THE HUMAN VOICE

by JEAN COCTEAU

[sil.]

Woman Hello? Yes. Oh, it's you. I'm fine. Very well. No, no, no I just got in. I've been to a party with,
uh. Oh, I had a marvelous time. You aren't jealous, are you?

[sil.]

Woman No.

[sil.]

Woman Hello? Hello. Yes? Is that you? Yes, I'm fine. Uh, hello? Oh no. Oh, madam, you've got a crossed
line. Would you please ring off. No, no, you ring off. No! No no no. This is not Dr. Weinzberg(ph). It is, uh,
i-, i-, i-, uh, it is 1-5-0-7. Oh, this is ridiculous. I got a crossed line. Hello, darling? No, madam, what do you
want me to do about it? Oh, you're being extremely unpleasant. Listen. My fault? Well, certainly not. Not at
all. Now somebody's trying to call me and you keep butting in on. You've got a crossed line. Please ring off,
please. Oh! Oh!

[sil.]

Woman Hello? Yes, thank heavens for that. Yes, um. Oh, I can't, uh. Darling, it is very difficult to hear you. I
said I, I can't hear you. Yes, but you sound very far off. Oh, this is terrible. Everybody's on the same line. Oh,
now there's somebody else again. No darling, darling. Hang up and ring again. Let the operator do it. I said
hang up and ring again. Yes, call me back. Mm. Yes, that was... No, I'm not Dr. Weinzburg.

[sil.]

Woman Yes? Oh, at last. At last it is you. Yes, very well. Mm-hmm, I'm fine. Yes, it was terrible. I couldn't
hear you with all those people chattering away at the same time, uh. Oh, the telephone service in this country's
getting worse all the time. No? No no, ooh, you were lucky. Yes, I just got in ten minutes ago. You hadn't
called before, had you? No. I, uh, I had, I had dinner at Margaret's, mm-hmm. Right, it must be 11:15. I, uh,
are you at home? Well then what time is it by that nasty little clock by your bed? Yes, it's what I thought. Mm.
What? Last night, well I. I went to bed straightaway. I, uh, knew I couldn't sleep so I took a sleeping pill. No,
no no, only one. Well yes, just one pill. Mm. Oh I did, until nine O'clock this morning. I hada bit of a
headache but I put myself together. And, yes, then Margaret came and we lunched and I did a bit of shopping

1
and I came back here and, um, I put all the letters in the yellow box. And I also, what dear? No, very well. But
honestly, I am very brave. Mm-hmm, a stiff upper lip. Mm, afterwards, uh, I changed and Margaret came to
fetch me. Uh, the one you like. Yes, I've still got it on. I'm standing here with it on. No, I'm not smoking, no,
no. I only smoked three cigarettes today. Oh that's true, three. Honestly, yes. You're sweet. Yes. And what
about you? You just got in? You haven't been out? Huh. What case? Oh yes. When does it come up to
court? Hmm, well darling, you mustn't overwork. Hmm? No no, I'm here. No but, what bet(ph)? Oh yes, the
b-, well, the box, with the letters. What do you want me to do? Will you send someone for them? Well I'll post
them if you like. Of course it's difficult, but, oh no, no darling, you mustn't apologize. It's only natural and
I'm, I'm being silly. Mm, oh you sweet. Yes, you are. And neither did I, I didn't think I could be so
strong. Mm-hmm. Your fault? But no! You're not to blame yourself in the least bit. No darling, on the
contrary. No but we, mm, we always agreed to be absolutely honest with each other. It wouldn't have been
very honest, if you had left without letting me know until the last minute. Yes, that we're being cruel. This
way I had time to, to get used to the idea. And understand. No, what do you mean, play acting? Who is? No.
Do you think I'm making it up? Don't you know me better than that? No, I haven't got it in me, no. Not at all.
Not in the least. I am absolutely calm. You would hear it in my voice anyway. I said you would hear it in my
voice. My voice doesn't sound as if I was trying to hide something, does it? No. I've just made up my mind to
be brave. And I will be. Oh no, let me. No, darling. No, but that wasn't the same thing. I know darling, but that
wasn't the same. You can, you can live your whole life waiting for a disaster. Expecting it. It can still break
you when it comes. I don't want you to blame yourself. Listen, it is all my fault. It is my fault. Yes, it is. Loo-,
do you remember that Sunday at Windsor? But that first Sunday, darling, yes. Well? It was I who wanted to
come, I who said that I didn't care about anything. No. No no no. I telephoned first. Yes, I telephoned first.
You were too shy. On a Tuesday. A Tuesday. I'm positive, Tuesday the 27th. Your telegram came on Monday
the 26th, you may be sure that I know those dates by heart. Your mother? Oh, no. But darling, why? No,
but. Well, I'll be all right. Yes of course I will. Oh n-, well I don't know yet. Yes, perhaps. W-, it's not
necessary. Certainly not at once. Listen darling, what about you? Tomorrow?

Woman I didn't realize it was so soon. I didn't reali-.

[sil.]

Woman I'm still here. If it, if it is to be tomorrow, i-, it's quite simple really. And, I'll put the yellow box
downstairs with the housekeeper and then you can send somebody to pick it up anytime you like. Yes, oh I
don't know. Margaret has asked me to the country for a few days but, I don't know yet. Well, oh, well he's
here. He's a soul in torment. He spent all yesterday between the hall and the bedroom. Hmm. Yes, he was
lying with his chin on the rug looking at me. He kept pricking up his ears and, and listening. He made me
think that, that he'd heard you come. And then, then he'd look around at me. He seemed to be blaming me for
not helping him to look for you. I think it will be much if you kept him. Yes, but if the poor thing is to be
unhappy, it. No no, he isn't a woman's type of dog. I wouldn't take care of him properly, I wouldn't take him

2
out for his walks and, no. It would be much better if you took him. He'd soon forget me. No it isn't. It isn't
really so difficult. Can't you say he belonged to a friend? Well what about Henry? Henry likes dogs. Couldn't
Henry come and take him? Is Henry going to, to, to get someone else now to share the apartment with, now
that you are leaving? Oh, I can't keep the dog. It's impossible. No no, I'm sti-, yes of course darling. We'll see.
Yes, yes I promise, we'll see. What gloves? Oh, your driving gloves. I, I don't know. I haven't seen them. Yes,
maybe, I, I'll go and have a look. Mm, yes. Hold on. I'll, I'll, Don’t get cut off. No. Yes, hold on, I'll, I'll take a
look.

[sil.]

Woman Hello? No, I've looked everywhere. Mm-hmm, on the dressing table, the wardrobe, everywhere.
They don't seem to be here. Listen, well I'll look again, but I'm quite sure. Yes, I know you are. Yes, if by any
chance they turn up tomorrow, I'll put them downstairs with the yellow box, huh? Well, your letters!
Yes? You'll burn them? Listen, I'm going to ask you something silly. No. Look, if you do burn the letters that
you wrote me, would you please keep the ashes, and put them in that little cigarette box that, that I gave you?

[sil.]

Woman No no, no no darling. I know I'm stupid. No. I'm quite brave you know. Yes. No no no. No, I'm all
right, I'm all right. There, it's over, it's over now. Yes, yes. I'll just blow my nose. But I would like to keep
those ashes. Thank you. Yes I mean it. Mm. Work, you're not going to work at this time of night. Can't it
wait? Yes, yes of course I know it is important, but, um, you mustn't overwork. You must go to bed if you
have to get up so early in the morning. What did you? You can't hear me? But I'm speaking quite loud. Is this
better? I said, 'Is this better?' Oh that's strange because I, I can hear you so  well, uh, just as if you were in the
same room. Hello? Hello? Oh that's it, now I can't hear you. Yes, but you sound very far off. And you can
hear me? It's my turn then. No no no, darling don't hang up, please don't hang up. Of course it will come back.
There, there you see it? Now you're back again. I can hear you again. Ah yes, I hate that.  It's like being dead.
You can hear, but you can't make yourself heard. Yes, oh yes, much better. Even better than before. There is a
strange, sort of echo over your phone. It doesn't sound like your phone at all. Yes, your phone always sounds
the same. Whenever I listen to you, I can see you, you know? Yes, I can. You're wearing? Oh, well, no no, no
no no. No pyjamas, you're still in your shirt sleeves. Mm. Which tie? Oh. You think I can't? The blue one with
the white pattern. Mm. Yes and your, your ha-, in your left hand, you have the receiver, yes. That's easy, I
know. And in your right, you have a pen and you're doodling on a pad. Yes, faces, stars, hearts. You're
laughing. Oh my darling. You see? I have eyes instead of ears. Mm, no. Oh, whatever you do, don't look at
me. No, please. Afraid? No, I'm not afraid. It's worse than that. I've grown out of the habit of sleeping
alone. Yes. Yes, I will. Oh my darling, yes I promise. I promise you. No, no I don't look in the mirror
anymore. I did a little while ago, and I found myself face to face with an old woman. Yes, an old woman with
white hair and a mass of little wrinkles. Oh thank you, that's, that's very kind. A remarkable face, there's

3
nothing worse! That's for actors. I liked it much better when you used to call me monkey face. Yes. Yes, my
dear sir. What? No, no no. I was joking. Oh stupid. Oh. I'm glad you're tactless, and you love me. Because, if
you didn't love me and you were tactful, the telephone could come, become a terrifying weapon, noiseless and
leaving no trace. Ah, me wicked, no, I. Hello? Hello? He-. Oh darling. Where are you? But, hello?

[sil.]

Woman Oh, oh, we've been cut off. Oh.

[sil.]

Woman Hello, operator? Would you please dial FLAXMAN 4-9-2-4. Yes please. FLAXMAN 4-9-2-4. Oh,
I'm sorry, this is HAMPSTEAD 1-5-0-7, yes. Oh, it's engaged all the time. But I've been trying it for
hours. Please would. Yes? They are speaking? Thank you.

[sil.]

Woman Oh, hello darling. Oh, those stupid people cut us off and I. Oh Henry? Oh, yes, I, I, I thought, I
thought it was. Yes. Yes. Well, he isn't coming back tonight, um? Mm? Yes. Yes of course. Oh how stupid of
you [?] . Yes, I remember now. He was telephoning from, the restaurant, you know and we were cut off, and I
just. Yes. Yes of, of course. How right you are. Yes. Mm. No thank you. I'm fine, Henry, and you? Good. But
I'll, I’ll. What do you mean, with you? Where? No Henry, No. No, I'm sorry, but I, I'm going to the country
for a few days. Well, I don't know. A few days. Yes. Well, what's the point, there's. Yes I know we get
along fine, and Henry, I'm going to hang up now. Good night, Hen-. No, there is no harm in it. I, no no no, I'm
not offended. Good night, Henry. Oh! Oh!

[sil.]

Woman Oh, I. Oh.

[sil.]

Woman I Hmm.

[sil.]

Woman Hello? Yes, we were cut off. No, I was waiting for you to call back. I was engaged? Well yes,
yes. The telephone rang and I answered but no one was there. I don't know. Of course. Yes. You're

4
sleeping. Yes, I understand. It's good of you to call back. Very good. Listen darling. Listen, I have never lied
to you. Yes I know, I know. Ye- I believe you darling, you. You don't have to convince me. It isn't that. It's
just that I have lied to you. Yes, just now. Yes, over the phone. For the last half hour I've been lying to you.
You see, I wasn't, I wasn't telling the truth when I told you how I was dressed, and that I had dined with
Margaret. I haven't dined, and I'm not wearing my grey suit. I'm wearing my nightgown, yes.  And I haven't
eaten, I haven't dressed, I haven't been out all day. Because, no I'm wearing a coat over my
nightgown. Because, while looking at the telephone, and waiting for your call and staring at the phone, and
sitting down and getting up, and walking up and down, I felt I was, I was going mad. Mad. See, and so I put a
coat on and I was going to go down and get a taxi and drive up in front of your house, in front of your
windows, to wait. Oh, to wait. I don't know why. Oh. Yes I know darling, but I am. I am. Yes, I haven't
eaten. I couldn't. I've been ill. Yes, last night I wanted to take a sleeping pill, and then, I thought if I took
more, I would sleep better. And if I took the lot, I would sleep without dreaming, without waking up. I wanted
death. Yes, oh yes, like a sledgehammer. But I did dream. I dreamt the truth. And then I woke up suddenly
and I was so pleased it was only a nightmare, and then when I realized it wasn't a nightmare,  it was the truth, I
was alone, and your arm was not around me, and my head was not on your shoulder. I felt I couldn't live. I
simply couldn't live. Oh, I took 14.In hot water. Oh! Cold desire! Yes, light and cold. And I, I couldn't feel my
heart beating anymore, and death was a long time coming. And then, I had this terrible pain. And then, after
an hour I telephoned Margaret. I, I didn't have the courage to die alone. Oh, I'm so weak and stupid! I wasn't
going to tell you anything about this, I was, oh. I didn't want you to worry. Alec(ph), because all I do is to
make you suffer, to make you miserable. Yes, speak, speak. Say something. Anything.

[sil.]

Woman You know, I was in such pain, I could've rolled on the floor, and you only have to speak to me to
make me feel better. Sometimes, when we were in bed, and your arm was around me and my head on your
chest and you were talking, I could hear your voice exactly, as I do now over the telephone. Mm. No. Coward,
oh my darling, no. I am the coward and I'd sworn to myself that I, no but you, but you. No, you have never
given me anything but happiness. Oh my love, now I tell you that is not true at all, because I knew, yes I knew
right from beginning, I knew. I expected what has happened. Yes. Because you're young. It's got everything to
do with it. No, my darling. I'm not a romantic. Most women think that they're going to spend their life with the
man they love, and it's a shock to them when it comes to an end. But I knew, mm-hmm. I'd even seen her, uh,
I didn't tell you it. I'd even seen her with her, photograph. I didn't want to spoil our last weeks together. Oh,
it's only natural. Oh, don't make me out better than I am. I can hear music. I said, 'I can hear music.'
Oh. Henry. Henry's record player. He's got into bad habits since you are not living at home anymore. Yes, do
that. Tell Henry to turn it off.

[sil.]

5
Woman Hello? Yes, that's better. Yes. Henry turned it down, did he? Listen, why can’t you. No,
nothing. No. No, no the doctor will call back tomorrow. Yes, he's a very good doctor. It will only upset him to
call in another doc-, uh. I understand we must. Yes, of course. Of course it is. But if you hadn't phoned, I
would have died. Yes, I've lots of courage. No. Listen. Wait, wait. Let us find a way. Oh, I, forgive me.
Forgive me. I know this scene is unbearable. And you're very patient, my darling, but. Please understand that
I'm in agony. Yes. This thin wire is the last thing that links us. Huh. Do you know what I did last night? I took
the telephone to bed with me. No, no, in bed with me. Yes. Yes, because we are, after all, connected by the
telephone. And then I dozed off and I dreamt all kinds of things. And, I knew you would give me a ring. But it
became a different and dangerous kind of ring. The ring of the neck that strangles you. The boxing ring I
couldn't get out of. The bell rang, you hit me, and I was counted out. And then I was at the, at the bottom of
the sea. Yes, i-, it looked very much like the rooms in Wigmore(ph) street. Yes. And I was connected to
you by a diver's air chute and I was begging you not to cut it. And you know, you know how silly dreams
sound when you try to, to, to explain them. But at the time they were so real, and so, so frightening. Because
you're speaking to me. For five years I've only lived through you and only breathed freely in your
presence. I've spent every waking hour waiting for you, thinking you, you were dead if you were late. And
dying at the thought of your being dead. Then when you came, I could breathe again. And then at last when
you were there, I would die for fear of your going. Now I can breathe again, because you're speaking to me.
So my dream is not so foolish. When you cut the connection, you snap the air chute that I'm holding on to for
dear life. No, no darling, of course I slept. Yes, I slept. The doctor said that 'Even after you get rid of the
pills, you'll sleep.' Yes. Besides the pain distracts you. Yes, it's a novelty and you can bear it. What is
unbearable is, is the second night, yesterday. And the third, tonight, in a few minutes. And tomorrow. And, the
day after. And the day after and days and days and days doing what? Oh my God. Oh no, I am not ill, no. I am
not, I am not the slightest feverish, no. Everything's very clear. If it only wasn't so clear. Clear, cold, and
empty. There is no solution. I should have been brave enough to lie to you. Well, what's the use? What's the
use of going to sleep? Even if I can go to sleep, after going to sleep  there's waking up and dreaming, g-, g-,
getting up, bathing, eating, going out and going where, where shall I go? But I've never had anything to live
for but you. No, I tell you I don't need anyone. Distractions, huh? Yes. I'll tell you something. It's not very
poetical but it is true. Since that night you told me, the only distraction has been at the dentist when he
touched a nerve. Alone. Alone. Julius. Yes, he's here. I, I don't want to make a fuss of him, to, to stroke him or
to be. He won't let anyone, near him. He's quite a different dog and I'm afraid of him.  Ah, well I understand
him only too well. He loves you, and you don't come here anymore and he thinks it's my fault. No, don't think
about it. No please darling, plea-, it's. Hello? Hello, please get off the line. No no no. You're interrupting a
private, no madam, we are not trying to be interesting. All we want is for you to get off the line. But please.
Well if you think we are so ridiculous why are you wasting your time listening instead of hanging up? Oh.
Darling. Oh my, oh my love. No. No no, she rang off. She rang off right after she made that nasty remark. Oh,
you're upset. Don't let a stupid woman like that upset you. Well, she doesn't know you and she, she thinks
you're like other men. No my, but guilty. Guilty about what? How naive you are. Mm. No. Listen the other,
what? No no. Well, let her listen. It doesn't matter. The other day, I met that woman whose name begins with,

6
um, with um, T. Mm-hmm. Yes. T. J-T. Grosvenor Street, mm. Well, she asked me if you had a brother and if
it was his marriage that was being announced. Hmm, well the truth of course. A look of sympathy. Well, I
didn't waste much time with her. I said I had guests at home. Mm. Ah, well darling it's simpler than that.
People hate being dropped and I have gradually dropped everybody. Because I didn't want to lose a single
minute of ours together. No no, darling. No, you must be fair. People couldn't understand our position. People,
no but people, you either love each other or you hate each other. Yes, they give one quick look and oh. You'll
never make them understand certain things, no. Oh, you better be like me. Don't give a damn. Oh, oh. Oh, no
nothing darling, nothing. But I talk and talk and I think we're back just as we were before and suddenly the
truth hits me. No, oh no. No, because before we could see each other. Yes, we could do crazy things, we could
forget our promises. You could convince me that you loved me, with a kiss and a hug. And one look could
change everything. Yes, but, but this, with this machine, what is finished is finished for good. Oh. God.
(ph)No, no darling, don't worry. One doesn't try to commit suicide twice. But perhaps they'll try to sleep. No, I
couldn't buy a gun. Can you see me going into a shop buying a gun? Where would I find the strength to invent
a story, my poor darling? Yes, none. Maybe I should have had. There are times when lies are useful.
Supposing, supposing that, that you were lying to me to make our parting less painful. No no no, darling, I
didn't say that you were lying. I said if you were lying, if for example you were not at home and you told me,
no. No, no, darling, darling. But I believe you dear. I didn't mean to say that I didn't believe you, I. Oh why
are you cross? Yes, you're speaking quite angrily to me. No, but all I meant to say was but if you were lying to
me out of kindness, and I knew it, I would only love you all the more. Darling. I would. Hello? Hello, hello?

[sil.]

Woman Oh my, God. Oh.

[sil.]

Woman God make him call me again. God, make him call me again. God, make him call me again. God
make him call me again. God make him call, God make him call me again. God. Hello? Yes, darling. We
were. Listen, I was just trying to explain that if you had been lying to me out of  kindness, and I noticed, I
would only be all the fonder of you. Yes. Of course. Ah. You're crazy. My love. Oh. My dear love. Yes, you
have a feeling of being so close together and suddenly there are, cellars and underground passages, a whole
town rises up between you. Remember Yvonne asking how, how the voice could come through all the twists
in the wire. I have the wire around my neck now. Your voice is around my neck. Yes I know we must, but I
should never have the courage. Yes, either that or we should sit here for ever and ever until we slowly
starve. In hundreds of years people will find our bones and a strange wire around, around the
vertebrae. I couldn't hang up. No, I couldn't ever. Go on, darling. I know you can't either. I know it's even
more painful for you than for me. No. No. Le Toquet(ph)? Oh darling, if you're going to be in Le
Toquet, tomorrow night, would you then please not, that is, please don't go to the same hotel where we used to

7
go. Because, things I can't imagine don't exist. They exist in a, in a sort of vague way that, that hurts less. Do
you understand? Thank you. I love you. Yes. Well there. There. I l-, until. I was going to say until tomorrow.
Silly habits. I doubt it. Well you never know. Hmm, it's better. Ever so much better. My darling. My beautiful
darling. Yes, I'm brave. Be quick. Hang up. Quick. Break off. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I
love you. I love you.

[sil.]

THE HUMAN VOICE

by JEAN COCTEAU

English translation by CARL WILDMAN

adapted for television by CLIVE EXTON
associate producer: JACQUELINE BABBIN
designed by MICHAEL YATES

A TALENT ASSOCIATES REDIFFUSION TELEVISION PRODUCTION. (c) 1966 Talent Associates. All
Rights Reserved.