READ STUDY GUIDE: First half of Act Three | Second half of Act Three |
|
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. |
|
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