[BEN holds the revolver up to the light and polishes it.] BEN You'd better get ready anyway. GUS Well, I don't know, that's a bit much, you know, for my money.
[He picks up a packet of tea from the hed and throws it into the hag.]
I hope he's got a shilling, anyway, if he comes. He's entitled to have. After
all, it's his place, he could have seen there was enough gas for a cup of tea. BEN Wha t do you mean, it's his place? GUS Well, isn't it? BEN He's probably only rented it. It doesn't have to be his place. GUS I know it's his place. I bet the whole house is. He's not even laying on
any gas now either.
[GUS sits on his hed.]
It's his place all right. Look at all the other places. You go to this address,
there's a key there, there's a teapot, there's never a soul in sight?[He
pauses.] Eh, nobody ever hears a thing, have you ever thought of that? W e
never get any complaints, do we, too much noise or anything like that? You
never see a soul, do you??except the bloke who comes. You ever noticed
that? I wonder if the walls are soundproof. [He touches the wall above his
bed.] Can't tell. All you do is wait, eh? Half the time he doesn't even bother
to put in an appearance, Wilson. BEN Wh y should he? He's a busy man. GUS [Thoughtfully.] I find him hard to talk to, Wilson. Do you know that, Ben? BEN Scrub round it, will you?
[Pause.]
GUS There are a number of things I want to ask him. But I can never get round to it, when I see him.
[Pause. ]
I've been thinking about the last one. BEN Wha t last one? GUS That girl.
[BEN grabs the paper, which he reads.]
[Rising, looking down at BEN.] How many times have you read that paper?
[BEN slams the paper down and rises.]
BEN [Angrily. ] What do you mean? GUS I was just wondering how many times you'd? BEN What are you doing, criticizing me? GUS NO, I was just ? BEN You'll get a swipe round your earhole if you don't watch your step. GUS NOW look here, Ben? BEN I'm not looking anywhere! [He addresses the room.] How many times
have I?! A bloody liberty!
GUS I didn't mean that.
.
261 2 / HAROLD PINTER
BEN YOU just get on with it, mate. Get on with it, that's all.
[BEN gets back on the bed.]
GUS 1 was just thinking about that girl, that's all.
[GUS sits on his bed.]
She wasn't muc h to look at, I know, but still. It was a mess though, wasn't it? What a mess. Honest, I can't remember a mess like that one. They don't seem to hold together like men, women. A looser texture, like. Didn't she spread, eh? She didn't half spread. Kaw! But I've been meaning to ask you.
[BEN sits up and clenches his eyes.]
Wh o clears up after we've gone? I'm curious about that. Wh o does the clearing up? Maybe they don't clear up. Maybe they just leave them there, eh? What do you think? How many jobs have we done? Blimey, I can't count them. Wha t if they never clear anything up after we've gone.
BEN [Pityingly.] You mutt. Do you think we're the only branch of this orga
nization? Have a bit of common. They got departments for everything. GUS What, cleaners and all? BEN You birk! GUS NO, it was that girl made me start to think?
[There is a loud clatter and racket in the bidge of wall between the beds, of something descending. They grab their revolvers, jump up and face the wall. The noise comes to a stop. Silence. They look at each other. BEN gestures sharply towards the wall. GUS approaches the wall slowly. He bangs it with his revolver. It is hollow, BEN moves to the head of his bed, his revolver cocked. GUS puts his revolver on his bed and pats along the bottom of the centre panel. He finds a rim. He lifts the panel. Disclosed is a serving-hatch, a 'dumb waiter.' A wide box is held by pulley's. GUS peers into the box. He brings out a piece of paper.]
BEN What is it? GUS YOU have a look at it. BEN Read it. GUS [Reading.] Tw o braised steak and chips. Tw o sago puddings. Tw o teas
without sugar. BEN Let me see that. [He takes the paper.] GUS [To himself] Tw o teas without sugar. BEN Mmnn. Gus What do you think of that? BEN Well?
[The box goes up, BEN levels his revolver.]
GUS Give us a chance! They're in a hurry, aren't they?
