Doll's House (9781443435505) (3 page)

MRS. LINDE

So it has all had to come out of your own necessaries of life, poor Nora?

NORA

Of course. Besides, I was the one responsible for it. Whenever Torvald has given me money for new dresses and such things, I have never spent more than half of it; I have always bought the simplest and cheapest things. Thank Heaven, any clothes look well on me, and so Torvald has never noticed it. But it was often very hard on me, Christine—because it is delightful to be really well dressed, isn't it?

MRS. LINDE

Quite so.

NORA

Well, then I have found other ways of earning money. Last winter I was lucky enough to get a lot of copying to do; so I locked myself up and sat writing every evening until quite late at night. Many a time I was desperately tired; but all the same it was a tremendous pleasure to sit there working and earning money. It was like being a man.

MRS. LINDE

How much have you been able to pay off in that way?

NORA

I can't tell you exactly. You see, it is very difficult to keep an account of a business matter of that kind. I only know that I have paid every penny that I could scrape together. Many a time I was at my wits' end. (
Smiles
.) Then I used to sit here and imagine that a rich old gentleman had fallen in love with me—

MRS. LINDE

What! Who was it?

NORA

Be quiet!—that he had died; and that when his will was opened it contained, written in big letters, the instruction: “The lovely Mrs. Nora Helmer is to have all I possess paid over to her at once in cash.”

MRS. LINDE

But, my dear Nora—who could the man be?

NORA

Good gracious, can't you understand? There was no old gentleman at all; it was only something that I used to sit here and imagine, when I couldn't think of any way of procuring money. But it's all the same now; the tiresome old person can stay where he is, as far as I am concerned; I don't care about him or his will either, for I am free from care now. (
Jumps up
.) My goodness, it's delightful to think of, Christine! Free from care! To be able to be free from care, quite free from care; to be able to play and romp with the children; to be able to keep the house beautifully and have everything just as Torvald likes it! And, think of it, soon the spring will come and the big blue sky! Perhaps we shall be able to take a little trip—perhaps I shall see the sea again! Oh, it's a wonderful thing to be alive and be happy. (
A bell is heard in the hall
.)

MRS. LINDE

(
Rising
.) There is the bell; perhaps I had better go.

NORA

No, don't go; no one will come in here; it is sure to be for Torvald.

SERVANT

(
At the hall door
.) Excuse me, ma'am—there is a gentleman to see the master, and as the doctor is with him—

NORA

Who is it?

KROGSTAD

(
At the door
.) It is I, Mrs. Helmer. (MRS. LINDE
starts, trembles, and turns to the window
.)

NORA

(
Takes a step towards him, and speaks in a strained, low voice
.) You? What is it? What do you want to see my husband about?

KROGSTAD

Bank business—in a way. I have a small post in the Bank, and I hear your husband is to be our chief now—

NORA

Then it is—

KROGSTAD

Nothing but dry business matters, Mrs. Helmer; absolutely nothing else.

NORA

Be so good as to go into the study, then. (
She bows indifferently to him and shuts the door into the hall; then comes back and makes up the fire in the stove
.)

MRS. LINDE

Nora—who was that man?

NORA

A lawyer, of the name of Krogstad.

MRS. LINDE

Then it really was he.

NORA

Do you know the man?

MRS. LINDE

I used to—many years ago. At one time he was a solicitor's clerk in our town.

NORA

Yes, he was.

MRS. LINDE

He is greatly altered.

NORA

He made a very unhappy marriage.

MRS. LINDE

He is a widower now, isn't he?

NORA

With several children. There now, it is burning up. (
Shuts the door of the stove and moves the rocking chair aside
.)

MRS. LINDE

They say he carries on various kinds of business.

NORA

Really! Perhaps he does; I don't know anything about it. But don't let us think of business; it is so tiresome.

DOCTOR RANK

(
Comes out of
HELMER'S
study
.
Before he shuts the door he calls to him
). No, my dear fellow, I won't disturb you; I would rather go in to your wife for a little while. (
Shuts the door and sees
MRS. LINDE) I beg your pardon; I am afraid I am disturbing you too.

NORA

No, not at all. (
Introducing him.
) Doctor Rank, Mrs. Linde.

RANK

I have often heard Mrs. Linde's name mentioned here. I think I passed you on the stairs when I arrived, Mrs. Linde?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, I go up very slowly; I can't manage stairs well.

RANK

Ah! some slight internal weakness?

MRS. LINDE

No, the fact is I have been overworking myself.

RANK

Nothing more than that? Then I suppose you have come to town to amuse yourself with our entertainments?

MRS. LINDE

I have come to look for work.

RANK

Is that a good cure for overwork?

MRS. LINDE

One must live, Doctor Rank.

RANK

Yes, the general opinion seems to be that it is necessary.

NORA

Look here, Doctor Rank—you know you want to live.

RANK

Certainly. However wretched I may feel, I want to prolong the agony as long as possible. All my patients are like that. And so are those who are morally diseased; one of them, and a bad case too, is at this very moment with Helmer—

MRS. LINDE

(
Sadly
.) Ah!

NORA

Whom do you mean?

RANK

A lawyer of the name of Krogstad, a fellow you don't know at all. He suffers from a diseased moral character, Mrs. Helmer; but even he began talking of its being highly important that he should live.

NORA

Did he? What did he want to speak to Torvald about?

RANK

I have no idea; I only heard that it was something about the Bank.

NORA

I didn't know this—what's his name—Krogstad had anything to do with the Bank.

RANK

Yes, he has some sort of appointment there. (
To
MRS. LINDE) I don't know whether you find also in your part of the world that there are certain people who go zealously snuffing about to smell out moral corruption, and, as soon as they have found some, put the person concerned into some lucrative position where they can keep their eye on him. Healthy natures are left out in the cold.

MRS. LINDE

Still I think the sick are those who most need taking care of.

RANK

(
Shrugging his shoulders
.) Yes, there you are. That is the sentiment that is turning Society into a sickhouse.

(NORA,
who has been absorbed in her thoughts, breaks out into smothered laughter and claps her hands
.)

RANK

Why do you laugh at that? Have you any notion what Society really is?

NORA

What do I care about tiresome Society? I am laughing at something quite different, something extremely amusing. Tell me, Doctor Rank, are all the people who are employed in the Bank dependent on Torvald now?

RANK

Is that what you find so extremely amusing?

NORA

(
Smiling and humming.
) That's my affair! (
Walking about the room
.) It's perfectly glorious to think that we have—that Torvald has so much power over so many people. (
Takes the packet from her pocket
.) Doctor Rank, what do you say to a macaroon?

RANK

What, macaroons? I thought they were forbidden here.

NORA

Yes, but these are some Christine gave me.

MRS. LINDE

What! I?—

NORA

Oh, well, don't be alarmed! You couldn't know that Torvald had forbidden them. I must tell you that he is afraid they will spoil my teeth. But, bah!—once in a while—That's so, isn't it, Doctor Rank? By your leave! (
Puts a macaroon into his mouth
.) You must have one too, Christine. And I shall have one, just a little one—or at most two. (
Walking about
.) I am tremendously happy. There is just one thing in the world now that I should dearly love to do.

RANK

Well, what is that?

NORA

It's something I should dearly love to say, if Torvald could hear me.

RANK

Well, why can't you say it?

NORA

No, I daren't; it's so shocking.

MRS. LINDE

Shocking?

RANK

Well, I should not advise you to say it. Still, with us you might. What is it you would so much like to say if Torvald could hear you?

NORA

I should just love to say—Well, I'm damned!

RANK

Are you mad?

MRS. LINDE

Nora, dear—!

RANK

Say it, here he is!

NORA

(
Hiding the packet
). Hush! Hush! Hush! (HELMER
comes out of his room, with his coat over his arm and his hat in his hand
.)

NORA

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

HELMER

Yes, he has just gone.

NORA

Let me introduce you—this is Christine, who has come to town.

HELMER

Christine—? Excuse me, but I don't know—

NORA

Mrs. Linde, dear; Christine Linde.

HELMER

Of course. A school friend of my wife's, I presume?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, we have known each other since then.

NORA

And just think, she has taken a long journey in order to see you.

HELMER

What do you mean? Mrs. Linde. No, really, I—

NORA

Christine is tremendously clever at bookkeeping, and she is frightfully anxious to work under some clever man, so as to perfect herself—

HELMER

Very sensible, Mrs. Linde.

NORA

And when she heard you had been appointed manager of the Bank—the news was telegraphed, you know—she travelled here as quick as she could. Torvald, I am sure you will be able to do something for Christine, for my sake, won't you?

HELMER

Well, it is not altogether impossible. I presume you are a widow, Mrs. Linde?

MRS. LINDE

Yes.

HELMER

And have had some experience of bookkeeping?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, a fair amount.

HELMER

Ah! well, it's very likely I may be able to find something for you—

NORA

(
Clapping her hands
.) What did I tell you? What did I tell you?

HELMER

You have just come at a fortunate moment, Mrs. Linde.

MRS. LINDE

How am I to thank you?

HELMER

There is no need. (
Puts on his coat
.) But today you must excuse me—

RANK

Wait a minute; I will come with you. (
Brings his fur coat from the hall and warms it at the fire
.)

NORA

Don't be long away, Torvald dear.

HELMER

About an hour, not more.

NORA

Are you going too, Christine?

MRS. LINDE

(
Putting on her cloak
.) Yes, I must go and look for a room.

HELMER

Oh, well then, we can walk down the street together.

NORA

(
Helping her.
) What a pity it is we are so short of space here; I am afraid it is impossible for us—

MRS. LINDE

Please don't think of it! Goodbye, Nora dear, and many thanks.

NORA

Goodbye for the present. Of course you will come back this evening. And you too, Dr. Rank. What do you say? If you are well enough? Oh, you must be! Wrap yourself up well. (
They go to the door all talking together. Children's voices are heard on the staircase
.)

NORA

There they are! There they are! (
She runs to open the door
.
The
NURSE
comes in with the children
.) Come in! Come in! (
Stoops and kisses them
.) Oh, you sweet blessings! Look at them, Christine! Aren't they darlings?

RANK

Don't let us stand here in the draught.

HELMER

Come along, Mrs. Linde; the place will only be bearable for a mother now!

(RANK, HELMER,
and
MRS. LINDE
go downstairs. The
NURSE
comes forward with the children; NORA shuts the hall door
.)

NORA

How fresh and well you look! Such red cheeks like apples and roses. (
The children all talk at once while she speaks to them
.) Have you had great fun? That's splendid! What, you pulled both Emmy and Bob along on the sledge?—both at once?—that was good. You are a clever boy, Ivar. Let me take her for a little, Anne. My sweet little baby doll! (
Takes the baby from the MAID and dances it up and down
.) Yes, yes, mother will dance with Bob too. What! Have you been snowballing? I wish I had been there too! No, no, I will take their things off, Anne; please let me do it, it is such fun. Go in now, you look half frozen. There is some hot coffee for you on the stove.

(
The
NURSE
goes into the room on the left.
NORA
takes off the children's things and throws them about, while they all talk to her at once
.)

NORA

Really! Did a big dog run after you? But it didn't bite you? No, dogs don't bite nice little dolly children. You mustn't look at the parcels, Ivar. What are they? Ah, I daresay you would like to know. No, no—it's something nasty! Come, let us have a game! What shall we play at? Hide and Seek? Yes, we'll play Hide and Seek. Bob shall hide first. Must I hide? Very well, I'll hide first.