Waiting for Godot Read Online Free PDF Page A

his handkerchief to Estragon
.) Comfort him, since you pity him. (
Estragon hesitates
.) Come on. (
Estragon takes the handkerchief
.) Wipe away his tears, he’ll feel less forsaken.
    Estragon hesitates
.
    VLADIMIR : Here, give it to me, I’ll do it.
    Estragon refuses to give the handkerchief
.
    Childish gestures
.
    POZZO : Make haste, before he stops. (
Estragon approaches Lucky and makes to wipe his eyes. Lucky kicks him violently in the shins. Estragon drops the
handkerchief, recoils, staggers about the stage howling with pain
.) Hanky!
Lucky puts down bag and basket, picks up handkerchief and gives it to Pozzo, goes back to his place, picks up bag and basket
.
    ESTRAGON : Oh the swine! (
He pulls up the leg of his trousers
.) He’s crippled me!
    POZZO : I told you he didn’t like strangers.
    VLADIMIR : (
to Estragon
). Show. (
Estragon shows his leg. To
    Pozzo, angrily
.) He’s bleeding!
    POZZO : It’s a good sign.
    ESTRAGON : (
on one leg
). I’ll never walk again!
    VLADIMIR : (
tenderly
). I’ll carry you. (
Pause
.) If necessary.
    POZZO : He’s stopped crying. (
To Estragon
.) You have replaced him as it were. (
Lyrically
.) The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh. (
He laughs
.) Let us not then speak ill of our generation, it is not any unhappier than its predecessors. (
Pause
.) Let us not speak well of it either. (
Pause
.) Let us not speak of it at all. (
Pause. Judiciously
.) It is true the population has increased.
    VLADIMIR : Try and walk.
    Estragon takes a few limping steps, stops before Lucky and spits on him, then goes and sits down on the mound
.
    POZZO : Guess who taught me all these beautiful things. (
Pause. Pointing to Lucky
.) My Lucky!
    VLADIMIR : (
looking at the sky
). Will night never come?
    POZZO : But for him all my thoughts, all my feelings, would have been of common things. (
Pause. With extraordinary vehemence
.) Professional worries! (
Calmer
.) Beauty, grace, truth of the first water, I knew they were all beyond me. So I took a knook.
    VLADIMIR : (
startled from his inspection of the sky
). A knook?
    POZZO : That was nearly sixty years ago . . . (
he consults his watch
) . . . yes, nearly sixty. (
Drawing himself up proudly
.) You wouldn’t think it to look at me, would you? Compared to him I look like a young man, no? (
Pause
.) Hat! (
Lucky puts down the basket and takes off his hat. His long white hair falls about his face. He puts his hat under his arm and picks up the basket
.) Now look. (
Pozzo takes off his hat
. 1
He is completely bald. He puts on his hat again
.) Did you see?
    VLADIMIR : And now you turn him away? Such an old and faithful servant!
    ESTRAGON : Swine!
    Pozzo more and more agitated
.
    VLADIMIR : After having sucked all the good out of him you chuck him away like a . . . like a banana skin. Really . . .
    POZZO : (
groaning
,
clutching his head
). I can’t bear it . . . any longer . . . the way he goes on . . . you’ve no idea . . . it’s terrible . . . he must go . . . (
he waves his arms
) . . . I’m going mad . . . (
he
collapses, his head in his hands
). . . I can’t bear it . . . any longer . . .
Silence. All look at Pozzo
.
    VLADIMIR : He can’t bear it.
    ESTRAGON : Any longer.
    VLADIMIR : He’s going mad.
    ESTRAGON : It’s terrible.
    VLADIMIR : (
to Lucky
). How dare you! It’s abominable! Such a good master! Crucify him like that! After so many years! Really!
    POZZO : (
sobbing
). He used to be so kind . . . so helpful . . . and entertaining . . . my good angel . . . and now . . . he’s killing me
    ESTRAGON : (
to Vladimir
). Does he want to replace him?
    VLADIMIR : What?
    ESTRAGON : Does he want someone to take his place or not?
    VLADIMIR : I don’t think so.
    ESTRAGON : What?
    VLADIMIR : I don’t know.
    ESTRAGON : Ask him.
    POZZO : (
calmer
). Gentlemen, I don’t know what