Written in French in 1962, with music by Marcel Mihalovici. First broadcast in English on the BBC Third Programme on 6 October 1964. First published in English in Evergreen Review (May/June 1963).
OPENER
VOICE
MUSIC
OPENER: [Cold.] It is the month of May… for me.
[Pause.]
Correct.
[Pause.]
I open.
VOICE: [Low, panting.]-story… if you could finish it… you could rest… sleep… not before… oh I know… the ones I've finished… thousands and one… all I ever did… in my life… with my life… saying to myself… finish this one… it's the right one… then rest… sleep… no more stories… no more words… and finished it… and not the right one… couldn't rest… straight away another… to begin… to finish… saying to myself… finish this one… then rest… this time… it's the right one… this time… you have it… and finished it… and not the right one… couldn't rest… straight away another… but this one… it's different… I'll finish it… I've got it… Woburn… I resume… a long life… already… say what you like… a few misfortunes… that's enough… five years later… ten… I don't know… Woburn… he's changed… not enough… recognizable… in the shed… yet another… waiting for night… night to fall… to go out… go on… elsewhere… sleep elsewhere… it's slow… he lifts his head… now and then… his eyes… to the window… it's darkening… earth darkening… it's night… he gets up… knees first… then up… on his feet… slips out… Woburn… same old coat… right the sea… left the hills… he has the choice… he has only-
OPENER: [With VOICE.] And I close.
[Silence.]
I open the other.
MUSIC:……………………………………
OPENER: [With MUSIC.] And I close.
[Silence.]
I open both.
OPENER: [With VOICE and MUSIC.] And I close.
[Silence.]
I start again.
VOICE:-down… gentle slopes… boreen… giant aspens… wind in the boughs… faint sea… Woburn… same old coat… he goes on… stops… not a soul… not yet… night too bright… say what you like… he goes on… hugging the bank… same old stick… he goes down… falls… on purpose or not… can't see… he's down… that's what counts… face in the mud… arms spread… that's the idea… already… there already… no not yet… he gets up… knees first… hands flat… in the mud… head sunk… then up… on his feet… huge bulk… come on… he goes on… he goes down… come on… in his head… what's in his head… a hole… a shelter… a hollow… in the dunes… a cave… vague memory… in his head… of a cave… he goes down… no more trees… no more bank… he's changed… not enough… night too bright… soon the dunes… no more cover… not a soul… not-[Silence.]
MUSIC:……………………………………
[Silence.]
OPENER: So, at will.
They say, It's in his head.
No. I open.
VOICE:-falls… again… on purpose or not… can't see… he's down… that's what matters… face in the sand… arms spread… bare dunes… not a scrub… same old coat… night too bright… say what you like… sea louder… thunder… manes of foam… Woburn… his head… what's in his head… peace… peace again… in his head… no further… no more searching… sleep… no not yet… he gets up… knees first… hands flat… in the sand… head sunk… then up… on his feet… huge bulk… same old broadbrim… jammed down… come on… he goes on… ton weight… in the sand… knee-deep… he goes down… sea-
OPENER: [With VOICE.] And I close.
[Silence.]
I open the other.
MUSIC:……………………………………
OPENER: [With MUSIC.] And I close.
[Silence.]
So, at will.
It's my life, I live on that.
[Pause.]
Correct.
[Pause.]
What do I open?
They say, He opens nothing, he has nothing to open, it's in his head.
They don't see me, they don't see what I do, they don't see what I have, and they say, He opens nothing, he has nothing to open, it's in his head.
I don't protest any more, I don't say any more,
There is nothing in my head.
I don't answer any more.
I open and close.
VOICE:-lights… of the land… the island… the sky… he need only… lift his head… his eyes… he'd see them… shine on him… but no… he-
[Silence.]
MUSIC: [Brief.]……………………………….
[Silence.]
OPENER: They say, That is not his life, he does not live on that. They don't see me, they don't see what my life is, they don't see what I live on, and they say, That is not his life, he does not live on that.
[Pause.]
I have lived on it… till I'm old.
Old enough.
Listen.
VOICE: [Weakening.]-this time… I'm there… Woburn… it's him… I've seen him… I've got him… come on… same old coat… he goes down… falls… falls again… on purpose or not… can't see… he's down… that's what counts… come on-
OPENER: [With VOICE.] Full strength.
VOICE:-face… in the stones… no more sand… all stones… that's the idea… we're there… this time… no not yet… he gets up… knees first… hands flat… in the stones… head sunk… then up… on his feet… huge bulk… Woburn… faster… he goes on… he goes down… he-
[Silence.]
MUSIC: [Weakening.]…………………………..
OPENER: [With MUSIC.] Full strength.
MUSIC:……………………………………
[Silence.]
OPENER: That's not all.
I open both.
Listen.
OPENER: From one world to another, it's as though they drew together. We have not much further to go. Good.
OPENER: Good.
[Pause.]
Yes, correct, the month of May.
You know, the reawakening.
[Pause.]
I open.
VOICE:-no tiller… no thwarts… no oars… afloat… sucked out… then back… aground… drags free… out… Woburn… he fills it… flat out… face in the bilge… arms spread… same old coat… hands clutching… the gunnels… no… I don't know… I see him… he clings on… out to sea… heading nowhere… for the island… then no more… else-
[Silence.]
MUSIC:……………………………………
[Silence.]
OPENER: They said, It's his own, it's his voice, it's in his head.
[Pause.]
VOICE:-faster… out… driving out… rearing… plunging… heading nowhere… for the island… then no more… elsewhere… anywhere… heading anywhere… lights-
[Pause.]
OPENER: No resemblance.
I answered, And that…
MUSIC: [Brief.]………………………………
[Silence.]
OPENER:… is that mine too?
But I don't answer any more.
And they don't say anything any more.
They have quit.
Good.
[Pause.]
Yes, correct, the month of May, the close of May.
The long days.
[Pause.]
I open.
[Pause.]
I'm afraid to open.
But I must open.
So I open.
VOICE:-come on… Woburn… arms spread… same old coat… face in the bilge… he clings on… island gone… far astern… heading out… open sea… land gone… his head… what's in his head… Woburn-
OPENER: [With VOICE.] Come on! Come on!
VOICE:-at last… we're there… no further… no more searching… in the dark… elsewhere… always elsewhere… we're there… nearly… Woburn… hang on… don't let go… lights gone… of the land… all gone… nearly all… too far… too late… of the sky… those… if you like… he need only… turn over… he'd see them… shine on him… but no… he clings on… Woburn… he's changed… nearly enough-
[Silence.]
MUSIC:……………………………………
OPENER: [With MUSIC.] God.
MUSIC:……………………………………
[Silence.]
OPENER: God God.
[Pause.]
There was a time I asked myself, What is it.
There were times I answered, It's the outing.
Two outings.
Then the return.
Where?
To the village.
To the inn.
Two outings, then at last the return, to the village, to the
inn, by the only road that leads there.
An image, like any other.
But I don't answer any more.
I open.
OPENER: [With VOICE and MUSIC.] As though they had linked their arms.
OPENER: [With VOICE and MUSIC.] Good.
OPENER: [With VOICE and MUSIC, fervently.] Good!
END
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