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heard a voice weeping in it as I passed there last night。
MASHA。 What an idea！ ＇A pause。＇
MEDVIEDENKO。 Come home with me； Masha。
MASHA。 ＇Shaking her head＇ I shall spend the night here。
MEDVIEDENKO。 ＇Imploringly＇ Do come； Masha。 The baby must be
hungry。
MASHA。 Nonsense； Matriona will feed it。 ＇A pause。＇
MEDVIEDENKO。 It is a pity to leave him three nights without his
mother。
MASHA。 You are getting too tiresome。 You used sometimes to talk of
other things besides home and the baby； home and the baby。 That is all I
ever hear from you now。 MEDVIEDENKO。 Come home； Masha。
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MASHA。 You can go home if you want to。
MEDVIEDENKO。 Your father won't give me a horse。
MASHA。 Yes； he will； ask him。
MEDVIEDENKO。 I think I shall。 Are you coming home to…morrow？
MASHA。 Yes； yes； to…morrow。
She takes snuff。 TREPLIEFF and PAULINA come in。 TREPLIEFF is
carrying some pillows and a blanket； and PAULINA is carrying sheets and
pillow cases。 They lay them on the divan； and TREPLIEFF goes and sits
down at his desk。
MASHA。 Who is that for； mother？
PAULINA。 Mr。 Sorin asked to sleep in Constantine's room to…night。
MASHA。 Let me make the bed。
She makes the bed。 PAULINA goes up to the desk and looks at the
manuscripts lying on it。 ＇A pause。＇
MEDVIEDENKO。 Well； I am going。 Good…bye； Masha。 ＇He kisses his
wife's hand＇ Good…bye； mother。 ＇He tries to kiss his mother…in…law's hand。＇
PAULINA。 ＇Crossly＇ Be off； in God's name！
TREPLIEFF shakes hands with him in silence； and MEDVIEDENKO
goes out。
PAULINA。 ＇Looking at the manuscripts＇ No one ever dreamed；
Constantine； that you would one day turn into a real author。 The
magazines pay you well for your stories。 ＇She strokes his hair。＇ You have
grown handsome； too。 Dear； kind Constantine； be a little nicer to my
Masha。
MASHA。 ＇Still making the bed＇ Leave him alone； mother。
PAULINA。 She is a sweet child。 ＇A pause＇ A woman； Constantine；
asks only for kind looks。 I know that from experience。
TREPLIEFF gets up from his desk and goes out without a word。
MASHA。 There now！ You have vexed him。 I told you not to bother
him。
PAULINA。 I am sorry for you； Masha。
MASHA。 Much I need your pity！
PAULINA。 My heart aches for you。 I see how things are； and
understand。
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MASHA。 You see what doesn't exist。 Hopeless love is only found in
novels。 It is a trifle； all one has to do is to keep a tight rein on oneself； and
keep one's head clear。 Love must be plucked out the moment it springs up
in the heart。 My husband has been promised a school in another district；
and when we have once left this place I shall forget it all。 I shall tear my
passion out by the roots。 ＇The notes of a melancholy waltz are heard in the
distance。＇
PAULINA。 Constantine is playing。 That means he is sad。
MASHA silently waltzes a few turns to the music。
MASHA。 The great thing； mother； is not to have him continually in
sight。 If my Simon could only get his remove I should forget it all in a
month or two。 It is a trifle。
DORN and MEDVIEDENKO come in through the door on the left；
wheeling SORIN in an arm…chair。
MEDVIEDENKO。 I have six mouths to feed now； and flour is at
seventy kopecks。
DORN。 A hard riddle to solve！
MEDVIEDENKO。 It is easy for you to make light of it。 You are rich
enough to scatter money to your chickens； if you wanted to。
DORN。 You think I am rich？ My friend； after practising for thirty
years； during which I could not call my soul my own for one minute of the
night or day； I succeeded at last in scraping together one thousand roubles；
all of which went； not long ago； in a trip which I took abroad。 I haven't a
penny。
MASHA。 ＇To her husband＇ So you didn't go home after all？
MEDVIEDENKO。 ＇Apologetically＇ How can I go home when they
won't give me a horse？
MASHA。 ＇Under her breath； with bitter anger＇ Would I might never
see your face again！
SORIN in his chair is wheeled to the left…hand side of the room。
PAULINA； MASHA； and DORN sit down beside him。 MEDVIEDENKO
stands sadly aside。
DORN。 What a lot of changes you have made here！ You have turned
this sitting…room into a library。
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MASHA。 Constantine likes to work in this room； because from it he
can step out into the garden to meditate whenever he feels like it。 ＇The
watchman's rattle is heard。＇
SORIN。 Where is my sister？
DORN。 She has gone to the station to meet Trigorin。 She will soon be
back。
SORIN。 I must be dangerously ill if you had to send for my sister。 ＇He
falls silent for a moment＇ A nice business this is！ Here I am dangerously ill；
and you won't even give me any medicine。
DORN。 What shall I prescribe for you？ Camomile tea？ Soda？
Quinine？
SORIN。 Don't inflict any of your discussions on me again。 ＇He nods
toward the sofa＇ Is that bed for me？
PAULINA。 Yes； for you； sir。
SORIN。 Thank you。
DORN。 ＇Sings＇ 〃The moon swims in the sky to…night。〃
SORIN。 I am going to give Constantine an idea for a story。 It shall be
called 〃The Man Who WishedL'Homme qui a voulu。〃 When I was young；
I wished to become an author； I failed。 I wished to be an orator； I speak
abominably； ＇Exciting himself＇ with my eternal 〃and all； and all；〃 dragging
each sentence on and on until I sometimes break out into a sweat all over。 I
wished to marry； and I didn't； I wished to live in the city； and here I am
ending my days in the country； and all。
DORN。 You wished to become State Councillor； andyou are one！
SORIN。 ＇Laughing＇ I didn't try for that； it came of its own accord。
DORN。 Come； you must admit that it is petty to cavil at life at sixty…
two years of age。
SORIN。 You are pig…headed！ Can't you see I want to live？
DORN。 That is futile。 Nature has commanded that every life shall
come to an end。
SORIN。 You speak like a man who is satiated with life。 Your thirst for
it is quenched； and so you are calm and indifferent； but even you dread
death。