The Seagull

am sorry to be parting from you. They drink. Trigorin I don’t want to go myself. Masha You should beg her to stay. Trigorin No, she won’t stay now. Her son is behaving very tactlessly. First he shoots himself, and now they say he is going to challenge me to a duel. And whatever for? He sulks, and snorts, and preaches new forms of art.⁠ ⁠… But there is room for all⁠—new and old⁠—why quarrel about it? Masha Well, there’s jealousy too. But it is nothing to do with me. A pause. Yakov crosses from right to left with a portmanteau. Nina enters and stands by the window. Masha My schoolmaster is not very brilliant, but he is a good-natured man, and poor, and he is very much in love with me. I am sorry for him. And I am sorry for his old mother. Well, let me wish you all happiness. Don’t remember evil against me shakes hands with him warmly. I am very grateful for your friendly interest. Send me your books and be sure to put in an inscription. Only don’t write, “To my honoured friend,” but write simply, “To Marya who belongs nowhere and has no object in life.” Goodbye! Goes out. Nina Stretching out her arm towards Trigorin, with her fist clenched. Odd or even? Trigorin Even. Nina With a sigh. Wrong. I had only one pea in my hand. I was trying my fortune whether to go on the stage or not. I wish someone would advise me. Trigorin It’s impossible to advise in such a matter a pause. Nina We are parting and⁠ ⁠… perhaps we shall never meet again. Won’t you please take this little medallion as a parting gift? I had your initials engraved on one side of it⁠ ⁠… and on the other the title of your book, Days and Nights. Trigorin How exquisite! Kisses the medallion. A charming present! Nina Think of me sometimes. Trigorin I shall think of you. I shall think of you as you were on that sunny day⁠—do you remember?⁠—a week ago, when you were wearing a light dress⁠ ⁠… we were talking⁠ ⁠… there was a white seagull lying on the seat. Nina Pensively. Yes, a seagull⁠ ⁠… a pause. We can’t talk any more, there’s someone coming.⁠ ⁠… Let me have two minutes before you go, I entreat you⁠ ⁠… goes out on the left. At the same instant Madame Arkadin, Sorin in a dress coat with a star of some order on it, then Yakov, occupied with the luggage, enter on the right. Madame Arkadin Stay at home, old man. With your rheumatism you ought not to go gadding about. To Trigorin. Who was that went out? Nina? Trigorin Yes. Madame Arkadin Pardon, we interrupted you sits down. I believe I have packed everything. I am worn out. Trigorin Reads on the medallion. “Days and Nights, page 121, lines 11 and 12.” Yakov Clearing the table. Am I to pack your fishing things too, sir? Trigorin Yes, I shall want them again. You can give away the hooks. Yakov Yes, sir. Trigorin To himself. Page 121, lines 11 and 12. What is there in those lines? To Madame Arkadin. Are there copies of my books in the house? Madame Arkadin Yes, in my brother’s study, in the corner bookcase. Trigorin Page 121⁠ ⁠… goes out. Madame Arkadin Really, Petrusha, you had better stay at home. Sorin You are going away; it will be dreary for me at home without you. Madame Arkadin And what is there in the town? Sorin Nothing particular, but still⁠ ⁠… laughs. There will be the laying of the foundation-stone of the Zemstvo hall, and all that sort of thing. One longs to shake oneself free from this stagnant existence, if only for an hour or two. I’ve been too long on the shelf like some old cigarette-holder. I have ordered the horses for one o’clock; we’ll set off at the same time. Madame Arkadin After a pause. Come, stay here, don’t be bored and don’t catch cold. Look after my son. Take care of him. Give him good advice a pause. Here I am going away and I shall never know why Konstantin tried to shoot himself. I fancy jealousy was the chief cause, and the sooner I get Trigorin away from here, the better. Sorin What can I say? There were other reasons too. It’s easy to understand; he is young, intelligent, living in the country, in the wilds, with no money, no position and no future. He has nothing to do. He is ashamed of his idleness and afraid of it. I am very fond of him indeed, and he is attached to me, yet in spite of it all he feels he is superfluous in the house, that he is a dependant, a poor relation. It’s easy to understand, it’s amour propre.⁠ ⁠… Madame Arkadin He is a great anxiety to me! Pondering. He might go into the service, perhaps. Sorin Begins to whistle, then irresolutely. I think that quite the best thing would be if you were to⁠ ⁠… let him have a little money. In the first place he ought to be able to be dressed like other people and all that. Just look at him, he’s been going about in the same wretched jacket for the last three years and he has no overcoat⁠ ⁠… laughs. It would do him no harm to have a little fun⁠ ⁠… to go abroad or something.⁠ ⁠… It wouldn’t cost much. Madame Arkadin But all the same⁠ ⁠… I might manage the suit, perhaps, but as for going abroad⁠ ⁠… No, just at the moment I can’t even manage the suit. Resolutely. I have no money! Sorin laughs. Madame Arkadin No! Sorin Begins to whistle. Quite so. Forgive me, my dear, don’t be cross. I believe you.⁠ ⁠… You are a generous, noble-hearted woman. Madame Arkadin Weeping. I have no money. Sorin If I had money, of course I would give him some myself, but I have nothing, not a