MS-HRC-SB-4-2-3

[0042] Spooool![0044] (Pause. [0045] He stoops to table, starts peering and poking
at the boxes.)[0046] Box...thrree...thrree...four...two...(with sur-
prise)...nine! Good God! ...seven...ah! ... the little rascal![0047] (He
separates ^{holds the} bi^ox three from others ^{up high between finger & thumb}.)[0048] Box thrree.[0049] (He ^{lays it on the table} opens it, peers
at the spools inside.)[0050] Spool...(he peers at ledger, finds entry)
...five. (He peers at spools.) Five...five...ah! the little
soundrel )^![0051] (He takes out a spool, straih^ghtens up, holds ^it up spool ^high
between finger and thumb.)

[0052] Spool five.[0053] (He lays it on table,
closes box three, puts it back with the others. He takes up
spool.)[0054] Box thrree, spool five.[0055] (He bends over machine, puts
spool on it,[0059] ^{loads tape on machine, rubs his hands.)}[0060] ^Ah![0061] ^{Now! (He etc} peers at ledger. Reading entry at foot of page.)
[0062] Mother at rest at last...[0064] The black ball...[0065](He raises his head.^{, stares front}
[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 in bowel condition...[0073]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 shi^oulders, peers again at ledger.)[0081] (Farewell to - (he turns
the page) - love.

[0082] He raises his head, broods, bends over machine, switches it on
and assumes listening posture, i.e. leaning forward, elbows on
table, hands cupping ear towards machine, face front.
[0083] (strong young voice, rather pompous, obviously Krapp's at a
much earlier time.)

[0084] This day, being in the third - [0085] (Settling
himself more comfotably comfortably he knocks a box off the
he curses, switches off machine, sweeps boxed and ledger violently
off the table, winds tape back to beginning, switches on machine.)
[0084] Thirty-seven today, sound as a -[0085] (Settling himself more com-
fortably he knocks one of the boxes f^off the table.^, He curses,
switches off machine, sweeps boxes and ledger from table
violently ½^from table, winds tape back to beginning, x^switches
on machine, resumes pose.)

[0086] Thirty-seven today, sound as a -
a...(hesitates)...whistle, apart from my old trouble, and in-
tellectually I have little dou ^now every reason to believe ^suspect at the½
the...(hesitates)...peak ^{apogee crest} of my powers - or thereabouts.[0087] Celebrat-
ed the awful occasion, as in recent years, quietly at the Wine-
house.[0088] No ^{Not o} face there I knew ^{Not a soul}.[0089] Sat before the fire with closed
eyes, separating the grain from the chaff.[0090] Jotted down a few note
notes, on the back of an envelope.

[0091] Good to be back home again ^{again in my den},
in my old rags.[0092] Have just eaten ^{I am ashamed to say regret to say} three bananas and only with an
effort ^{great difficulty} refrained from a fourth.[0097] The new light above my table is
a great improveme,ⁿt.[0098] With all this darkness round me I feel less
alone.[0099] (Pause.)[0100] In a way.[0101] ^(Pause.)[0102] I like to get up and move about in it,
then back here to...(hesitates)...me.

[0105] Pause.
[0106] The grain, what do I mean by that, I mean...(pause ^hesitates)...I suppose
I mean those things worth having when all the dust has - when all
my dust has settled.[0107] I close my eyes and try and imagine them.
[0108] Pause. ^{Long pause}