhaveswornIheardshouts.
ESTRAGON:
Andwhywouldheshout?
VLADIMIR:
Athishorse.
Silence.
ESTRAGON:
(violently).I'mhungry!
VLADIMIR:
Doyouwantacarrot?
ESTRAGON:
Isthatallthereis?
VLADIMIR:
Imighthavesometurnips.
ESTRAGON:
Givemeacarrot.(Vladimirrummagesin
hispockets,
takesoutaturnipandgivesitto
Estragonwhotakesa
biteoutofit.Angrily.)It'saturnip!
VLADIMIR:
Ohpardon!Icouldhaveswornitwasa
carrot.(He
rummagesagaininhispockets,finds
nothingbut
turnips.)Allthat'sturnips.(He
rummages.)Youmust
haveeatenthelast.(Herummages.)
Wait,Ihaveit.(He
bringsoutacarrotandgivesitto
Estragon.)There,dear
fellow.(Estragonwipesthecarroton
hissleeveand
beginstoeatit.)Makeitlast,that's
