Chapter: ACT III

_The dining-room of SORIN'S house. Doors open out of it to the right
and left. A table stands in the centre of the room. Trunks and boxes
encumber the floor, and preparations for departure are evident. TRIGORIN
is sitting at a table eating his breakfast, and MASHA is standing beside
him_.

MASHA. I am telling you all these things because you write books and
they may be useful to you. I tell you honestly, I should not have lived
another day if he had wounded himself fatally. Yet I am courageous; I
have decided to tear this love of mine out of my heart by the roots.

TRIGORIN. How will you do it?

MASHA. By marrying Medviedenko.

TRIGORIN. The school-teacher?

MASHA. Yes.

TRIGORIN. I don't see the necessity for that.

MASHA. Oh, if you knew what it is to love without hope for years and
years, to wait for ever for something that will never come! I shall not
marry for love, but marriage will at least be a change, and will bring
new cares to deaden the memories of the past. Shall we have another
drink?

TRIGORIN. Haven't you had enough?

MASHA. Fiddlesticks! [She fills a glass] Don't look at me with that
expression on your face. Women drink oftener than you imagine, but most
of them do it in secret, and not openly, as I do. They do indeed, and
it is always either vodka or brandy. [They touch glasses] To your good
health! You are so easy to get on with that I am sorry to see you go.
[They drink.]

TRIGORIN. And I am sorry to leave.

MASHA. You should ask her to stay.

TRIGORIN. She would not do that now. Her son has been behaving
outrageously. First he attempted suicide, and now I hear he is going
to challenge me to a duel, though what his provocation may be I can't
imagine. He is always sulking and sneering and preaching about a new
form of art, as if the field of art were not large enough to accommodate
both old and new without the necessity of jostling.

MASHA. It is jealousy. However, that is none of my business. [A pause.
JACOB walks through the room carrying a trunk; NINA comes in and stands
by the window] That schoolteacher of mine is none too clever, but he
is very good, poor man, and he loves me dearly, and I am sorry for him.
However, let me say good-bye and wish you a pleasant journey. Remember
me kindly in your thoughts. [She shakes hands with him] Thanks for your
goodwill. Send me your books, and be sure to write something in them;
nothing formal, but simply this: "To Masha, who, forgetful of her
origin, for some unknown reason is living in this world." Good-bye. [She
goes out.]

NINA. [Holding out her closed hand to TRIGORIN] Is it odd or even?

TRIGORIN. Even.

NINA. [With a sigh] No, it is odd. I had only one pea in my hand. I
wanted to see whether I was to become an actress or not. If only some
one would advise me what to do!

TRIGORIN. One cannot give advice in a case like this. [A pause.]

NINA. We shall soon part, perhaps never to meet again. I should like you
to accept this little medallion as a remembrance of me. I have had your
initials engraved on it, and on this side is the name of one of your
books: "Days and Nights."

TRIGORIN. How sweet of you! [He kisses the medallion] It is a lovely
present.

NINA. Think of me sometimes.

TRIGORIN. I shall never forget you. I shall always remember you as I saw
you that bright day--do you recall it?--a week ago, when you wore your
light dress, and we talked together, and the white seagull lay on the
bench beside us.

NINA. [Lost in thought] Yes, the sea-gull. [A pause] I beg you to let me
see you alone for two minutes before you go.

She goes out to the left. At the same moment ARKADINA comes in from the
right, followed by SORIN in a long coat, with his orders on his breast,
and by JACOB, who is busy packing.

ARKADINA. Stay here at home, you poor old man. How could you pay visits
with that rheumatism of yours? [To TRIGORIN] Who left the room just now,
was it Nina?

TRIGORIN. Yes.

ARKADINA. I beg your pardon; I am afraid we interrupted you. [She sits
down] I think everything is packed. I am absolutely exhausted.

TRIGORIN. [Reading the inscription on the medallion] "Days and Nights,
page 121, lines 11 and 12."

JACOB. [Clearing the table] Shall I pack your fishing-rods, too, sir?

TRIGORIN. Yes, I shall need them, but you can give my books away.

JACOB. Very well, sir.

TRIGORIN. [To himself] Page 121, lines 11 and 12. [To ARKADINA] Have we
my books here in the house?

ARKADINA. Yes, they are in my brother's library, in the corner cupboard.

TRIGORIN. Page 121--[He goes out.]

SORIN. You are going away, and I shall be lonely without you.

ARKADINA. What would you do in town?

SORIN. Oh, nothing in particular, but somehow--[He laughs] They are soon
to lay the corner-stone of the new court-house here. How I should like
to leap out of this minnow-pond, if but for an hour or two! I am tired
of lying here like an old cigarette stump. I have ordered the carriage
for one o'clock. We can go away together.

ARKADINA. [After a pause] No, you must stay here. Don't be lonely, and
don't catch cold. Keep an eye on my boy. Take good care of him; guide
him along the proper paths. [A pause] I am going away, and so shall
never find out why Constantine shot himself, but I think the chief
reason was jealousy, and the sooner I take Trigorin away, the better.

SORIN. There were--how shall I explain it to you?--other reasons besides
jealousy for his act. Here is a clever young chap living in the depths
of the country, without money or position, with no future ahead of him,
and with nothing to do. He is ashamed and afraid of being so idle. I am
devoted to him and he is fond of me, but nevertheless he feels that he
is useless here, that he is little more than a dependent in this house.
It is the pride in him.

ARKADINA. He is a misery to me! [Thoughtfully] He might possibly enter
the army.

SORIN. [Gives a whistle, and then speaks with hesitation] It seems to
me that the best thing for him would be if you were to let him have
a little money. For one thing, he ought to be allowed to dress like a
human being. See how he looks! Wearing the same little old coat that
he has had for three years, and he doesn't even possess an overcoat!
[Laughing] And it wouldn't hurt the youngster to sow a few wild oats;
let him go abroad, say, for a time. It wouldn't cost much.

ARKADINA. Yes, but--However, I think I might manage about his clothes,
but I couldn't let him go abroad. And no, I don't think I can let him
have his clothes even, now. [Decidedly] I have no money at present.

SORIN laughs.

ARKADINA. I haven't indeed.

SORIN. [Whistles] Very well. Forgive me, darling; don't be angry. You
are a noble, generous woman!

ARKADINA. [Weeping] I really haven't the money.

SORIN. If I had any money of course I should let him have some myself,
but I haven't even a penny. The farm manager takes my pension from me
and puts it all into the farm or into cattle or bees, and in that way it
is always lost for ever. The bees die, the cows die, they never let me
have a horse.

ARKADINA. Of course I have some money, but I am an actress and my
expenses for dress alone are enough to bankrupt me.

SORIN. You are a dear, and I am very fond of you, indeed I am. But
something is the matter with me again. [He staggers] I feel giddy. [He
leans against the table] I feel faint, and all.

ARKADINA. [Frightened ] Peter! [She tries to support him] Peter!
dearest! [She calls] Help! Help!

TREPLIEFF and MEDVIEDENKO come in; TREPLIEFF has a bandage around his
head.

ARKADINA. He is fainting!

SORIN. I am all right. [He smiles and drinks some water] It is all over
now.

TREPLIEFF. [To his mother] Don't be frightened, mother, these attacks
are not dangerous; my uncle often has them now. [To his uncle] You must
go and lie down, Uncle.

SORIN. Yes, I think I shall, for a few minutes. I am going to Moscow
all the same, but I shall lie down a bit before I start. [He goes out
leaning on his cane.]

MEDVIEDENKO. [Giving him his arm] Do you know this riddle? On four legs
in the morning; on two legs at noon; and on three legs in the evening?

SORIN. [Laughing] Yes, exactly, and on one's back at night. Thank you, I
can walk alone.

MEDVIEDENKO. Dear me, what formality! [He and SORIN go out.]

ARKADINA. He gave me a dreadful fright.

TREPLIEFF. It is not good for him to live in the country. Mother, if you
would only untie your purse-strings for once, and lend him a thousand
roubles! He could then spend a whole year in town.

ARKADINA. I have no money. I am an actress and not a banker. [A pause.]

TREPLIEFF. Please change my bandage for me, mother, you do it so gently.

ARKADINA goes to the cupboard and takes out a box of bandages and a
bottle of iodoform.

ARKADINA. The doctor is late.

TREPLIEFF. Yes, he promised to be here at nine, and now it is noon
already.

ARKADINA. Sit down. [She takes the bandage off his head] You look as if
you had a turban on. A stranger that was in the kitchen yesterday asked
to what nationality you belonged. Your wound is almost healed. [She
kisses his head] You won't be up to any more of these silly tricks
again, will you, when I am gone?

TREPLIEFF. No, mother. I did that in a moment of insane despair, when I
had lost all control over myself. It will never happen again. [He kisses
her hand] Your touch is golden. I remember when you were still acting at
the State Theatre, long ago, when I was still a little chap, there was a
fight one day in our court, and a poor washerwoman was almost beaten to
death. She was picked up unconscious, and you nursed her till she was
well, and bathed her children in the washtubs. Have you forgotten it?

ARKADINA. Yes, entirely. [She puts on a new bandage.]

TREPLIEFF. Two ballet dancers lived in the same house, and they used to
come and drink coffee with you.

ARKADINA. I remember that.

TREPLIEFF. They were very pious. [A pause] I love you again, these last
few days, as tenderly and trustingly as I did as a child. I have no one
left me now but you. Why, why do you let yourself be controlled by that
man?

ARKADINA. You don't understand him, Constantine. He has a wonderfully
noble personality.

TREPLIEFF. Nevertheless, when he has been told that I wish to challenge
him to a duel his nobility does not prevent him from playing the coward.
He is about to beat an ignominious retreat.

ARKADINA. What nonsense! I have asked him myself to go.

TREPLIEFF. A noble personality indeed! Here we are almost quarrelling
over him, and he is probably in the garden laughing at us at this very
moment, or else enlightening Nina's mind and trying to persuade her into
thinking him a man of genius.

ARKADINA. You enjoy saying unpleasant things to me. I have the greatest
respect for that man, and I must ask you not to speak ill of him in my
presence.

TREPLIEFF. I have no respect for him at all. You want me to think him a
genius, as you do, but I refuse to lie: his books make me sick.

ARKADINA. You envy him. There is nothing left for people with no talent
and mighty pretensions to do but to criticise those who are really
gifted. I hope you enjoy the consolation it brings.

TREPLIEFF. [With irony] Those who are really gifted, indeed! [Angrily] I
am cleverer than any of you, if it comes to that! [He tears the bandage
off his head] You are the slaves of convention, you have seized the
upper hand and now lay down as law everything that you do; all else you
strangle and trample on. I refuse to accept your point of view, yours
and his, I refuse!

ARKADINA. That is the talk of a decadent.

TREPLIEFF. Go back to your beloved stage and act the miserable
ditch-water plays you so much admire!

ARKADINA. I never acted in a play like that in my life. You couldn't
write even the trashiest music-hall farce, you idle good-for-nothing!

TREPLIEFF. Miser!

ARKADINA. Rag-bag!

TREPLIEFF sits down and begins to cry softly.

ARKADINA. [Walking up and down in great excitement] Don't cry! You
mustn't cry! [She bursts into tears] You really mustn't. [She kisses his
forehead, his cheeks, his head] My darling child, forgive me. Forgive
your wicked mother.

TREPLIEFF. [Embracing her] Oh, if you could only know what it is to have
lost everything under heaven! She does not love me. I see I shall never
be able to write. Every hope has deserted me.

ARKADINA. Don't despair. This will all pass. He is going away to-day,
and she will love you once more. [She wipes away his tears] Stop crying.
We have made peace again.

TREPLIEFF. [Kissing her hand] Yes, mother.

ARKADINA. [Tenderly] Make your peace with him, too. Don't fight with
him. You surely won't fight?

TREPLIEFF. I won't, but you must not insist on my seeing him again,
mother, I couldn't stand it. [TRIGORIN comes in] There he is; I am
going. [He quickly puts the medicines away in the cupboard] The doctor
will attend to my head.

TRIGORIN. [Looking through the pages of a book] Page 121, lines 11 and
12; here it is. [He reads] "If at any time you should have need of my
life, come and take it."

TREPLIEFF picks up the bandage off the floor and goes out.

ARKADINA. [Looking at her watch] The carriage will soon be here.

TRIGORIN. [To himself] If at any time you should have need of my life,
come and take it.

ARKADINA. I hope your things are all packed.

TRIGORIN. [Impatiently] Yes, yes. [In deep thought] Why do I hear a note
of sadness that wrings my heart in this cry of a pure soul? If at any
time you should have need of my life, come and take it. [To ARKADINA]
Let us stay here one more day!

ARKADINA shakes her head.

TRIGORIN. Do let us stay!

ARKADINA. I know, dearest, what keeps you here, but you must control
yourself. Be sober; your emotions have intoxicated you a little.

TRIGORIN. You must be sober, too. Be sensible; look upon what has
happened as a true friend would. [Taking her hand] You are capable of
self-sacrifice. Be a friend to me and release me!

ARKADINA. [In deep excitement] Are you so much in love?

TRIGORIN. I am irresistibly impelled toward her. It may be that this is
just what I need.

ARKADINA. What, the love of a country girl? Oh, how little you know
yourself!

TRIGORIN. People sometimes walk in their sleep, and so I feel as if
I were asleep, and dreaming of her as I stand here talking to you. My
imagination is shaken by the sweetest and most glorious visions. Release
me!

ARKADINA. [Shuddering] No, no! I am only an ordinary woman; you must not
say such things to me. Do not torment me, Boris; you frighten me.

TRIGORIN. You could be an extraordinary woman if you only would. Love
alone can bring happiness on earth, love the enchanting, the poetical
love of youth, that sweeps away the sorrows of the world. I had no time
for it when I was young and struggling with want and laying siege to the
literary fortress, but now at last this love has come to me. I see it
beckoning; why should I fly?

ARKADINA. [With anger] You are mad!

TRIGORIN. Release me.

ARKADINA. You have all conspired together to torture me to-day. [She
weeps.]

TRIGORIN. [Clutching his head desperately] She doesn't understand me!
She won't understand me!

ARKADINA. Am I then so old and ugly already that you can talk to me like
this without any shame about another woman? [She embraces and kisses
him] Oh, you have lost your senses! My splendid, my glorious friend, my
love for you is the last chapter of my life. [She falls on her knees]
You are my pride, my joy, my light. [She embraces his knees] I could
never endure it should you desert me, if only for an hour; I should go
mad. Oh, my wonder, my marvel, my king!

TRIGORIN. Some one might come in. [He helps her to rise.]

ARKADINA. Let them come! I am not ashamed of my love. [She kisses his
hands] My jewel! My despair! You want to do a foolish thing, but I don't
want you to do it. I shan't let you do it! [She laughs] You are mine,
you are mine! This forehead is mine, these eyes are mine, this silky
hair is mine. All your being is mine. You are so clever, so wise, the
first of all living writers; you are the only hope of your country. You
are so fresh, so simple, so deeply humourous. You can bring out every
feature of a man or of a landscape in a single line, and your characters
live and breathe. Do you think that these words are but the incense of
flattery? Do you think I am not speaking the truth? Come, look into my
eyes; look deep; do you find lies there? No, you see that I alone know
how to treasure you. I alone tell you the truth. Oh, my very dear, you
will go with me? You will? You will not forsake me?

TRIGORIN. I have no will of my own; I never had. I am too indolent, too
submissive, too phlegmatic, to have any. Is it possible that women like
that? Take me. Take me away with you, but do not let me stir a step from
your side.

ARKADINA. [To herself] Now he is mine! [Carelessly, as if nothing
unusual had happened] Of course you must stay here if you really want
to. I shall go, and you can follow in a week's time. Yes, really, why
should you hurry away?

TRIGORIN. Let us go together.

ARKADINA. As you like. Let us go together then. [A pause. TRIGORIN
writes something in his note-book] What are you writing?

TRIGORIN. A happy expression I heard this morning: "A grove of maiden
pines." It may be useful. [He yawns] So we are really off again,
condemned once more to railway carriages, to stations and restaurants,
to Hamburger steaks and endless arguments!

SHAMRAEFF comes in.

SHAMRAEFF. I am sorry to have to inform you that your carriage is at the
door. It is time to start, honoured madam, the train leaves at two-five.
Would you be kind enough, madam, to remember to inquire for me where
Suzdaltzeff the actor is now? Is he still alive, I wonder? Is he well?
He and I have had many a jolly time together. He was inimitable in "The
Stolen Mail." A tragedian called Izmailoff was in the same company, I
remember, who was also quite remarkable. Don't hurry, madam, you still
have five minutes. They were both of them conspirators once, in the
same melodrama, and one night when in the course of the play they were
suddenly discovered, instead of saying "We have been trapped!" Izmailoff
cried out: "We have been rapped!" [He laughs] Rapped!

While he has been talking JACOB has been busy with the trunks, and the
maid has brought ARKADINA her hat, coat, parasol, and gloves. The cook
looks hesitatingly through the door on the right, and finally comes into
the room. PAULINA comes in. MEDVIEDENKO comes in.

PAULINA. [Presenting ARKADINA with a little basket] Here are some
plums for the journey. They are very sweet ones. You may want to nibble
something good on the way.

ARKADINA. You are very kind, Paulina.

PAULINA. Good-bye, my dearie. If things have not been quite as you could
have wished, please forgive us. [She weeps.]

ARKADINA. It has been delightful, delightful. You mustn't cry.

SORIN comes in through the door on the left, dressed in a long coat with
a cape, and carrying his hat and cane. He crosses the room.

SORIN. Come, sister, it is time to start, unless you want to miss the
train. I am going to get into the carriage. [He goes out.]

MEDVIEDENKO. I shall walk quickly to the station and see you off there.
[He goes out.]

ARKADINA. Good-bye, all! We shall meet again next summer if we live.
[The maid servant, JACOB, and the cook kiss her hand] Don't forget me.
[She gives the cook a rouble] There is a rouble for all three of you.

THE COOK. Thank you, mistress; a pleasant journey to you.

JACOB. God bless you, mistress.

SHAMRAEFF. Send us a line to cheer us up. [TO TRIGORIN] Good-bye, sir.

ARKADINA. Where is Constantine? Tell him I am starting. I must say
good-bye to him. [To JACOB] I gave the cook a rouble for all three of
you.

All go out through the door on the right. The stage remains empty.
Sounds of farewell are heard. The maid comes running back to fetch the
basket of plums which has been forgotten. TRIGORIN comes back.

TRIGORIN. I had forgotten my cane. I think I left it on the terrace. [He
goes toward the door on the right and meets NINA, who comes in at that
moment] Is that you? We are off.

NINA. I knew we should meet again. [With emotion] I have come to an
irrevocable decision, the die is cast: I am going on the stage. I am
deserting my father and abandoning everything. I am beginning life anew.
I am going, as you are, to Moscow. We shall meet there.

TRIGORIN. [Glancing about him] Go to the Hotel Slavianski Bazar. Let
me know as soon as you get there. I shall be at the Grosholski House in
Moltchanofka Street. I must go now. [A pause.]

NINA. Just one more minute!

TRIGORIN. [In a low voice] You are so beautiful! What bliss to think
that I shall see you again so soon! [She sinks on his breast] I shall
see those glorious eyes again, that wonderful, ineffably tender smile,
those gentle features with their expression of angelic purity! My
darling! [A prolonged kiss.]

The curtain falls.

Two years elapse between the third and fourth acts.

 The curtain rises for the first time on an interior scene: the dining room of Sorin's house, a dining-table center stage, and suitcases and boxes all over the floor. These suitcases are evidence that Arkadina and her party are preparing to depart for the town. Alone together onstage, Trigorin and Masha are having a conversation. Masha is telling Trigorin that to rip her love for Konstantin out of her heart, she has decided to marry Medvedenko. She is not marrying for love, she admits, but simply because she is tired of loving without any hope of any reciprocation. Masha is now drinking very heavily. Trigorin reveals that he would quite like to stay in the country, but he knows that there's no chance Arkadina will want to stay in the house. This is because Konstantin is behaving very awkwardly. Konstantin has tried to shoot himself, and he now wants to challenge Trigorin to a duel. Trigorin doesn't understand why Konstantin is making all this trouble. Masha says a dramatic farewell to Trigorin and exits. Nina comes in, presenting Trigorin with a medallion on which, she says, she has had his initials, and the title of one of his books, "Days and Nights", engraved. Arkadina enters with Sorin and Yakov just as Nina exits . As Yakov starts taking the suitcases out, ready for departure, and Arkadina flusters around, Trigorin reads the inscription engraved on his medallion: "Days and Nights, page 121, lines 11 and 12". He quickly exits to find a copy of his book to see which line Nina has referenced. Arkadina and Sorin have a discussion. Sorin wants to go out to a ceremony, and Arkadina says he should stay at home. The conversation eventually moves on to Konstantin: Arkadina has no idea, she says, why he tried to kill himself, but she puts it down to jealousy. Sorin thinks Konstantin is ashamed of his idleness and of his lack of future prospects. Sorin then suggests that Arkadina should maybe give him a little money to buy new clothes and go abroad. Arkadina momentarily considers this before she decides that she has no money. Sorin gently continues to press her, and Arkadina then reveals that she does in fact have money but she needs to spend it on her outfits. This is because, she says, she is in the theatrical profession. Sorin then, unexpectedly, has a funny turn, and goes limp, holding onto the table. Arkadina panics and shouts for help. Konstantin, his head bandaged, enters with Medvedenko, bringing some water for Sorin. Konstantin tells his mother that Sorin has these turns all the time, and that it's nothing to worry about. Medvedenko takes Sorin off for a lie down, and Konstantin, ironically, asks Arkadina to lend Sorin enough money to allow him to live in town. Arkadina, again, refuses. Konstantin then asks his mother to change the dressing on his head-wound, which he got when he tried to shoot himself. As she changes his dressing, the two of them remember two events from Konstantin's childhood -- Arkadina once bandaging an unconscious washerwoman, and two ballet dancers that used to come and have coffee with Arkadina. The conversation turns to Trigorin, who Konstantin argues has come between him and his mother. Arkadina claims that Trigorin is a man of the highest integrity, and that Konstantin must respect her freedom. Konstantin says he does respect her freedom, but he doesn't respect Trigorin. He adds that he finds Trigorin's writing nauseating. Arkadina loses her temper, and tells her son that people without talent always want to run down talented people. An argument sparks up, which culminates in Arkadina calling Konstantin a "nonentity", which reduces him to tears. Arkadina embraces Konstantin, and tries to comfort him. Konstantin is upset, he says, because Nina doesn't love him and so he doesn't feel he can write. Konstantin agrees to try and be nicer to Trigorin, just as Trigorin enters. Trigorin is reading the line referred to by the medallion: "If ever you have need of my life, then come and take it". Trigorin begs Arkadina to stay another day and she refuses. Arkadina tells Trigorin that she knows he only wants to stay to see Nina. Trigorin rhapsodises about Nina, saying she might be just what he needs, and Arkadina tries shouting, arguing, and weeping to change his mind. Eventually, Arkadina ends up kneeling to him and delivering a long, romantic, flattering monologue about Trigorin's beauty and talent. Trigorin submits, and Arkadina is satisfied, resolving never to let him out of her sight. She has won him over with flattery. Shamrayev enters to tell Arkadina the horses are ready, and Arkadina's travelling clothes are brought in as Yakov takes the final suitcases out. Polina offers Arkadina a basket of plums for the journey, and breaks down in tears, worried that Arkadina has not had a good time on the estate. Sorin enters and immediately exits to the horses, and Medvedenko exits to walk to the station. Arkadina gives the cook, the maid and Yakov a ruble between them, and exits with Trigorin. The stage is left empty for a moment, before Trigorin promptly re-enters, having forgotten his stick. Finding it, Trigorin makes to exit, but meets Nina, who tells him she too is leaving for Moscow. Trigorin tells her to stay at a certain hotel, and to let her know as soon as she arrives, openly admiring her beauty. The curtain falls on Nina and Trigorin sharing a stolen, "prolonged kiss".

