MME. KRAP
I am terribly worried.
M. KRAP
Then threatening. Then tearful.
(A silence) For the five-hundredth
time . (A silence) You implored,
shouted, cried. (A silence. Violently) Answer!
MME. KRAP
But of course , Henri, you' re well
aware of that.
M. KRAP
(Reassured) Excellent. (Mme.
Krap gets up) Just a moment.
(Mme. Krap sits down again ) You
threatened to cut him off?
MME. KRAP
Yes, I told him that this could no
longer go on.
M. KRAP
Will wonders never cease .
MME. KRAP
I had already warned him of it.
M. KRAP
But without pushing him to the
wall?
MME. KRAP
Yes.
M. KRAP
It is today that you were to bring
him the money?
MME. KRAP
Yes.
M. KRAP
Then why did you invite Jeanne?
MME. KRAP
I wanted her to come with me.
M. KRAP
Then Marguerite came?
MME. KRAP
Yes.
M. KRAP
You saw Jeanne before she left?
ELEUTHERIA
57
MME. KRAP
Yes.
M. K.Jw>
You said nothing to her?
MME. KRAP
No. She was furious.
M. KRAP
You gave it to him?
MME. KRAP
What?
M. KRAP
You gave him the money?
.
MME. KRAP
No.
M. KRAP
What did he say?
MME. KRAP
That it was of no importance.
M. KRAP
And that he did not want to see
you anymore?
MME. KRAP
Yes.
M. KRAP
Fine fine fine. (He rubs his hands.
Mme. Krap weeps. Handkerchief.
She controls herself) O h ! you 've
already finished?
MME. KRAP
One must not give way.
M. KRAP
Yes, do ! do ! on the contrary, it is
- (He breaks off, struck by a
painful thought) But what are you
going to do right now?
MME. KRAP
What I am going to do?
M. KRAP
You are not going over there any
more?
MME. KRAP
I don ' t know.
M. KRAP
But you have no more tricks up
your sleeve. (An interval) Unless
you find something else .
MME. KRAP
For sure we will find something. It
cannot go on like this.
5 8
SA.IUEL BECKETT
M. KRAP
Bravo !
M�tE. KRAP
Can it?
M. KRAP
Vhy, of course not. For sure we
will find something. (Mme. Krap
gets up) So that it does go on like
this.
M�1E. KRAP
Vhat?
M. KRAP
One more little question and I am
done.
MME. KRAP
(Sitting dm"n again ) I am late .
M. KRAP
Oh th em, they can wait. (A silence)
How many times did you want to
get rid of it?
M�1E. KRAP
(Under her breath) Three times.
M. KRAP
And that yielded nothing?
M�IE. KRAP
Only discomforts.
M. KRAP
Only discomforts ! (Pause) Then
you said - let's see - what are
those nice words you had?
M�1E. KRAP
Nice words?
M. KRAP
·why of course - let's see - since
it is here - ?
M�IE. KRAP
Let's keep it, since it is here.
M. KRAP
(Animatedly) That is it! That is it!
Lets keep it since it is here! (Pause)
We were on the water. Your oarsman had a knife. I was no longer
rowing. The waves rocked us.
(Pause) He too was rocked by the
waves. (Pause) You are sure that
he is mine?
ELEUTHERIA
59
MME. KRAP
(Upon reflection) There is - er
- a seventy per cent chance.
M. KRAP
My stock is rising.
MME. KRAP
That is all?
M. KRAP
Ah yes, that is all.
MME. KRAP
( Getting up) You are not angry
with me any more, Henri?
M. KRAP
Angry? On the contrary. I am very
pleased with you, Violette, very
pleased. You have really been just
fine, utterly straightforward.
MME. KRAP
Enjoy your evening. ( Goes)
M. KRAP
Violette !
MME. KRAP
(Stopping) Yes?
M. KRAP
You have no desire to kiss me?
MME. KRAP
Oh not now, Henri. I am so late.
M. KRAP
That is true.
MME. KRAP
(Mischievously) And then, I am
still, you know, a little bit afraid of
your knife. (Exit)
(A rather long silence)
M. KRAP
Amuse the rubbernecks!
(A silence . A knock. A silence.
Another knock. A silence . Enter
Jacques)
jACQUES
Monsieur is served.
M. KRAP
What more do you want?
jACQUES
Monsieur is served.
M. KRAP
You can say it.
jACQUES
Monsieur prefers that I serve him
60
SAMUEL BECKETI
here?
M. KRAP
Serve him what?
jACQUES
Why, Monsieur's dinner.
M. KRAP
Ah yes, dinner. (Reflects) I will
not be having dinner.
jACQUES
(Pained) Monsieur is having
nothing?
M. KRAP
Not tonight.
jACQUES
Monsieur is not feeling well?
M. KRAP
Same as usual .
(A silence)
jACQUES
Monsieur has no desire to hear a
little music?
M. KRAP
Music?
jACQUES
That often does Monsieur good.
(A silence) The Kopek Quartet is
on right now, Monsieur. We are
getting it in the pantry. Very nice
program, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
What?
jACQUES
Schubert, Monsieur. (A silence) I
could plug it in in the drawing
room, Monsieur, and leave the
doors open . Monsieur does not
like it when the volume is too
high.
M. KRAP
Do as you like. (Exit jacques.
Music. It is the Andante from the
Quartet in A flat. For a good
minute , if possible . Increasing
agitation of M. Krap. Then, with
ELEUTHERIA
61
all his might) Jacques ! Jacques!
(He tries to get up. Music)
Jacques! (Music. Jacques runs in)
Stop! Stop! (Exit jacques. Music.
Music stops.) What an abomination ! (Enter Jacques)
jACQUES
Monsieur does not like it? (Increasing agitation of Monsieur
Krap) I am dreadfully sorry,
Monsieur. (A silence) Monsieur
does not wish for anything?
M. KRAP
Do not leave me.
jACQUES
Of course not, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
Talk to me a little.
jACQUES
Is there something that is of
particular interest to Monsieur. (A
silence) Monsieur has seen the
papers.
M. KRAP
I saw them yesterday.
jACQUES
What does Monsieur think of the
new administration?
M. KRAP
No, no, not that.
(A silence)
jACQUES
Monsieur has good news concerning Monsieur his son?
(A silence)
M. KRAP
The wedding is when?
jACQUES
Monsieur means Marie and me?
M. KRAP
Yes.
jACQUES
We expect in a month or two,
Monsieur.
62
SA..1UEL BECKETI
M. KRAP
You already make love?
jACQUES
We - er - I - er - not precisely love, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
I have not offended you?
jACQUES
Oh Monsieur! . . .
M. KRAP
You are a bit obsequious, Jacques.
jACQUES
I rather like grovelling, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
Then you are right.
(Marie appears at the door)
MARIE
Madame is asking for Monsieur
on the telephone.
M. KRAP
Move a little this way, Marie .
( Marie moves forward) Closer.
(Marie stands next to the floor
lamp) Turn around. (Marie turns
around) She is cute .
What am I to reply to Madame,
Monsieur.
M. KRAP
That I am coming.
MARIE
Very good, Monsieur. (Exit)
M. KRAP
You must never be bored.
jACQUES
From time to time, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
Take the call.
jACQUES
Very good, Monsieur. (Exit. M.
Krap motionless. Enter Jacques)
Madame asks after Monsieur and
sends word that Doctor Piouk
regrets that Monsieur did not
accompany Madame. Doctor
Piouk had many things to say to
Monsieur.
ELEUTHERIA
63
M. KRAP
You hung up?
jACQUES
Yes. I thought I was doing the
right thing.
(A silence)
M. KRAP
Jacques.
jACQUES .
Yes, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
I would like you to kiss me.
jACQUES
Why certainly, Monsieur. On
Monsieur's cheek?
M. KRAP
Where you like.
Qacques kisses Monsieur Krap)
jACQUES
Again, Monsieur?
M. KRAP
Thank you, no.
jACQUES
Very good, Monsieur. (He draws
himself up again )
M. KRAP
Look. ( Gives him a one-hundred-
franc bill)
jACQUES
(Taking it) Oh, there was no need
for that, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
You prickle .
jACQUES
Monsieur also prickles a little.
M. KRAP
You kiss well.
jACQUES
I do my best, Monsieur.
(A silence)
M. KRAP
I should have been homosexual.
(A silence) What do you think of
it?
jACQUES
Of what, Monsieur?
M. KRAP
Of homosexuality.
jACQUES
I think that it must amount to
64
SAMUEL BECKETT
nearly the same thing, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
You are cynical.
(A silence)
jACQUES
Am I to remain close by Monsieur?
M. KRAP
No, you can abandon me.
jACQUES
Would Monsieur not be better off
going to bed? (A silence) There is
nothing else that I can do for
Monsieur?
M. KRAP
No. Yes. Put out that abominable
light.
jACQUES
Very good, Monsieur. (He
switches off the floor lamp) I am
leaving the small lamp on, Monsieur. (A silence) Good night,
Monsieur.
M. KRAP
Good night. Qacques goes) Leave
the doors open.
jACQUES
Very good, Monsieur.
M. KRAP
So that you hear my cries.
jACQUES
Very good, M - Excuse me,
Monsieur?
M. KRAP
Leave it open .
jACQUES
Very good, Monsieur. (He exits,
uneasy) ·
(M. Krap motionless)
M. KRAP
Curtain.
(M. Krap motionless)
CURTAIN
ACT II
The next day. Late aft ernoon.
Victor's lodgings, a wretched furnished room whose
sole piece of furniture is a folding bedstead.
Victor alone. Sordidly dressed, in his stocking feet, he
moves back and forth. He stops near the footlights, looks
at the audience, wants to speak, changes his mind, resume
his walk. He again comes to a dead halt before the footlights, searches for the right words, ill at ease.
VIcrOR
I must say . . I am not . . . (He falls
.
silent, resumes his walk, picks up a
shoe and throws it through the
windowpane. Enter immediately a
Glazier, with all his gear and
Victor's shoe in his hand. He
work) Impossible to break any-
thing.
GLAZIER
But you broke it.
VICfOR
Neither can anything be lost.
(Enter a young boy, with a box in
his hand)
GLAZIER
That is my assistant. He is the one
who carries the putty. Isn ' t that so,
Michel?
MICHEL
Yes, papa.
GLAZIER
Yes, Monsieur.
MICHEL
Yes, Monsieur.
GLAZIER
You have the diamond?
66
SA.1.UEL BECKETT
MICHEL
No, Monsieur.
GlAZIER
Tsk! tsk! Quick! go find the diamond.
MICHEL
Yes, Monsieur. (Goes)
GlAZIER
Do not take away the putty!
(Michel sets the box down near
the window and exits) He was
making off with the putty!
(Scrapes) Little scatterbrain !
(Scrapes) An d the diamond.
(Scrapes) What do you expect me
to do without a diamond? (Turning toward Victor) Without a
diamond I am nothing, Monsieur.
(Enter Michel) How long does it
take you. You have it?
MICHEL
Yes, Monsieur.
GlAZIER
Come around that way. Right near
me. Make ready.
MICHEL
Yes, monsieur.
GlAZIER
I do not speak like a glazier, eh?
VIcroR
I do not know.
GlAZIER
You can trust me.
VIcroR
They sent you to spy on me?
GlAZIER
You wouldn ' t have broken the
window then I wouldn 't be here.
(A silence . The Glazier is working) Do you not see, Monsieur,
what must be admired about me is
that I am useless.
VIGrOR
You are of use in repairing my
windowpane.
ELEUTHERIA
67
GlAZIER
All right, but you will break it
again tomorrow. That is, I hope
so.
VIcroR
As for me I break it in vain and as
for you you repair it in vain.
GlAZIER
That is it!
VIcroR
It would be simplest not to begin.
GlAZIER
(Turning around) Ah Monsieur,
now don 't start talking nonsense.
(Enter Madame Karl, an old
woman)
MME. KARL
You broke the pane.
GlAZIER
His shoe , Madame, went clean
through.
MME. KARL
The general's wife .
VIcroR
The general's wife?
MME. KARL
Yes.
VIcrOR
Tell her that I went out.
MME. KARL
I told her. She does not want to
leave.
VIcroR
Then let her stay.
MME. KARL
She is on her way up.
VICfOR
But she must be stopped !
MME. KARL
She has two blokes with her. Her
chauffeur and another one .
VICfOR
I am going down .
MME. KARL
It is too late. (She goes out on the
landing, comes back) She is on
the fourth floor. She 's puffing.
VICfOR
She's alone?
MME. KARL
I am telling you there are two
68
SA.fUEL BECKETI
blokes with her.
GlAZIER
Her chauffeur and another one,
unidentified.
VIcroR
What's to be done?
GlAZIER
Hide.
VIcroR
Where?
GlAZIER
Under the bed.
VIcroR
You think so?
GlAZIER
Hurry! hurry! under the bed.
(Victor hides under the bed)
MME. KARL
There she is. (Enter Mme . Meek.
She searches Victor out with her
eyes) I told you that he was not in.
GlAZIER
Allow me, Madame, to identify
myself. I am supposed to be the