Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett Page B

yes, the two thieves. Do you remember the story?
    ESTRAGON : No.
    VLADIMIR : Shall I tell it to you?
    ESTRAGON : No.
    VLADIMIR : It’ll pass the time. (
Pause
.) Two thieves, crucified at the same time as our Saviour. One—
    ESTRAGON : Our what?
    VLADIMIR : Our Saviour. Two thieves. One is supposed to have been saved and the other . . . (
he searches for the contrary of saved
) . . . damned.
    ESTRAGON : Saved from what?
    VLADIMIR : Hell.
    ESTRAGON : I’m going.
    He does not move
.
    VLADIMIR : And yet . . . (
pause
) . . . how is it—this is not boring you I hope—how is it that of the four Evangelists only one speaks of a thief being saved. The four of them were there—or thereabouts—and only one speaks of a thief being saved. (
Pause
.) Come on, Gogo, return the ball, can’t you, once in a way?
    ESTRAGON : (
with exaggerated enthusiasm
). I find this really most extraordinarily interesting.
    VLADIMIR : One out of four. Of the other three two don’t mention any thieves at all and the third says that both of them abused him.
    ESTRAGON : Who?
    VLADIMIR : What?
    ESTRAGON : What’s all this about? Abused who?
    VLADIMIR : The Saviour.
    ESTRAGON : Why?
    VLADIMIR : Because he wouldn’t save them.
    ESTRAGON : From hell?
    VLADIMIR : Imbecile! From death.
    ESTRAGON : I thought you said hell.
    VLADIMIR : From death, from death.
    ESTRAGON : Well what of it?
    VLADIMIR : Then the two of them must have been damned.
    ESTRAGON : And why not?
    VLADIMIR : But one of the four says that one of the two was saved.
    ESTRAGON : Well? They don’t agree and that’s all there is to it.
    VLADIMIR : But all four were there. And only one speaks of a thief being saved. Why believe him rather than the others?
    ESTRAGON : Who believes him?
    VLADIMIR : Everybody. It’s the only version they know.
    ESTRAGON : People are bloody ignorant apes.
    He rises painfully, goes limping to extreme left, halts, gazes into distance off with his hands creening his eyes, turns, goes to extreme right, gazes into distance. Vladimir watches him, then
goes and picks up the boot, peers into it, drops it hastily
.
    VLADIMIR : Pah!
    He spits. Estragon moves to center, halts with his back to auditorium
.
    ESTRAGON : Charming spot. (
He turns, advances to front, halts facing auditorium
.) Inspiring prospects. (
He turns to Vladimir
.) Let’s go.
    VLADIMIR : We can’t.
    ESTRAGON : Why not?
    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 to-morrow.
    ESTRAGON : And then the day after to-morrow.
    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 auditorium
) that bog . . .
    Estragon: You’re sure it was this