THE VALET, ✎ — to GARCIN. ✎ You called? 🔊✎
GARCIN is about to answer, but then he glances at INÈS. ✎
THE VALET, ✎ — turning to INÈS. ✎ This is your room, madame. 🔊✎ (INÈS does not reply.) ✎ If there’s anything you’d like to ask … 🔊✎ (INÈS is still silent.) ✎
THE VALET, ✎ — disappointed. ✎ Usually the clients want some information … well, none of my business. 🔊✎ Anyway, if you’re curious about the toothbrush, the bell-push and the Barbedienne bronze, this gentleman here is up to speed and will give you the details as well as I could. 🔊✎
He leaves. A silence. GARCIN does not look at INÈS. INÈS looks around, then suddenly turns to GARCIN. ✎
INÈS ✎ — Where’s Florence? 🔊✎ (Silence from GARCIN.) ✎ I’m asking you where Florence is? 🔊✎
INÈS ✎ — That’s all you can come up with? Torture by absence? Well, it’s not going to work. Florence was a little idiot and I don’t miss her. 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — I’m sorry, but who do you think I am? 🔊✎
INÈS ✎ — You? The torturer of course. 🔊✎
GARCIN, ✎ — starts and then laughs. 🔊✎ That’s not very nice of you, but quite funny all the same. The torturer, really? You come in, you take a look at me, and you think: must be the torturer. You’re getting a little ahead of yourself. 🔊✎ It’s the valet’s fault, he should have introduced us. 🔊✎ The torturer! I am Joseph Garcin, journalist and man of letters. 🔊✎ The truth is simply that we’ll be sharing a room. Mrs … 🔊✎
INÈS, ✎ — shortly. ✎ Inès Serrano. Ms. 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — Very good. Perfect. Well, the ice is broken. So you think I look like a torturer? And how do you recognise them, if I may ask? 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — Scared? That’s very funny. Scared of who? Their victims? 🔊✎
INÈS ✎ — Never mind. I know what I’m talking about. I’ve looked myself in the mirror enough times. 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — In the mirror ? 🔊✎ (He looks around him.) ✎ It’s weird: they’ve taken away everything that looks like a mirror. 🔊✎ (Pause.) ✎ In any case, I can tell you I’m not scared. I’m not taking the situation lightly and I’m fully aware of how serious it is. But I’m not scared. 🔊✎
INÈS, ✎ — shrugging her shoulders. ✎ That’s your business. 🔊✎ (Pause.) ✎ So do you go out sometimes and take a stroll? 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — The door’s locked. 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — I understand very well that my presence here may be uncomfortable for you. Personally, I’d prefer to be alone. I need to put my life in order and gather my thoughts. 🔊✎ But I’m sure we’ll be able to work things out. I don’t talk, I don’t move around a lot, and I don’t make much noise… 🔊✎ Just one thing, if you’ll allow me a word of advice, we should make sure we’re very polite to each other. It’s our best defence. 🔊✎
INÈS ✎ — I’m not a very polite person. 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — Then I will be polite for both of us. 🔊✎
A silence. GARCIN sits on the couch. INÈS paces back and forth. ✎
INÈS, ✎ — looking at him. ✎ Your mouth. 🔊✎
GARCIN, ✎ — pulled out of his thoughts. ✎ Yes? 🔊✎
INÈS ✎ — Can’t you stop doing that thing with your mouth? It keeps going round under your nose like a coffee grinder. 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — I’m sorry. I didn’t realise. 🔊✎
INÈS ✎ — Well I don’t like it. 🔊✎ (GARCIN’s mouth twitches.) ✎ You did it again! You say you’re going to be polite, and you can’t even control your face. You’re not alone. You have no right to inflict your fear on me. 🔊✎
GARCIN gets up and moves towards her. ✎
GARCIN ✎ — So you’re not scared then? 🔊✎
INÈS ✎ — What would be the point? Fear … that was useful before, when we still had hope. 🔊✎
GARCIN, ✎ — gently. ✎ Yes, there is no more hope, but we’re still before. We haven’t started to suffer yet. 🔊✎
INÈS ✎ — I know. 🔊✎ (Pause.) ✎ Well? What’s going to happen? 🔊✎
GARCIN ✎ — I don’t know. I’m waiting. 🔊✎
A silence. GARCIN goes and sits down, INÈS starts pacing again. GARCIN’s mouth twitches, INÈS gives him a look, he buries his face in his hands. Enter ESTELLE and THE VALET. ✎