Yes, yes, I told you so yesterday; but——

  NORA [Walking up and down.]

  A man can manage these things much better than a woman.

  MRS. LINDEN

  One’s own husband, yes.

  NORA

  Nonsense.

  [Stands still.]

  When everything is paid, one gets back the paper.

  MRS. LINDEN

  Of course.

  NORA

  And can tear it into a hundred thousand pieces, and burn it up, the nasty, filthy thing!

  MRS. LINDEN [Looks at her fixedly, lays down her work, and rises slowly.]

  Nora, you are hiding something from me.

  NORA

  Can you see it in my face?

  MRS. LINDEN

  Something has happened since yesterday morning. Nora, what is it?

  NORA [Going towards her.]

  Christina——!

  [Listens.]

  Hush! There’s Torvald coming home. Do you mind going into

  the nursery for the present? Torvald can’t bear to see

  dressmaking going on. Get Anna to help you.

  MRS. LINDEN [Gathers some of the things together.]

  Very well; but I shan’t go away until you have told me all about

  it.

  [She goes out to the left, as HELMER enters from the hall.]

  NORA [Runs to meet him.]

  Oh, how I’ve been longing for you to come, Torvald dear!

  HELMER

  Was that the dressmaker——?

  NORA

  No, Christina. She’s helping me with my costume. You’ll see how nice I shall look.

  HELMER

  Yes, wasn’t that a happy thought of mine?

  NORA

  Splendid! But isn’t it good of me, too, to have given in to you about the tarantella? 125

  HELMER [Takes her under the chin.]

  Good of you! To give in to your own husband? Well well, you little madcap, I know you don’t mean it. But I won’t disturb you. I daresay you want to be “trying on.”

  NORA

  And you are going to work, I suppose?

  HELMER

  Yes.

  [Shows her a bundle of papers.]

  Look here. I’ve just come from the Bank——

  [Goes towards his room.]

  NORA

  Torvald.

  HELMER [Stopping.]

  Yes?

  NORA

  If your little squirrel were to beg you for something so prettily——

  HELMER

  Well?

  NORA

  Would you do it?

  HELMER

  I must know first what it is.

  NORA

  The squirrel would skip about and play all sorts of tricks if you would only be nice and kind.

  HELMER

  Come, then, out with it.

  NORA

  Your lark would twitter from morning till night——

  HELMER

  Oh, that she does in any case.

  NORA

  I’ll be an elf and dance in the moonlight for you, Torvald.

  HELMER

  Nora—you can’t mean what you were hinting at this morning?

  NORA [Coming nearer.]

  Yes, Torvald, I beg and implore you!

  HELMER

  Have you really the courage to begin that again?

  NORA

  Yes, yes; for my sake, you must let Krogstad keep his place in the Bank.

  HELMER

  My dear Nora, it’s his place I intend for Mrs. Linden.

  NORA

  Yes, that’s so good of you. But instead of Krogstad, you could dismiss some other clerk.

  HELMER

  Why, this is incredible obstinacy! Because you have thoughtlessly promised to put in a word for him, I am to——!

  NORA

  It’s not that, Torvald. It’s for your own sake. This man writes for the most scurrilous newspapers; you said so yourself. He can do you no end of harm. I’m so terribly afraid of him——

  HELMER

  Ah, I understand; it’s old recollections that are frightening you.

  NORA

  What do you mean?

  HELMER Of course you’re thinking of your father.

  NORA

  Yes—yes, of course. Only think of the shameful slanders wicked people used to write about father. I believe they would have got him dismissed if you hadn’t been sent to look into the thing, and been kind to him, and helped him.

  HELMER

  My little Nora, between your father and me there is all the difference in the world. Your father was not altogether unimpeachable. I am; and I hope to remain so.

  NORA

  Oh, no one knows what wicked men may hit upon. We could live so quietly and happily now, in our cosy, peaceful home, you and I and the children, Torvald! That’s why I beg and implore you——

  HELMER

  And it is just by pleading his cause that you make it impossible for me to keep him. It’s already known at the Bank that I intend to dismiss Krogstad. If it were now reported that the new manager let himself be turned round his wife’s little finger——

  NORA

  What then?

  HELMER

  Oh, nothing, so long as a wilful woman can have her way——! I am to make myself a laughing-stock to the whole staff, and set people saying that I am open to all sorts of outside influence? Take my word for it, I should soon feel the consequences. And besides—there is one thing that makes Krogstad impossible for me to work with——

  NORA

  What thing?

  HELMER

  I could perhaps have overlooked his moral failings at a pinch——

  NORA

  Yes, couldn’t you, Torvald?

  HELMER

  And I hear he is good at his work. But the fact is, he was a

  college chum of mine—there was one of those rash friendships

  between us that one so often repents of later. I may as well

  confess it at once—he calls me by my Christian name; and he is

  tactless enough to do it even when others are present. He

  delights in putting on airs of familiarity—Torvald here, Torvald

  there! I assure you it’s most painful to me. He would make my

  position at the Bank perfectly unendurable.

  NORA

  Torvald, surely you’re not serious?

  HELMER

  No? Why not?

  NORA

  That’s such a petty reason.

  HELMER

  What! Petty! Do you consider me petty!

  NORA

  No, on the contrary, Torvald dear; and that’s just why——

  HELMER

  Never mind; you call my motives petty; then I must be petty too.

  Petty! Very well!—Now we’ll put an end to this, once for all.

  [Goes to the door into the hall and calls.]

  Ellen!

  NORA

  What do you want?

  HELMER [Searching among his papers.]

  To settle the thing.

  [ELLEN enters.]

  Here; take this letter; give it to a messenger. See that he takes it

  at once. The address is on it. Here’s the money.

  ELLEN

  Very well, sir.

  [Goes with the letter.]

  HELMER [Putting his papers together.]

  There, Madam Obstinacy.

  NORA [Breathless.]

  Torvald—what was in the letter?

  HELMER

  Krogstad’s dismissal.

  NORA

  Call it back again, Torvald! There’s still time. Oh, Torvald, call it

  back again! For my sake, for your own, for the children’s sake!

  Do you hear, Torvald? Do it! You don’t know what that letter

  may bring upon us all.

  HELMER

  Too late.

  NORA

  Yes, too late.

  HELMER

  My dear Nora, I forgive your anxiety, though it’s anything but

  flattering to me. Why should you suppose that I would be afraid

  of a wretched scribbler’s spite? But I forgive you all the same, for

  it’s a proof of your great love for me.

  [Takes her in his arms.]

  That’s as it should be, my own dear Nora. Let what will hap

  pen—when it comes to the pinch, I shall have strength and

  courage enough. You shall see: my shoulders are broad enough to

  bear the whole burden.

  NORA [Terror-struck.]

  What do you mean by that?

  HELMER

  The whole burden, I say——

  NORA [With decision.]

  That you shall never, never do!

  HELMER

  Very well; then we’ll share it, Nora, as man and wife. That is

  how it should be.

  [Petting her.]

  Are you satisfied now? Come, come, come, don’t look like a

  scared dove. It’s all nothing—foolish fancies.—Now you ought

  to play the tarantella through and practise with the tambourine. I

  shall sit in my inner room and shut both doors, so that I shall

  hear nothing. You can make as much noise as you please.

  [Turns round in doorway.]

  And when Rank comes, just tell him where I’m to be found.

  [He nods to her, and goes with his papers into his room, closing the door.]

  NORA [Bewildered with terror, stands as though rooted to the ground, and whispers.]

  He would do it. Yes, he would do it. He would do it, in spite of

  all the world.—No, never that, never, never! Anything rather

  than that! Oh, for some way of escape! What shall I do——!

  [Hall bell rings.]

  Doctor Rank——!—Anything, anything, rather than——!

  [NORA draws her hands over her face, pulls herself together, goes to the

  door and opens it. RANK stands outside hanging up his fur coat. During

  what follows it begins to grow dark.]

  NORA

  Good afternoon, Doctor Rank. I knew you by your ring. But you mustn’t go to Torvald now. I believe he’s busy.

  RANK

  And you?

  [Enters and closes the door.]

  NORA

  Oh, you know very well, I have always time for you.

  RANK

  Thank you. I shall avail myself of your kindness as long as I can.

  NORA

  What do you mean? As long as you can?

  RANK

  Yes. Does that frighten you?

  NORA

  I think it’s an odd expression. Do you expect anything to happen?

  RANK

  Something I have long been prepared for; but I didn’t think it would come so soon.

  NORA [Catching at his arm.]

  What have you discovered? Doctor Rank, you must tell me!

  RANK [Sitting down by the stove.]

  I am running down hill. There’s no help for it.

  NORA [Draws a long breath of relief.]

  It’s you——?

  RANK

  Who else should it be?—Why lie to one’s self? I am the most

  wretched of all my patients, Mrs. Helmer. In these last days I

  have been auditing my life-account—bankrupt! Perhaps before a

  month is over, I shall lie rotting in the churchyard.

  NORA

  Oh! What an ugly way to talk.

  RANK

  The thing itself is so confoundedly ugly, you see. But the worst of it is, so many other ugly things have to be gone through first. There is only one last investigation to be made, and when that is over I shall know pretty certainly when the break-up will begin. There’s one thing I want to say to you: Helmer’s delicate nature shrinks so from all that is horrible: I will not have him in my sick-room——

  NORA

  But, Doctor Rank——

  RANK

  I won’t have him, I say—not on any account! I shall lock my door against him.—As soon as I am quite certain of the worst, I shall send you my visiting-card with a black cross on it; and then you will know that the final horror has begun.

  NORA

  Why, you’re perfectly unreasonable to-day; and I did so want you to be in a really good humour.

  RANK

  With death staring me in the face?—And to suffer thus for another’s sin! Where’s the justice of it? And in one way or another you can trace in every family some such inexorable retribution——

  NORA [Stopping her ears.]

  Nonsense, nonsense! Now cheer up!

  RANK

  Well, after all, the whole thing’s only worth laughing at. My poor innocent spine must do penance for my father’s wild oats.

  NORA [At table, left.]

  I suppose he was too fond of asparagus and Strasbourg pâté, wasn’t he?

  RANK

  Yes; and truffles.

  NORA

  Yes, truffles, to be sure. And oysters, I believe?

  RANK

  Yes, oysters; oysters, of course.

  NORA

  And then all the port and champagne! It’s sad that all these good things should attack the spine.

  RANK

  Especially when the luckless spine attacked never had any good of them.

  NORA

  Ah, yes, that’s the worst of it.

  RANK [Looks at her searchingly.]

  H’m——

  NORA [A moment later.]

  Why did you smile?

  RANK

  No; it was you that laughed.

  NORA

  No; it was you that smiled, Dr. Rank.

  RANK [Standing up.]

  I see you’re deeper than I thought.

  NORA

  I’m in such a crazy mood to-day.

  RANK

  So it seems.

  NORA [With her hands on his shoulders.]

  Dear, dear Doctor Rank, death shall not take you away from Torvald and me.

  RANK

  Oh, you’ll easily get over the loss. The absent are soon forgotten.

  NORA [Looks at him anxiously.]

  Do you think so?

  RANK

  People make fresh ties, and then——

  NORA

  Who make fresh ties?

  RANK

  You and Helmer will, when I am gone. You yourself are taking time by the forelock, it seems to me. What was that Mrs. Linden doing here yesterday?

  NORA

  Oh!—you’re surely not jealous of poor Christina?

  RANK

  Yes, I am. She will be my successor in this house. When I am out of the way, this woman will perhaps——

  NORA

  Hush! Not so loud! She’s in there.

  RANK

  To-day as well? You see!

  NORA

  Only to put my costume in order—dear me, how unreasonable

  you are!

  [Sits on sofa.]

  Now do be good, Doctor Rank! To-morrow you shall see how

  beautifully I shall dance; and then you may fancy that I’m doing

  it all to please you—and of course Torvald as well.

  [Takes various things out of box.]

  Doctor Rank, sit down here, and I’ll show you something.

  RANK [Sitting.]

  What is it?

  NORA

  Look here. Look!

  RANK

  Silk stockings.

  NORA

  Flesh-coloured. Aren’t they lovely? It’s so dark here now; but to-morrow——No, no, no; you must only look at the feet. Oh, well, I suppose you may look at the rest too.

  RANK

  H’m——

  NORA

  What are you looking so critical about? Do you think they won’t fit me?

  RANK

  I can’t possibly give any competent opinion on that point.

  NORA [Looking at him a moment.]

  For shame!

  [Hits him lightly on the ear with the stockings.]

  Take that.

  [Rolls them up again.]

  RANK

  And what other wonders am I to see?

  NORA

  You sha’n’t see anything more; for you don’t behave nicely. [She hums a little and searches among the things.]

  RANK [After a short silence.]

  When I sit here gossiping with you, I can’t imagine—I simply cannot conceive—what would have become of me if I had never entered this house.

  NORA [Smiling.]

  Yes, I think you do feel at home with us.

  RANK [More softly—looking straight before him.]

  And now to have to leave it all——

  NORA

  Nonsense. You sha’n’t leave us.

  RANK [In the same tone.]

  And not to be able to leave behind the slightest token of gratitude; scarcely even a passing regret—nothing but an empty place, that can be filled by the first comer.