Read Doll's House (9781443435505) Online
Authors: Henrik Ibsen
MRS. LINDE
Goodnight, Mr. Helmer.
HELMER
(
Accompanying her to the door
.) Goodnight, goodnight. I hope you will get home all right. I should be very happy toâbut you haven't any great distance to go. Goodnight, goodnight. (
She goes out; he shuts the door after her, and comes in again.
) Ah!âat last we have got rid of her. She is a frightful bore, that woman.
NORA
Aren't you very tired, Torvald?
HELMER
No, not in the least.
NORA
Nor sleepy?
HELMER
Not a bit. On the contrary, I feel extraordinarily lively. And you?âyou really look both tired and sleepy.
NORA
Yes, I am very tired. I want to go to sleep at once.
HELMER
There, you see it was quite right of me not to let you stay there any longer.
NORA
Everything you do is quite right, Torvald.
HELMER
(
Kissing her on the forehead
.) Now my little skylark is speaking reasonably. Did you notice what good spirits Rank was in this evening?
NORA
Really? Was he? I didn't speak to him at all.
HELMER
And I very little, but I have not for a long time seen him in such good form. (
Looks for a while at her and then goes nearer to her
.) It is delightful to be at home by ourselves again, to be all alone with youâyou fascinating, charming little darling!
NORA
Don't look at me like that, Torvald.
HELMER
Why shouldn't I look at my dearest treasure?âat all the beauty that is mine, all my very own?
NORA
(
Going to the other side of the table
.) You mustn't say things like that to me tonight.
HELMER
(
Following her
.) You have still got the Tarantella in your blood, I see. And it makes you more captivating than ever. Listenâthe guests are beginning to go now. (
In a lower voice
.) Noraâsoon the whole house will be quiet.
NORA
Yes, I hope so.
HELMER
Yes, my own darling Nora. Do you know, when I am out at a party with you like this, why I speak so little to you, keep away from you, and only send a stolen glance in your direction now and then?âdo you know why I do that? It is because I make believe to myself that we are secretly in love, and you are my secretly promised bride, and that no one suspects there is anything between us.
NORA
Yes, yesâI know very well your thoughts are with me all the time.
HELMER
And when we are leaving, and I am putting the shawl over your beautiful young shouldersâon your lovely neckâthen I imagine that you are my young bride and that we have just come from the wedding, and I am bringing you for the first time into our homeâto be alone with you for the first timeâquite alone with my shy little darling! All this evening I have longed for nothing but you. When I watched the seductive figures of the Tarantella, my blood was on fire; I could endure it no longer, and that was why I brought you down so early.
NORA
Go away, Torvald! You must let me go. I won'tâ
HELMER
What's that? You're joking, my little Nora! You won'tâyou won't? Am I not your husbandâ? (
A knock is heard at the outer door
.)
NORA
(
Starting
.) Did you hearâ?
HELMER
(
Going into the hall
.) Who is it?
RANK
(
Outside
.) It is I. May I come in for a moment?
HELMER
(
In a fretful whisper
.) Oh, what does he want now? (
Aloud
.) Wait a minute! (
Unlocks the door
.) Come, that's kind of you not to pass by our door.
RANK
I thought I heard your voice, and felt as if I should like to look in. (
With a swift glance round
.) Ah, yes!âthese dear familiar rooms. You are very happy and cozy in here, you two.
HELMER
It seems to me that you looked after yourself pretty well upstairs too.
RANK
Excellently. Why shouldn't I? Why shouldn't one enjoy everything in this world?âat any rate as much as one can, and as long as one can. The wine was capitalâ
HELMER
Especially the champagne.
RANK
So you noticed that too? It is almost incredible how much I managed to put away!
NORA
Torvald drank a great deal of champagne tonight too.
RANK
Did he?
NORA
Yes, and he is always in such good spirits afterwards.
RANK
Well, why should one not enjoy a merry evening after a well-spent day?
HELMER
Well spent? I am afraid I can't take credit for that.
RANK
(
Clapping him on the back
.) But I can, you know!
NORA
Doctor Rank, you must have been occupied with some scientific investigation today.
RANK
Exactly.
HELMER
Just listen!âlittle Nora talking about scientific investigations!
NORA
And may I congratulate you on the result?
RANK
Indeed you may.
NORA
Was it favourable, then?
RANK
The best possible, for both doctor and patientâcertainty.
NORA
(
Quickly and searchingly
.) Certainty?
RANK
Absolute certainty. So wasn't I entitled to make a merry evening of it after that?
NORA
Yes, you certainly were, Doctor Rank. Helmer. I think so too, so long as you don't have to pay for it in the morning.
RANK
Oh well, one can't have anything in this life without paying for it.
NORA
Doctor Rankâare you fond of fancy-dress balls?
RANK
Yes, if there is a fine lot of pretty costumes.
NORA
Tell meâwhat shall we two wear at the next?
HELMER
Little featherbrain!âare you thinking of the next already?
RANK
We two? Yes, I can tell you. You shall go as a good fairyâ
HELMER
Yes, but what do you suggest as an appropriate costume for that?
RANK
Let your wife go dressed just as she is in everyday life.
HELMER
That was really very prettily turned. But can't you tell us what you will be?
RANK
Yes, my dear friend, I have quite made up my mind about that.
HELMER
Well?
RANK
At the next fancy-dress ball I shall be invisible.
HELMER
That's a good joke!
RANK
There is a big black hatâhave you never heard of hats that make you invisible? If you put one on, no one can see you.
HELMER
(
Suppressing a smile
.) Yes, you are quite right.
RANK
But I am clean forgetting what I came for. Helmer, give me a cigarâone of the dark Havanas.
HELMER
With the greatest pleasure. (
Offers him his case
.)
RANK
(
Takes a cigar and cuts off the end
.) Thanks.
NORA
(
Striking a match
.) Let me give you a light.
RANK
Thank you. (
She holds the match for him to light his cigar
.) And now goodbye!
HELMER
Goodbye, goodbye, dear old man!
NORA
Sleep well, Doctor Rank.
RANK
Thank you for that wish.
NORA
Wish me the same.
RANK
You? Well, if you want me to sleep well! And thanks for the light. (
He nods to them both and goes out
.)
HELMER
(
In a subdued voice
.) He has drunk more than he ought.
NORA
(
Absently
.) Maybe. (HELMER
takes a bunch of keys out of his pocket and goes into the hall
.) Torvald! what are you going to do there?
HELMER
Emptying the letter box; it is quite full; there will be no room to put the newspaper in tomorrow morning.
NORA
Are you going to work tonight?
HELMER
You know quite well I'm not. What is this? Someone has been at the lock.
NORA
At the lockâ?
HELMER
Yes, someone has. What can it mean? I should never have thought the maid. . . . Here is a broken hairpin. Nora, it is one of yours.
NORA
(
Quickly
.) Then it must have been the childrenâ
HELMER
Then you must get them out of those ways. There, at last I have got it open. (
Takes out the contents of the letter box, and calls to the kitchen
.) Helen!âHelen, put out the light over the front door. (
Goes back into the room and shuts the door into the hall. He holds out his hand full of letters
.) Look at thatâlook what a heap of them there are. (
Turning them over
.) What on earth is that?
NORA
(
At the window
.) The letterâNo! Torvald, no!
HELMER
Two cardsâof Rank's.
NORA
Of Doctor Rank's?
HELMER
(
Looking at them.
) Doctor Rank. They were on the top. He must have put them in when he went out.
NORA
Is there anything written on them?
HELMER
There is a black cross over the name. Look thereâwhat an uncomfortable idea! It looks as if he were announcing his own death.
NORA
It is just what he is doing.
HELMER
What? Do you know anything about it? Has he said anything to you?
NORA
Yes. He told me that when the cards came it would be his leave-taking from us. He means to shut himself up and die.
HELMER
My poor old friend! Certainly I knew we should not have him very long with us. But so soon! And so he hides himself away like a wounded animal.
NORA
If it has to happen, it is best it should be without a wordâdon't you think so, Torvald?
HELMER
(
Walking up and down
.) He had so grown into our lives. I can't think of him as having gone out of them. He, with his sufferings and his loneliness, was like a cloudy background to our sunlit happiness. Well, perhaps it is best so. For him, anyway. (
Standing still
.) And perhaps for us too, Nora. We two are thrown quite upon each other now. (
Puts his arms round her
.) My darling wife, I don't feel as if I could hold you tight enough. Do you know, Nora, I have often wished that you might be threatened by some great danger, so that I might risk my life's blood, and everything, for your sake.
NORA
(
Disengages herself, and says firmly and decidedly
.) Now you must read your letters, Torvald.
HELMER
No, no; not tonight. I want to be with you, my darling wife.
NORA
With the thought of your friend's deathâ
HELMER
You are right, it has affected us both. Something ugly has come between usâthe thought of the horrors of death. We must try and rid our minds of that. Until thenâwe will each go to our own room.
NORA
(
Hanging on his neck
.) Goodnight, TorvaldâGoodnight!
HELMER
(
Kissing her on the forehead
). Goodnight, my little singing-bird. Sleep sound, Nora. Now I will read my letters through. (
He takes his letters and goes into his room, shutting the door after him
.)
NORA
(
Gropes distractedly about, seizes
HELMER'S
domino, throws it round her, while she says in quick, hoarse, spasmodic whispers
.) Never to see him again. Never! Never! (
Puts her shawl over her head
.) Never to see my children again eitherânever again. Never! Never!âAh! the icy, black waterâthe unfathomable depthsâIf only it were over! He has got it nowânow he is reading it. Goodbye, Torvald and my children! (
She is about to rush out through the hall, when
HELMER
opens his door hurriedly and stands with an open letter in his hand
.)
HELMER
Nora!
NORA
Ah!â
HELMER
What is this? Do you know what is in this letter?
NORA
Yes, I know. Let me go! Let me get out!
HELMER
(
Holding her back
.) Where are you going?
NORA
(
Trying to get free
.) You shan't save me, Torvald!
HELMER
(
Reeling
.) True? Is this true, that I read here? Horrible! No, noâit is impossible that it can be true.
NORA
It is true. I have loved you above everything else in the world.
HELMER
Oh, don't let us have any silly excuses.
NORA
(
Taking a step towards him
.) Torvaldâ!
HELMER
Miserable creatureâwhat have you done?
NORA
Let me go. You shall not suffer for my sake. You shall not take it upon yourself.
HELMER
No tragic airs, please. (
Locks the hall door
.) Here you shall stay and give me an explanation. Do you understand what you have done? Answer me! Do you understand what you have done?
NORA
(
Looks steadily at him and says with a growing look of coldness in her face.
) Yes, now I am beginning to understand thoroughly.
HELMER
(
Walking about the room
.) What a horrible awakening! All these eight yearsâshe who was my joy and prideâa hypocrite, a liarâworse, worseâa criminal! The unutterable ugliness of it all!âFor shame! For shame! (NORA
is silent and looks steadily at him. He stops in front of her
.) I ought to have suspected that something of the sort would happen. I ought to have foreseen it. All your father's want of principleâbe silent!âall your father's want of principle has come out in you. No religion, no morality, no sense of duty. How I am punished for having winked at what he did! I did it for your sake, and this is how you repay me.