Six Plays, page 30
MRS. LINDEN
Yes, in my first alarm. But a day has passed since then, and in that day I have seen incredible things in this house. Helmer must know everything; there must be an end to this unhappy secret. These two must come to a full understanding. They must have done with all these shifts and subterfuges.
KROGSTAD
Very well, if you like to risk it. But one thing I can do, and at once——
MRS. LINDEN [Listening.]
Make haste! Go, go! The dance is over; we’re not safe another moment.
KROGSTAD
I shall wait for you in the street.
MRS. LINDEN
Yes, do; you must see me home.
KROGSTAD
I never was so happy in all my life!
[KROGSTAD goes out by the outer door.The door between the room and
the hall remains open.]
MRS. LINDEN [Arranging the room and getting her outdoor things together. ]
What a change! What a change! To have some one to work for,
to live for; a home to make happy! Well, it shall not be my fault
if I fail.—I wish they would come.—
[Listens.]
Ah, here they are! I must get my things on.
[Takes bonnet and cloak. HELMER’s and NORA’s voices are heard out
side, a key is turned in the lock, and HELMER drags NORA almost by
force into the hall. She wears the Italian costume with a large black shawl
over it. He is in evening dress and wears a black domino, open.]
NORA [Struggling with him in the doorway.]
No, no, no! I won’t go in! I want to go upstairs again; I don’t want to leave so early!
HELMER
But, my dearest girl——!
NORA
Oh, please, please, Torvald, I beseech you—only one hour more!
HELMER
Not one minute more, Nora dear; you know what we agreed. Come, come in; you’re catching cold here. [He leads her gently into the room in spite of her resistance.]
MRS. LINDEN
Good-evening.
NORA
Christina!
HELMER
What, Mrs. Linden! You here so late?
MRS. LINDEN
Yes, I ought to apologise. I did so want to see Nora in her costume.
NORA
Have you been sitting here waiting for me?
MRS. LINDEN
Yes; unfortunately I came too late. You had gone upstairs already, and I felt I couldn’t go away without seeing you.
HELMER [Taking NORA’s shawl off.]
Well then, just look at her! I assure you she’s worth it. Isn’t she lovely, Mrs. Linden?
MRS. LINDEN
Yes, I must say——
HELMER
Isn’t she exquisite? Every one said so. But she’s dreadfully obstinate, dear little creature. What’s to be done with her? Just think, I had almost to force her away.
NORA
Oh, Torvald, you’ll be sorry some day that you didn’t let me stay, if only for one half-hour more.
HELMER
There! You hear her, Mrs. Linden? She dances her tarantella with
wild applause, and well she deserved it, I must say—though there
was, perhaps, a little too much nature in her rendering of the
idea—more than was, strictly speaking, artistic. But never mind—
the point is, she made a great success, a tremendous success. Was I
to let her remain after that—to weaken the impression? Not if I
know it. I took my sweet little Capri girl—my capricious little
Capri girl, I might say—under my arm; a rapid turn round the
room, a curtsey to all sides, and—as they say in novels—the lovely
apparition vanished! An exit should always be effective, Mrs.
Linden; but I can’t get Nora to see it. By Jove! it’s warm here.
[Throws his domino on a chair and opens the door to his room.]
What! No light there? Oh, of course. Excuse me——
[Goes in and lights candles.]
NORA [Whispers breathlessly.]
Well?
MRS. LINDEN [Softly.]
I’ve spoken to him.
NORA
And——?
MRS. LINDEN
Nora—you must tell your husband everything——
NORA [Tonelessly.]
I knew it!
MRS. LINDEN
You have nothing to fear from Krogstad; but you must speak out.
NORA
I shall not speak?
MRS. LINDEN
Then the letter will.
NORA
Thank you, Christina. Now I know what I have to do. Hush——!
HELMER [Coming back.]
Well, Mrs. Linden, have you admired her?
MRS. LINDEN
Yes; and now I must say good-night.
HELMER
What, already? Does this knitting belong to you?
MRS. LINDEN [Takes it.]
Yes, thanks; I was nearly forgetting it.
HELMER
Then you do knit?
MRS. LINDEN
Yes.
HELMER
Do you know, you ought to embroider instead?
MRS. LINDEN
Indeed! Why?
HELMER
Because it’s so much prettier. Look now! You hold the embroidery in the left hand, so, and then work the needle with the right hand, in a long, graceful curve—don’t you?
MRS. LINDEN
Yes, I suppose so.
HELMER
But knitting is always ugly. Just look—your arms close to your sides, and the needles going up and down—there’s something Chinese about it.—They really gave us splendid champagne to-night.
MRS. LINDEN
Well, good-night, Nora, and don’t be obstinate any more.
HELMER
Well said, Mrs. Linden!
MRS. LINDEN
Good-night, Mr. Helmer.
HELMER [Accompanying her to the door.]
Good-night, good-night; I hope you’ll get safely home. I should
he glad to—but you have such a short way to go. Good-night,
good-night.
[She goes; HELMER shuts the door after her and comes forward again.]
At last we’ve got rid of her: she’s a terrible bore.
NORA
Aren’t you very tired, Torvald?
HELMER
No, not in the least.
NORA
Nor sleepy?
HELMER
Not a bit. I feel particularly lively. But you? You do look tired and sleepy.
NORA
Yes, very tired. I shall soon sleep now.
HELMER
There, you see. I was right after all not to let you stay longer.
NORA
Oh, everything you do is right.
HELMER [Kissing her forehead.]
Now my lark is speaking like a reasonable being. Did you notice how jolly Rank was this evening?
NORA
Indeed? Was he? I had no chance of speaking to him.
HELMER
Nor I, much; but I haven’t seen him in such good spirits for a
long time.
[Looks at NORA a little, then comes nearer her.]
It’s splendid to be back in our own home, to be quite alone
together!—Oh, you enchanting creature!
NORA
Don’t look at me in that way, Torvald.
HELMER
I am not to look at my dearest treasure?—at all the loveliness that is mine, mine only, wholly and entirely mine?
NORA [Goes to the other side of the table.]
You mustn’t say these things to me this evening.
HELMER [Following.]
I see you have the tarantella still in your blood—and that makes
you all the more enticing. Listen! the other people are going
now.
[More softly.]
Nora—soon the whole house will be still.
NORA
Yes, I hope so.
HELMER
Yes, don’t you, Nora darling? When we are among strangers, do you know why I speak so little to you, and keep so far away, and only steal a glance at you now and then—do you know why I do it? Because I am fancying that we love each other in secret, that I am secretly betrothed to you, and that no one dreams that there is anything between us.
NORA
Yes, yes, yes. I know all your thoughts are with me.
HELMER
And then, when the time comes to go, and I put the shawl about your smooth, soft shoulders, and this glorious neck of yours, I imagine you are my bride, that our marriage is just over, that I am bringing you for the first time to my home—that I am alone with you for the first time—quite alone with you, in your trembling loveliness! All this evening I have been longing for you, and you only. When I watched you swaying and whirling in the tarantella—my blood boiled—I could endure it no longer; and that’s why I made you come home with me so early——
NORA
Go now, Torvald! Go away from me. I won’t have all this.
HELMER
What do you mean? Ah, I see you’re teasing me, little Nora!
Won’t—won’t! Am I not your husband——?
[A knock at the outer door.]
NORA [Starts.]
Did you hear——?
HELMER [Going towards the hall.]
Who’s there?
RANK [Outside.]
It is I; may I come in for a moment?
HELMER [In a low tone, annoyed.]
Oh! what can he want just now?
[Aloud.]
Wait a moment.
[Opens door.]
Come, it’s nice of you to look in.
RANK
I thought I heard your voice, and that put it into my head.
[Looks round.]
Ah, this dear old place! How cosy you two are here!
HELMER
You seemed to find it pleasant enough upstairs, too.
RANK
Exceedingly. Why not? Why shouldn’t one take one’s share of everything in this world? All one can, at least, and as long as one can. The wine was splendid——
HELMER
Especially the champagne.
RANK
Did you notice it? It’s incredible the quantity I contrived to get down.
NORA
Torvald drank plenty of champagne, too.
RANK
Did he?
NORA
Yes, and it always puts him in such spirits.
RANK
Well, why shouldn’t one have a jolly evening after a well-spent day?
HELMER
Well-spent! Well, I haven’t much to boast of in that respect.
RANK [Slapping him on the shoulder.]
But I have, don’t you see?
NORA
I suppose you have been engaged in a scientific investigation, Doctor Rank?
RANK
Quite right.
HELMER
Bless me! Little Nora talking about scientific investigations!
NORA
Am I to congratulate you on the result?
RANK
By all means.
NORA
It was good then?
RANK
The best possible, both for doctor and patient—certainty.
NORA [Quickly and searchingly.]
Certainty?
RANK
Absolute certainty. Wasn’t I right to enjoy myself after that?
NORA
Yes, quite right, Doctor Rank.
HELMER
And so say I, provided you don’t have to pay for it to-morrow.
RANK
Well, in this life nothing is to be had for nothing.
NORA
Doctor Rank—I’m sure you are very fond of masquerades?
RANK
Yes, when there are plenty of amusing disguises——
NORA
Tell me, what shall we two be at our next masquerade?
HELMER
Little featherbrain! Thinking of your next already!
RANK
We two? I’ll tell you. You must go as a good fairy.
HELMER
Ah, but what costume would indicate that?
RANK
She has simply to wear her everyday dress.
HELMER
Capital! But don’t you know what you will be yourself?
RANK
Yes, my dear friend, I am perfectly clear upon that point.
HELMER
Well?
RANK
At the next masquerade I shall be invisible.
HELMER
What a comical idea!
RANK
There’s a big black hat—haven’t you heard of the invisible hat? It comes down all over you, and then no one can see you.
HELMER [With a suppressed smile.]
No, you’re right there.
RANK
But I’m quite forgetting what I came for. Helmer, give me a cigar—one of the dark Havanas.
HELMER
With the greatest pleasure.
[Hands cigar-case.]
RANK [Takes one and cuts the end off.]
Thank you.
NORA [Striking a wax match.]
Let me give you a light.
RANK
A thousand thanks.
[She holds the match. He lights his cigar at it.]
RANK
And now, good-bye!
HELMER
Good-bye, good-bye, my dear fellow.
NORA
Sleep well, Doctor Rank.
RANK
Thanks for the wish.
NORA
Wish me the same.
RANK
You? Very well, since you ask me—Sleep well. And thanks for
the light.
[He nods to them both and goes out.]
HELMER [In an undertone.]
He’s been drinking a good deal.
NORA [Absently.]
I daresay.
[HELMER takes his bunch of keys from his pocket and goes into the hall.]
Torvald, what are you doing there?
HELMER
I must empty the letter-box; it’s quite full; there will be no room for the newspapers to-morrow morning.
NORA
Are you going to work to-night?
HELMER
You know very well I am not.—Why, how is this? Some one has been at the lock.
NORA
The lock——?
HELMER
I’m sure of it. What does it mean? I can’t think that the servants——? Here’s a broken hair-pin. Nora, it’s one of yours.
NORA [Quickly.]
It must have been the children——
HELMER
Then you must break them of such tricks.—There! At last I’ve
got it open.
[Takes contents out and calls into the kitchen.]
Ellen!—Ellen, just put the hall door lamp out.
[He returns with letters in his hand, and shuts the inner door.]
HELMER
Just see how they’ve accumulated.
[Turning them over.]
Why, what’s this?
NORA [At the window.]
The letter! Oh no, no, Torvald!
HELMER
Two visiting-cards—from Rank.
NORA
From Doctor Rank?
HELMER [Looking at them.]
Doctor Rank. They were on the top. He must just have put them in.
NORA
Is there anything on them?
HELMER
There’s a black cross over the name. Look at it. What an unpleasant idea! It looks just as if he were announcing his own death.
NORA
So he is.
HELMER
What! Do you know anything? Has he told you anything?
NORA
Yes. These cards mean that he has taken his last leave of us. He is going to shut himself up and die.
HELMER
Poor fellow! Of course I knew we couldn’t hope to keep him long. But so soon——! And to go and creep into his lair like a wounded animal——
NORA
When we must go, it is best to go silently. Don’t you think so, Torvald?
HELMER [Walking up and down.]
He had so grown into our lives, I can’t realise that he is gone. He
and his sufferings and his loneliness formed a sort of cloudy
background to the sunshine of our happiness.—Well, perhaps it’s
best as it is—at any rate for him.
[Stands still.]
And perhaps for us too, Nora. Now we two are thrown entirely
upon each other.
