HE
SHE
MUSIC
VOICE
HE: [Gloomily.] Madam.
SHE: Are you all right? [Pause.] You asked me to come.
HE: I ask no one to come here.
SHE: You suffered me to come.
HE: I meet my debts.
[Pause.]
SHE: I have come to listen.
HE: When you please.
[Pause.]
SHE: May I squat on this hassock? [Pause.] Thank you.
[Pause.] May we have a little heat?
HE: No, Madam.
[Pause.]
SHE: Is it true the music goes on all the time?
HE: Yes.
SHE: Without cease?
HE: Without cease?
SHE: It's unthinkable! [Pause.] And the words too? All the time too?
HE: All the time.
SHE: Without cease?
HE: Yes.
SHE: It's unimaginable. [Pause.] So you are here all the time?
HE: Without cease.
[Pause.]
SHE: How troubled you look! [Pause.] May one see them?
HE: No, Madam.
SHE: I may not go and see them?
HE: No, Madam.
[Pause.]
SHE: May we have a little light?
HE: No, Madam.
[Pause.]
SHE: How cold you are! [Pause.] Are these the two knobs?
HE: Yes.
SHE: Just push? [Pause.] Is it live? [Pause.] I ask you is it live.
HE: No, you must twist. [Pause.] To the right.
[Click.]
MUSIC: [Faint.]…………………………….
[Silence.]
SHE: [Astonished.] But there are more than one!
HE: Yes.
SHE: How many?
[Pause.]
HE: To the right, Madam, to the right.
[Click.]
VOICE: [Faint.]…………………………….
SHE: [With voice.] Louder!
VOICE: [No louder.]………………………….
[Silence.]
SHE: [Astonished.] But he is alone!
HE: Yes.
SHE: All alone?
HE: When one is alone one is all alone.
[Pause.]
SHE: What is it like together?
[Pause.]
HE: To the right, Madam.
[Click.]
MUSIC: [Faint, brief.]………………………….
SHE: They are not together?
HE: No.
SHE: They cannot see each other?
HE: No.
SHE: Hear each other?
HE: No.
SHE: It's inconceivable!
[Pause.]
HE: To the right, Madam.
[Click.]
VOICE: [Faint.]……………………………..
SHE: [With voice.] Louder!
VOICE: [No louder.]…………………………..
[Silence.]
SHE: And-[Faint stress.]-you like that?
HE: It is a need.
SHE: A need? That a need?
HE: It has become a need. [Pause.] To the right, Madam.
[Click.]
MUSIC: [Faint.]……………………………..
SHE: [With music.] Louder!
MUSIC: [No louder.]…………………………..
[Silence.]
SHE: That too? [Pause.] That a need too?
HE: It has become a need, Madam.
SHE: Are they in the same… situation?
[Pause.]
HE: I don't understand.
SHE: Are they… subject to the same… conditions?
HE: Yes, Madam.
SHE: For instance? [Pause.] For instance?
HE: One cannot describe them, Madam.
[Pause.]
SHE: Well, I'm obliged to you.
HE: Allow me, this way.
[Pause.]
SHE: [A little off.] Is that a Turkoman?
HE: [Ditto.] Allow me.
SHE: [A little further off.] How troubled you look! [Pause.] Well, I'll leave you. [Pause.] To your needs.
HE: [Ditto.] Good-bye, Madam. [Pause.] To the right, Madam, that's the garbage-[Faint stress.]-the house garbage. [Pause.] Good-bye, Madam.
[Long pause. Sound of curtains violently drawn, first one, then the other, clatter of the heavy rings along the rods. Pause. Faint ping-as sometimes happens-of telephone receiver raised from cradle. Faint sound of dialing. Pause.] Hello… Miss… is the doctor… ah… yes… he to call me… Macgillycuddy… Mac-gilly-cuddy… right… he'll know… and Miss… Miss!… urgent… yes!… [Shrill.]… most urgent! [Pause. Receiver put down with same faint ping. Pause. Click.]
MUSIC: [Faint.]……………………………..
HE: [With music.] Good God!
MUSIC: [Faint.]……………………………..
[Silence. Pause. Click.]
VOICE: [Faint.]………………………………
HE: [With voice, shrill.] Come on! Come on!
VOICE: [Faint.]……………………………..
[Silence.]
HE: [Low.] What'll I do? [Pause. Faint ping of receiver raised again. Faint dialling. Pause.] Hello… Miss… Macgillycuddy… Mac-gilly-cuddy… right… I'm sorry but… ah… yes… of course… can't reach him… no idea… understand… right… immediately… the moment he gets back… what?… [Shrill.]… yes!… I told you so!… most urgent!… most urgent!… [Pause. Low.] Slut!
[Sound of receiver put down violently. Pause. Click.]
MUSIC: [Faint. Brief.]………………………….
[Silence. Click.]
VOICE: [Faint. Brief.]………………………….
HE: [With voice, shrill.] It's crazy! Like one!
HE: [With music and voice.] Yes… wait… [Music and voice silent. Very agitated.] Yes… yes… no matter… what the trouble is?… they're ending… ENDING… this morning… what?… no!… no question!… ENDING I tell you… nothing what?… to be done?… I know there's nothing to be done… what?… no!… it's me… ME… what? I tell you they're ending… ENDING… I can't stay like that after… who?… but she's left me… ah for God's sake… haven't they all left me?… did you not know that?… all left me… sure?… of course I'm sure… what?… in an hour?… not before?… wait… [Low.]… there's more… they're together… TOGETHER… yes… I don't know… like… [Hesitation.]… one… the breathing… I don't know… [Vehement.]… no!… never!… meet?… how could they meet?… what?… what are all alike?… last what?… gasps?… wait… don't go yet… wait!… [Pause. Sound of receiver put down violently. Low.] Swine!
[Pause. Click.]
MUSIC: [Failing.]……………………………
HE: [With music and voice.] Miss… what?… [Music and voice silent.]… a confinement?… [Long pause.]… two confinements?… [Long pause.]… one what?… what?… breech?… what?… [Long pause.]… tomorrow noon?…
[Long pause. Faint ping as receiver put gently down. Long pause. Click.]
MUSIC: [Brief, failing.]…………………………
HE: [Whisper.] Tomorrow… noon…
聚合中文网 阅读好时光 www.juhezwn.com
小提示:漏章、缺章、错字过多试试导航栏右上角的源