DORN。Right。
　　MASHA。Haveyouputdownthree？Eight。Eighty—one。Ten。
　　SHAMRAEFF。Don’tgosofast。
　　ARKADINA。Couldyoubelieveit？IamstilldazedbythereceptiontheygavemeinKharkoff。
　　MASHA。Thirty—four。[Thenotesofamelancholywaltzareheard。]
　　ARKADINA。Thestudentsgavemeanovation;theysentmethreebasketsofflowers，awreath，andthisthinghere。
　　Sheunclaspsabroochfromherbreastandlaysitonthetable。
　　SHAMRAEFF。Thereissomethingworthwhile！
　　MASHA。Fifty。
　　DORN。Fifty，didyousay？
　　ARKADINA。Iworeaperfectlymagnificentdress;Iamnofoolwhenitcomestoclothes。
　　PAULINA。Constantineisplayingagain;thepoorboyissad。
　　SHAMRAEFF。Hehasbeenseverelycriticisedinthepapers。
　　MASHA。Seventy—seven。
　　ARKADINA。Theywanttoattractattentiontohim。
　　TRIGORIN。Hedoesn’tseemabletomakeasuccess，hecan’tsomehowstriketherightnote。Thereisanoddvaguenessabouthiswritingsthatsometimesvergesondelirium。Hehasnevercreatedasinglelivingcharacter。
　　MASHA。Eleven。
　　ARKADINA。Areyoubored，Peter？[Apause]Heisasleep。
　　DORN。TheCouncilloristakinganap。
　　MASHA。Seven。Ninety。
　　TRIGORIN。DoyouthinkIshouldwriteifIlivedinsuchaplaceasthis，ontheshoreofthislake？Never！Ishouldovercomemypassion，andgivemylifeuptothecatchingoffish。
　　MASHA。Twenty—eight。
　　TRIGORIN。AndifIcaughtaperchorabass，whatblissitwouldbe！
　　DORN。IhavegreatfaithinConstantine。Iknowthereissomethinginhim。Hethinksinimages;hisstoriesarevividandfullofcolour，andalwaysaffectmedeeply。Itisonlyapitythathehasnodefiniteobjectinview。Hecreatesimpressions，andnothingmore，andonecannotgofaronimpressionsalone。Areyouglad，madam，thatyouhaveanauthorforason？
　　ARKADINA。Justthink，Ihaveneverreadanythingofhis;Ineverhavetime。
　　MASHA。Twenty—six。
　　TREPLIEFFcomesinquietlyandsitsdownathistable。
　　SHAMRAEFF。[ToTRIGORIN]Wehavesomethingherethatbelongstoyou，sir。
　　TRIGORIN。Whatisit？
　　SHAMRAEFF。Youtoldmetohavethesea—gullstuffedthatMr。
　　Constantinekilledsometimeago。
　　TRIGORIN。DidI？[Thoughtfully]Idon’tremember。
　　MASHA。Sixty—one。One。
　　TREPLIEFFthrowsopenthewindowandstandslistening。
　　TREPLIEFF。Howdarkthenightis！Iwonderwhatmakesmesorestless。
　　ARKADINA。Shutthewindow，Constantine，thereisadraughthere。
　　TREPLIEFFshutsthewindow。
　　MASHA。Ninety—eight。
　　TRIGORIN。See，mycardisfull。
　　ARKADINA。[Gaily]Bravo！Bravo！
　　SHAMRAEFF。Bravo！
　　ARKADINA。Whereverhegoesandwhateverhedoes，thatmanalwayshasgoodluck。[Shegetsup]Andnow，cometosupper。Ourrenownedguestdidnothaveanydinnerto—day。Wecancontinueourgamelater。[Toherson]Come，Constantine，leaveyourwritingandcometosupper。
　　TREPLIEFF。Idon’twantanythingtoeat，mother;Iamnothungry。
　　ARKADINA。Asyouplease。[ShewakesSORIN]Cometosupper，Peter。
　　[ShetakesSHAMRAEFF’Sarm]LetmetellyouaboutmyreceptioninKharkoff。
　　PAULINAblowsoutthecandlesonthetable，thensheandDORN
　　rollSORIN’Schairoutoftheroom，andallgooutthroughthedoorontheleft，exceptTREPLIEFF，whoisleftalone。TREPLIEFF
　　preparestowrite。Herunshiseyeoverwhathehasalreadywritten。
　　TREPLIEFF。Ihavetalkedagreatdealaboutnewformsofart，butIfeelmyselfgraduallyslippingintothebeatentrack。[Hereads]"Theplacardcrieditfromthewall——apalefaceinaframeofduskyhair"——cried——frame——thatisstupid。[Hescratchesoutwhathehaswritten]Ishallbeginagainfromtheplacewheremyheroiswakenedbythenoiseoftherain，butwhatfollowsmustgo。Thisdescriptionofamoonlightnightislongandstilted。Trigorinhasworkedoutaprocessofhisown，anddescriptionsareeasyforhim。Hewritesthattheneckofabrokenbottlelyingonthebankglitteredinthemoonlight，andthattheshadowslayblackunderthemill—wheel。Thereyouhaveamoonlightnightbeforeyoureyes，butIspeakoftheshimmeringlight，thetwinklingstars，thedistantsoundsofapianomeltingintothestillandscentedair，andtheresultisabominable。[A
　　pause]Theconvictionisgraduallyforcingitselfuponmethatgoodliteratureisnotaquestionofformsneworold，butofideasthatmustpourfreelyfromtheauthor’sheart，withouthisbotheringhisheadaboutanyformswhatsoever。[Aknockisheardatthewindownearestthetable]Whatwasthat？[Helooksoutofthewindow]Ican’tseeanything。[Heopenstheglassdoorandlooksoutintothegarden]Iheardsomeonerundownthesteps。
　　[Hecalls]Whoisthere？[Hegoesout，andisheardwalkingquicklyalongtheterrace。InafewminuteshecomesbackwithNINAZARIETCHNAYA]Oh，Nina，Nina！
　　NINAlaysherheadonTREPLIEFF’Sbreastandstifleshersobs。
　　TREPLIEFF。[Deeplymoved]Nina，Nina！Itisyou——you！Ifeltyouwouldcome;alldaymyhearthasbeenachingforyou。[Hetakesoffherhatandcloak]Mydarling，mybelovedhascomebacktome！Wemustn’tcry，wemustn’tcry。
　　NINA。Thereissomeonehere。
　　TREPLIEFF。Nooneishere。
　　NINA。Lockthedoor，someonemightcome。
　　TREPLIEFF。Noonewillcomein。
　　NINA。Iknowyourmotherishere。Lockthedoor。
　　TREPLIEFFlocksthedoorontherightandcomesbacktoNINA。
　　TREPLIEFF。Thereisnolockonthatone。Ishallputachairagainstit。[Heputsanarm—chairagainstthedoor]Don’tbefrightened，nooneshallcomein。
　　NINA。[Gazingintentlyintohisface]Letmelookatyou。[Shelooksabouther]Itiswarmandcomfortableinhere。Thisusedtobeasitting—room。HaveIchangedmuch？
　　TREPLIEFF。Yes，youhavegrownthinner，andyoureyesarelargerthantheywere。Nina，itseemssostrangetoseeyou！Whydidn’tyouletmegotoyou？Whydidn’tyoucomesoonertome？Youhavebeenherenearlyaweek，Iknow。Ihavebeenseveraltimeseachdaytowhereyoulive，andhavestoodlikeabeggarbeneathyourwindow。
　　NINA。Iwasafraidyoumighthateme。Idreameverynightthatyoulookatmewithoutrecognisingme。IhavebeenwanderingaboutontheshoresofthelakeeversinceIcameback。Ihaveoftenbeennearyourhouse，butIhaveneverhadthecouragetocomein。Letussitdown。[Theysitdown]Letussitdownandtalkourheartsout。Itissoquietandwarminhere。Doyouhearthewindwhistlingoutside？AsTurgenieffsays，"Happyishewhocansitatnightundertheroofofhishome，whohasawarmcornerinwhichtotakerefuge。"Iamasea—gull——andyet——no。
　　[Shepassesherhandacrossherforehead]WhatwasIsaying？Oh，yes，Turgenieff。Hesays，"andGodhelpallhouselesswanderers。"
　　[Shesobs。]
　　TREPLIEFF。Nina！Youarecryingagain，Nina！
　　NINA。Itisallright。Ishallfeelbetterafterthis。Ihavenotcriedfortwoyears。Iwentintothegardenlastnighttoseeifouroldtheatrewerestillstanding。Iseeitis。Iweptthereforthefirsttimeintwoyears，andmyheartgrewlighter，andmysoulsawmoreclearlyagain。See，Iamnotcryingnow。[Shetakeshishandinhers]Soyouareanauthornow，andIamanactress。Wehavebothbeensuckedintothewhirlpool。Mylifeusedtobeashappyasachild’s;Iusedtowakesinginginthemorning;Ilovedyouanddreamtoffame，andwhatisthereality？
　　To—morrowmorningearlyImuststartforEltzbytraininathird—classcarriage，withalotofpeasants，andatEltztheeducatedtrades—peoplewillpursuemewithcompliments。Itisaroughlife。
　　TREPLIEFF。WhyareyougoingtoEltz？
　　NINA。Ihaveacceptedanengagementthereforthewinter。Itistimeformetogo。
　　TREPLIEFF。Nina，Ihavecursedyou，andhatedyou，andtornupyourphotograph，andyetIhaveknowneveryminuteofmylifethatmyheartandsoulwereyoursforever。Toceasefromlovingyouisbeyondmypower。IhavesufferedcontinuallyfromthetimeIlostyouandbegantowrite，andmylifehasbeenalmostunendurable。Myyouthwassuddenlypluckedfrommethen，andI
　　seemnowtohavelivedinthisworldforninetyyears。Ihavecalledouttoyou，Ihavekissedthegroundyouwalkedon，whereverIlookedIhaveseenyourfacebeforemyeyes，andthesmilethathadilluminedformethebestyearsofmylife。
　　NINA。[Despairingly]Why，whydoeshetalktomelikethis？
　　TREPLIEFF。Iamquitealone，unwarmedbyanyattachment。IamascoldasifIwerelivinginacave。WhateverIwriteisdryandgloomyandharsh。Stayhere，Nina，Ibeseechyou，orelseletmegoawaywithyou。
　　NINAquicklyputsonhercoatandhat。
　　TREPLIEFF。Nina，whydoyoudothat？ForGod’ssake，Nina！[Hewatchesherasshedresses。Apause。]
　　NINA。Mycarriageisatthegate。Donotcomeouttoseemeoff。
　　Ishallfindthewayalone。[Weeping]Letmehavesomewater。
　　TREPLIEFFhandsheraglassofwater。
　　TREPLIEFF。Whereareyougoing？
　　NINA。Backtothevillage。Isyourmotherhere？
　　TREPLIEFF。Yes，myunclefellillonThursday，andwetelegraphedforhertocome。
　　NINA。WhydoyousaythatyouhavekissedthegroundIwalkedon？
　　Youshouldkillmerather。[Shebendsoverthetable]Iamsotired。IfIcouldonlyrest——rest。[Sheraisesherhead]Iamasea—gull——no——no，Iamanactress。[ShehearsARKADINAandTRIGORINlaughinginthedistance，runstothedoorontheleftandlooksthroughthekeyhole]Heistheretoo。[ShegoesbacktoTREPLIEFF]Ah，well——nomatter。Hedoesnotbelieveinthetheatre;heusedtolaughatmydreams，sothatlittlebylittleIbecamedown—heartedandceasedtobelieveinittoo。Thencameallthecaresoflove，thecontinualanxietyaboutmylittleone，sothatIsoongrewtrivialandspiritless，andplayedmypartswithoutmeaning。1neverknewwhattodowithmyhands，andI
　　couldnotwalkproperlyorcontrolmyvoice。Youcannotimaginethestateofmindofonewhoknowsashegoesthroughaplayhowterriblybadlyheisacting。Iamasea—gull——no——no，thatisnotwhatImeanttosay。Doyourememberhowyoushotaseagullonce？Amanchancedtopassthatwayanddestroyeditoutofidleness。Thatisanideaforashortstory，butitisnotwhatI
　　meanttosay。[Shepassesherhandacrossherforehead]WhatwasIsaying？Oh，yes，thestage。Ihavechangednow。NowIamarealactress。Iactwithjoy，withexaltation，Iamintoxicatedbyit，andfeelthatIamsuperb。Ihavebeenwalkingandwalking，andthinkingandthinking，eversinceIhavebeenhere，andIfeelthestrengthofmyspiritgrowinginmeeveryday。Iknownow，I
　　understandatlast，Constantine，thatforus，whetherwewriteoract，itisnotthehonourandgloryofwhichIhavedreamtthatisimportant，itisthestrengthtoendure。Onemustknowhowtobearone’scross，andonemusthavefaith。Ibelieve，andsodonotsuffersomuch，andwhenIthinkofmycallingIdonotfearlife。
　　TREPLIEFF。[Sadly]Youhavefoundyourway，youknowwhereyouaregoing，butIamstillgropinginachaosofphantomsanddreams，notknowingwhomandwhatendIamservingbyitall。I
　　donotbelieveinanything，andIdonotknowwhatmycallingis。
　　NINA。[Listening]Hush！Imustgo。Good—bye。WhenIhavebecomeafamousactressyoumustcomeandseeme。Willyoupromisetocome？Butnow——[Shetakeshishand]itislate。Icanhardlystand。Iamfainting。Iamhungry。
　　TREPLIEFF。Stay，andletmebringyousomesupper。
　　NINA。No，no——anddon’tcomeout，Icanfindthewayalone。Mycarriageisnotfaraway。Soshebroughthimbackwithher？
　　However，whatdifferencecanthatmaketome？Don’ttellTrigorinanythingwhenyouseehim。Ilovehim——IlovehimevenmorethanIusedto。Itisanideaforashortstory。Ilovehim——Ilovehimpassionately——Ilovehimtodespair。Haveyouforgotten，Constantine，howpleasanttheoldtimeswere？Whatagay，bright，gentle，purelifeweled？Howafeelingassweetandtenderasaflowerblossomedinourhearts？Doyouremember，[Sherecites]
　　"Allmenandbeasts，lions，eagles，andquails，hornedstags，geese，spiders，silentfishthatinhabitthewaves，starfishfromthesea，andcreaturesinvisibletotheeye——inoneword，life——all，alllife，completingthedrearyroundsetbeforeit，hasdiedoutatlast。Athousandyearshavepassedsincetheearthlastborealivingcreatureonitsbreast，andtheunhappymoonnowlightsherlampinvain。Nolongerarethecriesofstorksheardinthemeadows，orthedroneofbeetlesinthegrovesoflimes————"
　　SheembracesTREPLIEFFimpetuouslyandrunsoutontotheterrace。
　　TREPLIEFF。[Afterapause]Itwouldbeapityifshewereseeninthegarden。Mymotherwouldbedistressed。
　　Hestandsforseveralminutestearinguphismanuscriptsandthrowingthemunderthetable，thenunlocksthedoorontherightandgoesout。
　　DORN。[Tryingtoforceopenthedoorontheleft]Odd！Thisdoorseemstobelocked。[Hecomesinandputsthechairbackinitsformerplace]Thisislikeahurdlerace。
　　ARKADINAandPAULINAcomein，followedbyJACOBcarryingsomebottles;thencomeMASHA，SHAMRAEFF，andTRIGORIN。
　　ARKADINA。Puttheclaretandthebeerhere，onthetable，sothatwecandrinkwhileweareplaying。Sitdown，friends。
　　PAULINA。Andbringtheteaatonce。
　　Shelightsthecandlesandtakesherseatatthecard—table。
　　SHAMRAEFFleadsTRIGORINtothecupboard。
　　SHAMRAEFF。Hereisthestuffedsea—gullIwastellingyouabout。
　　[Hetakesthesea—gulloutofthecupboard]Youtoldmetohaveitdone。
　　TRIGORIN。[lookingatthebird]Idon’trememberathingaboutit，notathing。[Ashotisheard。Everyonejumps。]
　　ARKADINA。[Frightened]Whatwasthat？
　　DORN。Nothingatall;probablyoneofmymedicinebottleshasblownup。Don’tworry。[Hegoesoutthroughthedoorontheright，andcomesbackinafewmoments]ItisasIthought，aflaskofetherhasexploded。[Hesings]
　　"SpellboundoncemoreIstandbeforethee。"
　　ARKADINA。[Sittingdownatthetable]Heavens！Iwasreallyfrightened。Thatnoiseremindedmeof——[Shecoversherfacewithherhands]Everythingisblackbeforemyeyes。
　　DORN。[Lookingthroughthepagesofamagazine，toTRIGORIN]
　　TherewasanarticlefromAmericainthismagazineabouttwomonthsagothatIwantedtoaskyouabout，amongotherthings。
　　[HeleadsTRIGORINtothefrontofthestage]Iamverymuchinterestedinthisquestion。[Helowershisvoiceandwhispers]
　　YoumusttakeMadameArkadinaawayfromhere;whatIwantedtosaywas，thatConstantinehasshothimself。
　　Thecurtainfalls。