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temper？
TREPLIEFF。 Why？ Because she is jealous and bored。 ＇Sitting down
beside SORIN＇ She is not acting this evening； but Nina is； and so she has
set herself against me； and against the performance of the play； and against
the play itself； which she hates without ever having read it。
SORIN。 ＇Laughing＇ Does she； really？
TREPLIEFF。 Yes； she is furious because Nina is going to have a
success on this little stage。 ＇Looking at his watch＇ My mother is a
psychological curiosity。 Without doubt brilliant and talented； capable of
sobbing over a novel； of reciting all Nekrasoff's poetry by heart； and of
nursing the sick like an angel of heaven； you should see what happens if
any one begins praising Duse to her！ She alone must be praised and
written about； raved over； her marvellous acting in 〃La Dame aux
Camelias〃 extolled to the skies。 As she cannot get all that rubbish in the
country； she grows peevish and cross； and thinks we are all against her；
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and to blame for it all。 She is superstitious； too。 She dreads burning three
candles； and fears the thirteenth day of the month。 Then she is stingy。 I
know for a fact that she has seventy thousand roubles in a bank at Odessa；
but she is ready to burst into tears if you ask her to lend you a penny。
SORIN。 You have taken it into your head that your mother dislikes
your play； and the thought of it has excited you； and all。 Keep calm； your
mother adores you。
TREPLIEFF。 ＇Pulling a flower to pieces＇ She loves me； loves me not；
lovesloves me not； lovesloves me not！ ＇Laughing＇ You see； she doesn't
love me； and why should she？ She likes life and love and gay clothes； and
I am already twenty…five years old； a sufficient reminder to her that she is
no longer young。 When I am away she is only thirty…two； in my presence
she is forty…three； and she hates me for it。 She knows； too； that I despise
the modern stage。 She adores it； and imagines that she is working on it for
the benefit of humanity and her sacred art； but to me the theatre is merely
the vehicle of convention and prejudice。 When the curtain rises on that
little thr ee…walled room； when those mighty geniuses； those high…priests
of art； show us people in the act of eating； drinking； loving； walking； and
wearing their coats； and attempt to extract a moral from their insipid talk；
when playwrights give us under a thousand different guises the same；
same； same old stuff； then I must needs run from it； as Maupassant ran
from the Eiffel Tower that was about to crush him by its vulgarity。
SORIN。 But we can't do without a theatre。
TREPLIEFF。 No； but we must have it under a new form。 If we can't do
that； let us rather not have it at all。 ＇Looking at his watch＇ I love my
mother； I love her devotedly； but I think she leads a stupid life。 She always
has this man of letters of hers on her mind； and the newspapers are always
frightening her to death； and I am tired of it。 Plain； human egoism
sometimes speaks in my heart； and I regret that my mother is a famous
actress。 If she were an ordinary woman I think I should be a happier man。
What could be more intolerable and foolish than my position； Uncle； when
I find myself the only nonentity among a crowd of her guests； all
celebrated authors and artists？ I feel that they only endure me because I
am her son。 Personally I am nothing； nobody。 I pulled through my third
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year at college by the skin of my teeth； as they say。 I have neither money
nor brains； and on my passport you may read that I am simply a citizen of
Kiev。 So was my father； but he was a well…known actor。 When the
celebrities that frequent my mother's drawing…room deign to notice me at
all； I know they only look at me to measure my insignificance； I read their
thoughts； and suffer from humiliation。
SORIN。 Tell me； by the way； what is Trigorin like？ I can't understand
him； he is always so silent。
TREPLIEFF。 Trigorin is clever； simple； well…mannered； and a little； I
might say； melancholic in disposition。 Though still under forty； he is
surfeited with praise。 As for his stories； they arehow shall I put it？
pleasing； full of talent； but if you have read Tolstoi or Zola you somehow
don't enjoy Trigorin。
SORIN。 Do you know； my boy； I like literary men。 I once passionately
desired two things： to marry； and to become an author。 I have succeeded in
neither。 It must be pleasant to be even an insignificant author。
TREPLIEFF。 ＇Listening＇ I hear footsteps！ ＇He embraces his uncle＇ I
cannot live without her； even the sound of her footsteps is music to me。 I
am madly happy。 ＇He goes quickly to meet NINA； who comes in at that
moment＇ My enchantress！ My girl of dreams！
NINA。 ＇Excitedly＇ It can't be that I am late？ No； I am not late。
TREPLIEFF。 ＇Kissing her hands＇ No； no； no！
NINA。 I have been in a fever all day； I was so afraid my father would
prevent my coming； but he and my stepmother have just gone driving。 The
sky is clear； the moon is rising。 How I hurried to get here！ How I urged my
horse to go faster and faster！ ＇Laughing＇ I am _so_ glad to see you！ ＇She
shakes hands with SORIN。＇
SORIN。 Oho！ Your eyes look as if you had been crying。 You mustn't
do that。
NINA。 It is nothing； nothing。 Do let us hurry。 I must go in half an hour。
No； no； for heaven's sake do not urge me to stay。 My father doesn't know I
am here。
TREPLIEFF。 As a matter of fact； it is time to begin now。 I must call
the audience。
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SORIN。 Let me call themand allI am going this minute。 ＇He goes
toward the right； begins to sing 〃The Two Grenadiers；〃 then stops。＇ I was
singing that once when a fellow…lawyer said to me： 〃You have a powerful
voice； sir。〃 Then he thought a moment and added； 〃But it is a disagreeable
one！〃 ＇He goes out laughing。＇
NINA。 My father and his wife never will let me come here； they call
this place Bohemia and are afraid I shall become an actress。 But this lake
attracts me as it does the gulls。 My heart is full of you。 ＇She glances about
her。＇
TREPLI