Read Online Complete Works, Volume I by Harold Pinter - Free Book Online

night.
    MEG . And my Nanny used to sit up with me, and sing songs to me.
    MCCANN . And a plate of fry in the morning. Now where am I?
    MEG . My little room was pink. I had a pink carpet and pink curtains, and I had musical boxes all over the room. And they played me to sleep. And my father was a very big doctor. That's why I never had any complaints. I was cared for, and I had little sisters and brothers in other rooms, all different colours.
    MCCANN . Tullamore, where are you?
    MEG ( to MCCANN ). Give us a drop more.
    MCCANN ( filling her glass and singing ). Glorio, Glorio, to the bold Fenian men!
    MEG . Oh, what a lovely voice.
    GOLDBERG . Give us a song, McCann.
    LULU . A love song!
    MCCANN ( reciting ). The night that poor Paddy was stretched, the boys they all paid him a visit.
    GOLDBERG . A love song!
    MCCANN ( in a full voice, sings )
    Oh, the Garden of Eden has vanished, they say,
    But I know the lie of it still.
    Just turn to the left at the foot of Ben Clay
    And stop when halfway to Coote Hill.
    It's there you will find it, I know sure enough,
    And it's whispering over to me:
    Come back, Paddy Reilly, to Bally-James-Duff,
    Come home, Paddy Reilly, to me!
    LULU ( to GOLDBERG ). You're the dead image of the first man I ever loved.
    GOLDBERG . It goes without saying.
    MEG ( rising ). I want to play a game!
    GOLDBERG . A game?
    LULU . What game?
    MEG . Any game.
    LULU ( jumping up ). Yes, let's play a game.
    GOLDBERG . What game?
    MCCANN . Hide and seek.
    LULU . Blind man's buff.
    MEG . Yes!
    GOLDBERG . You want to play blind man's buff?
    LULU and MEG . Yes!
    GOLDBERG . All right. Blind man's buff. Come on! Everyone up! ( Rising. ) McCann. Stanley—Stanley!
    MEG . Stanley. Up.
    GOLDBERG . What's the matter with him?
    MEG ( bending over him ). Stanley, we're going to play a game. Oh, come on, don't be sulky, Stan.
    LULU . Come on.
    STANLEY rises . MCCANN rises.
    GOLDBERG . Right! Now—who's going to be blind first?
    LULU . Mrs Boles.
    MEG . Not me.
    GOLDBERG . Of course you.
    MEG . Who, me?
    LULU ( taking her scarf from her neck ). Here you are.
    MCCANN . How do you play this game?
    LULU ( tying her scarf round MEG ’S eyes ). Haven't you ever played blind man's buff? Keep still, Mrs Boles. You mustn't be touched. But you can't move after she's blind. You must stay where you are after she's blind. And if she touches you then you become blind. Turn round. How many fingers am I holding up?
    MEG . I can't see.
    LULU . Right.
    GOLDBERG . Right! Everyone move about. McCann. Stanley. Now stop. Now still. Off you go!
    STANLEY is downstage, right , MEG moves about the room. GOLDBERG fondles LULU at arm's length. MEG touches MCCANN .
    MEG . Caught you!
    LULU . Take off your scarf.
    MEG . What lovely hair!
    LULU ( untying the scarf ). There.
    MEG . It's you!
    GOLDBERG . Put it on, McCann.
    LULU ( tying it on MCCANN ). There. Turn round. How many fingers am I holding up?
    MCCANN . I don't know.
    GOLDBERG . Right! Everyone move about. Right. Stop! Still!
    MCCANN begins to move.
    MEG . Oh, this is lovely!
    GOLDBERG . Quiet! Tch, tch, tch. Now—all move again. Stop! Still!
    MCCANN moves about. GOLDBERG fondles LULU at arm’s length. MCCANN draws near STANLEY . He stretches his arm and touches STANLEY’S glasses.
    MEG . It's Stanley!
    GOLDBERG ( to LULU ). Enjoying the game?
    MEG . It's your turn, Stan.
    MCCANN takes off the scarf.
    MCCANN ( to STANLEY ). I'll take your glasses.
    MCCANN takes STANLEY’S glasses.
    MEG . Give me the scarf.
    GOLDBERG ( holding LULU ). Tie his scarf, Mrs. Boles.
    MEG . That's what I'm doing. ( To STANLEY .) Can you see my nose?
    GOLDBERG . He can't. Ready? Right! Everyone move. Stop! And still!
    STANLEY stands blindfold. MCCANN backs slowly across the stage to the left. He breaks STANLEY’S glasses, snapping the frames. MEG is downstage, left, LULU and GOLDBERG upstage centre, close together. STANLEY begins to move, very slowly, across the stage to the left. MCCANN pic ks up the drum and places it