How I'd love to go down to earth for just a moment, and dance with him again. The music's growing fainter. They've turned down the lights, as they do for a tango. Why are they playing so softly? Louder, please. I can't hear. It's so far away, so far away. I-I can't hear a sound. All over. It's the end. The earth has left me. Don't turn from me- please. Take me in your arms.
INEZ: Now then, Garcin!
GARCIN: It's to her you should say that.
ESTELLE: Don't turn away. You're a man, aren't you, and surely I'm not a fright as all that! Everyone says I've lovely hair and after all, a man killed himself on my account. You have to look at something, and there's nothing here to see except the sofas and that awful ornament and the table.
Surely I'm better to look at that an lot of stupid furniture. Listen! I've dropped out of their heart like a little sparrow fallen from its nest. So gather me up, dear, fold me to your heart-and you'll see how nice I can be.
GARCIN: I tell you it's to that lady you should speak.
ESTELLE: To her? But she doesn't count, she's a woman.
INEZ: Oh, I don't count? Is that what you think? But, my poor little fallen nestling, you've been sheltering in my heart for ages, though you didn't realize it. Don't be afraid; I'll keep looking at you for ever and ever, without a flutter of my eyelids, and you'll live in my gaze like a mote in a sunbeam.
ESTELLE: A sunbeam indeed! Don't talk such rubbish! You've tried that trick already, and you should know it doesn't work.
INEZ: Estelle! My glancing stream! My crystal!
ESTELLE: YOUR crystal? It's grotesque. Do you think you can fool me with that sort of talk? Everyone know by now what I did to my baby. The crystal's shattered, but I don't care. I'm just a hollow dummy, all that's left of me is the outside-but it's not for you.
INEZ: Come to me, Estelle. You shall be whatever you like: a glancing stream, a muddy stream. And deep down in my eyes you'll see yourself just as you want to be.
ESTELLE: Oh, leave me in peace. You haven't any eyes. Oh, damn it, isn't there anything I can do to get rid of you? I've an idea. (Spits in Garcin's face.) There!
INEZ: Garcin, you shall pay for this.
GARCIN: So it's a man you need?
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.