 |
Existentialism
Jean Paul Sartre (1905 - 1980)
No Exit (4) |
Wait a minute, there's a snag somewhere; something disagreeable.
Why, now, should it be disagreeable?...Ah,I see; it's
life without a break. (Jean Paul Sartre - huis clos)
|
1
2 3
4
| ESTELLE: |
Not
any man. You. |
|
GARCIN: |
No
humbug now. Any man would do your business. As I happen
to be here, you want me. Right! Mind, I'm not your sort
at all, really; I'm not a young nincompoop and I don't
dance the tango. |
| ESTELLE: |
I'll
take you as you are. And perhaps I shall change you. |
| GARCIN: |
I
doubt it. I shan't pay much attention; I've other things
to think about. |
| ESTELLE: |
What
things? |
| GARCIN: |
They
wouldn't interest you. |
| ESTELLE: |
I'll
sit on your sofa and wait for you to take some notice
of me. I promise not to bother you at all. |
| INEZ: |
That's
right, fawn on him, like the silly bitch you are. Grovel
and cringe! And he hasn't even good looks to commend him! |
| ESTELLE: |
Don't
listen to her. She has no eyes, no ears. She's-- nothing. |
| GARCIN: |
I'll
give you what I can. It doesn't amount to much. I shan't
love you; I know you too well. |
| ESTELLE: |
Do
you want me, anyhow? |
| GARCIN: |
Yes. |
| ESTELLE: |
I
ask no more. |
| GARCIN: |
In
that case-- |
| INEZ: |
Estelle!
Garcin! You must be going crazy. You're not alone. I'm
here too. |
| GARCIN: |
Of
course-- but what does it matter? |
| INEZ: |
Under
my eyes? You couldn't-- couldn't do it. |
| ESTELLE: |
Why
not? I often undressed with my maid looking on. |
| INEZ: |
Let
her alone. Don't paw her with your dirty man's hands. |
| GARCIN: |
Take
care. I'm no gentleman, and I'd have no compunction about
striking a woman. |
| INEZ: |
But
you promised me; you promised. I'm only asking you to
keep your word. |
| GARCIN: |
Why
should I, considering you were the first to break our
agreement? |
| INEZ: |
Very
well, have it your own way. I'm the weaker party, one
against two. But don't forget I'm here, and watching.
I shan't take my eyes off you, Garcin; when you're kissing
her, you'll feel them boring into you. Yes, have it your
own way, make love and get it over. We're in hell; my
turn will come. |
| GARCIN: |
Now
then. Your lips. Give me your lips. |
| ESTELLE: |
Really! Didn't I tell you not to pay attention to her? |
| GARCIN: |
You've
got it wrong. It's Gomez; he's back in the press-room.
They've shut the windows; it must be winter down there.
Six months since I--Well, I warned you I'd be absent-minded
sometimes, didn't I? They're shivering, they've kept their
coats on. Funny they should feel the cold like that, when
I'm feeling so hot. Ah, this time he's talking about me. |
| ESTELLE: |
Is
it going to last long? You might at least tell me what
he's saying. |
| GARCIN: |
Nothing. Nothing worth repeating. He's a swine, that's
all. A god-damned bloody swine. Let's come back to-- to
ourselves. Are you going to love me? |
| ESTELLE: |
I
wonder now! |
| GARCIN: |
Will
you trust me? |
| ESTELLE: |
What
a quaint thing to ask! Considering you'll be under my
eyes all the time, and I don't think I've much to fear
from Inez, so far as you're concerned. |
| GARCIN: |
Obviously.
I was thinking of another kind of trust. Talk away, talk
away, you swine. I'm not there to defend myself. Estelle,
you MUST give me your trust. |
| ESTELLE: |
Oh,
what a nuisance you are! I'm giving you my mouth, my arms,
my whole body-- and everything could be so simple...My
trust! I haven't any to give, I'm afraid, and you're making
me terribly embarrassed. You must have something pretty
ghastly on your conscience to make such a fuss about my
trusting you. |
| GARCIN: |
They
shot me. |
| ESTELLE: |
I
know. Because you refused to fight. Well, why shouldn't
you? |
| GARCIN: |
I--I
didn't exactly refuse. I must say he talks well, he makes
out a good case against me, but he never says what I should
have done instead. Should I have gone to the general and
said: "General, I decline to fight"? A mug's
game; they'd have promptly locked me up. But I wanted
to show my colors, my true colors, do you understand?
I wasn't going to be silenced. So I--I took the train....
They caught me at the frontier. |
| ESTELLE: |
Where
were you trying to go? |
| GARCIN: |
To
Mexico. I meant to launch a pacifist newspaper down there.
Well, why don't you speak? |
| ESTELLE: |
What
could I say? You acted quite rightly, as you didn't want
to fight. But, darling, how on earth can I guess what
you want me to answer? |
| INEZ: |
Can't
you guess? Well, I can. He wants you to tell him that
he bolted like a lion. For "bolt" he did, and
that's what biting him. |
| GARCIN: |
"Bolted,"
"went away,"-- we won't quarrel over words. |
| ESTELLE: |
But
you had to run away. If you'd stayed they'd have sent
you to jail, wouldn't they? |
| GARCIN: |
Of
course. Well, Estelle, am I a coward? |
| ESTELLE: |
How
can I say? Don't be so unreasonable, darling. I can't
put myself in your skin. You must decide that for yourself. |
| GARCIN: |
I
can't decide. |
| ESTELLE: |
Anyway,
you must remember. You must have had reasons for acting
as you did. |
| GARCIN: |
I had. |
| ESTELLE:
|
Well? |
| GARCIN: |
But
were they the real reasons? |
| ESTELLE: |
You've
a twisted mind, that's your trouble. Plaguing yourself
over such trifles! |
| GARCIN: |
I'd
thought it all out, and I wanted to make a stand. But
was that my real motive? |
| INEZ: |
Exactly.
That's the question. Was that your real motive? No doubt
you argued it out with yourself, you weighed the pros
and cons, you found good reasons for what you did. But
fear and hatred and all the dirty little instincts one
keeps dark--- they're motives too. So carry on, Mr. Garcin,
and try to be honest with yourself-- for once. |
| GARCIN: |
Do
I really need you to tell me that? Day and night I paced
my cell, from the window to the door, from the door to
the window. I pried into my heart, I sleuthed myself like
a detective. By the end of it I felt as if I'd given my
whole life to introspection. But always I harked back
to the one thing certain--- that I had acted as I did,
I'd taken that train to the frontier. But why? Why?Finally
I thought: My death will settle it. If I face death courageously,
I'll prove I am no coward. |
| INEZ: |
And
how did you face death? |
| GARCIN:
|
Miserably.
Rottenly. Oh, it was only a physical lapse--- that might
happen to anyone; I'm not ashamed of it. Only everything's
been left in suspense forever. Come here, Estelle. Look
at me. I want to feel someone looking at me while they're
talking about me on earth... I like green eyes. |
| INEZ: |
Green
eyes! Just hark to him! And you, Estelle, do you like
cowards? |
| ESTELLE: |
If
you knew how little I care! Coward or hero, it's all one--
provided he kisses well. |
| GARCIN: |
There
they are, slumped in their chairs, sucking at their cigars.
Bored they look. Half-asleep. They're thinking:"Garcin's
a coward." But only vaguely, dreamily. One's got
to think of something. "That chap Garcin was a coward."
That's what they've decided, those dear friends of mine.
In six months'time they'll be saying: "Cowardly as
that skunk Garcin." You're lucky, you two; no one
on earth is giving you another thought. But I--I'm long
in dying. |
| INEZ: |
What
about your wife, Garcin? |
| GARCIN: |
Oh,
didn't I tell you? She's dead. |
| INEZ: |
Dead? |
| GARCIN: |
Yes,
she died just now. About two months ago. |
| INEZ: |
Of
grief? |
| GARCIN: |
What
else should she die of? So all is for the best, you see;
the war's over, my wife's dead, and I've carved out my
place in history. |
| ESTELLE: |
My
poor darling! Look at me. Please look. Touch me. Touch
me. There! Keep your hand there. No, don't move. Why trouble
what those men are thinking? They'll die off one by one.
Forget them. There's only me, now. |
| GARCIN:
|
But
THEY won't forget me, not they! They'll die, but others
will come after them to carry on the legend. I've left
my fate in their hands. |
| ESTELLE:
|
You
think too much, that's your trouble. |
| GARCIN:
|
What
else is there to do now? I was a man of action once...
Oh, if only I could be with them again, for just one day--I'd
fling their lie in their teeth. But I'm locked out; they're
passing judgment on my life without troubling about me,
and they're right, because I'm dead. Dead and done with.
A back number. |
| ESTELLE: |
Garcin. |
| GARCIN: |
Still
there? Now listen! I want you to do me a service. No,
don't shrink away. I know it must seem strange to you,
having someone asking you for help; you're not used to
that. But if you'll make the effort, if you'll only WILL
it hard enough, I dare say we can really love each other.
Look at it this way. A thousand of them are proclaiming
I'm a coward; but what do numbers matter? If there's someone,
just one person, to say quite positively I did not run
away, that I'm not the sort who runs away, that I'm brave
and decent and the rest of it-- well, that one person's
faith would save me. Will you have that faith in me? Then
I shall love you and cherish you for ever. Estelle-- will
you? |
| ESTELLE: |
Oh,
you dear silly man, do you think I could love a coward? |
| GARCIN: |
But
just now you said-- |
| ESTELLE: |
I
was only teashing you. I like men, my dear, who're real
men, with tough skin and strong hands. You haven't a coward's
chin, or a coward's mouth, or a coward's voice, or a coward's
hair. And it's for your mouth, your hair, your voice,
I love. |
| GARCIN: |
Do
you mean this? REALLY mean it? |
| ESTELLE: |
Shall
I swear it? |
| GARCIN: |
Then
I snap my fingers at them all, those below and those in
here. Estelle, we shall climb out of hell. (Inez laughs.)
What's that? |
| INEZ: |
But
she doesn't mean a word of what she says. How can you
be such a simpleton? "Estelle, am I a coward?"
As if she cared a damn either way. |
| ESTELLE: |
Inez,
how dare you? Don't listen to her. If you want me to have
faith in you, you must begin by trusting me. |
| INEZ: |
That's
right! That's right! Trust away! She wants a man-- that
far you can trust her-- she wants a man's arm round her
waist, a man's smell, a man's eyes glowing with desire.
And that's all she wants. She'd assure you you were God
Almighty if she thought it would give you pleasure. |
| GARCIN: |
Estelle,
is it true? Answer me. Is it true? |
| ESTELLE: |
What
do you expect me to say? Don't you realize how maddening
it is to have to answer questions one can't make head
or tail of? You do make things difficult...Anyhow, I'd
love you just the same, even if you were a coward. Isn't
that enough? |
| GARCIN: |
You
disgust me, both of you. |
| ESTELLE:
|
What
are you up to? |
| GARCIN: |
I'm
going. |
| INEZ: |
You
won't get far. The door is locked. |
| GARCIN: |
I'll
MAKE them open it. |
| ESTELLE: |
Please!
Please! |
| INEZ: |
Don't
worry, my pet. The bell doesn't work. |
| GARCIN: |
I
tell you they shall open. I can't endure it any longer,
I'm through with you both. Go away.(to Estelle) You're
even fouler than she. I won't let myself get bogged in
your eyes. You're soft and slimy. Ugh! Like an octopus.
Like a quagmire. |
| ESTELLE:
|
I
beg you, oh, I beg you not to leave me. I'll promise not
to speak again, I won't trouble you in any way-- but don't
go. I daren't be left alone with Inez, now she's shown
her claws. |
| GARCIN: |
Look
after yourself. I never asked you to come here. |
| ESTELLE: |
Oh,
how mean you are! Yes, it's quite true you're a coward. |
| INEZ: |
Well,
my little sparrow fallen from the nest, I hope you're
satisfied now. You spat in my face-- playing up to him,
of course-- and we had a tiff on his accound. But he's
going, and a good riddance it will be. We two women will
have the place to ourselves. |
| ESTELLE: |
You
won't gain anything. If that door opens, I'm going too. |
| INEZ: |
Where? |
| ESTELLE: |
I
don't care where. As far from you as I can. |
| GARCIN: |
Open
the door! Open,blast you! I'll endure anything, your red-hot
tongs and molten lead, your racks and prongs and garrotes--
all your fiendish gadgets, everything that burns and flays
and tears-- I'll put up with any torture you impose. Anything,
anything would be better than this agony of mind, this
creeping pain that gnaws and fumbles and caresses one
and never hurts quite enough. Now will you open? (THE
DOOR FLIES OPEN: a long silence.) |
| INEZ: |
Well,
Garcin? You're free to go. |
| GARCIN: |
Now
I wonder why that door opened. |
| INEZ: |
What
are you waiting for? Hurry up and go. |
| GARCIN: |
I shall not go. |
| INEZ: |
And
you, Estelle? So what? Which shall it be? Which of the
three of us will leave? The barrier's down, why are we
waiting? But what a situation! It's a scream! We're inseparables! |
| ESTELLE: |
Inseparables?
Garcin, come and lend a hand. Quickly. We'll push her
out and slam the door on her. That'll teach her a lesson. |
| INEZ: |
(Struggling
with Inez) Estelle, I beg you, let me stay. I won't go,
I won't go! Not into the passage. |
| GARCIN: |
Let go of her. |
| ESTELLE: |
You're
crazy. She hates you. |
| GARCIN: |
It's
because of her I'm staying here. |
| INEZ:
|
Because
of me? All right, shut the door. It's ten times hotter
here since it opened. Because of me, you said? |
| GARCIN: |
Yes.
YOU, anyhow, know what it means to be a coward. |
| INEZ: |
Yes,
I know. |
| GARCIN: |
And
you know what wickedness is, and shame, and fear. There
were days when you peered into yourself, into the secret
places of your heart, and hwat you saw there made you
faint with horror. And then, next day, you didn't know
what to make of it, you couldn't interpret the horror
you had glimpsted the day before. Yes, you know what evil
costs. And when you say I'm a coward, you know from experience
what that means. Is that so? |
| INEZ: |
Yes. |
| GARCIN: |
So
it's you whom I have to convince; you are of my kind.
Did you suppose I meant to go? No, I couldn't leave you
here, gloating over my defeat, with all those thoughts
about me running in your head. |
| INEZ:
|
Do
you really wish to convince me? |
| GARCIN: |
THat's
the one and only thing I wish for now. I can't hear them
any longer, you know. Probably that means they're through
with me. For good and all. The curtain's down, nothing
of me is left on earth-- not even the name of coward.
So, Inez, we're alone. Only you two remain to give a thought
to me. She- she doesn't count. It's you who matter; you
who hate me. If you'll have faith in me I'm saved. |
| INEZ: |
It
won't be easy. Have a look at me. I'm a hard-headed woman. |
| GARCIN: |
I'll
give you all the time that's needed. |
| INEZ: |
Yes,
we've lots of time in hand. ALL time. |
| GARCIN: |
Listen!
Each man has an aim in life, a leading motive; that's
so, isn't it? Well, I didn't give a damn for wealth, or
for love. I aimed at being a real man. A tough, as they
say. I staked everything on the same horse... Can one
possibly be a coward when one's deliberately courted danger
at every turn? And can judge a life by a single action? |
| INEZ: |
Why
not? For thirty years you dreamt you were a hero, and
condoned a thousand petty lapses--because a hero, of course,
can do no wrong. An easy method, obviously. Then a day
came when you were up against it, the red light of real
danger-- and you took the train to Mexico. |
| GARCIN: |
I
"dreamt," you say. It was no dream. When I chose
the hardest path, I made my choice deliberately. A man
is what he wills himself to be. |
| INEZ: |
Prove
it. Prove it was no dream.It's what one does, and nothing
else, that shows the stuff one's made of. |
| GARCIN: |
I
died too soon. I wasn't allowed time to--to do my deeds. |
| INEZ: |
One
always dies too soon-- or too late. And yet one's whole
life is complete at that moment, with a line drawn neatly
under it, ready for the summing up. You are-- your life,
and nothing else. |
| GARCIN: |
What
a poisonous woman you are! With an answer for everything. |
| INEZ:
|
Now
then! Don't lose heart. It shouldn't be so hard, convincing
me. Pull yourself together , man, rake up some arguments.
Ah, wasn't I right when I said you were vulnerable? Now
you're going to pay the price, and what a price! You're
a coward, Garcin, because I wish it! I wish it-- do you
hear?-- I wish it. And yet, just look at me, see how weak
I am, a mere breath on the air, a gaze observing you,
a formless thought that thinks you. Ah, they're open now,
those big hands, those coarse, man's hands! But what do
you hope to do? You can't throttle thoughts with hands.
So you've no choice, you must convince me, and you're
at my mercy. |
| ESTELLE: |
Garcin! |
| GARCIN: |
What? |
| ESTELLE: |
Revenge
yourself. |
| GARCIN: |
How? |
| ESTELLE: |
Kiss
me, darling---then you'll hear her squeal. |
| GARCIN: |
That's
true, Inez. I'm at your mercy, but you're at mine as well. |
| INEZ: |
Oh,
you coward, you weakling, running to women to console
you! |
| ESTELLE: |
That's
right, Inez. Squeal away. |
| INEZ: |
What
a lovely pair you make! If you could see his big paw splayed
out on your back, rucking up your skin and creasing the
silk. Be careful, though! He's perspiring, his hand will
leave a blue stain on your dress. |
| ESTELLE: |
Squeal
away, Inez, squeal away!...Hug me tight, darling; tighter
still---that'll finish her off, and a good thing too! |
| INEZ: |
Yes,
Garcin, she's right. Carry on with it, press her to you
till you feel your bodies melting into each other; a lump
of warm, throbbing flesh... Loe's a grand solace, isn't
it, my friend? Deep and dark as sleep. But I'll see you
don't sleep. |
| ESTELLE: |
Don't
listen to her. Press your lips to my mouth. Oh, I'm yours,
yours, yours. |
| INEZ: |
Well,
what are you waiting for? Do as you're told. What a lovely
scene: coward Garcin holding baby-killer Estelle in his
manly arms! Make your stakes, everyone. Will coward Garcin
kiss the lady, or won't he dare? What's the betting? I'm
watching you, everybody's watching, I'm a crowd all by
myself. Do you hear the crowd? Do you hear them muttering,
Garcin? "Coward!Coward!" ---that's what they're
saying...It's no use trying to escape, I'll never let
you go. What do you hope to get from her silly lips? Forgetfulness?
But I shan't forget you, not I! "It's I you must
convince." So come to me. I'm waiting. Come along,
now...Look how obedient he is, like a well-trained dog
who comes when his mistress calls. You can't hold him,
and you never will. |
| GARCIN: |
Will
night never come? |
| INEZ: |
Never. |
| GARCIN: |
You
will always see me? |
| INEZ: |
Always. |
| GARCIN: |
This
bronze. Yes, now's the moment; I'm looking at this thing
on the mantelpiece, and I understand that I'm in hell.
I tell you, everything's been thoughtout beforehand. They
knew I'd stand at the fireplace stroking this thing of
bronze, with all those eyes intent on me. Devouring me.
What? Only two of you? I thought there were more; many
more. So this is hell. I'd never have believed it. You
remember all we were told about the torture-chambers,
the fire and brimstone, the "burning marl."
Old wives' tales!There's no need for red-hot pokers. HELL
IS--OTHER PEOPLE! |
| ESTELLE: |
My
darling! Please- |
| GARCIN: |
No,
let me be. She is between us. I cannot love you when she's
watching. |
| ESTELLE: |
Right!
In that case, I'll stop her watching. (She picks up the
PAPER knife and stabs Inez several times.) |
| INEZ: |
But,
you crazy creature, what do you think you're doing? You
know quite well I'm dead. |
| ESTELLE: |
Dead? |
| INEZ: |
Dead!
Dead! Dead! Knives, poison, ropes--useless. It has happened
already, do you understand? Once and for all. SO here
we are, forever. |
| ESTELLE: |
Forever.
My God, how funny! Forever. |
| GARCIN: |
For
ever, and ever, and ever. |
| |
(A
long silence.) |
| GARCIN: |
Well,
well, let's get on with it... |
1
2 3
4
Ce
qu'on fait n'est jamais compris mais seulement loué ou blâmé.
Nietzsche, Gay Science |
|
