o clever, so wise, the
first of all living writers; you are the only hope of your country. You
are so fresh, so simple, so deeply humourous. You can bring out every
feature of a man or of a landscape in a single line, and your characters
live and breathe. Do you think that these words are but the incense of
flattery? Do you think I am not speaking the truth? Come, look into my
eyes; look deep; do you find lies there? No, you see that I alone know
how to treasure you. I alone tell you the truth. Oh, my very dear, you
will go with me? You will? You will not forsake me?

TRIGORIN. I have no will of my own; I never had. I am too indolent, too
submissive, too phlegmatic, to have any. Is it possible that women like
that? Take me. Take me away with you, but do not let me stir a step from
your side.

ARKADINA. [To herself] Now he is mine! [Carelessly, as if nothing
unusual had happened] Of course you must stay here if you really want
to. I shall go, and you can follow in a week's time. Yes, really, why
should you hurry away?

TRIGORIN. Let us go together.

ARKADINA. As you like. Let us go together then. [A pause. TRIGORIN
writes something in his note-book] What are you writing?

TRIGORIN. A happy expression I heard this morning: "A grove of maiden
pines." It may be useful. [He yawns] So we are really off again,
condemned once more to railway carriages, to stations and restaurants,
to Hamburger steaks and endless arguments!

SHAMRAEFF comes in.

SHAMRAEFF. I am sorry to have to inform you that your carriage is at the
door. It is time to start, honoured madam, the train leaves at two-five.
Would you be kind enough, madam, to remember to inquire for me where
Suzdaltzeff the actor is now? Is he still alive, I wonder? Is he well?
He and I have had many a jolly time together. He was inimitable in "The
Stolen Mail." A tragedian called Izmailoff was in the same company, I
remember, who was also quite remarkable. Don't hurry, madam, you still
have five minutes. They were both of them conspirators once, in the
same melodrama, and one night when in the course of the play they were
suddenly discovered, instead of saying "We have been trapped!" Izmailoff
cried out: "We have been rapped!" [He laughs] Rapped!

While he has been talking JACOB has been busy with the trunks, and the
maid has brought ARKADINA her hat, coat, parasol, and gloves. The cook
looks hesitatingly through the door on the right, and finally comes into
the room. P