Page:Plays by Anton Tchekoff (1916).djvu/230

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
222
THE SEA-GULL
ACT IV

table, so that we can drink while we are playing. Sit down, friends.

Paulina. And bring the tea at once.

She lights the candles and takes her seat at the card-table. Shamraeff leads Trigorin to the cupboard.

Shamraeff. Here is the stuffed sea-gull I was telling you about. [He takes the sea-gull out of the cupboard] You told me to have it done.

Trigorin. [Looking at the bird] I don’t remember a thing about it, not a thing.

[A shot is heard. Every one jumps.

Arkadina. [Frightened] What was that?

Dorn. Nothing at all; probably one of my medicine bottles has blown up. Don’t worry. [He goes out through the door on the right, and comes back in a few moments] It is as I thought, a flask of ether has exploded. [He sings]

“Spellbound once more I stand before thee.”

Arkadina. [Sitting down at the table] Heavens! I was really frightened. That noise reminded me of— [She covers her face with her hands] Everything is black before my eyes.

Dorn. [Looking through the pages of a magazine, to Trigorin] There was an article from America in this magazine about two months ago that I wanted to ask you about, among other things. [He leads Trigorin to the front of the stage] I am very much interested in this question. [He lowers his voice and whispers] You must take Madame Arkadina away from here; what I wanted to say was, that Constantine has shot himself.


The curtain falls.