Читать книгу Endgame and Act Without Words - Samuel Beckett - Страница 4

For Roger Blin

Fin de partie was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London on April 3, 1957. It was directed by Roger Blin, and the décor was designed by Jacques Noel. Hamm was played by Roger Blin, Clov by Jean Martin, Nagg by Georges Adet, and Nell by Christine Tsingos. Beckett translated the text into English in 1957, and the first English-language performance of Endgame took place at the Cherry Lane Theater, New York, on January 28, 1958. It was directed by Alan Schneider. Hamm was played by Lester Rawlins, Clov by Alvin Epstein, Nagg by P. J. Kelly, and Nell by Nydia Westman.

Acte sans paroles I was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London on April 3, 1957. It was directed and performed by Deryk Mendel, the décor was designed by Jacques Noel, and the music composed by John Beckett. Act Without Words I was performed in 1972 at The Forum Theatre, Lincoln Center, in New York. It was directed by Alan Schneider and performed by Hume Cronyn.

Nagg

Nell

Hamm

Clov

Bare interior.

Grey light.

Left and right back, high up, two small windows, curtains drawn. Front right, a door. Hanging near door, its face to wall, a picture. Front left, touching each other, covered with an old sheet, two ashbins. Center, in an armchair on castors, covered with an old sheet, Hamm. Motionless by the door, his eyes fixed on Hamm, Clov. Very red face. Brief tableau.

Clov goes and stands under window left. Stiff, staggering walk. He looks up at window left. He turns and looks at window right. He goes and stands under window right. He looks up at window right. He turns and looks at window left. He goes out, comes back immediately with a small step-ladder, carries it over and sets it down under window left, gets up on it, draws back curtain. He gets down, takes six steps (for example) towards window right, goes back for ladder, carries it over and sets it down under window right, gets up on it, draws back curtain. He gets down, takes three steps towards window left, goes back for ladder, carries it over and sets it down under window left, gets up on it, looks out of window. Brief laugh. He gets down, takes one step towards window right, goes back for ladder, carries it over and sets it down under window right, gets up on it, looks out of window. Brief laugh. He gets down, goes with ladder towards ashbins, halts, turns, carries back ladder and sets it down under window right, goes to ashbins, removes sheet covering them, folds it over his arm. He raises one lid, stoops and looks into bin. Brief laugh. He closes lid. Same with other bin. He goes to Hamm, removes sheet covering him, folds it over his arm. In a dressing-gown, a stiff toque on his head, a large blood-stained handkerchief over his face, a whistle hanging from his neck, a rug over his knees, thick socks on his feet, Hamm seems to be asleep. Clov looks him over. Brief laugh. He goes to door, halts, turns towards auditorium.

CLOV [fixed gaze, tonelessly] Finished, it’s finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished.

[Pause.]

Grain upon grain, one by one, and one day, suddenly, there’s a heap, a little heap, the impossible heap.

[Pause.]

I can’t be punished any more.

[Pause.]

I’ll go now to my kitchen, ten feet by ten feet by ten feet, and wait for him to whistle me.

[Pause.]

Nice dimensions, nice proportions, I’ll lean on the table, and look at the wall, and wait for him to whistle me.

[He remains a moment motionless, then goes out. He comes back immediately, goes to window right, takes up the ladder and carries it out. Pause. Hamm stirs. He yawns under the handkerchief. He removes the handkerchief from his face. Very red face. Black glasses.]

HAMM Me—

[he yawns]

—to play.

[He holds the handkerchief spread out before him.]

Old stancher!

[He takes off his glasses, wipes his eyes, his face, the glasses, puts them on again, folds the handkerchief and puts it back neatly in the breast-pocket of his dressing-gown. He clears his throat, joins the tips of his fingers.]

Can there be misery—

[he yawns]

—loftier than mine? No doubt. Formerly. But now?

[Pause.]

My father?

[Pause.]

My mother?

[Pause.]

My . . . dog?

[Pause.]

Oh I am willing to believe they suffer as much as such creatures can suffer. But does that mean their sufferings equal mine? No doubt.

[Pause.]

No, all is a—

[he yawns]

—bsolute,

[proudly]

the bigger a man is the fuller he is.

[Pause. Gloomily.]

And the emptier.

[He sniffs.]

Clov!

[Pause.]

No, alone.

[Pause.]

What dreams! Those forests!

[Pause.]

Enough, it’s time it ended, in the shelter too.

[Pause.]

And yet I hesitate, I hesitate to . . . to end. Yes, there it is, it’s time it ended and yet I hesitate to—

[he yawns]

—to end.

[Yawns.]

God, I’m tired, I’d be better off in bed.

[He whistles. Enter Clov immediately. He halts beside the chair.]

You pollute the air!

[Pause.]

Get me ready, I’m going to bed.

CLOV I’ve just got you up.

HAMM And what of it?

CLOV I can’t be getting you up and putting you to bed every five minutes, I have things to do.

[Pause.]

HAMM Did you ever see my eyes?

CLOV No.

HAMM Did you never have the curiosity, while I was sleeping, to take off my glasses and look at my eyes?

CLOV Pulling back the lids?

[Pause.]

No.

HAMM One of these days I’ll show them to you.

[Pause.]

It seems they’ve gone all white.

[Pause.]

What time is it?

CLOV The same as usual.

HAMM [gesture towards window right] Have you looked?

CLOV Yes.

HAMM Well?

CLOV Zero.

HAMM It’d need to rain.

CLOV It won’t rain.

[Pause.]

HAMM Apart from that, how do you feel?

CLOV I don’t complain.

HAMM You feel normal?

CLOV [irritably] I tell you I don’t complain.

HAMM I feel a little queer.

[Pause.]

Clov!

CLOV Yes.

HAMM Have you not had enough?

CLOV Yes!

[Pause.]

Of what?

HAMM Of this . . . this . . . thing.

CLOV I always had.

[Pause.]

Not you?

HAMM [gloomily] Then there’s no reason for it to change.

CLOV It may end.

[Pause.]

All life long the same questions, the same answers.

HAMM Get me ready.

[Clov does not move.]

Go and get the sheet.

[Clov does not move.]

Clov!

CLOV Yes.

HAMM I’ll give you nothing more to eat.

CLOV Then we’ll die.

HAMM I’ll give you just enough to keep you from dying. You’ll be hungry all the time.

CLOV Then we won’t die.

[Pause.]

I’ll go and get the sheet.

[He goes towards the door.]

HAMM No!

[Clov halts.]

I’ll give you one biscuit per day.

[Pause.]

One and a half.

[Pause.]

Why do you stay with me?

CLOV Why do you keep me?

HAMM There’s no one else.

CLOV There’s nowhere else.

[Pause.]

HAMM You’re leaving me all the same.

CLOV I’m trying.

HAMM You don’t love me.

CLOV No.

HAMM You loved me once.

CLOV Once!

HAMM I’ve made you suffer too much.

[Pause.]

Haven’t I?

CLOV It’s not that.

HAMM [shocked] I haven’t made you suffer too much?

CLOV Yes!

HAMM [relieved] Ah you gave me a fright!

[Pause. Coldly.]

Forgive me.

[Pause. Louder.]

I said, Forgive me.

CLOV I heard you.

[Pause.]

Have you bled?

HAMM Less.

[Pause.]

Is it not time for my pain-killer?

CLOV No.

[Pause.]

HAMM How are your eyes?

CLOV Bad.

HAMM How are your legs?

CLOV Bad.

HAMM But you can move.

CLOV Yes.

HAMM [violently] Then move!

[Clov goes to back wall, leans against it with his forehead and hands.]

Where are you?

CLOV Here.

HAMM Come back!

[Clov returns to his place beside the chair.]

Where are you?

CLOV Here.

HAMM Why don’t you kill me?

CLOV I don’t know the combination of the cupboard.

[Pause.]

HAMM Go and get two bicycle-wheels.

CLOV There are no more bicycle-wheels.

HAMM What have you done with your bicycle?

CLOV I never had a bicycle.

HAMM The thing is impossible.

CLOV When there were still bicycles I wept to have one. I crawled at your feet. You told me to go to hell. Now there are none.

HAMM And your rounds? When you inspected my paupers. Always on foot?

CLOV Sometimes on horse.

[The lid of one of the bins lifts and the hands of Nagg appear, gripping the rim. Then his head emerges. Nightcap. Very white face. Nagg yawns, then listens.]

I’ll leave you, I have things to do.

HAMM In your kitchen?

CLOV Yes.

HAMM Outside of here it’s death.

[Pause.]

All right, be off.

[Exit Clov. Pause.]

We’re getting on.

NAGG Me pap!

HAMM Accursed progenitor!

NAGG Me pap!

HAMM The old folks at home! No decency left! Guzzle, guzzle, that’s all they think of.

[He whistles. Enter Clov. He halts beside the chair.]

Well! I thought you were leaving me.

CLOV Oh not just yet, not just yet.

NAGG Me pap!

HAMM Give him his pap.

CLOV There’s no more pap.

HAMM [to Nagg] Do you hear that? There’s no more pap. You’ll never get any more pap.

NAGG I want me pap!

HAMM Give him a biscuit.

[Exit Clov.]

Accursed fornicator! How are your stumps?

NAGG Never mind me stumps.

[Enter Clov with biscuit.]

CLOV I’m back again, with the biscuit.

[He gives biscuit to Nagg who fingers it, sniffs it.]

NAGG [plaintively] What is it?

CLOV Spratt’s medium.

NAGG [as before] It’s hard! I can’t!

HAMM Bottle him!

[Clov pushes Nagg back into the bin, closes the lid.]

CLOV [returning to his place beside the chair] If age but knew!

HAMM Sit on him!

CLOV I can’t sit.

HAMM True. And I can’t stand.

CLOV So it is.

HAMM Every man his speciality.

[Pause.]

No phone calls?

[Pause.]

Don’t we laugh?

CLOV [after reflection] I don’t feel like it.

HAMM [after reflection] Nor I.

[Pause.]

Clov!

CLOV Yes.

HAMM Nature has forgotten us.

CLOV There’s no more nature.

HAMM No more nature! You exaggerate.

CLOV In the vicinity.

HAMM But we breathe, we change! We lose our hair, our teeth! Our bloom! Our ideals!

CLOV Then she hasn’t forgotten us.

HAMM But you say there is none.

CLOV [sadly] No one that ever lived ever thought so crooked as we.

HAMM We do what we can.

CLOV We shouldn’t.

[Pause.]

HAMM You’re a bit of all right, aren’t you?

CLOV A smithereen.

[Pause.]

HAMM This is slow work.

[Pause.]

Is it not time for my pain-killer?

CLOV No.

[Pause.]

I’ll leave you, I have things to do.

HAMM In your kitchen?

CLOV Yes.

HAMM What, I’d like to know.

CLOV I look at the wall.

HAMM The wall! And what do you see on your wall? Mene, mene?

Naked bodies?

CLOV I see my light dying.

HAMM Your light dying! Listen to that! Well, it can die just as well here, your light. Take a look at me and then come back and tell me what you think of your light.

[Pause.]

CLOV You shouldn’t speak to me like that.

[Pause.]

HAMM [coldly] Forgive me.

[Pause. Louder.]

I said, Forgive me.

CLOV I heard you.

[The lid of Nagg’s bin lifts. His hands appear, gripping the rim. Then his head emerges. In his mouth the biscuit. He listens.]

HAMM Did your seeds come up?

CLOV No.

HAMM Did you scratch round them to see if they had sprouted?

CLOV They haven’t sprouted.

HAMM Perhaps it’s still too early.

CLOV If they were going to sprout they would have sprouted.

[Violently.]

They’ll never sprout!

[Pause. Nagg takes biscuit in his hand.]

HAMM This is not much fun.

[Pause.]

But that’s always the way at the end of the day, isn’t it, Clov?

CLOV Always.

HAMM It’s the end of the day like any other day, isn’t it, Clov?

CLOV Looks like it.

[Pause.]

HAMM [anguished] What’s happening, what’s happening?

CLOV Something is taking its course.

[Pause.]

HAMM All right, be off.

[He leans back in his chair, remains motionless. Clov does not move, heaves a great groaning sigh. Hamm sits up.]

I thought I told you to be off.

CLOV I’m trying.

[He goes to door, halts.]

Ever since I was whelped.

[Exit Clov.]

HAMM We’re getting on.

[He leans back in his chair, remains motionless. Nagg knocks on the lid of the other bin. Pause. He knocks harder. The lid lifts and the hands of Nell appear, gripping the rim. Then her head emerges. Lace cap. Very white face.]

NELL What is it, my pet?

[Pause.]

Time for love?

NAGG Were you asleep?

NELL Oh no!

NAGG Kiss me.

NELL We can’t.

NAGG Try.

[Their heads strain towards each other, fail to meet, fall apart again.]

NELL Why this farce, day after day?

[Pause.]

NAGG I’ve lost me tooth.

NELL When?

NAGG I had it yesterday.