MS-HRC-SB-4-2-2

[0004] Front centre, sitting [⁁] ^{left profile to public, facing front} on a small wooden chair before ^at a ^xx
small ^narrow wp^ooden table, [⁁] ^{the two drawers of which xx the two drawers of which open towards audience facing front} X.
[0004] Little wearish old man.
[0005] Rusty nar black narrow trousers, too short for him.
[0006] Rusty black sleev^eless waistocaot, four ^capacious pockets.[0007] Heavy
silver watch and chain.[0008] Grimy white shirt, open at neck.
No collar.[0009] Surprising pai^r of ^dirty white boots, size ten, very
narrow and pointed.

[0010] Pallid face.[0011] Purple nose.[0012] ^{Plenty of Disordered grey hair.}[0013] ^Unshaven.
[0014] Very near-sighted ^{(but unspectacled)} and[0015] hard of hearing.[0014] ^{No glasses.}
[0016] Croaking ^Cracked voice,[0017] characteristic ^peculiar accent.

[0019] On the ^{centre of} table a tape-recorder^. and ^{On its right} a number of cardboard
boxes containing recorded tapes.[0019|001] [⁁] ^{On its left} A ^{thick worn} ledger.
[0020] Table and immeditaely adjacent area in strong ^white light.[0021] Rest
of stage in darkness.
^{[cf. Verso ←]} [0036] (reading from ledger, his nose down on it).[0037] Box...thrree...
spool...five.[0038] (He turns his head and stares front. [0039] With
relish.)[0040] Spool![0041] (Pause.) [0042] Spoool![0044] (Pause. [0045] He turns back to
table, starts peering and poking at the boxes.)

[0046] Box...thrr
thrree...thrree...four...two...(with surprise) nine!..good
God! ^Jesus!...seven...ah!..the little rascal![0047] (He separates box
three from the others.)[0048] Box thrree.[0049] (He opens it, peers at
the spools inside.)[0050] Spool...(he peers at ledger, finds the
entry)f^...five. (He peers at spools.) Five...five...[0051](He takes
out a spool, straightens up, holds up spool between finger
and thumb.)

[0052] Spool five.[0053] (He lays it on table, closes box
three and puts it back with the others. He takes up spool.)
[0054] Box thrree, spool five.[0061] (He puts spool on machine, peers
at ledger. Reading entry at foot of page.)[0062] Mother at
rest...[0064] The black ball...[0065] (He raises his head. [0066] Puzzled.)[0067] Black
ball?[0067|001] (Pause.) [0068] He peers again at ledger, reads.)[0069] The dark
nurse.[0070] (He raises his head, broods, peers again at ledger.)
[0071] Improvement of bowel condition...[0073]memorale Memorable...what?

[0074] (He peers closer.)[0075] Equinox, memorable equinox.[0076] (He raises
his head, stares front. [0077] Puzzled.)[0078] Memorable equinox? [0079] (Pause.
[0080] He shrugs his shoulders, peers again at ledger.)[0081] Farewell
to - (he turns the pages) - love.
[0082] He broods, closes ledger, bends over machine, switches it
on and assumes listening posture, ;ⁱ.e. ear cupped towards
machine, face front. ^{ear pulled with leaning forward, elbows on table, ear pulled with forefinger toward hand cupping ear, face front.}

[0083] (strong young voice, rather pompous, but obviously his ^A's
at a much earlier time.)[0084] Thirty-seven today^, and sound -
(Settling himself more comfortably he ^A knocks a box off
the table. He ca^urses, switches off machine, sweeps boxes

[0085] (Settling himself more comfortably he ^A knocks a box off
the table. He ca^urses, switches off machine, sweeps boxes