Doll's House (9781443435505) (8 page)

HELMER

(
Calls from his room, knocking at the door
.) Nora!

NORA

(
Cries out anxiously
). Oh, what's that? What do you want?

HELMER

Don't be so frightened. We are not coming in; you have locked the door. Are you trying on your dress?

NORA

Yes, that's it. I look so nice, Torvald.

MRS. LINDE

(
Who has read the card
.) I see he lives at the corner here.

NORA

Yes, but it's no use. It is hopeless. The letter is lying there in the box.

MRS. LINDE

And your husband keeps the key?

NORA

Yes, always.

MRS. LINDE

Krogstad must ask for his letter back unread, he must find some pretence—

NORA

But it is just at this time that Torvald generally—

MRS. LINDE

You must delay him. Go in to him in the meantime. I will come back as soon as I can. (She goes out hurriedly through the hall door.)

Nora.

(
Goes to
HELMER'S
door, opens it and peeps in.
) Torvald!

HELMER

(
From the inner room
.) Well? May I venture at last to come into my own room again? Come along, Rank, now you will see—(
Halting in the doorway
.) But what is this?

NORA

What is what, dear?

HELMER

Rank led me to expect a splendid transformation.

RANK

(
In the doorway
.) I understood so, but evidently I was mistaken.

NORA

Yes, nobody is to have the chance of admiring me in my dress until tomorrow.

HELMER

But, my dear Nora, you look so worn out. Have you been practising too much?

NORA

No, I have not practised at all.

HELMER

But you will need to—

NORA

Yes, indeed I shall, Torvald. But I can't get on a bit without you to help me; I have absolutely forgotten the whole thing.

HELMER

Oh, we will soon work it up again.

NORA

Yes, help me, Torvald. Promise that you will! I am so nervous about it—all the people. . . . You must give yourself up to me entirely this evening. Not the tiniest bit of business—you mustn't even take a pen in your hand. Will you promise, Torvald dear?

HELMER

I promise. This evening I will be wholly and absolutely at your service, you helpless little mortal. Ah, by the way, first of all I will just—(
Goes towards the hall door
.)

NORA

What are you going to do there?

HELMER

Only see if any letters have come.

NORA

No, no! don't do that, Torvald!

HELMER

Why not?

NORA

Torvald, please don't. There is nothing there.

HELMER

Well, let me look. (
Turns to go to the letter box
. NORA,
at the piano, plays the first bars of the Tarantella
. HELMER
stops in the doorway
.) Aha!

NORA

I can't dance tomorrow if I don't practise with you.

Helmer.

(
Going up to her
.) Are you really so afraid of it, dear?

NORA

Yes, so dreadfully afraid of it. Let me practise at once; there is time now, before we go to dinner. Sit down and play for me, Torvald dear; criticise me, and correct me as you play.

HELMER

With great pleasure, if you wish me to. (
Sits down at the piano
.)

NORA

(
Takes out of the box a tambourine and a long variegated shawl. She hastily drapes the shawl round her. Then she springs to the front of the stage and calls out
.). Now play for me! I am going to dance!

(HELMER
plays and
NORA
dances
. RANK
stands by the piano behind
HELMER,
and looks on
.)

HELMER

(
As he plays
.) Slower, slower!

NORA

I can't do it any other way.

HELMER

Not so violently, Nora!

NORA

This is the way.

HELMER

(
Stops playing
.) No, no—that is not a bit right.

NORA

(
Laughing and swinging the tambourine
.). Didn't I tell you so?

RANK

Let me play for her.

HELMER

(
Getting up
). Yes, do. I can correct her better then.

(RANK
sits down at the piano and plays.
NORA
dances more and more wildly.
HELMER
has taken up a position beside the stove, and during her dance gives her frequent instructions. She does not seem to hear him; her hair comes down and falls over her shoulders; she pays no attention to it, but goes on dancing. Enter
MRS. LINDE)

MRS. LINDE

(
Standing as if spellbound in the doorway
.) Oh!—

NORA

(
As she dances
.) Such fun, Christine!

HELMER

My dear darling Nora, you are dancing as if your life depended on it.

NORA

So it does.

HELMER

Stop, Rank; this is sheer madness. Stop, I tell you! (RANK
stops playing, and
NORA
suddenly stands still
. HELMER
goes up to her
.) I could never have believed it. You have forgotten everything I taught you.

NORA

(
Throwing away the tambourine
.) There, you see.

HELMER

You will want a lot of coaching.

NORA

Yes, you see how much I need it. You must coach me up to the last minute. Promise me that, Torvald!

HELMER

You can depend on me.

NORA

You must not think of anything but me, either today or tomorrow; you mustn't open a single letter—not even open the letter box—

HELMER

Ah, you are still afraid of that fellow—

NORA

Yes, indeed I am.

HELMER

Nora, I can tell from your looks that there is a letter from him lying there.

NORA

I don't know; I think there is; but you must not read anything of that kind now. Nothing horrid must come between us until this is all over.

RANK

(
Whispers to
HELMER) You mustn't contradict her.

HELMER

(
Taking her in his arms
.) The child shall have her way. But tomorrow night, after you have danced—

NORA

Then you will be free. (
The
MAID
appears in the doorway to the right
.)

MAID

Dinner is served, ma'am.

NORA

We will have champagne, Helen.

MAID

Very good, ma'am. (
Exit
.)

HELMER

Hullo!—are we going to have a banquet?

NORA

Yes, a champagne banquet until the small hours. (
Calls out
.) And a few macaroons, Helen—lots, just for once!

HELMER

Come, come, don't be so wild and nervous. Be my own little skylark, as you used.

NORA

Yes, dear, I will. But go in now and you too, Doctor Rank. Christine, you must help me to do up my hair.

Rank.

(
Whispers to
HELMER
as they go out.
) I suppose there is nothing—she is not expecting anything?

HELMER

Far from it, my dear fellow; it is simply nothing more than this childish nervousness I was telling you of. (
They go into the right-hand room
.)

NORA

Well!

MRS. LINDE

Gone out of town.

NORA

I could tell from your face.

MRS. LINDE

He is coming home tomorrow evening. I wrote a note for him.

NORA

You should have let it alone; you must prevent nothing. After all, it is splendid to be waiting for a wonderful thing to happen.

MRS. LINDE

What is it that you are waiting for?

NORA

Oh, you wouldn't understand. Go in to them, I will come in a moment. (MRS. LINDE
goes into the dining room
. NORA
stands still for a little while, as if to compose herself. Then she looks at her watch
.) Five o'clock. Seven hours until midnight; and then four-and-twenty hours until the next midnight. Then the Tarantella will be over. Twenty-four and seven? Thirty-one hours to live.

HELMER

(
From the doorway on the right
.) Where's my little skylark?

NORA

(
Going to him with her arms outstretched
.) Here she is!

The same scene. The table has been placed in the middle of the stage, with chairs around it. A lamp is burning on the table. The door into the hall stands open. Dance music is heard in the room above.
MRS. LINDE
is sitting at the table idly turning over the leaves of a book; she tries to read, but does not seem able to collect her thoughts. Every now and then she listens intently for a sound at the outer door
.)

MRS. LINDE

(
Looking at her watch
.) Not yet—and the time is nearly up. If only he does not. . . . (
Listens again
.) Ah, there he is. (
Goes into the hall and opens the outer door carefully. Light footsteps are heard on the stairs. She whispers
.) Come in. There is no one here.

KROGSTAD

(
In the doorway
.) I found a note from you at home. What does this mean?

MRS. LINDE

It is absolutely necessary that I should have a talk with you.

KROGSTAD

Really? And is it absolutely necessary that it should be here?

MRS. LINDE

It is impossible where I live; there is no private entrance to my rooms. Come in; we are quite alone. The maid is asleep, and the Helmers are at the dance upstairs.

KROGSTAD

(
Coming into the room
.) Are the Helmers really at a dance tonight?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, why not?

KROGSTAD

Certainly—why not?

MRS. LINDE

Now, Nils, let us have a talk.

KROGSTAD

Can we two have anything to talk about?

MRS. LINDE

We have a great deal to talk about.

KROGSTAD

I shouldn't have thought so.

MRS. LINDE

No, you have never properly understood me.

KROGSTAD

Was there anything else to understand except what was obvious to all the world—a heartless woman jilts a man when a more lucrative chance turns up?

MRS. LINDE

Do you believe I am as absolutely heartless as all that? And do you believe that I did it with a light heart?

KROGSTAD

Didn't you?

MRS. LINDE

Nils, did you really think that?

KROGSTAD

If it were as you say, why did you write to me as you did at the time?

MRS. LINDE

I could do nothing else. As I had to break with you, it was my duty also to put an end to all that you felt for me.

KROGSTAD

(
Wringing his hands
.) So that was it. And all this—only for the sake of money!

MRS. LINDE

You must not forget that I had a helpless mother and two little brothers. We couldn't wait for you, Nils; your prospects seemed hopeless then.

KROGSTAD

That may be so, but you had no right to throw me over for anyone else's sake.

MRS. LINDE

Indeed, I don't know. Many a time did I ask myself if I had the right to do it.

KROGSTAD

(
More gently
.) When I lost you, it was as if all the solid ground went from under my feet. Look at me now—I am a shipwrecked man clinging to a bit of wreckage.

MRS. LINDE

But help may be near.

KROGSTAD

It was near; but then you came and stood in my way.

MRS. LINDE

Unintentionally, Nils. It was only today that I learned it was your place I was going to take in the Bank.

KROGSTAD

I believe you, if you say so. But now that you know it, are you not going to give it up to me?

MRS. LINDE

No, because that would not benefit you in the least.

KROGSTAD

Oh, benefit, benefit—I would have done it whether or no.

MRS. LINDE

I have learned to act prudently. Life, and hard, bitter necessity have taught me that.

KROGSTAD

And life has taught me not to believe in fine speeches.

MRS. LINDE

Then life has taught you something very reasonable. But deeds you must believe in?

KROGSTAD

What do you mean by that?

MRS. LINDE

You said you were like a shipwrecked man clinging to some wreckage.

KROGSTAD

I had good reason to say so.

MRS. LINDE

Well, I am like a shipwrecked woman clinging to some wreckage—no one to mourn for, no one to care for.

KROGSTAD

It was your own choice.

MRS. LINDE

There was no other choice—then.

KROGSTAD

Well, what now?

MRS. LINDE

Nils, how would it be if we two shipwrecked people could join forces?

KROGSTAD

What are you saying?

MRS. LINDE

Two on the same piece of wreckage would stand a better chance than each on their own.

KROGSTAD

Christine I . . .

MRS. LINDE

What do you suppose brought me to town?

KROGSTAD

Do you mean that you gave me a thought?

MRS. LINDE

I could not endure life without work. All my life, as long as I can remember, I have worked, and it has been my greatest and only pleasure. But now I am quite alone in the world—my life is so dreadfully empty and I feel so forsaken. There is not the least pleasure in working for one's self. Nils, give me someone and something to work for.

KROGSTAD

I don't trust that. It is nothing but a woman's overstrained sense of generosity that prompts you to make such an offer of yourself.

MRS. LINDE

Have you ever noticed anything of the sort in me?

KROGSTAD

Could you really do it? Tell me—do you know all about my past life?

MRS. LINDE

Yes.

KROGSTAD

And do you know what they think of me here?

MRS. LINDE

You seemed to me to imply that with me you might have been quite another man.

KROGSTAD

I am certain of it.

MRS. LINDE

Is it too late now?

KROGSTAD

Christine, are you saying this deliberately? Yes, I am sure you are. I see it in your face. Have you really the courage, then—?

MRS. LINDE

I want to be a mother to someone, and your children need a mother. We two need each other. Nils, I have faith in your real character—I can dare anything together with you.

KROGSTAD

(
Grasps her hands
.) Thanks, thanks, Christine! Now I shall find a way to clear myself in the eyes of the world. Ah, but I forgot—

MRS. LINDE

(
Listening
.) Hush! The Tarantella! Go, go!

KROGSTAD

Why? What is it?

MRS. LINDE

Do you hear them up there? When that is over, we may expect them back.

KROGSTAD

Yes, yes—I will go. But it is all no use. Of course you are not aware what steps I have taken in the matter of the Helmers.

MRS. LINDE

Yes, I know all about that.

KROGSTAD

And in spite of that have you the courage to—?

MRS. LINDE

I understand very well to what lengths a man like you might be driven by despair.

KROGSTAD

If I could only undo what I have done!

MRS. LINDE

You cannot. Your letter is lying in the letter box now.

KROGSTAD

Are you sure of that?

MRS. LINDE

Quite sure, but—

KROGSTAD

(
With a searching look at her
.) Is that what it all means?—that you want to save your friend at any cost? Tell me frankly. Is that it?

MRS. LINDE

Nils, a woman who has once sold herself for another's sake, doesn't do it a second time.

KROGSTAD

I will ask for my letter back.

MRS. LINDE

No, no.

KROGSTAD

Yes, of course I will. I will wait here until Helmer comes; I will tell him he must give me my letter back—that it only concerns my dismissal—that he is not to read it—

MRS. LINDE

No, Nils, you must not recall your letter.

KROGSTAD

But, tell me, wasn't it for that very purpose that you asked me to meet you here?

MRS. LINDE

In my first moment of fright, it was. But twenty-four hours have elapsed since then, and in that time I have witnessed incredible things in this house. Helmer must know all about it. This unhappy secret must be disclosed; they must have a complete understanding between them, which is impossible with all this concealment and falsehood going on.

KROGSTAD

Very well, if you will take the responsibility. But there is one thing I can do in any case, and I shall do it at once.

MRS. LINDE

(
Listening
.) You must be quick and go! The dance is over; we are not safe a moment longer.

KROGSTAD

I will wait for you below.

MRS. LINDE

Yes, do. You must see me back to my door . . .

KROGSTAD

I have never had such an amazing piece of good fortune in my life! (
Goes out through the outer door. The door between the room and the hall remains open
.)

MRS. LINDE

(
Tidying up the room and laying her hat and cloak ready
.) What a difference! What a difference! Someone to work for and live for—a home to bring comfort into. That I will do, indeed. I wish they would be quick and come—(
Listens
.) Ah, there they are now. I must put on my things. (
Takes up her hat and cloak
. HELMER'S
and
NORA'S
voices are heard outside; a key is turned, and
HELMER
brings
NORA
almost by force into the hall. She is in an Italian costume with a large black shawl around her; he is in evening dress, and a black domino which is flying open
.)

NORA

(
Hanging back in the doorway, and struggling with him
.) No, no, no!—don't take me in. I want to go upstairs again; I don't want to leave so early.

HELMER

But, my dearest Nora—

NORA

Please, Torvald dear—please, please—only an hour more.

HELMER

Not a single minute, my sweet Nora. You know that was our agreement. Come along into the room; you are catching cold standing there. (
He brings her gently into the room, in spite of her resistance
.)

MRS. LINDE

Good evening.

NORA

Christine!

HELMER

You are here, so late, Mrs. Linde?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, you must excuse me; I was so anxious to see Nora in her dress.

NORA

Have you been sitting here waiting for me?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, unfortunately I came too late, you had already gone upstairs; and I thought I couldn't go away again without having seen you.

HELMER

(
Taking off
NORA'S
shawl
.) Yes, take a good look at her. I think she is worth looking at. Isn't she charming, Mrs. Linde?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, indeed she is.

HELMER

Doesn't she look remarkably pretty? Everyone thought so at the dance. But she is terribly self-willed, this sweet little person. What are we to do with her? You will hardly believe that I had almost to bring her away by force.

NORA

Torvald, you will repent not having let me stay, even if it were only for half an hour.

HELMER

Listen to her, Mrs. Linde! She had danced her Tarantella, and it had been a tremendous success, as it deserved—although possibly the performance was a trifle too realistic—a little more so, I mean, than was strictly compatible with the limitations of art. But never mind about that! The chief thing is, she had made a success—she had made a tremendous success. Do you think I was going to let her remain there after that, and spoil the effect? No, indeed! I took my charming little Capri maiden—my capricious little Capri maiden, I should say—on my arm; took one quick turn round the room; a curtsey on either side, and, as they say in novels, the beautiful apparition disappeared. An exit ought always to be effective, Mrs. Linde; but that is what I cannot make Nora understand. Pooh! this room is hot. (
Throws his domino on a chair, and opens the door of his room
.) Hullo! it's all dark in here. Oh, of course—excuse me. (
He goes in, and lights some candles
.)

NORA

(
In a hurried and breathless whisper
.) Well?

MRS. LINDE

(
In a low voice.
) I have had a talk with him.

NORA

Yes, and—

MRS. LINDE

Nora, you must tell your husband all about it.

NORA

(
In an expressionless voice
.) I knew it.

MRS. LINDE

You have nothing to be afraid of as far as Krogstad is concerned; but you must tell him.

NORA

I won't tell him.

MRS. LINDE

Then the letter will.

NORA

Thank you, Christine. Now I know what I must do. Hush—!

HELMER

(
Coming in again
.) Well, Mrs. Linde, have you admired her?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, and now I will say goodnight.

HELMER

What, already? Is this yours, this knitting?

MRS. LINDE

(
Taking it
.) Yes, thank you, I had very nearly forgotten it.

HELMER

So you knit?

MRS. LINDE

Of course.

HELMER

Do you know, you ought to embroider.

MRS. LINDE

Really? Why?

HELMER

Yes, it's far more becoming. Let me show you. You hold the embroidery thus in your left hand, and use the needle with the right—like this—with a long, easy sweep. Do you see?

MRS. LINDE

Yes, perhaps—

HELMER

But in the case of knitting—that can never be anything but ungraceful; look here—the arms close together, the knitting-needles going up and down—it has a sort of Chinese effect. That was really excellent champagne they gave us.

MRS. LINDE

Well,—goodnight, Nora, and don't be self-willed any more.

HELMER

That's right, Mrs. Linde.