Selected plays

by Anton Chekhov

  NINA. But don't your inspiration and the act of creation give you moments of lofty happiness?

  TRIGORIN. Yes. Writing is a pleasure to me, and so is reading the proofs, but no sooner does a book leave the press than it becomes odious to me; it is not what I meant it to be; I made a mistake to write it at all; I am provoked and discouraged. Then the public reads it and says: "Yes, it is clever and pretty, but not nearly as good as Tolstoi," or "It is a lovely thing, but not as good as Turgenieff's 'Fathers and Sons,'" and so it will always be. To my dying day I shall hear people say: "Clever and pretty; clever and pretty," and nothing more; and when I am gone, those that knew me will say as they pass my grave: "Here lies Trigorin, a clever writer, but he was not as good as Turgenieff."

  NINA. You must excuse me, but I decline to understand what you are talking about. The fact is, you have been spoilt by your success.

  TRIGORIN. What success have I had? I have never pleased myself; as a writer, I do not like myself at all. The trouble is that I am made giddy, as it were, by the fumes of my brain, and often hardly know what I am writing. I love this lake, these trees, the blue heaven; nature's voice speaks to me and wakes a feeling of passion in my heart, and I am overcome by an uncontrollable desire to write. But I am not only a painter of landscapes, I am a man of the city besides. I love my country, too, and her people; I feel that, as a writer, it is my duty to speak of their sorrows, of their future, also of science, of the rights of man, and so forth. So I write on every subject, and the public hounds me on all sides, sometimes in anger, and I race and dodge like a fox with a pack of hounds on his trail. I see life and knowledge flitting away before me. I am left behind them like a peasant who has missed his train at a station, and finally I come back to the conclusion that all I am fit for is to describe landscapes, and that whatever else I attempt rings abominably false.

  NINA. You work too hard to realise the importance of your writings. What if you are discontented with yourself? To others you appear a great and splendid man. If I were a writer like you I should devote my whole life to the service of the Russian people, knowing at the same time that their welfare depended on their power to rise to the heights I had attained, and the people should send me before them in a chariot of triumph.

  TRIGORIN. In a chariot? Do you think I am Agamemnon? [They both smile.]

  NINA. For the bliss of being a writer or an actress I could endure want, and disillusionment, and the hatred of my friends, and the pangs of my own dissatisfaction with myself; but I should demand in return fame, real, resounding fame! [She covers her face with her hands] Whew! My head reels!

  THE VOICE OF ARKADINA. [From inside the house] Boris! Boris!

  TRIGORIN. She is calling me, probably to come and pack, but I don't want to leave this place. [His eyes rest on the lake] What a blessing such beauty is!

  NINA. Do you see that house there, on the far shore?

  TRIGORIN. Yes.

  NINA. That was my dead mother's home. I was born there, and have lived all my life beside this lake. I know every little island in it.

  TRIGORIN. This is a beautiful place to live. [He catches sight of the dead sea-gull] What is that?

  NINA. A gull. Constantine shot it.

  TRIGORIN. What a lovely bird! Really, I can't bear to go away. Can't you persuade Irina to stay? [He writes something in his note-book.]

  NINA. What are you writing?

  TRIGORIN. Nothing much, only an idea that occurred to me. [He puts the book back in his pocket] An idea for a short story. A young girl grows up on the shores of a lake, as you have. She loves the lake as the gulls do, and is as happy and free as they. But a man sees her who chances to come that way, and he destroys her out of idleness, as this gull here has been destroyed. [A pause. ARKADINA appears at one of the windows.]

  ARKADINA. Boris! Where are you?

  TRIGORIN. I am coming this minute.

  He goes toward the house, looking back at NINA. ARKADINA remains at the window.

  TRIGORIN. What do you want?

  ARKADINA. We are not going away, after all.

  TRIGORIN goes into the house. NINA comes forward and stands lost in thought.

  NINA. It is a dream!

  The curtain falls.

  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, y
ou 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.