She sometimes writes to me now that I have
come home, such clever, sympathetic letters, full of warm feeling. She
never complains, but I can tell that she is profoundly unhappy; not a
line but speaks to me of an aching, breaking nerve. She has one strange
fancy; she always signs herself "The Sea-gull." The miller in "Rusalka"
called himself "The Crow," and so she repeats in all her letters that
she is a sea-gull. She is here now.

DORN. What do you mean by "here?"

TREPLIEFF. In the village, at the inn. She has been there for five days.
I should have gone to see her, but Masha here went, and she refuses to
see any one. Some one told me she had been seen wandering in the fields
a mile from here yesterday evening.

MEDVIEDENKO. Yes, I saw her. She was walking away from here in the
direction of the village. I asked her why she had not been to see us.
She said she would come.

TREPLIEFF. But she won't. [A pause] Her father and stepmother have
disowned her. They have even put watchmen all around their estate to
keep her away. [He goes with the doctor toward the desk] How easy it is,
Doctor, to be a philosopher on paper, and how difficult in real life!

SORIN. She was a beautiful girl. Even the State Councillor himself was
in love with her for a time.

DORN. You old Lovelace, you!

SHAMRAEFF'S laugh is heard.

PAULINA. They are coming back from the station.

TREPLIEFF. Yes, I hear my mother's voice.

ARKADINA and TRIGORIN come in, followed by SHAMRAEFF.

SHAMRAEFF. We all grow old and wither, my lady, while you alone, with
your light dress, your gay spirits, and your grace, keep the secret of
eternal youth.

ARKADINA. You are still trying to turn my head, you tiresome old man.

TRIGORIN. [To SORIN] How do you do, Peter? What, still ill? How silly of
you! [With evident pleasure, as he catches sight of MASHA] How are you,
Miss Masha?

MASHA. So you recognised me? [She shakes hands with him.]

TRIGORIN. Did you marry him?

MASHA. Long ago.

TRIGORIN. You are happy now? [He bows to DORN and MEDVIEDENKO, and then
goes hesitatingly toward TREPLIEFF] Your mother says you have forgotten
the past and are no longer angry with me.

TREPLIEFF gives him his hand.

ARKADINA. [To her son] Here is a magazine that Boris has brought you
with your latest story in it.

TREPLIEFF. [To TRIGORIN, as he takes the magazine] Many thanks; you are
very kind.

TRIGORIN. Your admirers all send you their regards. Every one in M