APLAYINFOURACTS
　　CHARACTERS
　　IRINAABKADINA，anactressCONSTANTINETREPLIEFF，hersonPETERSORIN，herbrotherNINAZARIETCHNAYA，ayounggirl，thedaughterofarichlandownerILIASHAMRAEFF，themanagerofSORIN’SestatePAULINA，hiswifeMASHA，theirdaughterBORISTRIGORIN，anauthorEUGENEDORN，adoctorSIMONMEDVIEDENKO，aschoolmasterJACOB，aworkmanACOOK
　　AMAIDSERVANT
　　ThesceneislaidonSORIN’Sestate。Twoyearselapsebetweenthethirdandfourthacts。
　　THESEA—GULL
　　ACTI
　　ThesceneislaidintheparkonSORIN’Sestate。Abroadavenueoftreesleadsawayfromtheaudiencetowardalakewhichlieslostinthedepthsofthepark。Theavenueisobstructedbyaroughstage，temporarilyerectedfortheperformanceofamateurtheatricals，andwhichscreensthelakefromview。Thereisadensegrowthofbushestotheleftandrightofthestage。Afewchairsandalittletableareplacedinfrontofthestage。Thesunhasjustset。JACOBandsomeotherworkmenareheardhammeringandcoughingonthestagebehindtheloweredcurtain。
　　MASHAandMEDVIEDENKOcomeinfromtheleft，returningfromawalk。
　　MEDVIEDENKO。Whydoyoualwayswearmourning？
　　MASHA。Idressinblacktomatchmylife。Iamunhappy。
　　MEDVIEDENKO。Whyshouldyoubeunhappy？[Thinkingitover]I
　　don’tunderstandit。Youarehealthy，andthoughyourfatherisnotrich，hehasagoodcompetency。Mylifeisfarharderthanyours。Ionlyhavetwenty—threeroublesamonthtoliveon，butI
　　don’twearmourning。[Theysitdown]。
　　MASHA。Happinessdoesnotdependonriches;poormenareoftenhappy。
　　MEDVIEDENKO。Intheory，yes，butnotinreality。Takemycase，forinstance;mymother，mytwosisters，mylittlebrotherandI
　　mustalllivesomehowonmysalaryoftwenty—threeroublesamonth。Wehavetoeatanddrink，Itakeit。Youwouldn’thaveusgowithoutteaandsugar，wouldyou？Ortobacco？Answermethat，ifyoucan。
　　MASHA。[Lookinginthedirectionofthestage]Theplaywillsoonbegin。
　　MEDVIEDENKO。Yes，NinaZarietchnayaisgoingtoactinTreplieff’splay。Theyloveoneanother，andtheirtwosoulswilluniteto—nightintheefforttointerpretthesameideabydifferentmeans。Thereisnogroundonwhichyoursoulandminecanmeet。Iloveyou。Toorestlessandsadtostayathome，I
　　tramphereeveryday，sixmilesandback，tobemetonlybyyourindifference。Iampoor，myfamilyislarge，youcanhavenoinducementtomarryamanwhocannotevenfindsufficientfoodforhisownmouth。
　　MASHA。Itisnotthat。[Shetakessnuff]Iamtouchedbyyouraffection，butIcannotreturnit，thatisall。[Sheoffershimthesnuff—box]Willyoutakesome？
　　MEDVIEDENKO。No，thankyou。[Apause。]
　　MASHA。Theairissultry;astormisbrewingforto—night。Youdonothingbutmoraliseorelsetalkaboutmoney。Toyou，povertyisthegreatestmisfortunethatcanbefallaman，butIthinkitisathousandtimeseasiertogobegginginragsthanto——Youwouldn’tunderstandthat，though。
　　SORINleaningonacane，andTREPLIEFFcomein。
　　SORIN。Forsomereason，myboy，countrylifedoesn’tsuitme，andIamsureIshallnevergetusedtoit。LastnightIwenttobedattenandwokeatninethismorning，feelingasif，fromoversleep，mybrainhadstucktomyskull。[Laughing]AndyetI
　　accidentallydroppedofftosleepagainafterdinner，andfeelutterlydoneupatthismoment。Itislikeanightmare。
　　TREPLIEFF。Thereisnodoubtthatyoushouldliveintown。[HecatchessightofMASHAandMEDVIEDENKO]Youshallbecalledwhentheplaybegins，myfriends，butyoumustnotstayherenow。Goaway，please。
　　SORIN。MissMasha，willyoukindlyaskyourfathertoleavethedogunchained？Ithowledsolastnightthatmysisterwasunabletosleep。
　　MASHA。Youmustspeaktomyfatheryourself。Pleaseexcuseme;I
　　can’tdoso。[ToMEDVIEDENKO]Come，letusgo。
　　MEDVIEDENKO。Youwillletusknowwhentheplaybegins？
　　MASHAandMEDVIEDENKOgoout。
　　SORIN。Iforeseethatthatdogisgoingtohowlallnightagain。
　　Itisalwaysthiswayinthecountry;IhaveneverbeenabletoliveasIlikehere。Icomedownforamonth’sholiday，torestandall，andamplaguedsobytheirnonsensethatIlongtoescapeafterthefirstday。[Laughing]Ihavealwaysbeengladtogetawayfromthisplace，butIhavebeenretirednow，andthiswastheonlyplaceIhadtocometo。Willy—nilly，onemustlivesomewhere。
　　JACOB。[ToTREPLIEFF]Wearegoingtotakeaswim，Mr。
　　Constantine。
　　TREPLIEFF。Verywell，butyoumustbebackintenminutes。
　　JACOB。Wewill，sir。
　　TREPLIEFF。[Lookingatthestage]Justlikearealtheatre！See，therewehavethecurtain，theforeground，thebackground，andall。Noartificialsceneryisneeded。Theeyetravelsdirecttothelake，andrestsonthehorizon。Thecurtainwillberaisedasthemoonrisesathalf—pasteight。
　　SORIN。Splendid！
　　TREPLIEFF。OfcoursethewholeeffectwillberuinedifNinaislate。Sheshouldbeherebynow，butherfatherandstepmotherwatchhersocloselythatitislikestealingherfromaprisontogetherawayfromhome。[HestraightensSORIN’Scollar]Yourhairandbeardareallonend。Oughtn’tyoutohavethemtrimmed？
　　SORIN。[Smoothinghisbeard]Theyarethetragedyofmyexistence。EvenwhenIwasyoungIalwayslookedasifIweredrunk，andall。Womenhaveneverlikedme。[Sittingdown]Whyismysisteroutoftemper？
　　TREPLIEFF。Why？Becausesheisjealousandbored。[SittingdownbesideSORIN]Sheisnotactingthisevening，butNinais，andsoshehassetherselfagainstme，andagainsttheperformanceoftheplay，andagainsttheplayitself，whichshehateswithouteverhavingreadit。
　　SORIN。[Laughing]Doesshe，really？
　　TREPLIEFF。Yes，sheisfuriousbecauseNinaisgoingtohaveasuccessonthislittlestage。[Lookingathiswatch]Mymotherisapsychologicalcuriosity。Withoutdoubtbrilliantandtalented，capableofsobbingoveranovel，ofrecitingallNekrasoff’spoetrybyheart，andofnursingthesicklikeanangelofheaven，youshouldseewhathappensifanyonebeginspraisingDusetoher！Shealonemustbepraisedandwrittenabout，ravedover，hermarvellousactingin"LaDameauxCamelias"extolledtotheskies。Asshecannotgetallthatrubbishinthecountry，shegrowspeevishandcross，andthinksweareallagainsther，andtoblameforitall。Sheissuperstitious，too。Shedreadsburningthreecandles，andfearsthethirteenthdayofthemonth。
　　Thensheisstingy。IknowforafactthatshehasseventythousandroublesinabankatOdessa，butsheisreadytoburstintotearsifyouaskhertolendyouapenny。
　　SORIN。Youhavetakenitintoyourheadthatyourmotherdislikesyourplay，andthethoughtofithasexcitedyou，andall。Keepcalm;yourmotheradoresyou。
　　TREPLIEFF。[Pullingaflowertopieces]Shelovesme，lovesmenot;loves——lovesmenot;loves——lovesmenot！[Laughing]Yousee，shedoesn’tloveme，andwhyshouldshe？Shelikeslifeandloveandgayclothes，andIamalreadytwenty—fiveyearsold;asufficientremindertoherthatsheisnolongeryoung。WhenIamawaysheisonlythirty—two，inmypresencesheisforty—three，andshehatesmeforit。Sheknows，too，thatIdespisethemodernstage。Sheadoresit，andimaginesthatsheisworkingonitforthebenefitofhumanityandhersacredart，buttomethetheatreismerelythevehicleofconventionandprejudice。Whenthecurtainrisesonthatlittlethree—walledroom，whenthosemightygeniuses，thosehigh—priestsofart，showuspeopleintheactofeating，drinking，loving，walking，andwearingtheircoats，andattempttoextractamoralfromtheirinsipidtalk;
　　whenplaywrightsgiveusunderathousanddifferentguisesthesame，same，sameoldstuff，thenImustneedsrunfromit，asMaupassantranfromtheEiffelTowerthatwasabouttocrushhimbyitsvulgarity。
　　SORIN。Butwecan’tdowithoutatheatre。
　　TREPLIEFF。No，butwemusthaveitunderanewform。Ifwecan’tdothat，letusrathernothaveitatall。[Lookingathiswatch]
　　Ilovemymother，Iloveherdevotedly，butIthinksheleadsastupidlife。Shealwayshasthismanoflettersofhersonhermind，andthenewspapersarealwaysfrighteninghertodeath，andIamtiredofit。Plain，humanegoismsometimesspeaksinmyheart，andIregretthatmymotherisafamousactress。IfshewereanordinarywomanIthinkIshouldbeahappierman。Whatcouldbemoreintolerableandfoolishthanmyposition，Uncle，whenIfindmyselftheonlynonentityamongacrowdofherguests，allcelebratedauthorsandartists？IfeelthattheyonlyenduremebecauseIamherson。PersonallyIamnothing，nobody。
　　Ipulledthroughmythirdyearatcollegebytheskinofmyteeth，astheysay。Ihaveneithermoneynorbrains，andonmypassportyoumayreadthatIamsimplyacitizenofKiev。Sowasmyfather，buthewasawell—knownactor。Whenthecelebritiesthatfrequentmymother’sdrawing—roomdeigntonoticemeatall，Iknowtheyonlylookatmetomeasuremyinsignificance;Ireadtheirthoughts，andsufferfromhumiliation。
　　SORIN。Tellme，bytheway，whatisTrigorinlike？Ican’tunderstandhim，heisalwayssosilent。
　　TREPLIEFF。Trigorinisclever，simple，well—mannered，andalittle，Imightsay，melancholicindisposition。Thoughstillunderforty，heissurfeitedwithpraise。Asforhisstories，theyare——howshallIputit？——pleasing，fulloftalent，butifyouhavereadTolstoiorZolayousomehowdon’tenjoyTrigorin。
　　SORIN。Doyouknow，myboy，Ilikeliterarymen。Ioncepassionatelydesiredtwothings:tomarry，andtobecomeanauthor。Ihavesucceededinneither。Itmustbepleasanttobeevenaninsignificantauthor。
　　TREPLIEFF。[Listening]Ihearfootsteps！[Heembraceshisuncle]
　　Icannotlivewithouther;eventhesoundofherfootstepsismusictome。Iammadlyhappy。[HegoesquicklytomeetNINA，whocomesinatthatmoment]Myenchantress！Mygirlofdreams！
　　NINA。[Excitedly]Itcan’tbethatIamlate？No，Iamnotlate。
　　TREPLIEFF。[Kissingherhands]No，no，no！
　　NINA。Ihavebeeninafeverallday，Iwassoafraidmyfatherwouldpreventmycoming，butheandmystepmotherhavejustgonedriving。Theskyisclear，themoonisrising。HowIhurriedtogethere！HowIurgedmyhorsetogofasterandfaster！
　　[Laughing]Iam_so_gladtoseeyou！[SheshakeshandswithSORIN。]
　　SORIN。Oho！Youreyeslookasifyouhadbeencrying。Youmustn’tdothat。
　　NINA。Itisnothing，nothing。Doletushurry。Imustgoinhalfanhour。No，no，forheaven’ssakedonoturgemetostay。Myfatherdoesn’tknowIamhere。
　　TREPLIEFF。Asamatteroffact，itistimetobeginnow。Imustcalltheaudience。
　　SORIN。Letmecallthem——andall——Iamgoingthisminute。[Hegoestowardtheright，beginstosing"TheTwoGrenadiers，"thenstops。]Iwassingingthatoncewhenafellow—lawyersaidtome:
　　"Youhaveapowerfulvoice，sir。"Thenhethoughtamomentandadded，"Butitisadisagreeableone！"[Hegoesoutlaughing。]
　　NINA。Myfatherandhiswifeneverwillletmecomehere;theycallthisplaceBohemiaandareafraidIshallbecomeanactress。
　　Butthislakeattractsmeasitdoesthegulls。Myheartisfullofyou。[Sheglancesabouther。]
　　TREPLIEFF。Wearealone。
　　NINA。Isn’tthatsomeoneoverthere？
　　TREPLIEFF。No。[Theykissoneanother。]
　　NINA。Whatisthattree？
　　TREPLIEFF。Anelm。
　　NINA。Whydoesitlooksodark？
　　TREPLIEFF。Itisevening;everythinglooksdarknow。Don’tgoawayearly，Iimploreyou。
　　NINA。Imust。
　　TREPLIEFF。WhatifIweretofollowyou，Nina？Ishallstandinyourgardenallnightwithmyeyesonyourwindow。
　　NINA。Thatwouldbeimpossible;thewatchmanwouldseeyou，andTreasureisnotusedtoyouyet，andwouldbark。
　　TREPLIEFF。Iloveyou。
　　NINA。Hush！
　　TREPLIEFF。[Listeningtoapproachingfootsteps]Whoisthat？Isityou，Jacob？
　　JACOB。[Onthestage]Yes，sir。
　　TREPLIEFF。Toyourplacesthen。Themoonisrising;theplaymustcommence。
　　NINA。Yes，sir。
　　TREPLIEFF。Isthealcoholready？Isthesulphurready？Theremustbefumesofsulphurintheairwhentheredeyesshineout。[ToNINA]Go，now，everythingisready。Areyounervous？
　　NINA。Yes，very。IamnotsomuchafraidofyourmotherasIamofTrigorin。Iamterrifiedandashamedtoactbeforehim;heissofamous。Isheyoung？
　　TREPLIEFF。Yes。
　　NINA。Whatbeautifulstorieshewrites！
　　TREPLIEFF。[Coldly]Ihaveneverreadanyofthem，soIcan’tsay。
　　NINA。Yourplayisveryhardtoact;therearenolivingcharactersinit。
　　TREPLIEFF。Livingcharacters！Lifemustberepresentednotasitis，butasitoughttobe;asitappearsindreams。
　　NINA。Thereissolittleaction;itseemsmorelikearecitation。
　　Ithinkloveshouldalwayscomeintoeveryplay。
　　NINAandTREPLIEFFgoupontothelittlestage;PAULINAandDORN
　　comein。
　　PAULINA。Itisgettingdamp。Gobackandputonyourgoloshes。
　　DORN。Iamquitewarm。
　　PAULINA。Youneverwilltakecareofyourself;youarequiteobstinateaboutit，andyetyouareadoctor，andknowquitewellthatdampairisbadforyou。Youliketoseemesuffer，that’swhatitis。Yousatoutontheterraceallyesterdayeveningonpurpose。
　　DORN。[Sings]
　　"Oh，tellmenotthatyouthiswasted。"
　　PAULINA。YouweresoenchantedbytheconversationofMadameArkadinathatyoudidnotevennoticethecold。Confessthatyouadmireher。
　　DORN。Iamfifty—fiveyearsold。
　　PAULINA。Atrifle。Thatisnotoldforaman。Youhavekeptyourlooksmagnificently，andwomenstilllikeyou。
　　DORN。Whatareyoutryingtotellme？
　　PAULINA。Youmenareallreadytogodownonyourkneestoanactress，allofyou。
　　DORN。[Sings]
　　"OncemoreIstandbeforethee。"
　　Itisonlyrightthatartistsshouldbemademuchofbysocietyandtreateddifferentlyfrom，letussay，merchants。Itisakindofidealism。
　　PAULINA。Whenwomenhavelovedyouandthrownthemselvesatyourhead，hasthatbeenidealism？
　　DORN。[Shrugginghisshoulders]Ican’tsay。Therehasbeenagreatdealthatwasadmirableinmyrelationswithwomen。Inmetheyliked，aboveall，thesuperiordoctor。Tenyearsago，youremember，Iwastheonlydecentdoctortheyhadinthispartofthecountry——andthen，Ihavealwaysactedlikeamanofhonour。
　　PAULINA。[Seizeshishand]Dearest！
　　DORN。Bequiet！Heretheycome。
　　ARKADINAcomesinonSORIN’Sarm;alsoTRIGORIN，SHAMRAEFF，MEDVIEDENKO，andMASHA。
　　SHAMRAEFF。SheactedmostbeautifullyatthePoltavaFairin1873;shewasreallymagnificent。Buttellme，too，whereTchadinthecomedianisnow？HewasinimitableasRasplueff，betterthanSadofski。Whereishenow？
　　ARKADINA。Don’taskmewhereallthoseantediluviansare！Iknownothingaboutthem。[Shesitsdown。]
　　SHAMRAEFF。[Sighing]PashkaTchadin！Therearenoneleftlikehim。Thestageisnotwhatitwasinhistime。Thereweresturdyoaksgrowingonitthen，wherenowbutstumpsremain。
　　DORN。Itistruethatwehavefewdazzlinggeniusesthesedays，but，ontheotherhand，theaverageofactingismuchhigher。
　　SHAMRAEFF。Icannotagreewithyou;however，thatisamatteroftaste，_degustibus。_
　　EnterTREPLIEFFfrombehindthestage。
　　ARKADINA。Whenwilltheplaybegin，mydearboy？
　　TREPLIEFF。Inamoment。Imustaskyoutohavepatience。
　　ARKADINA。[QuotingfromHamlet]Myson，"Thouturn’stmineeyesintomyverysoul;
　　AndthereIseesuchblackgrainedspotsAswillnotleavetheirtinct。"
　　[Ahornisblownbehindthestage。]
　　TREPLIEFF。Attention，ladiesandgentlemen！Theplayisabouttobegin。[Apause]Ishallcommence。[Hetapsthedoorwithastick，andspeaksinaloudvoice]O，yetime—honoured，ancientmiststhatdriveatnightacrossthesurfaceofthislake，blindyououreyeswithsleep，andshowusinourdreamsthatwhichwillbeintwicetenthousandyears！
　　SORIN。Therewon’tbeanythingintwicetenthousandyears。
　　TREPLIEFF。Thenletthemnowshowusthatnothingness。
　　ARKADINA。Yes，letthem——weareasleep。
　　Thecurtainrises。Avistaopensacrossthelake。Themoonhangslowabovethehorizonandisreflectedinthewater。NINA，dressedinwhite，isseenseatedonagreatrock。
　　NINA。Allmenandbeasts，lions，eagles，andquails，hornedstags，geese，spiders，silentfishthatinhabitthewaves，starfishfromthesea，andcreaturesinvisibletotheeye——inoneword，life——all，alllife，completingthedrearyroundimposeduponit，hasdiedoutatlast。Athousandyearshavepassedsincetheearthlastborealivingcreatureonherbreast，andtheunhappymoonnowlightsherlampinvain。Nolongerarethecriesofstorksheardinthemeadows，orthedroneofbeetlesinthegrovesoflimes。Alliscold，cold。Allisvoid，void，void。Allisterrible，terrible——[Apause]Thebodiesofalllivingcreatureshavedroppedtodust，andeternalmatterhastransformedthemintostonesandwaterandclouds;buttheirspiritshaveflowedtogetherintoone，andthatgreatworld—soulamI！InmeisthespiritofthegreatAlexander，thespiritofNapoleon，ofCaesar，ofShakespeare，andofthetiniestleechthatswims。Inmetheconsciousnessofmanhasjoinedhandswiththeinstinctoftheanimal;Iunderstandall，all，all，andeachlifelivesagaininme。
　　[Thewill—o—the—wispsflickeroutalongthelakeshore。]
　　ARKADINA。[Whispers]Whatdecadentrubbishisthis？
　　TREPLIEFF。[Imploringly]Mother！
　　NINA。Iamalone。Onceinahundredyearsmylipsareopened，myvoiceechoesmournfullyacrossthedesertearth，andnoonehears。Andyou，poorlightsofthemarsh，youdonothearme。Youareengenderedatsunsetintheputridmud，andflitwaveringaboutthelaketilldawn，unconscious，unreasoning，unwarmedbythebreathoflife。Satan，fatherofeternalmatter，tremblinglestthesparkoflifeshouldglowinyou，hasorderedanunceasingmovementoftheatomsthatcomposeyou，andsoyoushiftandchangeforever。I，thespiritoftheuniverse，Ialoneamimmutableandeternal。[Apause]Likeacaptiveinadungeondeepandvoid，IknownotwhereIam，norwhatawaitsme。Onethingonlyisnothiddenfromme:inmyfierceandobstinatebattlewithSatan，thesourceoftheforcesofmatter，Iamdestinedtobevictoriousintheend。Matterandspiritwillthenbeoneatlastingloriousharmony，andthereignoffreedomwillbeginonearth。Butthiscanonlycometopassbyslowdegrees，whenaftercountlesseonsthemoonandearthandshiningSiriushimselfshallfalltodust。Untilthathour，oh，horror！horror！
　　horror！[Apause。Twoglowingredpointsareseenshiningacrossthelake]Satan，mymightyfoe，advances;Iseehisdreadandlurideyes。