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?
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.
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.
