Do you think I didn’t try diplomacy first? I told him how I

  longed to have a trip abroad, like other young wives; I wept and

  prayed; I said he ought to think of my condition, and not to

  thwart me; and then I hinted that he could borrow the money.

  But then, Christina, he got almost angry. He said I was frivolous,

  and that it was his duty as a husband not to yield to my whims

  and fancies—so he called them. Very well, thought I, but saved

  you must be; and then I found the way to do it.

  MRS. LINDEN

  And did your husband never learn from your father that the

  money was not from him?

  NORA

  No; never. Papa died at that very time. I meant to have told him

  all about it, and begged him to say nothing. But he was so ill—

  unhappily, it wasn’t necessary.

  MRS. LINDEN

  And you have never confessed to your husband?

  NORA

  Good heavens! What can you be thinking of? Tell him, when he

  has such a loathing of debt! And besides—how painful and

  humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly self-respect,

  to know that he owed anything to me! It would utterly upset the

  relation between us; our beautiful, happy home would never

  again be what it is.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Will you never tell him?

  NORA [Thoughtfully, half smiling.]

  Yes, some time perhaps—many, many years hence, when I’m—

  not so pretty. You mustn’t laugh at me! Of course I mean when

  Torvald is not so much in love with me as he is now; when it

  doesn’t amuse him any longer to see me dancing about, and

  dressing up and acting. Then it might be well to have something

  in reserve.

  [Breaking off.]

  Nonsense! nonsense! That time will never come. Now, what do

  you say to my grand secret, Christina? Am I fit for nothing now?

  You may believe it has cost me a lot of anxiety. It has been no

  joke to meet my engagements punctually. You must know,

  Christina, that in business there are things called instalments, and

  quarterly interest, that are terribly hard to provide for. So I’ve

  had to pinch a little here and there, wherever I could. I couldn’t

  save much out of the housekeeping, for of course Torvald had to

  live well. And I couldn’t let the children go about badly dressed;

  all I got for them, I spent on them, the blessed darlings!

  MRS. LINDEN

  Poor Nora! So it had to come out of your own pocket-money.

  NORA

  Yes, of course. After all, the whole thing was my doing. When

  Torvald gave me money for clothes, and so on, I never spent

  more than half of it; I always bought the simplest and cheapest

  things. It’s a mercy that everything suits me so well—Torvald

  never had any suspicions. But it was often very hard, Christina

  dear. For it’s nice to be beautifully dressed—now, isn’t it?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Indeed it is.

  NORA

  Well, and besides that, I made money in other ways. Last winter

  I was so lucky—I got a heap of copying to do. I shut myself up

  every evening and wrote far into the night. Oh, sometimes I was

  so tired, so tired. And yet it was splendid to work in that way

  and earn money. I almost felt as if I was a man.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Then how much have you been able to pay off?

  NORA

  Well, I can’t precisely say. It’s difficult to keep that sort of

  business clear. I only know that I’ve paid everything I could

  scrape together. Sometimes I really didn’t know where to turn.

  [Smiles.]

  Then I used to sit here and pretend that a rich old gentleman was

  in love with me——

  MRS. LINDEN

  What! What gentleman?

  NORA

  Oh, nobody!—that he was dead now, and that when his will was

  opened, there stood in large letters: “Pay over at once everything

  of which I die possessed to that charming person, Mrs. Nora

  Helmer.”

  MRS. LINDEN

  But, my dear Nora—what gentleman do you mean?

  NORA

  Oh dear, can’t you understand? There wasn’t any old gentleman:

  it was only what I used to dream and dream when I was at my

  wits’ end for money. But it doesn’t matter now—the tiresome

  old creature may stay where he is for me. I care nothing for him

  or his will; for now my troubles are over.

  [Springing up.]

  Oh, Christina, how glorious it is to think of! Free from all

  anxiety! Free, quite free. To be able to play and romp about with

  the children; to have things tasteful and pretty in the house,

  exactly as Torvald likes it! And then the spring will soon be here,

  with the great blue sky. Perhaps then we shall have a little

  holiday. Perhaps I shall see the sea again. Oh, what a wonderful

  thing it is to live and to be happy!

  [The hall door bell rings.]

  MRS. LINDEN [Rising.]

  There’s a ring. Perhaps I had better go.

  NORA

  No; do stay. No one will come here. It’s sure to be some one for

  Torvald.

  ELLEN [In the doorway.]

  If you please, ma’am, there’s a gentleman to speak to Mr.

  Helmer.

  NORA

  Who is the gentleman?

  KROGSTAD [In the doorway.]

  It is I, Mrs. Helmer.

  [MRS. LINDEN starts and turns away to the window.]

  NORA [Goes a step towards him, anxiously, speaking low.]

  You? What is it? What do you want with my husband?

  KROGSTAD

  Bank business—in a way. I hold a small post in the Joint Stock

  Bank, and your husband is to be our new chief, I hear.

  NORA

  Then it is——?

  KROGSTAD

  Only tiresome business, Mrs. Helmer; nothing more.

  NORA

  Then will you please go to his study.

  [KROGSTAD goes. She bows indifferently while she closes the door into

  the hall.Then she goes to the stove and looks to the fire.]

  MRS. LINDEN

  Nora—who was that man?

  NORA

  A Mr. Krogstad—a lawyer.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Then it was really he?

  NORA

  Do you know him?

  MRS. LINDEN

  I used to know him—many years ago. He was in a lawyer’s office

  in our town.

  NORA

  Yes, so he was.

  MRS. LINDEN

  How he has changed!

  NORA

  I believe his marriage was unhappy.

  MRS. LINDEN

  And he is a widower now?

  NORA

  With a lot of children. There! Now it will burn up.

  [She closes the stove, and pushes the rocking-chair a little aside.]

  MRS. LINDEN

  His business is not of the most creditable, they say?

  NORA

  Isn’t it? I daresay not. I don’t know. But don’t let us think of

  business—it’s so tiresome.

  DR. RANK comes out of HELMER’s room.

  RANK [Still in the doorway.]

  No, no; I’m in your way. I shall go and have a chat with your

  wife.

  [Shuts the door and sees MRS. LINDEN.]

  Oh, I beg your pardon. I’m in the way here too.

  NORA

  No, not in the least.

  [Introduces them.]

  Doctor Rank—Mrs. Linden.

  RANK

  Oh, indeed; I’ve often heard Mrs. Linden’s name; I think I passed

  you on the stairs as I came up.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Yes; I go so very slowly. Stairs try me so much.

  RANK

  Ah—you are not very strong?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Only overworked.

  RANK

  Nothing more? Then no doubt you’ve come to town to find rest

  in a round of dissipation?

  MRS. LINDEN

  I have come to look for employment.

  RANK

  Is that an approved remedy for overwork?

  MRS. LINDEN

  One must live, Doctor Rank.

  RANK

  Yes, that seems to be the general opinion.

  NORA

  Come, Doctor Rank—you want to live yourself.

  RANK

  To be sure I do. However wretched I may be, I want to drag on as

  long as possible. All my patients, too, have the same mania. And

  it’s the same with people whose complaint is moral. At this very

  moment Helmer is talking to just such a moral incurable——

  MRS. LINDEN [Softly.]

  Ah!

  NORA

  Whom do you mean?

  RANK

  Oh, a fellow named Krogstad, a man you know nothing about—

  corrupt to the very core of his character. But even he began by

  announcing, as a matter of vast importance, that he must live.

  NORA

  Indeed? And what did he want with Torvald?

  RANK

  I haven’t an idea; I only gathered that it was some bank business.

  NORA

  I didn’t know that Krog—that this Mr. Krogstad had anything to

  do with the Bank?

  RANK

  Yes. He has got some sort of place there.

  [To MRS. LINDEN.]

  I don’t know whether, in your part of the country, you have

  people who go grubbing and sniffing around in search of moral

  rottenness—and then, when they have found a “case,” don’t rest

  till they have got their man into some good position, where they

  can keep a watch upon him. Men with a clean bill of health they

  leave out in the cold.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Well, I suppose the—delicate characters require most care.

  RANK [Shrugs his shoulders.]

  There we have it! It’s that notion that makes society a hospital.

  [NORA, deep in her own thoughts, breaks into half-stifled laughter and

  claps her hands.]

  RANK

  Why do you laugh at that? Have you any idea what “society” is?

  NORA

  What do I care for your tiresome society? I was laughing at

  something else—something excessively amusing. Tell me, Doctor

  Rank, are all the employees at the Bank dependent on Torvald

  now?

  RANK

  Is that what strikes you as excessively amusing?

  NORA [Smiles and hums.]

  Never mind, never mind!

  [Walks about the room.]

  Yes, it is funny to think that we—that Torvald has such power

  over so many people.

  [Takes the bag from her pocket.]

  Doctor Rank, will you have a macaroon?

  RANK

  What!—macaroons! I thought they were contraband here.

  NORA

  Yes; but Christina brought me these.

  MRS. LINDEN

  What! I——?

  NORA

  Oh, well! Don’t be frightened. You couldn’t possibly know that

  Torvald had forbidden them. The fact is, he’s afraid of me

  spoiling my teeth. But, oh bother, just for once!—That’s for you,

  Doctor Rank!

  [Puts a macaroon into his mouth.]

  And you too, Christina. And I’ll have one while we’re about it—

  only a tiny one, or at most two.

  [Walks about again.]

  Oh dear, I am happy! There’s only one thing in the world I really

  want.

  RANK

  Well; what’s that?

  NORA

  There’s something I should so like to say—in Torvald’s hearing.

  RANK

  Then why don’t you say it?

  NORA

  Because I daren’t, it’s so ugly.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Ugly.

  RANK

  In that case you’d better not. But to us you might——What is it

  you would so like to say in Helmer’s hearing?

  NORA

  I should so love to say “Damn it all!”124

  RANK

  Are you out of your mind?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Good gracious, Nora——!

  RANK

  Say it—there he is!

  NORA [Hides the macaroons.]

  Hush—sh—sh.

  HELMER comes out of his room, hat in hand, with his overcoat on his arm.

  NORA [Going to him.]

  Well, Torvald dear, have you got rid of him?

  HELMER

  Yes; he has just gone.

  NORA

  Let me introduce you—this is Christina, who has come to

  town——

  HELMER

  Christina? Pardon me, I don’t know——

  NORA

  Mrs. Linden, Torvald dear—Christina Linden.

  HELMER [To MRS. LINDEN.]

  Indeed! A school-friend of my wife’s, no doubt?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Yes; we knew each other as girls.

  NORA

  And only think! she has taken this long journey on purpose to speak to you.

  HELMER

  To speak to me!

  MRS. LINDEN

  Well, not quite——

  NORA

  You see, Christina is tremendously clever at office-work, and she’s so anxious to work under a first-rate man of business in order to learn still more——

  HELMER [To MRS. LINDEN.]

  Very sensible indeed.

  NORA

  And when she heard you were appointed manager—it was telegraphed, you know—she started off at once, and—— Torvald, dear, for my sake, you must do something for Christina. Now can’t you?

  HELMER

  It’s not impossible. I presume Mrs. Linden is a widow?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Yes.

  HELMER

  And you have already had some experience of business?

  MRS. LINDEN

  A good deal.

  HELMER

  Well, then, it’s very likely I may be able to find a place for you.

  NORA [Clapping her hands.]

  There now! There now!

  HELMER

  You have come at a fortunate moment, Mrs. Linden.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Oh, how can I thank you——?

  HELMER [Smiling.]

  There is no occasion.

  [Puts on his overcoat.]

  But for the present you must excuse me——

  RANK

  Wait; I am going with you.

  [Fetches his fur coat from the hall and warms it at the fire.]

  NORA

  Don’t be long, Torvald dear.

  HELMER

  Only an hour; not more.

  NORA

  Are you going too, Christina?

  MRS. LINDEN [Putting on her walking things.]

  Yes; I must set about looking for lodgings.

  HELMER

  Then perhaps we can go together?

  NORA [Helping her.]

  What a pity we haven’t a spare room for you; but it’s impossible——

  MRS. LINDEN

  I shouldn’t think of troubling you. Good-bye, dear Nora, and thank you for all your kindness.

  NORA

  Good-bye for the present. Of course you’ll come back this

  evening. And you, too, Doctor Rank. What! If you’re well

  enough? Of course you’ll be well enough. Only wrap up warmly.

  [They go out, talking, into the hall. Outside on the stairs are heard chil

  dren’s voices.]

  There they are! There they are!

  [She runs to the outer door and opens it.The nurse, ANNA, enters the hall

  with the children.]

  Come in! Come in!

  [Stoops down and kisses the children.]

  Oh, my sweet darlings! Do you see them, Christina? Aren’t they

  lovely?

  RANK

  Don’t let us stand here chattering in the draught.

  HELMER

  Come, Mrs. Linden; only mothers can stand such a temperature.

  [DR. RANK, HELMER, and MRS. LINDEN go down the stairs;

  ANNA enters the room with the children; NORA also, shutting the door.]

  NORA

  How fresh and bright you look! And what red cheeks you’ve got!

  Like apples and roses.

  [The children chatter to her during what follows.]