Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot
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 tomorrow.
ESTRAGON
And then the day after tomorrow.
VLADIMIR
Possibly.
ESTRAGON
And so on.
Enter Macbeth with bloody daggers.
LADY MACBETH
My husband?
MACBETH
I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?
LADY MACBETH
I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry.
Did not you speak?
MACBETH When?
LADY MACBETH Now.
MACBETH As I descended?
LADY MACBETH Ay.
MACBETH Hark!—Who lies i’ th’ second chamber?
LADY MACBETH Donalbain.
MACBETH This is a sorry sight.
LADY MACBETH
A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight.
MACBETH
There’s one did laugh in ’s sleep, and one cried
“Murder!”
That they did wake each other. I stood and heard
them.
But they did say their prayers and addressed them
Again to sleep.
LADY MACBETH There are two lodged together.
MACBETH
One cried “God bless us” and “Amen” the other,
As they had seen me with these hangman’s hands,
List’ning their fear. I could not say “Amen”
When they did say “God bless us.”
LADY MACBETH Consider it not so deeply.
OLIVIA
Go call him hither.
(Exit MARIA)
I am as mad as he,
If sad and merry madness equal be.
(Re-enter MARIA, with MALVOLIO)
How now, Malvolio!
MALVOLIO
Sweet lady, ho, ho.
OLIVIA
Smilest thou?
I sent for thee upon a sad occasion.
MALVOLIO
Sad, lady! I could be sad: this does make some
obstruction in the blood, this cross-gartering; but
what of that? if it please the eye of one, it is
with me as the very true sonnet is, ‘Please one, and please all.’
OLIVIA
Why, how dost thou, man? what is the matter with thee?
MALVOLIO
Not black in my mind, though yellow in my legs. It did come to his hands, and commands shall be executed: I think we do know the sweet Roman hand.
OLIVIA
Wilt thou go to bed, Malvolio?
MALVOLIO
To bed! ay, sweet-heart, and I’ll come to thee.
OLIVIA
God comfort thee! Why dost thou smile so and kiss
thy hand so oft?
MARIA
How do you, Malvolio?
MALVOLIO
At your request! yes; nightingales answer daws.
MARIA
Why appear you with this ridiculous boldness before my lady?
MALVOLIO
‘Be not afraid of greatness:’ ’twas well writ.
