The Complete Dramatic Works Read Free Page A

careful! He’s wicked. [ VLADIMIR and   ESTRAGON   turn towards POZZO .] With strangers.
    ESTRAGON: [ Undertone. ]Is that him?
    VLADIMIR: Who?
    ESTRAGON: [ Trying to remember the name. ]Er …
    VLADIMIR: Godot?
    ESTRAGON: Yes.
    POZZO: I present myself: Pozzo.
    VLADIMIR: [ To   ESTRAGON .] Not at all!
    ESTRAGON: He said Godot.
    VLADIMIR: Not at all!
    ESTRAGON: [ Timidly to   POZZO .] You’re not Mr Godot, sir?
    POZZO: [ Terrifying voice .]I am Pozzo! [ Silence. ]Pozzo! [ Silence .]Does that name mean nothing to you? [ Silence .] I say does that name mean nothing to you? [ VLADIMIR and   ESTRAGON look at each other questioningly .]
    ESTRAGON: [ Pretending to search .] Bozzo … Bozzo …
    VLADIMIR: [ Ditto .] Pozzo … Pozzo …
    POZZO: PPPOZZZO !
    ESTRAGON: Ah! Pozzo … let me see … Pozzo …
    VLADIMIR: It is Pozzo or Bozzo?
    ESTRAGON: Pozzo … no … I’m afraid I … no … I don’t seem to …
[ POZZO advances threateningly .]
    VLADIMIR: [ Conciliating .]I once knew a family called Gozzo. The mother had the clap.
    ESTRAGON: [ Hastily. ]We’re not from these parts, sir.
    POZZO: [ Halting .]You are human beings none the less. [ He puts on his glasses .]As far as one can see. [ He takes off his glasses .]Of the same species as myself. [ He bursts into an enormous laugh .]Of the same species as Pozzo! Made in God’s image!
    VLADIMIR: Well you see –
    POZZO: [ Peremptory .]Who is Godot?
    ESTRAGON: Godot?
    POZZO: You took me for Godot.
    ESTRAGON: Oh no, sir, not for an instant, sir.
    POZZO: Who is he?
    VLADIMIR: Oh, he’s a … he’s a kind of acquaintance.
    ESTRAGON: Nothing of the kind, we hardly know him.
    VLADIMIR: True … we don’t know him very well … but all the same …
    ESTRAGON: Personally I wouldn’t even know him if I saw him.
    POZZO: You took me for him.
    ESTRAGON: [ Recoiling before POZZO .] That’s to say … you understand … the dusk … the strain … waiting … I confess …
     I imagined … for a second …
    POZZO: Waiting? So you were waiting for him?
    VLADIMIR: Well you see –
    POZZO: Here? On my land?
    VLADIMIR: We didn’t intend any harm.
    ESTRAGON: We meant well.
    POZZO: The road is free to all.
    VLADIMIR: That’s how we looked at it.
    POZZO: It’s a disgrace. But there you are.
    ESTRAGON: Nothing we can do about it.
    POZZO: [ With magnanimous gesture .]Let’s say no more about it. [ He jerks the rope .]Up pig! [ Pause. ]Every time he drops he falls asleep. [ Jerks the rope. ]Up hog! [ Noise of   LUCKY getting up and picking up his baggage,   POZZO jerks the rope .]Back! [ Enter LUCKY backwards. ]Stop! [ LUCKY stops .]Turn! [ LUCKY turns. To VLADIMIR and   ESTRAGON , affably .]Gentlemen, I am happy to have met you. [ Before their incredulous expression .]Yes, yes, sincerely happy. [ He jerks the rope .]Closer! [ LUCKY   advances .]Stop! [ LUCKY stops .]Yes, the road seems long when one journeys all alone for … [ He consults his watch ]… yes … [ He calculates ]…yes, six hours, that’s right, six hours on end, and never a soul in sight. [ To LUCKY .] Coat! [ LUCKY puts down the bag, advances, gives the coat, goes back to his place, takes up the bag .] Hold that! [ POZZO holds out the whip, LUCKY advances and, both his hands being occupied, takes the whip in his mouth, then goes back to his place, POZZO begins to put on his coat, stops .]Coat! [ LUCKY puts down bag, basket and stool, advances, helps   POZZO on with his coat, goes back to his place and takes up bag, basket and stool. ] Touch of autumn in the air this evening, [ POZZO finishes buttoning his coat, stoops, inspects himself, straightens up .]Whip! [ LUCKY advances, stoops,  POZZO snatches the whip from his mouth,   LUCKY goes back to his place .]Yes, gentlemen, I cannot go for long without the society of my likes [ He puts on his glasses and looks at the two likes ] even when the likeness is an imperfect one. [ He takes off his glasses. ]Stool! [ LUCKY puts down bag and basket, advances, opens