Read Online Every Good Boy Deserves Favor and Professional Foul by Tom Stoppard - Free Book Online Page A

Mary’s sentence in a logical language we would have to ask her what she meant.
    MCKENDRICK: By the way, I’ve got you a copy of my paper.
    ANDERSON: Oh, many thanks.
    MCKENDRICK: It’s not a long paper. You could read it comfortably during half-time.
( MCKENDRICK
gives
ANDERSON
his paper
.)
    STONE: But this is to assume that Mary exists. Let us say she is a fictitious character in a story I have written. Very well, you say to me, the author, ‘What did Mary mean?’ Well I might reply—‘I don’t know what she meant. Her ambiguity makes the necessary point of my story.’ And here I think the idea of a logical language which can
only
be unambiguous, breaks down.
( ANDERSON
opens his briefcase and puts
MCKENDRICK ’
s paper into it. He fingers
HOLLAR ’
s envelope and broods over it
. STONE
has concluded. He sits down to applause. The
CHAIRMAN,
who has been sitting behind him has stood up
.)
    ANDERSON: I’m going to make a discreet exit—I’ve got a call to make before the match.
( ANDERSON
stands up
.)
    CHAIRMAN: Yes—Professor Anderson I think …?
( ANDERSON
is caught like a rabbit in the headlights
, MCKENDRICK
enjoys his predicament and becomes interested in how
ANDERSON
will deal with it
.)
    ANDERSON: Ah … I would only like to offer Professor Stone the observation that language is not the only level of human communication, and perhaps not the most important level. Whereof we cannot speak, thereof we are by no means silent.
( MCKENDRICK
smiles ‘Bravo’
.)
Verbal language is a technical refinement of our capacity for communication, rather than the
fons et origo
of that capacity. The likelihood is that language develops in an
ad hoc
way, so there is no reason to expect its development to be logical. (
A thought strikes him
.) The importance of language is overrated. It allows me and Professor Stone to show off a bit, and it is very useful for communicating detail—but the important truths are simple and monolithic. The essentials of a given situation speak for themselves, and language is as capable of obscuring the truth as of revealing it. Thank you.
( ANDERSON
edges his way out towards the door
.)
    CHAIRMAN: (
Uncertainly
) Professor Stone …
    STONE: Well, what was the question?
    6. EXT. FRONT DOOR OF THE HOLLAR APARTMENT
    The apartment is one of two half-way up a large old building. The stairwell is dirty and uncared for. The
HOLLAR
front door is on a landing, and the front door of another flat is across the landing. Stairs go up and down
. ANDERSON
comes up the stairs and finds the right number on the door and rings the bell. He is carrying his briefcase
.
    All the men in this scene are Czech plainclothes
POLICEMEN.
They will be identified in this text merely by number
. MAN 3
is the one in charge. Man I comes to the door
.
    ANDERSON: I’m looking for Mr Hollar.
( MAN 1
shakes his head. He looks behind him
. MAN 2
comes to the door
.)
    MAN 2: (
In Czech
) Yes? Who are you?
    ANDERSON: English? Um. Parlez-vous francais? Er. Spreckanzydoitch?
    MAN 2: (
In German
) Deutch? Ein Bischen.
    ANDERSON: Actually I don’t. Does Mr Hollar live here? Apartment Hollar?
( MAN 2
speaks to somebody behind him
.)
    MAN 2: (
In Czech
) An Englishman. Do you know him?
( MRS HOLLAR
comes to the door. She is about the same age as
HOLLAR. )
    ANDERSON: Mrs Hollar?
( MRS HOLLAR
nods
.)
Is your husband here? Pavel…
    MRS HOLLAR: (
In Czech
) Pavel is arrested.
(
Inside, behind the door
, MAN 3
is heard shouting, in Czech
.)
    MAN 3: (
Not seen
) What’s going on there?
( MAN 3
comes to the door
.)
    ANDERSON: I am looking for Mr Hollar. I am a friend from England. His Professor. My name is Anderson.
    MAN 3: (
In English
) Not here. (
In Czech to
MRS HOLLAR .) He says he is a friend of your husband. Anderson.
    ANDERSON: He was my student.
( MRS HOLLAR
calls out
.)
    MAN 3: (
In Czech
) Shut up.
    ANDERSON: Student. Philosophy.
( MRS