oscow
and St. Petersburg is interested in you, and all ply me with questions
about you. They ask me what you look like, how old you are, whether you
are fair or dark. For some reason they all think that you are no longer
young, and no one knows who you are, as you always write under an
assumed name. You are as great a mystery as the Man in the Iron Mask.

TREPLIEFF. Do you expect to be here long?

TRIGORIN. No, I must go back to Moscow to-morrow. I am finishing another
novel, and have promised something to a magazine besides. In fact, it is
the same old business.

During their conversation ARKADINA and PAULINA have put up a card-table
in the centre of the room; SHAMRAEFF lights the candles and arranges the
chairs, then fetches a box of lotto from the cupboard.

TRIGORIN. The weather has given me a rough welcome. The wind is
frightful. If it goes down by morning I shall go fishing in the
lake, and shall have a look at the garden and the spot--do you
remember?--where your play was given. I remember the piece very well,
but should like to see again where the scene was laid.

MASHA. [To her father] Father, do please let my husband have a horse. He
ought to go home.

SHAMRAEFF. [Angrily] A horse to go home with! [Sternly] You know the
horses have just been to the station. I can't send them out again.

MASHA. But there are other horses. [Seeing that her father remains
silent] You are impossible!

MEDVIEDENKO. I shall go on foot, Masha.

PAULINA. [With a sigh] On foot in this weather? [She takes a seat at the
card-table] Shall we begin?

MEDVIEDENKO. It is only six miles. Good-bye. [He kisses his wife's
hand;] Good-bye, mother. [His mother-in-law gives him her hand
unwillingly] I should not have troubled you all, but the baby--[He bows
to every one] Good-bye. [He goes out with an apologetic air.]

SHAMRAEFF. He will get there all right, he is not a major-general.

PAULINA. Come, let us begin. Don't let us waste time, we shall soon be
called to supper.

SHAMRAEFF, MASHA, and DORN sit down at the card-table.

ARKADINA. [To TRIGORIN] When the long autumn evenings descend on us we
while away the time here by playing lotto. Look at this old set; we used
it when our mother played with us as children. Don't you want to take a
hand in the game with us until supper time? [She and TRIGORIN sit down
at the table] It is a monotonous game, but it is all right when one gets
used to it. [She deals three cards to each of the