tire your blessed eyes and your delicate little fingers——

  NORA [Clapping her hands.]

  No, I needn’t, need I, Torvald? Oh, how wonderful it is to think

  of?

  [Takes his arm.]

  And now I’ll tell you how I think we ought to manage, Torvald.

  As soon as Christmas is over——

  [The hall-door bell rings.]

  Oh, there’s a ring!

  [Arranging the room.]

  That’s somebody come to call. How tiresome!

  HELMER

  I’m “not at home” to callers; remember that.

  ELLEN [In the doorway.]

  A lady to see you, ma’am.

  NORA

  Show her in.

  ELLEN [To HELMER.]

  And the doctor has just come, sir.

  HELMER

  Has he gone into my study?

  ELLEN

  Yes, sir.

  [HELMER goes into his study. ELLEN ushers in MRS. LINDEN, in

  travelling costume, and goes out, closing the door.]

  MRS. LINDEN [Embarrassed and hesitating.]

  How do you do, Nora?

  NORA [Doubtfully.]

  How do you do?

  MRS. LINDEN

  I see you don’t recognise me.

  NORA

  No, I don’t think—oh yes!—I believe——

  [Suddenly brightening.]

  What, Christina! Is it really you?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Yes; really I!

  NORA

  Christina! And to think I didn’t know you! But how could I——

  [More softly.]

  How changed you are, Christina!

  MRS. LINDEN

  Yes, no doubt. In nine or ten years——

  NORA

  Is it really so long since we met? Yes, so it is. Oh, the last eight

  years have been a happy time, I can tell you. And now you have

  come to town? All that long journey in mid-winter! How brave

  of you!

  MRS. LINDEN

  I arrived by this morning’s steamer.

  NORA

  To have a merry Christmas, of course. Oh, how delightful! Yes,

  we will have a merry Christmas. Do take your things off. Aren’t

  you frozen?

  [Helping her.]

  There; now we’ll sit cosily by the fire. No, you take the arm

  chair; I shall sit in this rocking-chair.

  [Seizes her hands.]

  Yes, now I can see the dear old face again. It was only at the first

  glance——But you’re a little paler, Christina—and perhaps a

  little thinner.

  MRS. LINDEN

  And much, much older, Nora.

  NORA

  Yes, perhaps a little older—not much—ever so little.

  [She suddenly checks herself; seriously.]

  Oh, what a thoughtless wretch I am! Here I sit chattering on,

  and——Dear, dear Christina, can you forgive me!

  MRS. LINDEN

  What do you mean, Nora?

  NORA [Softly.]

  Poor Christina! I forgot: you are a widow.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Yes; my husband died three years ago.

  NORA

  I know, I know; I saw it in the papers. Oh, believe me, Christina,

  I did mean to write to you; but I kept putting it off, and

  something always came in the way.

  MRS. LINDEN

  I can quite understand that, Nora dear.

  NORA

  No, Christina; it was horrid of me. Oh, you poor darling! how

  much you must have gone through!—And he left you nothing?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Nothing.

  NORA

  And no children?

  MRS. LINDEN

  None.

  NORA

  Nothing, nothing at all?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Not even a sorrow or a longing to dwell upon.

  NORA [Looking at her incredulously.]

  My dear Christina, how is that possible?

  MRS. LINDEN [Smiling sadly and stroking her hair.]

  Oh, it happens so sometimes, Nora.

  NORA

  So utterly alone! How dreadful that must be! I have three of the

  loveliest children. I can’t show them to you just now; they’re out

  with their nurse. But now you must tell me everything.

  MRS. LINDEN

  No, no; I want you to tell me——

  NORA

  No, you must begin; I won’t be egotistical to-day. To-day I’ll

  think only of you. Oh! but I must tell you one thing—perhaps

  you’ve heard of our great stroke of fortune?

  MRS. LINDEN

  No. What is it?

  NORA

  Only think! my husband has been made manager of the Joint

  Stock Bank.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Your husband! Oh, how fortunate!

  NORA

  Yes; isn’t it? A lawyer’s position is so uncertain, you see,

  especially when he won’t touch any business that’s the least bit—

  shady, as of course Torvald never would; and there I quite agree

  with him. Oh! you can imagine how glad we are. He is to enter

  on his new position at the New Year, and then he’ll have a large

  salary, and percentages. In future we shall be able to live quite

  differently—just as we please, in fact. Oh, Christina, I feel so

  lighthearted and happy! It’s delightful to have lots of money, and

  no need to worry about things, isn’t it?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Yes; at any rate it must be delightful to have what you need.

  NORA

  No, not only what you need, but heaps of money—heaps!

  MRS. LINDEN [Smiling.]

  Nora, Nora, haven’t you learnt reason yet? In our schooldays you

  were a shocking little spendthrift.

  NORA [Quietly smiling.]

  Yes; that’s what Torvald says I am still.

  [Holding up her forefinger.]

  But “Nora, Nora” is not so silly as you all think. Oh! I haven’t had

  the chance to be much of a spendthrift. We have both had to

  work.

  MRS. LINDEN

  You too?

  NORA

  Yes, light fancy work: crochet, and embroidery, and things of

  that sort;

  [Carelessly.]

  and other work too. You know, of course, that Torvald left the

  Government service when we were married. He had little

  chance of promotion, and of course he required to make more

  money. But in the first year after our marriage he overworked

  himself terribly. He had to undertake all sorts of extra work, you

  know, and to slave early and late. He couldn’t stand it, and fell

  dangerously ill. Then the doctors declared he must go to the

  South.

  MRS. LINDEN

  You spent a whole year in Italy, didn’t you?

  NORA

  Yes, we did. It wasn’t easy to manage, I can tell you. It was just

  after Ivar’s birth. But of course we had to go. Oh, it was a

  wonderful, delicious journey! And it saved Torvald’s life. But it

  cost a frightful lot of money, Christina.

  MRS. LINDEN

  So I should think.

  NORA

  Twelve hundred dollars! Four thousand eight hundred crowns!123

  Isn’t that a lot of money?

  MRS. LINDEN

  How lucky you had the money to spend.

  NORA

  We got it from father, you must know.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Ah, I see. He died just about that time, didn’t he?

  NORA

  Yes, Christina, just then. And only think! I couldn’t go and nurse

  him! I was expecting little Ivar’s birth daily; and then I had my

  poor sick Torvald to attend to. Dear, kind old father! I never saw

  him again, Christina. Oh! that’s the hardest thing I have had to

  bear since my marriage.

  MRS. LINDEN

  I know how fond you were of him. But then you went to Italy?

  NORA

  Yes; you see, we had the money, and the doctors said we must

  lose no time. We started a month later.

  MRS. LINDEN

  And your husband came back completely cured.

  NORA

  Sound as a bell.

  MRS. LINDEN

  But—the doctor?

  NORA

  What do you mean?

  MRS. LINDEN

  I thought as I came in your servant announced the doctor——

  NORA

  Oh, yes; Doctor Rank. But he doesn’t come professionally. He is

  our best friend, and never lets a day pass without looking in. No,

  Torvald hasn’t had an hour’s illness since that time. And the

  children are so healthy and well, and so am I.

  [ Jumps up and claps her hands.]

  Oh, Christina, Christina, what a wonderful thing it is to live and

  to be happy!—Oh, but it’s really too horrid of me! Here am I

  talking about nothing but my own concerns.

  [Seats herself upon a footstool close to CHRISTINA, and lays her arms

  on her friend’s lap.]

  Oh, don’t be angry with me! Now tell me, is it really true that

  you didn’t love your husband? What made you marry him, then?

  MRS. LINDEN

  My mother was still alive, you see, bedridden and helpless; and

  then I had my two younger brothers to think of. I didn’t think it

  would be right for me to refuse him.

  NORA

  Perhaps it wouldn’t have been. I suppose he was rich then?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Very well off, I believe. But his business was uncertain. It fell to

  pieces at his death, and there was nothing left.

  NORA

  And then——?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Then I had to fight my way by keeping a shop, a little school,

  anything I could turn my hand to. The last three years have been

  one long struggle for me. But now it is over, Nora. My poor

  mother no longer needs me; she is at rest. And the boys are in

  business, and can look after themselves.

  NORA

  How free your life must feel!

  MRS. LINDEN

  No, Nora; only inexpressibly empty. No one to live for!

  [Stands up restlessly.]

  That’s why I could not bear to stay any longer in that out-of-the

  way corner. Here it must be easier to find something to take one

  up—to occupy one’s thoughts. If I could only get some settled

  employment—some office work.

  NORA

  But, Christina, that’s such drudgery, and you look worn out al

  ready. It would be ever so much better for you to go to some

  watering-place and rest.

  MRS. LINDEN [Going to the window.]

  I have no father to give me the money, Nora.

  NORA [Rising.]

  Oh, don’t be vexed with me.

  MRS. LINDEN [Going to her.]

  My dear Nora, don’t you be vexed with me. The worst of a

  position like mine is that it makes one so bitter. You have no one

  to work for, yet you have to be always on the strain. You must

  live; and so you become selfish. When I heard of the happy

  change in your fortunes—can you believe it?—I was glad for my

  own sake more than for yours.

  NORA

  How do you mean? Ah, I see! You think Torvald can perhaps do

  something for you.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Yes; I thought so.

  NORA

  And so he shall, Christina. Just you leave it all to me. I shall lead

  up to it beautifully!—I shall think of some delightful plan to put

  him in a good humour! Oh, I should so love to help you.

  MRS. LINDEN

  How good of you, Nora, to stand by me so warmly! Doubly

  good in you, who know so little of the troubles and burdens of

  life.

  NORA

  I? I know so little of——?

  MRS. LINDEN [Smiling.]

  Oh, well—a little fancy-work, and so forth.—You’re a child,

  Nora.

  NORA [Tosses her head and paces the room.]

  Oh, come, you mustn’t be so patronising!

  MRS. LINDEN

  No?

  NORA

  You’re like the rest. You all think I’m fit for nothing really

  serious——

  MRS. LINDEN

  Well, well——

  NORA

  You think I’ve had no troubles in this weary world.

  MRS. LINDEN

  My dear Nora, you’ve just told me all your troubles.

  NORA

  Pooh—those trifles!

  [Softly.]

  I haven’t told you the great thing.

  MRS. LINDEN

  The great thing? What do you mean?

  NORA

  I know you look down upon me, Christina; but you have no right

  to. You are proud of having worked so hard and so long for your

  mother.

  MRS. LINDEN

  I am sure I don’t look down upon any one; but it’s true I am

  both proud and glad when I remember that I was able to keep

  my mother’s last days free from care.

  NORA

  And you’re proud to think of what you have done for your

  brothers, too.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Have I not the right to be?

  NORA

  Yes indeed. But now let me tell you, Christina—I, too, have

  something to be proud and glad of.

  MRS. LINDEN

  I don’t doubt it. But what do you mean?

  NORA

  Hush! Not so loud. Only think, if Torvald were to hear! He

  mustn’t—not for worlds! No one must know about it,

  Christina—no one but you.

  MRS LINDEN

  Why, what can it be?

  NORA

  Come over here.

  [Draws her down beside her on the sofa.]

  Yes, Christina—I, too, have something to be proud and glad of. I

  saved Torvald’s life.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Saved his life? How?

  NORA

  I told you about our going to Italy. Torvald would have died but

  for that.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Well—and your father gave you the money.

  NORA [Smiling.]

  Yes, so Torvald and every one believes; but——

  MRS. LINDEN

  But——?

  NORA

  Papa didn’t give us one penny. It was I that found the money.

  MRS. LINDEN

  You? All that money?

  NORA

  Twelve hundred dollars. Four thousand eight hundred crowns.

  What do you say to that?

  MRS. LINDEN

  My dear Nora, how did you manage it? Did you win it in the

  lottery?

  NORA [Contemptuously.]

  In the lottery? Pooh! Any one could have done that!

  MRS. LINDEN

  Then wherever did you get it from?

  NORA [Hums and smiles mysteriously.]

  H’m; tra-la-la-la.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Of course you couldn’t borrow it.

  NORA

  No? Why not?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Why, a wife can’t borrow without her husband’s consent.

  NORA [Tossing her head.]

  Oh! when the wife has some idea of business, and knows how to

  set about things——

  MRS. LINDEN

  But, Nora, I don’t understand——

  NORA

  Well, you needn’t. I never said I borrowed the money. There are

  many ways I may have got it.

  [Throws herself back on the sofa.]

  I may have got it from some admirer. When one is so—attractive

  as I am——

  MRS. LINDEN

  You’re too silly, Nora.

  NORA

  Now I’m sure you’re dying of curiosity, Christina——

  MRS. LINDEN

  Listen to me, Nora dear: haven’t you been a little rash?

  NORA [Sitting upright again.]

  Is it rash to save one’s husband’s life?

  MRS. LINDEN

  I think it was rash of you, without his knowledge——

  NORA

  But it would have been fatal for him to know! Can’t you

  understand that? He wasn’t even to suspect how ill he was. The

  doctors came to me privately and told me his life was in

  danger—that nothing could save him but a winter in the South.