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

. And bring the tea at once.

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

. 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.

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

[A shot is heard. Every one jumps.

. [Frightened] What was that?

. 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]

. [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.

. [Looking through the pages of a magazine, to ] 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 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.