The Collected Shorter Plays by Samuel Beckett Page B

unimaginable. [
Pause
.] So you are here all the time?
HE
Without cease.
[
Pause
.]
SHE
How troubled you look! [
Pause
.] May one see them?
HE
No, madam.
SHE
I may not go and see them?
HE
No, madam.
[
Pause
.]
SHE
May we have a little light?
HE
No, madam.
[
Pause
.]
SHE
How cold you are! [
Pause
.] Are these the two knobs?
HE
Yes.
SHE
Just push? [
Pause
.] Is it live? [
Pause
.] I ask you is it live.
HE
No, you must twist. [
Pause
.] To the right.
[
Click
.]
MUSIC
[
faint
] ...........................................
[
Silence
.]
SHE
[
astonished
] But there are more than one!
HE
Yes.
SHE
How many?
[
Pause
.]
HE
To the right, madam, to the right.
[
Click
.]
VOICE
[
faint
] ...........................................
SHE
[
with voice
] Louder!
VOICE
[
no louder
] ........................................
[
Silence
.]
SHE
[
astonished
] But he is alone!
HE
Yes.
SHE
All alone?
HE
When one is alone one is all alone.
[
Pause
.]
SHE
What is it like together?
[
Pause
.]
HE
To the right, madam.
[
Click
.]
MUSIC
[
faint, brief
] .....................................

[
Silence
.]
SHE
They are not together?
HE
No.
SHE
They cannot see each other?
HE
No.
SHE
Hear each other?
HE
No.
SHE
It’s inconceivable!
[
Pause
.]
HE
To the right, madam.
[
Click
.]
VOICE
[
faint
] ...........................................
SHE
[
with voice
] Louder!
VOICE
[
no louder
] .......................................
[
Silence
.]
SHE
And—[
faint stress
]—
you
like that?
HE
It is a need.
SHE
A need?
That
a need?
HE
It has become a need. [
Pause
.] To the right, madam.
[
Click
.]
MUSIC
[
faint
] .........................................
SHE
[
with music
] Louder!
MUSIC
[
no louder
] ......................................
[
Silence
.]
SHE
That too? [
Pause
.] That a need too?
HE
It has become a need, madam.
SHE
Are they in the same . . . situation?
[
Pause
.]
HE
I don’t understand.
SHE
Are they . . . subject to the same . . . conditions?
HE
Yes, madam.
SHE
For instance? [
Pause
.] For instance?
HE
One cannot describe them, madam.
[
Pause
.]
SHE
Well, I’m obliged to you.
HE
Allow me, this way.
[
Pause
.]
SHE
[
a little off
] Is that a Turkoman?
HE
[
ditto
] Allow me.
SHE
[
a little further off
] How troubled you look! [
Pause
.] Well, I’ll leave you. [
Pause
.] To your needs.
HE
[
ditto
] Goodbye, madam. [
Pause
.] To the right, madam, that’s the garbage—[
faint stress
]—the
house
garbage. [
Pause
.] Goodbye, madam.
[
Long pause. Sound of curtains violently drawn, first one, then the other, clatter of the heavy rings along the rods. Pause. Faint ping
—
as sometimes happens
—
of telephone receiver raised from cradle. Faint sound of dialling. Pause
.] Hello . . . Miss . . . is the doctor . . . ah . . . yes . . . he to call me . . . Macgillycuddy . . . Mac-gilly-cuddy . . . right . . . he’ll know . . . and Miss . . . Miss! . . . urgent . . . yes! . . . [
shrill
] . . . most urgent!
[
Pause. Receiver put down with same faint ping. Pause. Click
.]
MUSIC
[
faint
] ...........................................
HE
[
with music
] Good God!
MUSIC
[
faint
] ...........................................
[
Silence. Pause. Click
.]
VOICE
[
faint
] ...........................................
HE
[
with voice, shrill
] Come on! Come on!
VOICE
[
faint
] ...........................................
[
Silence
.]
HE
[
low
] What’ll I do? [
Pause. Faint ping of receiver raised again. Faint dialling. Pause
.] Hello . . . Miss . . . Macgilly cuddy . . . Mac-gillycuddy . . . right . . . I’m sorry but . . . ah . . . yes . . . of course . . .can’t reach him . . . no idea . . . understand . . . right . . . immediately . . . the moment he gets back . . . what? . . . [
shrill
] . . . yes! . . . I told you so! . . . most urgent! . . . most urgent! . . . [
Pause. Low
.] Slut! [
Sound of receiver put down violently. Pause. Click
.]
MUSIC
[
faint, brief
] .......................................
[
Silence. Click
.]
VOICE
[
faint, brief
]
HE
[
with voice, shrill
] It’s