TRIGORIN。[Glancingabouthim]GototheHotelSlavianskiBazar。
Letmeknowassoonasyougetthere。IshallbeattheGrosholskiHouseinMoltchanofkaStreet。Imustgonow。[A
pause。]
NINA。Justonemoreminute！
TRIGORIN。[Inalowvoice]Youaresobeautiful！WhatblisstothinkthatIshallseeyouagainsosoon！[Shesinksonhisbreast]Ishallseethosegloriouseyesagain，thatwonderful，ineffablytendersmile，thosegentlefeatureswiththeirexpressionofangelicpurity！Mydarling！[Aprolongedkiss。]
Thecurtainfalls。
Twoyearselapsebetweenthethirdandfourthacts。
ACTIV
Asitting—roominSORIN’Shouse，whichhasbeenconvertedintoawriting—roomforTREPLIEFF。Totherightandleftaredoorsleadingintoinnerrooms，andinthecentreisaglassdooropeningontoaterrace。Besidestheusualfurnitureofasitting—roomthereisawriting—deskintheright—handcorneroftheroom。ThereisaTurkishdivannearthedoorontheleft，andshelvesfullofbooksstandagainstthewalls。Booksarelyingscatteredaboutonthewindowsillsandchairs。Itisevening。Theroomisdimlylightedbyashadedlamponatable。Thewindmoansinthetreetopsandwhistlesdownthechimney。Thewatchmaninthegardenisheardsoundinghisrattle。MEDVIEDENKOandMASHA
comein。
MASHA。[CallingTREPLIEFF]Mr。Constantine，whereareyou？
[Lookingabouther]Thereisnoonehere。HisolduncleisforeveraskingforConstantine，andcan’tlivewithouthimforaninstant。
MEDVIEDENKO。Hedreadsbeingleftalone。[Listeningtothewind]
Thisisawildnight。Wehavehadthisstormfortwodays。
MASHA。[Turningupthelamp]Thewavesonthelakeareenormous。
MEDVIEDENKO。Itisverydarkinthegarden。Doyouknow，Ithinkthatoldtheatreoughttobeknockeddown。Itisstillstandingthere，nakedandhideousasaskeleton，withthecurtainflappinginthewind。IthoughtIheardavoiceweepinginitasIpassedtherelastnight。
MASHA。Whatanidea！[Apause。]
MEDVIEDENKO。Comehomewithme，Masha。
MASHA。[Shakingherhead]Ishallspendthenighthere。
MEDVIEDENKO。[Imploringly]Docome，Masha。Thebabymustbehungry。
MASHA。Nonsense，Matrionawillfeedit。[Apause。]
MEDVIEDENKO。Itisapitytoleavehimthreenightswithouthismother。
MASHA。Youaregettingtootiresome。Youusedsometimestotalkofotherthingsbesideshomeandthebaby，homeandthebaby。
ThatisallIeverhearfromyounow。
MEDVIEDENKO。Comehome，Masha。
MASHA。Youcangohomeifyouwantto。
MEDVIEDENKO。Yourfatherwon’tgivemeahorse。
MASHA。Yes，hewill;askhim。
MEDVIEDENKO。IthinkIshall。Areyoucominghometo—morrow？
MASHA。Yes，yes，to—morrow。
Shetakessnuff。TREPLIEFFandPAULINAcomein。TREPLIEFFiscarryingsomepillowsandablanket，andPAULINAiscarryingsheetsandpillowcases。Theylaythemonthedivan，andTREPLIEFFgoesandsitsdownathisdesk。
MASHA。Whoisthatfor，mother？
PAULINA。Mr。SorinaskedtosleepinConstantine’sroomto—night。
MASHA。Letmemakethebed。
Shemakesthebed。PAULINAgoesuptothedeskandlooksatthemanuscriptslyingonit。[Apause。]
MEDVIEDENKO。Well，Iamgoing。Good—bye，Masha。[Hekisseshiswife’shand]Good—bye，mother。[Hetriestokisshismother—in—law’shand。]
PAULINA。[Crossly]Beoff，inGod’sname！
TREPLIEFFshakeshandswithhiminsilence，andMEDVIEDENKOgoesout。
PAULINA。[Lookingatthemanuscripts]Nooneeverdreamed，Constantine，thatyouwouldonedayturnintoarealauthor。Themagazinespayyouwellforyourstories。[Shestrokeshishair。]
Youhavegrownhandsome，too。Dear，kindConstantine，bealittlenicertomyMasha。
MASHA。[Stillmakingthebed]Leavehimalone，mother。
PAULINA。Sheisasweetchild。[Apause]Awoman，Constantine，asksonlyforkindlooks。Iknowthatfromexperience。
TREPLIEFFgetsupfromhisdeskandgoesoutwithoutaword。
MASHA。Therenow！Youhavevexedhim。Itoldyounottobotherhim。
PAULINA。Iamsorryforyou，Masha。
MASHA。MuchIneedyourpity！
PAULINA。Myheartachesforyou。Iseehowthingsare，andunderstand。
MASHA。Youseewhatdoesn’texist。Hopelessloveisonlyfoundinnovels。Itisatrifle;allonehastodoistokeepatightreinononeself，andkeepone’sheadclear。Lovemustbepluckedoutthemomentitspringsupintheheart。Myhusbandhasbeenpromisedaschoolinanotherdistrict，andwhenwehaveonceleftthisplaceIshallforgetitall。Ishalltearmypassionoutbytheroots。[Thenotesofamelancholywaltzareheardinthedistance。]
PAULINA。Constantineisplaying。Thatmeansheissad。
MASHAsilentlywaltzesafewturnstothemusic。
MASHA。Thegreatthing，mother，isnottohavehimcontinuallyinsight。IfmySimoncouldonlygethisremoveIshouldforgetitallinamonthortwo。Itisatrifle。
DORNandMEDVIEDENKOcomeinthroughthedoorontheleft，wheelingSORINinanarm—chair。
MEDVIEDENKO。Ihavesixmouthstofeednow，andflourisatseventykopecks。
DORN。Ahardriddletosolve！
MEDVIEDENKO。Itiseasyforyoutomakelightofit。Youarerichenoughtoscattermoneytoyourchickens，ifyouwantedto。
DORN。YouthinkIamrich？Myfriend，afterpractisingforthirtyyears，duringwhichIcouldnotcallmysoulmyownforoneminuteofthenightorday，Isucceededatlastinscrapingtogetheronethousandroubles，allofwhichwent，notlongago，inatripwhichItookabroad。Ihaven’tapenny。
MASHA。[Toherhusband]Soyoudidn’tgohomeafterall？
MEDVIEDENKO。[Apologetically]HowcanIgohomewhentheywon’tgivemeahorse？
MASHA。[Underherbreath，withbitteranger]WouldImightneverseeyourfaceagain！
SORINinhischairiswheeledtotheleft—handsideoftheroom。
PAULINA，MASHA，andDORNsitdownbesidehim。MEDVIEDENKOstandssadlyaside。
DORN。Whatalotofchangesyouhavemadehere！Youhaveturnedthissitting—roomintoalibrary。
MASHA。Constantinelikestoworkinthisroom，becausefromithecanstepoutintothegardentomeditatewheneverhefeelslikeit。[Thewatchman’srattleisheard。]
SORIN。Whereismysister？
DORN。ShehasgonetothestationtomeetTrigorin。Shewillsoonbeback。
SORIN。Imustbedangerouslyillifyouhadtosendformysister。[Hefallssilentforamoment]Anicebusinessthisis！
HereIamdangerouslyill，andyouwon’tevengivemeanymedicine。
DORN。WhatshallIprescribeforyou？Camomiletea？Soda？
Quinine？
SORIN。Don’tinflictanyofyourdiscussionsonmeagain。[Henodstowardthesofa]Isthatbedforme？
PAULINA。Yes，foryou，sir。
SORIN。Thankyou。
DORN。[Sings]\"Themoonswimsintheskyto—night。\"
SORIN。IamgoingtogiveConstantineanideaforastory。Itshallbecalled\"TheManWhoWished——L’Hommequiavoulu。\"WhenI
wasyoung，Iwishedtobecomeanauthor;Ifailed。Iwishedtobeanorator;Ispeakabominably，[Excitinghimself]withmyeternal\"andall，andall，\"draggingeachsentenceonandonuntilI
sometimesbreakoutintoasweatallover。Iwishedtomarry，andIdidn’t;Iwishedtoliveinthecity，andhereIamendingmydaysinthecountry，andall。
DORN。YouwishedtobecomeStateCouncillor，and——youareone！
SORIN。[Laughing]Ididn’ttryforthat，itcameofitsownaccord。
DORN。Come，youmustadmitthatitispettytocavilatlifeatsixty—twoyearsofage。
SORIN。Youarepig—headed！Can’tyouseeIwanttolive？
DORN。Thatisfutile。Naturehascommandedthateverylifeshallcometoanend。
SORIN。Youspeaklikeamanwhoissatiatedwithlife。Yourthirstforitisquenched，andsoyouarecalmandindifferent，butevenyoudreaddeath。
DORN。Thefearofdeathisananimalpassionwhichmustbeovercome。Onlythosewhobelieveinafuturelifeandtrembleforsinscommitted，canlogicallyfeardeath;butyou，foronething，don’tbelieveinafuturelife，andforanother，youhaven’tcommittedanysins。YouhaveservedasaCouncillorfortwenty—fiveyears，thatisall。
SORIN。[Laughing]Twenty—eightyears！
TREPLIEFFcomesinandsitsdownonastoolatSORIN’Sfeet。
MASHAfixeshereyesonhisfaceandneveroncetearsthemaway。
DORN。WearekeepingConstantinefromhiswork。
TREPLIEFF。Nomatter。[Apause。]
MEDVIEDENKO。Ofallthecitiesyouvisitedwhenyouwereabroad，Doctor，whichonedidyoulikethebest？
DORN。Genoa。
TREPLIEFF。WhyGenoa？
DORN。Becausethereissuchasplendidcrowdinitsstreets。Whenyouleavethehotelintheevening，andthrowyourselfintotheheartofthatthrong，andmovewithitwithoutaimorobject，sweptalong，hitherandthither，theirlifeseemstobeyours，theirsoulflowsintoyou，andyoubegintobelieveatlastinagreatworldspirit，liketheoneinyourplaythatNinaZarietchnayaacted。Bytheway，whereisNinanow？Isshewell？
TREPLIEFF。Ibelieveso。
DORN。Ihearshehasledratherastrangelife;whathappened？
TREPLIEFF。Itisalongstory，Doctor。
DORN。Tellitshortly。[Apause。]
TREPLIEFF。SheranawayfromhomeandjoinedTrigorin;youknowthat？
DORN。Yes。
TREPLIEFF。Shehadachildthatdied。Trigorinsoontiredofherandreturnedtohisformerties，asmighthavebeenexpected。Hehadneverbrokenthem，indeed，butoutofweaknessofcharacterhadalwaysvacillatedbetweenthetwo。AsfarasIcanmakeoutfromwhatIhaveheard，Nina’sdomesticlifehasnotbeenaltogetherasuccess。
DORN。Whataboutheracting？
TREPLIEFF。Ibelieveshemadeanevenworsefailureofthat。ShemadeherdebutonthestageoftheSummerTheatreinMoscow，andafterwardmadeatourofthecountrytowns。AtthattimeIneverletheroutofmysight，andwherevershewentIfollowed。Shealwaysattemptedgreatanddifficultparts，butherdeliverywasharshandmonotonous，andhergesturesheavyandcrude。Sheshriekedanddiedwellattimes，butthosewerebutmoments。
DORN。Thenshereallyhasatalentforacting？
TREPLIEFF。Inevercouldmakeout。Ibelieveshehas。Isawher，butsherefusedtoseeme，andherservantwouldneveradmitmetoherrooms。Iappreciatedherfeelings，anddidnotinsistuponameeting。[Apause]WhatmorecanItellyou？ShesometimeswritestomenowthatIhavecomehome，suchclever，sympatheticletters，fullofwarmfeeling。Shenevercomplains，butIcantellthatsheisprofoundlyunhappy;notalinebutspeakstomeofanaching，breakingnerve。Shehasonestrangefancy;shealwayssignsherself\"TheSea—gull。\"Themillerin\"Rusalka\"
calledhimself\"TheCrow，\"andsosherepeatsinallherlettersthatsheisasea—gull。Sheisherenow。
DORN。Whatdoyoumeanby\"here？\"
TREPLIEFF。Inthevillage，attheinn。Shehasbeenthereforfivedays。Ishouldhavegonetoseeher，butMashaherewent，andsherefusestoseeanyone。Someonetoldmeshehadbeenseenwanderinginthefieldsamilefromhereyesterdayevening。
MEDVIEDENKO。Yes，Isawher。Shewaswalkingawayfromhereinthedirectionofthevillage。Iaskedherwhyshehadnotbeentoseeus。Shesaidshewouldcome。
TREPLIEFF。Butshewon’t。[Apause]Herfatherandstepmotherhavedisownedher。Theyhaveevenputwatchmenallaroundtheirestatetokeepheraway。[Hegoeswiththedoctortowardthedesk]Howeasyitis，Doctor，tobeaphilosopheronpaper，andhowdifficultinreallife！
SORIN。Shewasabeautifulgirl。EventheStateCouncillorhimselfwasinlovewithherforatime。
DORN。YouoldLovelace，you！
SHAMRAEFF’Slaughisheard。
PAULINA。Theyarecomingbackfromthestation。
TREPLIEFF。Yes，Ihearmymother’svoice。
ARKADINAandTRIGORINcomein，followedbySHAMRAEFF。
SHAMRAEFF。Weallgrowoldandwither，mylady，whileyoualone，withyourlightdress，yourgayspirits，andyourgrace，keepthesecretofeternalyouth。
ARKADINA。Youarestilltryingtoturnmyhead，youtiresomeoldman。
TRIGORIN。[ToSORIN]Howdoyoudo，Peter？What，stillill？Howsillyofyou！[Withevidentpleasure，ashecatchessightofMASHA]Howareyou，MissMasha？
MASHA。Soyourecognisedme？[Sheshakeshandswithhim。
TRIGORIN。Didyoumarryhim？
MASHA。Longago。
TRIGORIN。Youarehappynow？[HebowstoDORNandMEDVIEDENKO，andthengoeshesitatinglytowardTREPLIEFF]Yourmothersaysyouhaveforgottenthepastandarenolongerangrywithme。
TREPLIEFFgiveshimhishand。
ARKADINA。[Toherson]HereisamagazinethatBorishasbroughtyouwithyourlateststoryinit。
TREPLIEFF。[ToTRIGORIN，ashetakesthemagazine]Manythanks;
youareverykind。
TRIGORIN。Youradmirersallsendyoutheirregards。EveryoneinMoscowandSt。Petersburgisinterestedinyou，andallplymewithquestionsaboutyou。Theyaskmewhatyoulooklike，howoldyouare，whetheryouarefairordark。Forsomereasontheyallthinkthatyouarenolongeryoung，andnooneknowswhoyouare，asyoualwayswriteunderanassumedname。YouareasgreatamysteryastheManintheIronMask。
TREPLIEFF。Doyouexpecttobeherelong？
TRIGORIN。No，ImustgobacktoMoscowto—morrow。Iamfinishinganothernovel，andhavepromisedsomethingtoamagazinebesides。
Infact，itisthesameoldbusiness。
DuringtheirconversationARKADINAandPAULINAhaveputupacard—tableinthecentreoftheroom;SHAMRAEFFlightsthecandlesandarrangesthechairs，thenfetchesaboxoflottofromthecupboard。
TRIGORIN。Theweatherhasgivenmearoughwelcome。Thewindisfrightful。IfitgoesdownbymorningIshallgofishinginthelake，andshallhavealookatthegardenandthespot——doyouremember？——whereyourplaywasgiven。Irememberthepieceverywell，butshouldliketoseeagainwherethescenewaslaid。
MASHA。[Toherfather]Father，dopleaseletmyhusbandhaveahorse。Heoughttogohome。
SHAMRAEFF。[Angrily]Ahorsetogohomewith！[Sternly]Youknowthehorseshavejustbeentothestation。Ican’tsendthemoutagain。
MASHA。Butthereareotherhorses。[Seeingthatherfatherremainssilent]Youareimpossible！
MEDVIEDENKO。Ishallgoonfoot，Masha。
PAULINA。[Withasigh]Onfootinthisweather？[Shetakesaseatatthecard—table]Shallwebegin？
MEDVIEDENKO。Itisonlysixmiles。Good—bye。[Hekisseshiswife’shand;]Good—bye，mother。[Hismother—in—lawgiveshimherhandunwillingly]Ishouldnothavetroubledyouall，butthebaby——[Hebowstoeveryone]Good—bye。[Hegoesoutwithanapologeticair。]
SHAMRAEFF。Hewillgetthereallright，heisnotamajor—general。
PAULINA。Come，letusbegin。Don’tletuswastetime，weshallsoonbecalledtosupper。
SHAMRAEFF，MASHA，andDORNsitdownatthecard—table。
ARKADINA。[ToTRIGORIN]Whenthelongautumneveningsdescendonuswewhileawaythetimeherebyplayinglotto。Lookatthisoldset;weuseditwhenourmotherplayedwithusaschildren。Don’tyouwanttotakeahandinthegamewithusuntilsuppertime？
[SheandTRIGORINsitdownatthetable]Itisamonotonousgame，butitisallrightwhenonegetsusedtoit。[Shedealsthreecardstoeachoftheplayers。]
TREPLIEFF。[Lookingthroughthepagesofthemagazine]Hehasreadhisownstory，andhasn’tevencutthepagesofmine。
Helaysthemagazineonhisdeskandgoestowardthedoorontheright，stoppingashepasseshismothertogiveherakiss。
ARKADINA。Won’tyouplay，Constantine？
TREPLIEFF。No，excusemeplease，Idon’tfeellikeit。Iamgoingtotakeaturnthroughtherooms。[Hegoesout。]
MASHA。Areyouallready？Ishallbegin:twenty—two。
ARKADINA。Hereitis。
MASHA。Three。