Page:Plays by Anton Tchekoff (1916).djvu/200

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192
THE SEA-GULL
ACT III

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 sea-gull 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.