[BEN rereads the note, GUS looks over his shoulder.]
That's a bit?that's a bit funny, isn't it? BEN [Quickly.] No, it's not funny. It probably used to be a cafe here, that's
all. Upstairs. These places change hands very quickly. GUS A cafe? BEN Yes. GUS What, do you mean this was the kitchen, down here? BEN Yes, they change hands overnight, these places. Go into liquidation. The
people who run it, you know, they don't find it a going concern, they move out. GUS You mean the people who ran this place didn't find it a going concern and moved out?
.
THE DUMB WAITER / 2613
BEN Sure. GUS WELL , WHO'S GOT IT NOW? [Silence.] BEN Wha t do you mean, who's got it now? GUS Who's got it now? If they moved out, who moved in? BEN Well, that all depends? [The box descends with a clatter and bang, BEN levels his revolver, GUS goes to the box and brings out a -piece of paper.] GUS [Reading.] Soup of the day. Liver and onions. Jam tart. [A pause. GUS looks at BEN. BEN takes the note and reads it. He walks slowly to the hatch, GUSfollows, BEN looks into the hatch but not up it. GUS puts his hand on BEN'S shoulder, BEN throws it off . GUS puts his finger to his mouth. He leans on the hatch and swiftly looks up it. BEN flings him away in alarm, BEN looks at the note. He throws his revolver on the bed and speaks with decision.] BEN We'd better send something up. GUS Eh ? BEN We'd better send something up. GUS Oh! Yes. Yes. Maybe you're right. [They are both relieved at the decision.] BEN [Purposefully.] Quick! Wha t have you got in that bag? GUS Not much. [GUS goes to the hatch and shouts up it.]
Wait a minute! BEN Don't do that!
[GUS examines the contents of the bag and brings them out, one by one.] GUS Biscuits. A bar of chocolate. Half a pint of milk. BEN That all? GUS Packet of tea. BEN Good. GUS We can't send the tea. That's all the tea we've got. BEN Well, there's no gas. You can't do anything with it, can you? GUS Maybe they can send us down a bob.8 BEN Wha t else is there? GUS [Reaching into bag.] One Eccles cake.9 BEN On e Eccles cake? GUS Yes. BEN YOU never told me you had an Eccles cake. GUS Didn't I? BEN Wh y only one? Didn't you bring one for me? GUS I didn't think you'd be keen. BEN Well, you can't send up one Eccles cake, anyway. GUS Wh y not? BEN Fetch one of those plates. GUS All right.
[GUS goes towards the door, left, and stops.] Do you mean I can keep the Eccles cake then? BEN Keep it?
8. A shilling (i.e., to insert in the gas meter). 9. A small cake originally made in the Lancashire town of Eccles.
.
261 4 / HAROLD PINTER
GUS Well, they don't know we've got it, do they? BEN That's not the point. GUS Can't I keep it? BEN No, you can't. Get the plate.
[GUS exits, left. BEN looks in the hag. He brings out a packet of crisps.' Enter GUS with a plate.]
[Accusingly, holding up the crisps.] Where did these come from? GUS What? BEN Where did these crisps come from? GUS Wher e did you find them? BEN [Hitting him on the shoulder.] You're playing a dirty game, my lad! GUS I only eat those with beer! BEN Well, where were you going to get the beer? GUS I was saving them till I did. BEN I'll remember this. Put everything on the plate.
[They pile everything on to the plate. The box goes up without the plate.]
Wait a minute!
[They stand.]
GUS It's gone up.
BEN It's all your stupid fault, playing about!
GUS What do we do now?
BEN We'll have to wait till it comes down.
[BEN puts the plate on the bed, puts on his shoidder holster, and starts to put on his tie.]
You'd better get ready.
[GUS goes to his bed, puts on his tie, and starts to fix his holster. ]
GUS Hey, Ben.
BEN What?
GUS What's going on here?
[Pause.]
BEN What do you mean? GUS Ho w can this be a cafe? BEN It used to be a cafe. GUS Have you seen the gas stove? BEN Wha t about it? GUS It's only got three rings. BEN SO what? GUS Well, you couldn't cook muc h on three rings, not for a busy place like
this.
BEN [Irritably.] That's why the service is slow!
[BEN puts on his waistcoat.]
GUS Yes, but what happens when we're not here? What do they do then? All these menus coming down and nothing going up. It might have been going on like this for years.
[BEN brushes his jacket.]
