Transcript for:
Nora's Awakening and Departure

Hi, the Christmas tree, carefully Thomas. Be sure the children do not see it until this evening when it is dressed. Yes, he is in. Is that my little lark twittering out there? Yes it is! Is it my little squirrel bustling about? Yes! When did my squirrel come home? Just now. Come and hear Torvald who steals our airport. Don't disturb me. What did you say? All these things? Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again? Yes, but Torvald, this year we really can let ourselves go a little. This is the first Christmas we have not needed to economise. Still, you know, we can't spend money recklessly. Yes, we may be a wee bit more reckless now, may we? Just a tiny wee bit. You're going to have a big salary and lots and lots of money. Yes, after the new year. But then it will be a whole quarter before the salary is due. We can borrow till then. Nora? Say, little featherhead, suppose now that I borrowed fifty pounds today and you spent it all in the Christmas week, and then on New Year's Eve a slate fell on my head and killed me and... Oh, don't say such horrible things! But still, suppose that happened? If that were to happen, I don't suppose I should care whether I owed money or not? Yes, but what about the people who had lent it? They? Who would bother about them? I should not know who they were. That is like a woman, but seriously, Norway, you know what I think about that? No debt! No borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will carry on for the short time longer, but there need be any struggle. Is he pleased, Torvald? Oh, come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this? Is my little squirrel out of temper? Nora, what do you think I have got here? Money! There you are. Do you think I don't know what a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas time? Ten shillings. A pound. Two pounds. Oh, thank you, thank you, Torvald. This will keep me going for a long time. Indeed it must. Yes, yes it will. But come here and let me show you what I have bought. And all so cheap. Look, here is a new suit for Iva and a sword and a horse and a trumpet for Bob and a doll and dolly's bedstead for Emmy. They are very plain, but anyway, she also ripped them into pieces. And here are dress lengths and handkerchiefs for the servants. Hell, I want really to have something better. What is in this parcel? No, no, you mustn't see that till this evening. Very well. But now tell me, you extravagant little person, what would you like for yourself? For myself? Oh, I'm sure I don't want anything. Yes, but you must. Tell me something reasonable that you would particularly like to have. No, I really can't think of anything. Unless... Torvald? Well? If you really want to give me something, you might... you might... Well, we're out with it. You might give me money, Torvald. Only just as much as you can afford. And then one of these days I will buy something with it. But Nora... Oh, do, dear Torvald. Please, please do. And then I will take it and wrap it up in beautiful gilt paper and hang it on the Christmas tree. Wouldn't that be fun? What are little people called that are always wasting money? Spendthrifts. I know. Let us do as I suggest. And then I shall have time to think of what I am most in want of. That's a very sensible plan, isn't it Torvald? Indeed it is. That is, if you were to really save out of the money that I give you, and then really buy something for yourself. But if you spend it all on the housekeeping and a number of unnecessary things, then I merely have to pay up again. Oh, but Torvald... You can't deny it, my dear little Nora. Oh, it's a sweet little spendthrift, but she uses up a deal of money. One would hardly believe how expensive such little persons are. I do really save all I can. That's very true. All you can, but you can't save anything. You haven't any idea how many expenses we skylarks and squirrels have, Torvald. You are an odd little soul. Very like your father. You always find some new way of wheedling money out of me. And as soon as you have got it, it seems to melt in your hands. You never know where it's gone. Still, I must take you as you are. It is in the blood, for indeed it is true, that you can inherit these things, Nora. Oh, I wish I had inherited many of Papa's qualities. I would not wish you to be anything other than what you are, my sweet little Skylar. Do you know, it strikes me that you were looking rather, what shall I say, rather uneasy today. Did I? You do, really. Look straight at me. Well? Hasn't Miss Sweet Tooth been breaking rules in town today? No. What makes you think that? Hasn't she paid a visit to the confectioners? No, I'm sure you told. Not been nibbling sweets? No, certainly not. Not even taken a bite of the macaroon or two? No, Torvald, I assure you, really. There now, I was only joking. I should not think of going against your wishes. Yes, I am sure of that. Besides, you gave me your word. Keep your little Christmas secrets to yourself, my darling. They will all be revealed tonight when the Christmas tree is lit, no doubt. Did you remember to invite Dr. Rankin? No, but there is no need. As a matter of course, he will come to dinner with us. But I will ask him when he comes in this morning. I have ordered some good wine. Nori, you can't think how I'm looking forward to this evening. Oh, so am I, Torvald. And how the children will enjoy themselves. It's splendid to feel that one has a perfectly safe appointment and a big enough income. It is delightful to think of, isn't it? It's wonderful. Do you remember last Christmas? For a full three weeks beforehand, you shut yourself up every night till long after midnight. Making ornaments for the Christmas tree and all the other fine things that were to be a surprise to us. It was the dullest three weeks I ever spent. I didn't find it dull. But there was precious little result, Nora. You shouldn't tease me about that again. How could I help the cats going in and tearing everything to pieces? Of course you couldn't, you poor little girl. You had the best of intentions to please us all. And that's the main thing. But it is a good thing that our hard times are over. It's really wonderful. This time I needn't sit here and be dull all alone. You needn't ruin your dear eyes and your pretty little hands. No, Torvald, I needn't any longer, need I? Oh, it's wonderfully lovely to hear you say so. Now, I will tell you how I've been thinking we ought to arrange things. As soon as Christmas is over... Oh, there's the bell. There's someone at the door. What a nuisance. If it isn't Corla, remember I'm not at home. A lady to see you, ma'am. A stranger. Ask her to come in. The doctor come at the same time, sir. Did he go straight into my office? Yes, sir. How do you do, Nora? How do you do? You don't recognise me, I suppose? No, I don't know. Yes! To be sure I've seen you, yes! Christine, is it really you? Yes, it is I. Oh Christine, to think of my not recognising you. And yet, how could I? How you have altered, Christine. Yes, I have indeed. At least nine, ten long years. Is it so long since we met? I suppose it is. The last eight years have been a happy time for me, I can tell you. And now, you have come into the town and have taken this long journey in winter. Oh, it's lucky of you. I arrived by steamer this morning. To have some fun at Christmas time, of course. How delightful. We will have such fun together. Take off your things. You are not cold, I hope. Let us sit down here by the fire and be cosy. No, no, you take the armchair. I will sit here in the rocking chair. Thank you. There. Now you look like your old self again. It was only the first moment. You are a little paler, Christine. And perhaps a little thinner. And much, much older, Nora. Perhaps a little older. Very, very little. Certainly not much. But what a thoughtless creature I am, chattering away like this. My poor dear Christine, do forgive me. What do you mean, Nora? Poor Christine. You are a widow. Yes. It is three years ago now. Yes, I knew. I saw it in the papers. I assure you, Christine, I meant ever so often to write to you at the time, but I always put it off, and something always prevented me. I quite understand, dear. Oh, it was very bad of me, Christine. Poor thing. How you must have suffered. And he left you nothing? No. And no children? No. Nothing at all, then. Not even any sorrow or grief to live upon? Christine, is that possible? Sometimes happens, Nora. And you're quite alone. How dreadfully sad that must be. I have three lovely children. You can't see them just now for they are out with their nurse. But now, you must tell me all about it. No, I want to hear about you. Oh no, you must go first. I mustn't be selfish today. Today I must think only of your affairs. Oh, but there is one thing I must tell you. Do you know, we've just had a great piece of good luck. No, what is it? Just fancy. My husband has been made manager of the bank. Your husband? What good luck! Yes, tremendous. A barrister's profession is such an uncertain thing, especially if he won't undertake unsavoury cases. And naturally, Torvald has never been willing to do that, and I quite agree with him. You may imagine how pleased we are. For the future, we can live quite differently. We can do just as we like. I feel so relieved and so happy, Christine. It would be splendid to have heaps of money and not need to have any anxiety, won't it? Yes. At least I think it would be delightful to have what one needs. No! Not only what one needs, but heaps and heaps of money. Nora, Nora, how have you learned sense yet? In our school days you were a great spendthrift. Yes, that is what Torvald says now. But Nora, Nora is not so silly as you think. You have not been in a position for me to waste money. We have both had to work. You too? Yes. Odds and ends, needlework, embroidery, crochet work and that sort of thing. And other things as well. You know Torvald left his office when we were married? There was no prospect of promotion there, and he had to try and earn more than before. But during the first year, he overworked himself dreadfully. You see, he had to make money every way he could, and so he worked early and late. But he couldn't stand it, and he fell dreadfully ill. And the doctors said it was necessary for him to go south. Oh yes, you spent a whole year in Italy, didn't you? Yes. It was no easy matter to get away, I can tell you. It was just after I was born. But naturally, we had to go. It was a wonderfully beautiful journey, and it saved Torvald's life. But it cost a tremendous lot of money, Christine. So I should think. It cost about 250 pounds. That's a lot, isn't it? Yes. And in emergencies like that, it is lucky to have the money. I ought to tell you that we had it from Papa. Oh, I see. It was just about that time that he died, wasn't it? Yes. And just think of it. I couldn't go and nurse him. I was expecting little Ivor's birth every day, and I had my poor sick Torvald to look after. My dear kind father. I never saw him again, Christine. That is the saddest time I have known since our marriage. I know how fond you were of him. And then you went off to Italy? Yes. Yes, we had the money then, and the doctors insisted on our going, and so we started a month later. And your husband came back quite well? Yes. The sound is a bell. The doctor. What doctor? I thought your servant said that the gentleman who arrived here just as I did was the doctor. Yes, that is Dr Rank. But he does not come here professionally. He is our greatest friend and comes in at least once every day. No, Torval does not have an hour's illness since then. And our children are strong and healthy and so are I. Christy, it's good to be alive and happy. Oh, how horrid of me. I am talking about nothing but my own affairs. You mustn't be angry with me. Tell me, is it really true that you did not love your husband? Why did you marry him? My mother was alive then and was bedridden and helpless, and I had to provide for my two younger brothers. So I did not think I was justified in refusing his offer. Yes, perhaps you're quite right. He was rich at the time then. I believe he was quite well off. But his business was a precarious one, and when he died, it all went to pieces, and there was nothing left. And then? Then I had to turn my hand to anything I could find. First a small shop, then a small school, and so on. The last three years have seemed like one long working day with no rest. But now it is at an end, Mira. My poor mother needs me no longer, for she is gone. And the boys do not need me either. They've got situations and can shift for themselves. What a relief, you must feel it. No, I only feel my life unspeakably empty. No one to live for anymore. That is why I cannot stand life in my quiet little backwater any longer. I hope it may be easier here to find something that will busily unoccupy my thoughts. If only I could have the good luck to find some regular work, office work of some kind. Christine, that is so frightfully tiring. You look tired out now. You'd far better go away to some watering place. I have no father to give me money for a journey, Nora. Don't be angry with me. It is you who must not be angry with me, dear. The worst of a position like mine is it makes one so bitter. No one to work for and yet obliged to be always on the lookout for chances. One must live and so one becomes selfish. Do you know, when you told me of the happy turn your fortunes had taken, you will hardly believe it, I was delighted not so much on your account as on my own. How do you mean? Oh, I understand. You mean that perhaps Torvald could get you something to do? Yes, that is what I was thinking of. I must, Christine. Just leave it to me. I will broach the subject very cleverly. I will think of something that will please him very much. It will make me so happy to be of some use to you. How kind you are, Nora, to be so anxious to help me. It is doubly kind in you, for you know so little of the burdens and troubles of life. Aye, I know so little of them. My dear, small household cares and that sort of thing. You are a child, Nora. You ought not to be so superior. No? You look down on me altogether, Christine. But you ought not to. You are proud, aren't you, of having worked so hard and so long for your mother? Indeed, I don't look down on anyone. But it is true that I am both proud and glad to think that I was privileged to make the end of my mother's life almost free from care. And you are proud to think of what you have done for your brother? Yes, I think I have the right to be. I think so too. But now listen to this. I too have something to be proud and glad of. I have no doubt you have. But what do you refer to? Sleep low. Suppose Torvald were to hear. He mustn't on any account. No one must know Christine in the world except you. What is it? Come here. Now I will show you that I too have something to be proud and glad of. It was I that saved Torvald. It's life. Saved? How? I told you about our trip to Italy. Torwood would never have recovered if we had not gone there. Yes, but your father gave you the necessary funds. No, Papa didn't give us a shilling. It was I that procured the money. You? All that large sum? £250. What do you think about that? Well, could you possibly do it? Did you win a prize in the lottery? A lottery? There would have been no credit in that. Where did you get it from then? Ah. Because you couldn't have borrowed it. Couldn't I? Why not? No, a wife cannot borrow without her husband's consent. Oh, if it is a wife who has any head for business, a wife who has the wit to be a little bit clever. I don't understand it at all, Nora. There is no need you should. I never said I had borrowed the money. I may have got it some other way. Perhaps I got it from some other admirer. But anyone is as attractive as I am. You are a mad creature now. You know you're full of curiosity, Christine. Listen to me, Laura. Haven't you been a little bit imprudent? Is it imprudent to save your husband's life? I consider it imprudent without his knowledge. It is absolutely necessary that he should not know. My goodness, can't you understand that? It was necessary that he should have no idea what a dangerous condition he was in. It was to me the doctors came and said that his life was in danger and that the only thing to save him was to go and live in the South. Do you think I did not try, first of all, to get what I wanted, as if it were for myself? I told him how much I should love to travel abroad, like other young wives. I tried tears and entreaties with him. I told him that he ought to remember the condition I was in, and that he ought to be kind and indulgent with me. I even hinted that he might raise alone. That nearly made him angry, Christine. He told me I was thoughtless, and that it was his duty as my husband not to indulge me in my whims and caprices, as I believe he called them. Very well, I thought you must be saved. And that was how I came to devise a way out of the difficulty. But did your husband never get to hear from your father that the money had not come from him? No, never. Papa died just at that time. I had meant to let him into the secret and beg him never to reveal it, but he was so ill then. Alas, there was never any need to tell him. And since then, have you never told your secret to your husband? Good gracious, no. How could you think so? A man with such strong opinions about these things. And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald with his manly independence to know that he owed me anything. It would upset our mutual relations altogether. Our beautiful, happy home would no longer be what it is now. And you mean never to tell him about it? Someday, perhaps. After many years when I'm no longer as good-looking as I am now. Don't laugh at me. I mean, of course, when Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is now. When my dancing and dressing up and reciting have pulled on him, then it may be a good thing to have something in reserve. What nonsense. That time will never come. Now, Christine, what do you think of my great secret? Do you still think I am of no use? Let me tell you, too, that this affair has caused me a lot of worry. It's been by no means easy for me to meet my engagements punctually. I can tell you, too, that there is something in business called... quarterly interest, and another thing called payment in installments. And it is always so dreadfully difficult to manage them. I've had to save a little here and there, you understand? I have not been able to put aside much for my housekeeping money. The tour would must have a good table. I couldn't not spend everything that he gave me on my lovely little little ones. I felt obliged to use up everything he gave me for them, the sweet little darlings. So it just all had to come out of your own necessaries of life. Poor normal ones. Of course. Besides, I was the one responsible for it. Whenever Torvald gave me money for new dresses and such things, I never spent more than half of it. I always bought the simplest and cheapest things. Thank heavens, any clothes look well on me, 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? Quite so. Well, then I found other ways of earning money. Last winter I was lucky enough to get a lot of copying to do. And so I locked myself in and sat writing until quite late at night. Many a time I was desperately tired, but just the same, it was a tremendous pleasure to sit there working and earning money. It was like being a man. And how much have you been able to pay off in that way? Well, 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 off every penny I could scrape together. Many a time I was at my wits' end. And then I used to sit here and imagine that a rich old gentleman had fallen in love with me. Oh my goodness, Nora, who was that? Be quiet. That he had died, and that when his will was opened it contained written in large letters the instruction that lovely Mrs. Nora Helmers to have all I possess paid over to her at once. In cash. But dear Nora, who could the joke have been? See, can't you understand? There was no old person. It was only something I used to sit here and imagine when I couldn't think of any other way of procuring money. But it's all the same now. The tiresome old person can stay where he is as far as I'm concerned. I don't need him or his will either. I'm free from care now. Oh my goodness, it's delightful to think of Christine. To be free from care. To be able to be free from care. 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 just 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, Christy, it's wonderful to be alive and happy. Oh, there's the bell outside. Oh no, don't go. No one will come in here. It's bound to be for Torvald. Excuse me, ma'am. There's a gentleman to see the master and as the doctor is with him... Who is it? It is I, Mrs Helmer. You? What is it? What do you want to see my husband about? Bank business, in a way. I have a small post at the bank and I hear your husband is to be our chief now. Yes, it is. Nothing but dry business matters, Mrs. Hilmer. Absolutely nothing but that. Very well. Be so good as to go and do the study then. Your Honour, who was that man? A lawyer by the name of Crogstead. So it really was he. Do you know the man? I used to, many years ago. At one time he was a solicitor's clerk in our town. Yes, I believe he was. He is greatly altered. He made a very unhappy marriage. He is a widower now, isn't he? Yes, with several children. There, now it is burning up. They say he carries on various kinds of business. Really? Perhaps he does. I don't know anything about it. But don't let us think of business now. It is so tiresome. No, no, my dear fellow, I won't disturb you. I'm rather going to your wife for a little while. Oh, I beg your pardon, I'm afraid I'm disturbing you too. Not at all. Dr. Rennick? Mrs. Lind? I've often heard Mrs. Lind's name spoken in this house. I believe I passed it on the stairs when I arrived, Mrs. Lind. Yes, I go up very slowly. I don't manage stairs well. Oh, some slight internal weakness. No, the truth is I have been overworking myself. Oh, nothing more than that. Then I suppose you've come to town to amuse yourself with our entertainment. No, I have come to look for work. Is that a good cure for overwork? One must live, Dr Rank. Yes, the general opinion seems to be that it is necessary. Look here, Dr Rank, you know you want to live. Oh, certainly, however... Wretched I may feel, I want to prolong the agony as much as possible. All my patients are like that. So two of those who are morally diseased. One of them, and a bad case too, is at this very moment with Helmer. Oh, who do you mean? 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 it being highly important that he should live. Does he? What did he want to speak to Torvald about? I've no idea. I only heard it was something about the bank. I didn't know this what's-his-name Crogstad had anything to do with the bank. Oh, yes, he had some sort of appointment there. I don't know if 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've found some, put the person concerned in some lucrative position where they can keep their eye on him. Healthy natures are left out in the cold. Still, I think the sick are those who most need taking care of. Yes, there you are. That is the sentiment that is turning society into a sick house. What do you laugh about? Have you any notion what society really is? What do I care about tires and society? I'm laughing about something quite different. Something extremely amusing. Tell me, Dr. Rank, are all the people employed at the bank dependent upon Torvald now? Oh, is that what you find so extremely amusing? That's my affair. It's perfectly glorious to think that Torvald has so much power over so many people. Dr. Rankin, what do you say to a macaroon? What? Macaroons? I thought they were forbidden here. Yes, but these are some Christine gave me. What? I? Oh, well, don't be alarmed. You couldn't know that Torvald had forbidden them. I must tell you that he is afraid that they will spoil my teeth. But once in a way, that's so, isn't it, Dr. Rankin? Now you're leaving. Oh. You must have one too, Mr. Cormier. Thank you. I will have one. Just a little one. Or at the most, two. I'm tremendously happy. There's just one thing in the world now that I should dearly love to do. Well, what is that? It is something I should love to say. If Tovo could hear me. Why can't you say it? Hmm. I dare not. I'm so shocked. Shocked? Well, I should not advise you to say it. Still, with us, you may. What is it that you would so much like to say if only Torvald could hear you? I should just love to say, well I am down. You can't! Norah dear! Oh well said. Here he is. Well Torvald dear, have you got rid of him? Yes, he has just gone. Let me introduce you, this is Christine, who has come to town. Christine, excuse me but I don't... This is Linz dear. Christine Lind. Of course, a school friend of my wife's, I presume. Yes, we have known each other since then. And just think of it, Christine has taken a long journey in order to see you. What do you mean? No, I mean, Christine is tremendously clever at bookkeeping, and she is frightfully anxious to work under some clever man so as to perfect herself. Very sensible, Mrs Lind. And when she heard that you would be made manager of the bank, the news was telegraphed, you know. She travelled here as quick as she could. Torvald. I'm sure you'll be able to find a position for Christine, for my sake, won't you? Well, it's not altogether impossible. I presume you're a widow, Mrs. Lynde? Yes. And have had some experience of bookkeeping? Yes, a fair amount. Well, it's very likely I may be able to find something for you. What did I tell you? What did I tell you? You have just come at the right moment, Mrs. Lynde. How am I to thank you? There is no need, but today you must excuse me. Oh, wait a minute, I'll come with you. Oh, don't be long away, Torvald, dear. About an hour, not more. Are you going too, Christine? Yes, I must go and look for a room. What a pity it is we have so short of space here. I'm afraid it is impossible for us to... Please don't think about it. Hello, Mrs. Lynde. You're a bit of a stud here. Goodbye, Nora dear. Give her many thanks. For the present? Well, of course you'll come back this evening. And you too, Dr. Wreck. What do you say? If you're well enough? Oh, you must be. Wrap yourself up well. Excuse me Mrs. Albert. What do you want? Excuse me, the outer door was ajar, someone must have left it open. My husband is out Mr. Crudstat. I know that. What do you want then? A bird with you? With me. You want to speak to me? Yes, I do. Today? It is not the first of the month yet. No, it is Christmas Eve and it will depend on yourself what sort of a Christmas you will spend. What do you want? Today it is absolutely impossible... We won't talk of that until later on. This is something different. I presume you can give me a moment? Yes, yes I can, although... Who? I was in Orson's restaurant and I saw your husband going down the street. Yes? He's a lady. What then? May I be so bold as to ask if it was a Mrs. Lynde? It was. Just arrived in town? Yes. She's a great friend of yours, isn't she? She is, but I don't think... I knew her too, once upon a time. I'm aware of that. Are you? So you know all about it, thought as much. Then I can ask you without feeling about the bush. Does Mrs. Lynde have an appointment at the bank? Right of you to question me, Mr. Crockstead. You. One of my husband's subordinates? Since you ask, you shall know. Yes, Mrs. Lynde is to have an appointment. It was I that pleaded her cause, Mr. Crogstad, let me tell you that. Sometimes one has a tiny little bit of influence, I should hope. Because one is a woman, it should not necessarily follow that... If anyone is in a subordinate position, Mr. Crogstad, you should really be very careful to avoid offending anyone who... Who has influence? Mrs. Helmer, you will be so good as to use your influence on my behalf. What? What do you mean by that? You will be so kind as to see that I am allowed to keep my subordinate position in the bank. What do you mean by that? Who proposes to take your post away from me? Oh, there is no necessity to keep up the pretence of ignorance. I can quite understand that your friend is not very anxious to expose herself to the chance of rubbing shoulders with me. And I quite understand too whom I have to thank for being turned out. I assure you. Very likely. But to come to the point, the time has come when I should advise you to use your influence to prevent that. Mr. Cranstead, I have no influence. Have you? I thought you said yourself just now... Well, naturally I did not mean you to put that construction on it. I? What would make you think I have any influence of that kind with my husband? Oh, I have known your husband since our student days, I should... I thought he was any more unassailable than other husbands. If you speak slightly of my husband, I shall turn you out of the house. You are bold, Mrs. Helmer. I'm not afraid of you any longer. Listen to me, Mrs. Helmer. If necessary, I am prepared to fight for my small post in the bank, as if I was fighting for my life. So it seems. It's not only on account of the money. Indeed, that was least with me in the matter. There is another reason. I might as well tell you. My position is this. I dare say you know, like everyone else, that once, many years ago, I was guilty of an indiscretion. I think I've heard something of the kind. The madam never came into the court, but every way seemed closed to me after that. So I took to the business that you know of. I had to do something, but honestly don't think I've been one of the worst. But now I must cut myself free from all that. My sons are growing up. For their sake, I must try to win back as much respect as I can. This post in the bank was like the first step up for me. And now your husband is going to kick me downstairs again into the mud! Mr. Krug said he must believe me. This is not in my power to help you at all. Then it is because you have the will that I have means to compel you. You don't mean to say that you will tell my husband that I owe you money? Suppose I were to tell him. It would be perfectly infamous of you to think of him learning my secret that has been my joy and pride in such an ugly, clumsy manner that he should learn it from you. And it would put me in a horribly disagreeable position. Horribly disagreeable? Oh well, then do it then, and it will be the worst for you. My husband will see for himself what a rival you are and you certainly won't keep your post then. I asked you if it was only a disagreeable position at home that you were afraid of. If my husband does get to know about it. He will of course pay you what is still owing, and we will have nothing more to do with you. Listen to me, Mrs. Helmer. Either you have a very bad memory, or you know very little of business. I'll be obliged to remind you of a few details. What do you mean? When your husband was ill, you came to me to borrow £250. I didn't have anyone else to go to. I promised to get you that amount. Yes, and you did so. I promised to get you that amount on certain conditions. Your mind was so taken up with your husband's illness and you were so anxious to get the money for your journey that you seem to have paid no attention to the conditions of our bargain. Therefore it will not be amiss if I remind you of them. Now, I promised to get you the money on the security of a bond, which I drew up. Yes, and which I signed. Good, but below your signature there were one or two lines constituting your father's surety for the money. Those lines your father should have signed. Should have? He did sign them. I'd left the date blank. That is to say... Your father should himself have inserted the date on which he signed the paper. Do you remember that? Yes, I think I remember. And then I gave you the bond to post to your father. Is that not so? Yes. And you naturally did so at once because five or six days later you brought me the bond with your father's signature. And then I gave you the money. Well, haven't I been paying it off regularly? Barely so, yes. But to come back to the matter in hand, it must have been a very trying time for you, Mrs. Helmer. It was, indeed. Your father was very ill, wasn't he? He was very near his end. He died soon afterwards. Tell me, Mrs. Helmer, I don't suppose you can remember what day your father died and what day the mother died? My father died on the 29th of September. Yes, that is correct. Well, that's a taint of myself. And as that is so, there is a discrepancy that I cannot account for. The discrepancy consists, Mrs. Helmer, in the fact that your father signed this paper three days after his death. Well, your father died on the 29th of September, but look here. So your father... dated his signature the 2nd of October. It is a discrepancy, isn't it? Can you explain it to me? It's a remarkable thing, too, that the words 2nd of October and year are written not in your father's handwriting, but in another that I think I know. Oh, of course it can be explained. Someone else may have dated the... Signature that your father forgot to sign it and may have done it haphazard before they knew of his death. It's no harm in that. It all depends on the signature of the name and that I suppose is genuine Mrs Elmer. It was your father himself who signed his name here. No it was not. It was I who wrote the parsnip. Are you aware that it is a dangerous confession? In what way? You'll have your money soon. Let me ask you a question. Why did you not send the bomb to your father? It was impossible. But Pa was so ill. If I'd asked him for his signature, I should have had to tell him what it was to be used for. And when he was so ill himself, I couldn't tell him that my husband's life was in danger. It was impossible. Would have been better for you if you'd given up your trip abroad. No, that was impossible. That trip was to save my husband's life. I couldn't give that up. Did it never occur to you that you were committing a fraud on me? I couldn't take that into account. I don't trouble myself about you at all. I couldn't bear you because you put so many heartless difficulties in my way, even though you knew what a dangerous condition my husband was in. Mrs. Helmer, you evidently do not realise clearly what it is you have been guilty of. But I can assure you that my one false step, which lost me all my reputation, was nothing more or nothing worse than what you have done. You! Do you ask me to believe that you were brave enough to run risk to save your wife's life? The law cares nothing about motives. Then there must be a very foolish law. Foolish or not, it is the law by which you will be judged if I produce this paper in court. I can't believe it. Is a daughter not to be allowed to spare her old dying father anxiety and care? Is a wife not to be allowed to sleep her husband's wife? I don't know much about law, but I am certain that there must be laws permitting such things as those. Have you no knowledge of such laws? You, who are a lawyer? Must be very poor lawyer, Mr Crogstead. Maybe. Not matters of business. Such business as you and I have had together. Do you think I don't understand that? Well, do as you please. Hmm. Very well. But let me tell you this. If I lose my position a second time, you shall lose yours with me. Nonsense. Trying to frighten me like that. I'm not so silly as he thinks. And yet, no! It's impossible! I did it for love's sake! No! Helen, bring in the tree! No, no, it's impossible. It's quite impossible. Where should I put it, Mum? Here, in the middle of the floor. Shall I get you anything else? No, thank you. I have all I want. Candle here... Flower there... Horrible man! It's all nonsense. There's nothing wrong. The tree shall be splendid. Oh, Torvald, I will do everything I can think of to please you. I will sing for you, and dance for you... Oh, are you back already? Yes. Has anyone been here? Here? No. That is strange. I saw Krogstad going out of the gate. Oh yes, I forgot. Krogstad was here for a moment. Nora! I can see from your manner that he has been here, begging you to say a good word for him. Yes. And you appear to have done so of your own accord. You were concealed from me the fact of his having been here. Didn't he beg that of you too? Yes, Torvald, but... Nora! Nora! And you will be a party to that sort of thing. To have any talk with a man like that, and give him any sort of price, and to tell me a lie into the bargain. A lie? Didn't you just tell me that no one had been here? My little songbird must never do that again. The songbird must have a clean beak to chirp with. That is so, isn't it? Yes, I am sure it is. We will say no more about it. How warm and snug it is here! Torvald? Yes? I am looking forward tremendously to the fancy dress ball at the Stenborgs the day after tomorrow. I am tremendously curious to see what you are going to surprise me with. It was very silly of me to want to do that. What do you mean? I can't hit upon anything that will do. Everything I think of seems so silly and insignificant. Has my little Nora acknowledged that at last? Are you very busy, Torvald? Ah, yes. What are all those papers? Bank business. Already? I have got authority from the retiring manager to undertake the necessary changes in the staff and in the rearrangement of the work. And I must make use of the Christmas week for that, so as to have everything in order for the new year. And that is why this poor Craig Crosdale... If you hadn't been so busy, Torvald, I should have asked you a tremendously big favour. What is that? Tell me! There is no one who has such good taste as you, and I do so want to look nice, but fancy dressed for. Couldn't you take me in hand and decide what I shall go as and what sort of a dress I shall wear? Ah, so my obstinate little woman is obliged to get someone to come to her rescue. I can't get along a bit without your help. Very well. I will think it over. We shall manage to hit upon something. It is nice of you. Hmm. How pretty the red flowers look. Tell me, is it something very bad that this Krogstad was guilty of? He forged someone's name. Have you any idea what that means? Isn't it possible that he was driven to it out of necessity? Yes. Or as in, so many cases, by imprudence. I'm not so heartless as to condemn a man altogether for a single forced step of that kind. No, you wouldn't, would you, Torrin? Many a man has been able to retrieve his character if he has openly confessed his fault and taken his punishment. Punishment? Krogstad did nothing of the sort. He got himself out of it by a cunning trick. And that is why he has gone under altogether. But do you think... Just think how a guilty man like that has to lie and play the hypocrite with everyone. How he has to wear a mask in the presence of all those near and dear to him, even before his own wife and children. And about the children, well that is the most terrible part of it all. How? Because such an atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home. Each breath the children take in such a house is full of the germs of evil. Are you sure of that? My dear, I have often seen it in the course of my life as a lawyer. Almost everyone who has gone to the bad early in life has had a deceitful mother. Why do you only say mother? It seems most commonly to be the mother's influence, though naturally a bad father's would have the same result. This Krogstad now has been continually and persistently poisoning his own children with lies and dissimulation. That is why I say he has lost all moral character. That is why my sweet little Laura has promised me not to plead his cause. Give me your hand, Ed. Come. Come, what is this? Give me your hand. Fair enough. That's settled. I assure you it will be quite impossible for me to work with him. I literally feel physically ill when I'm in the company of such people. Come, what is this? Give me your hand. And I have such a lot to do. Yes, and I must try and read through some of these before dinner. And I must think about your costume too. And it is just possible that I may have something ready in gold paper to hang up on the tree. Precious little singing bird. It's impossible. It must be impossible. The little ones are begging so hard to be allowed to come into my novel. Don't let them come into me. You stay with them, Helen. Very well, Mum. Deprave my little children. Poison my home. It's not true. It can't possibly be true. Someone's coming now. No, it's no one. Of course no one will come today. Christmas day? Not tomorrow either. But perhaps... No, nothing in the letterbox. It is quite empty. Oh, rubbish. Of course he couldn't have been in earnest about it. Such a thing couldn't happen. It's quite impossible. I have three little children. At last... I've found a box with a fancy dress. Oh, thanks, Helen. Put it on the carpet. It is very much in want of mending. Oh, I wish I could tear it into a hundred thousand pieces. Good heavens. It can easily be put in order. Just a little patience. Yes. I'm going to go and get Mrs. Lynn to come and help me with it. What? Out again in this horrible weather? You will catch cold, Mum, and make yourself ill. Worse than that might happen. How are the children? Poor little souls are playing with their Christmas presents. Do they ask much for me? You see, they're so accustomed to having their mama with them. Yes, but Helen, I shan't be able to be so much with them now as I was before. Oh, well, young children easily get accustomed to anything. Do you think so? Do you think they could forget their mother if she went away altogether? Heavens! Went away altogether? Helen, I want to ask you something I've often wondered about. How could you have had the heart to put your own child out among strangers? I was obliged to if I wanted to be little Nora's Helen. Yes, but how could you be willing to do it? Oh, when I was going to get such a good place by it? The poor girl who has got into trouble should be glad to. Besides, that wicked man didn't do a single thing for me. I suppose your daughter has quite forgotten you. No, indeed she hasn't. She wrote to me when she was confirmed and when she was married. Dear Helen, you were a good mother to me when I was little. Little Nora, poor dear, had no other mother but me. And if my own little ones had no other mother, I'm sure you would. Oh, what nonsense I'm talking. Go into them. Now I must... You will see tomorrow how charming I shall look. I'm sure there will be no one at the ball as charming as you, Mum. If only I dared go out. If only no one would come. If only I could be sure nothing would happen here in the meantime. Oh, stuff and nonsense. No one will come. Honey, I must think about it. Ah, oh, what lovely, lovely glass. Out of my thoughts, out of my thoughts. One, two, three, four. Five, six... There is someone coming! It's you Christine. There's no one else out there, is there? How could you do to come? I heard you were up asking for me. Yes, I was passing by. As a matter of fact, it is something you could do for me. Come and sit down here. Look here. Tomorrow evening there is to be a fancy dress ball at the Stemballs who live above us and Torvald wants me to go as a Neapolitan Fisher Girl and dance the Tarantella that I learned at the priest. I see. You are going to keep up the character. Yes. Torvald wants me to. Look, here is the dress. Torvald had it made for me there, but now it is all so torn and I haven't any idea... Oh, you will easily put this right. It's only some of the trimming come unsewn here and there. Needle and thread. Right, now then, that's all we need. Oh, it is nice of you. So, you are going to be all dressed up tomorrow, Nora. I'll tell you what, I will come in for a moment and see you in your fine feathers. Oh, but I have quite forgotten to thank you for a delightful evening yesterday. Oh, I don't think yesterday was as pleasant as usual. You ought to have come into the town a little earlier, Christine. Certainly Torvald does understand how to make a house look dainty and attractive. So do you, it seems to me. You're not your father's daughter for nothing. But tell me, is Dr Rank always as depressed as he was yesterday? No. Yesterday it was very noticeable. I must tell you that he suffers from a very dangerous disease. He has consumption of the spine, poor creature. His father was a horrible man who committed all sorts of excesses and that is why his son was sickly from childhood. Do you understand? My dearest Nora, how do you know anything about such things? When you have three children, you get visits now and then from married women who know something of medical matters and they talk about one thing and another. Does Dr. Rank come here every day? Every day regularly. He is Torvald's most intimate friend and a great friend of mine too. He is just like one of the family. Tell me, isn't he the kind of man that is always very anxious to make himself agreeable? No, not in the least. What makes you think that? When you introduced him to me yesterday, he declared that he had often heard my name mentioned in this house. But afterwards I noticed your husband hadn't the slightest idea who I was, so how could... Yes, that is quite right, Christine. Torvald is so absurdly fond of me that he wants me absolutely to himself, as he says. At first he used to seem almost jealous if ever I mentioned any of the dear folks at home, so naturally I gave up doing so. But I often talk about such things with Dr. Rank because he likes hearing about them. Listen to me more. You are still very like a child in many ways, and I am older than you in many ways, and have a little more experience. Let me tell you this. You ought to make an end of it with Dr. Rank. What ought I to make an end of? Of two things, I think. Yesterday you talked some nonsense about a rich old man who was to leave you money. A rich old man who doesn't exist, unfortunately. But what then? Is Dr. Rank a man of means? Yes, he is. And has no one to provide for? No, no one. And comes here every day? Yes, I told you so. How can this well-bred man be so tactless? I don't understand you at all. Don't prevaricate, Nora. Do you think I can't guess who lent you the £250? Are you out of your senses? How could you think of such a thing? A friend of ours who comes here every day. Can you imagine what a horribly painful position that would be? And it really isn't he? No. No, it would never have entered my head for a moment. Besides... He had no money to lend then. He came into his money afterwards. Well, I think that was lucky for you, my dear Nora. No, it would never have come into my head to ask Dr Rank. I'm quite sure if I had asked him. But of course you won't. No, of course not. I have no reason to think it could possibly be necessary. But I'm quite sure if I told Dr. Rank... Behind your husband's back? Oh, I must make an end of it with the other one and that will be behind his back too. I must make an end of it with him. Yes, that is why I told you yesterday. A man could put a thing like this straight much easier than a woman. One's husband, yes. Ugh, rubbish. When you pay off your debt, you get your bond back, don't you? You can tear it up into a hundred thousand pieces and burn it up in nasty, dirty paper. Nora. You were concealing something from me. Do I look as if I were? Something has happened to you since yesterday morning, Nora. What is it? Hush. Christy. There's Torvald come home. Do you mind going into the children for the present? Torvald can't bear to see dressmaking going on. Let Helen help you. Certainly. But I'm not going away from here until we've had it out with one another. Was that the dressmaker? No, it was Christine. She's helping me to put my dress in order. You will see I shall look quite smart. Wasn't that a happy thought of mine then? Splendid. But don't you think it is nice of me too to do as you wish? Nice? Because you do as your husband wishes? Well, while you're in a little row, I'm sure you didn't mean it in that way. But I'm not going to disturb you. You'll want to be trying on your dress I expect. I suppose you're going to work? Oh, look at that. Just being to the bank. Ford? Yes? If your little squirrel were to ask you for something very, very pretty... What then? Would you do it? She'd like to hear what it is first. Your squirrel would run around and do all her tricks if you would be nice and do what she wants. Speak plainly. Your skylark would jump about in every room with her song rising and falling. Well, my skylark does that anyhow. I would play the fairy and dance for you in the moonlight, Torvald. Nora, you surely don't mean that request you made of me this morning? Yes, Torvald, I beg you so earnestly. Have you really the courage to open up that question again? Yes, Torvald, you must do as I ask. You must let Cropside keep his post in the bank. My dear Nora, it is his post that I have arranged Mrs. Linchel. Yes, you've been awfully kind about that. But you could just as soon dismiss some other clerk instead of Crop... It's simply incredible obstinacy. Just because you chose to give him a thoughtless promise that you would speak to him, I am expected to... That is the reason, Torvald. It is for your own sake. That fellow writes in the most scurrilous newspapers. You told me so yourself. He can do you the most unspeakable amount of harm. I am frightened to death of him. I understand. It is recollections of the past that scare you. What do you mean? Naturally, you were thinking of your father. Yes. Yes, of course. I just recalled to your mind what those malicious creatures wrote in the papers about Papa. and how horribly they slandered him. I believe they would have procured his dismissal if the department hadn't sent you in to inquire into it, and if you hadn't been so kindly disposed and helpful to him. My little Nora, there is an important difference between your father and me. Your father's reputation as a public official is not above suspicion. Mine is, and I hope it will continue to be so as long as I hold my office. You never know what mischief these men may contrive. We ought to be so well off, so snug and happy here in our... peaceful home and have no cares, you and I and the children Torvald, and that is why I beg you so earnestly... And it is just by interceding for him that you make it impossible for me to keep him. It is already known that the bank that I'm in to dismiss Krogstad isn't to get about now, that the new manager has changed his mind at his wife's bid. What if it did? Of course, if only this obstinate little creature can get her way. Do you suppose I'm going to make myself ridiculous before my whole staff? To let people think that I'm a man, to be swayed by all sorts of outside influence. I should very soon feel the consequences of it, I can tell you. And besides, there is one thing that makes it quite impossible for me to have Krogstad in the bank as long as I am manager. Whatever is that? His moral failings I might perhaps have overlooked if necessary. Yes, you could, couldn't you? And I hear he is a good worker too. But I knew him when we were boys. It was one of those... rash friendships that so often prove an incubus in later life. I may as well tell you plainly we once, on very intimate terms with our mother, but this tactless fellow lays no restraint on himself when other people are present. On the contrary, he thinks it gives him the right to adopt a familiar tone with me, and every minute it is, I say, a hell of a wrong fellow, and that sort of thing. I assure you it is extremely painful for me. He would make my position in the bank intolerable. I don't believe you mean that. Don't you? Why not? Because it is such a narrow-minded way of looking at things. What did you say? Narrow-minded? Do you think that I'm narrow-minded? No, just the opposite, dear. And it is exactly for that reason. It is the same thing. You say that my point of view is narrow-minded, so I must be so too. Narrow-minded. Very well. I'm going to put an end to this. What are you going to do? Settle it. Look here. Take this letter and go downstairs to the once. Find a messenger and tell him to deliver it and be quick. The address is on it and here is the money. Very well, sir. Now then, little Miss Obstnutt. Torvald, what was that letter? Krogstad's dismissal. Oh, call her back, Torvald. There is still time. Oh, Torvald, call her back. Do it for my sake, for your own sake, for the children's sake. Do you hear me, Torvald? Call her back. You don't know what that letter will bring upon us. It is... Too late. It's too late. My dear Nora, I can forgive this anxiety you are in. Although really it is insulting to me. It is indeed. Isn't it an insult to think that I should be afraid of a starving corn driver's vengeance? But I forgive you nevertheless because it is such eloquent witness to your great love for me. And it is as it should be, my own darling Nora. Come what will, you will see that I am man enough to take everything upon myself. What do you mean by that? Everything I say. You will never have to do that. Well, that's right. Well, we will share it, as man and wife should. Are you content now? They're not these frightened doves' eyes. The whole thing is only the wildest fancy. Now, you must work through the tell-and-tell and practice with your tambourine. I shall go into the inner office and shut the door and I will hear nothing. You can make as much noise as you please. And when Rangit comes, tell him where he will find me. He was capable of doing it. He will do it. He will do it in spite of everything. No, not that. Never, never. Anything rather than that. Oh, for some help, some way out of this... Don't worry. Anything rather than that. Anything. Whatever it is. Good day, Dr. Wright. I knew you were late, but you must have gone to Torvald now, for I think he is busy with something. And you? You know very well I always have time for you. Thank you. I shall make use of as much of it as I can. What do you mean by that? As much of it as you can? Oh, does that allow me? Such a strange way of putting it. Is anything likely to happen? Oh, nothing but what I've long been prepared for. Certainly didn't expect it to happen so soon. What have you found out? Dr. Rank, you must tell me. It is all up with me, and it can't be helped. Is it about yourself? Well, who else? It's no use lying to oneself. I am the most wretched of all of my patients, Mrs. Helmer. Lately I have been taking stock of my internal economy. Bankrupt. Probably within a month I shall lie rotting in the churchyard. What an ugly thing to say. The thing itself is cursedly ugly. The worst of it is I shall have to face so much more that is ugly before that. I shall only make one more examination of myself. When I have done that I shall... As I'll pretty certainly when it will be that the horrors of dissolution will begin. There... there is something I want to tell you. Helmer's refined nature gives him an unconquerable disgust of everything that is ugly. I won't have him in my sick room. I won't have him there, not on any account. I bar my daughter here. As soon as I am quite certain that the worst has come, I will send you my card with a black cross on it, and then you will know that the loathsome end has begun. You are quite absurd today, and I wanted you so much to be in a really good humor. Will you death-stalking beside me? To have to pay this penalty for another man's sin. Is there any justice in that? And in every single family in one way or another, some such inexorable attribution is being exacted. Oh, rubbish. Don't you talk of something cheerful? Oh, it's a mere laughing matter, the whole thing. My poor innocent spine has to suffer for my father's youthful amusement. I suppose you mean he was rather too partial to asparagus and pate de foie gras, don't you? Yes, and to truffles. Truffles, yes, and oysters too, I suppose. Oysters, of course, that goes without saying. And heaps of port and champagne. It is sad that all these nice things should take their revenge on our bones. Especially that they should revenge themselves on the unlucky bones of those who have never had the satisfaction of enjoying them. The saddest part of all. Why did you smile? No. No, it was you that laughed. No, Dr. Rank, it was you that smiled. You are a greater rascal than I thought. I'm in a silly mood today. So it seems. Dear, dear Dr. Rank. Death mustn't take you away from Torvald and me. It's the last you would easily recover from. Those who have gone are soon forgotten. Do you believe that? People form new ties. Who will form new ties? Both you and Helma when I am gone. You yourself are already on the high road to it, I think. What did that Mrs. Lind want here last night? Oh, ho! You don't mean to say that you are jealous of poor Christine. Yes, I am. She will be my successor in this house. What I am done for. That woman will... Don't speak so loud. She is in that room. Oh, today again. There you see. She's only come to sew my dress for me. Hmm. Rest my soul, how unreasonable you are. Hmm. Be nice now, Dr. Rank, and tomorrow you'll see how beautifully I shall dance. And you may imagine that I am doing it all for you. Oh, and for Torvald too, of course. Dr. Rank, come sit down here and I will show you something. What is it? Yeah. Just look at this. Oh. Silk stockings! Flesh coloured. Aren't they lovely? It is so dark in here now that... No, no, no, you ain't, look at the feet! Oh, very well. I give you leave to look at the legs too. Hmm. Why are you looking so critical? Don't you think they will fit me? I have no means of forming an opinion about that. For shame! That's to punish you. What other nice things am I to be allowed to see? Not a single thing more for being so naughty. You know, when I am sitting here, talking to you as intimately as this, I cannot imagine what would have become of me if I had never come into this house. I believe you do feel thoroughly at home with us. To be able obliged to leave it all. Nonsense. You are not going to leave it. Not be able to leave behind one the slightest token of one's gratitude, nor even a fleeting regret. Nothing but an empty place which the first comma can fill just as well as any other. What if I were to ask you now? No. For what? For a big proof of your friendship. Yes, yes. I mean a tremendously big favour. Would you really make me so happy for once? I don't know what it is yet. No, but tell me. I really can't, Dr. Rowe. It is something out of all reason. It means advice and help and a favour. The bigger the thing it is, the better. I can't conceive what it is you mean. Do tell me. Haven't I your confidence? More than anyone else. I know you are my truest and best friend. And so I will tell you what it is. Well, Dr. Rank, it is something you must help me to prevent. You know how devotedly, how inexpressibly deeply Torvald loves me. He would not for a moment hesitate to give his life for me. No, I... Do you suppose that he is the only one? The only one? The only one who would willingly give his life for your sake. Is that it? I was determined that you should know it before I went away, and... there will never be a better opportunity than this. You know it, Laura. Now you know too, that you can trust me as you would trust no one else. I can't. Laura! Hello! Bring in the lab! Dear Dr. Renk, that was really horrid of you. But to have loved you as much as anyone else does was not horrid! No, but you can't tell me so. There was really no need. What do you mean? Did you know? Mrs Helmut, tell me, had you any idea of this? How do I know whether I had or whether I hadn't? I really can't tell you. Do you think you could be so clumsy, Dr Rank? I would have guessed you aren't so nicely. Well, now at all events, you know that you can command a body and soul, so why don't you speak out? After what happened? I beg you to let me know what it is! I can't tell you anything. Yes! Yes, you mustn't punish me in that way. Let me have permission to do for you whatever a man may do. You can do nothing for me now. Besides, you will find that the whole thing was merely fancy on my part. Of course it was. It really is so, Dr. Ink. Truly. You're a nice sort of man. Don't you feel ashamed of yourself now that the lamp has come? Not a bit. But... Perhaps I had better go. Forever. No. Indeed you shall not. You know very well that Torvald cannot do without you. Yes, but you... Well, I'm always tremendously pleased when you come. And it was just that that put me on the wrong track. You were a riddle to me! I've often thought that you would assume that my company is in Helmuth. Yes. You see, there are those whom one loves best, and others whom one would almost always rather have as companions. Yes, there is something in that. When I was at home, of course I loved Papa best. But I used to think it tremendous fun if I could steal down to the maids' rooms, because they never moralised at all, and talked to each other about such entertaining things. I see. It is their place I've taken. Dear, nice Dr. Rank. Of course I never meant that. But surely you understand that being with Torvald is a little like being with Papa. If you please, Mum. Is there anything wrong? No, it's only something, it's... It's my new dress! What? Your dress is lying there? Oh yes, that one. This is another. I ordered it. Torvald doesn't know anything about it. Oh, then that was the great secret! Yes, just be ready. He is sitting in the inner room. Keep him... Make your mind easy. I won't let him escape. So he's standing waiting in the kitchen? Yes, he came up the back stairs. But didn't you tell him no one was in? Yes, but it was no good. He won't go away. No, he says he won't until he has seen you, Mum. Very well, ask him to come up, but quietly, Helen. You mustn't say anything about this to anyone. It is a surprise. For my husband. Yes, Mum. I quite understand. This dreadful thing is going to happen. It will happen in spite of me. No, no, no, it can't happen. It shan't happen. Speak alone. My husband is at home. No matter about that. What do you want of me? An explanation of something. In my case, then, what is it? You know, I suppose, that I've got my dismissal. I couldn't prevent it, Mr. Crocset. I fought as hard as I could on your side, but it was no use. Your husband left. love you so little, then? He knows what I can expose you to, and yet he ventures to... How can you suppose he has any knowledge of the kind? I didn't suppose so at all. It would not be the least like our dear Torvald Helmer to show so much courage. Mr. Crockstead, a little respect for my husband, please. Certainly. All the respect he deserves. And since you have kept the matter so carefully to yourself, I make bolder to suppose that you have a little clearer idea than you had yesterday of what it actually is that you have done. More than you could ever teach me. Yeah. Such a bad lawyer as I am. What is it you want of me? I need to see how you were, Mrs. Helmer. I've been thinking about you all day long. A mere cashier, a quill driver, a... Well, a man like me, even he has a little of what it's all feeling, you know. Shut up then. Think of my little children. If you and your husband thought of mine. But, but, never mind about that. I only wanted to tell you that you needn't take this matter too seriously. In the first place, there will be no accusation made on my part. No, of course. I was sure of that. The whole thing can be arranged amicably. There is no reason why anyone else should know anything about it. It will remain a secret between us three. My husband must never get to know anything about it. Well, how will you be able to prevent it? Am I to understand that you can pay the balance that he's owing? No, not just at present. Or perhaps that you have some expedient for raising the money soon? No expedient I need to make use of. Well, in any case, it would have been of no use to you now. You stood there with ever so much money in your hand, I would never part with your bond. Tell me what purpose you mean to put it to. Oh, I should only preserve it. Keep it in my possession. There is no one concerned in the matter who will have any knowledge of it. So, I thought if it has driven you to any desperate resolution. It has. If you had it in your mind to run away from your home. I have. Or perhaps even something worse? How could you know that? Give up the idea. How did you know I thought of that? Most of us think of that at first. I did too, only I haven't the courage. More than I have. No. No, that's it, isn't it? You haven't the courage either. No, I haven't. I haven't. Besides, it would have been a great piece of folly. Once the first storm at home is over, I have a letter for your husband in my pocket. Telling him everything? In as lenient a manner as I possibly could. He must not get the letter, tear it up, or we'll find some other way of getting you money. Excuse me, Mrs. Hilbert, but I think I told you just now... I'm not speaking of what I owe you. Tell me what sum you are asking my husband for, and I will get it. I'm not asking your husband for a penny. Well, what do you want then? I will tell you. I want to rehabilitate myself, Mrs. Hilbert. I want to get on, and in that, your husband must help me. For the last year and a half, I have not had a hand in anything dishonorable, and in all that time I have been struggling in most restricted circumstances. I was content to work my way up, step by step. Now I am turned out, and I'm not going to be satisfied with me being taken into favour again. I want to get on it, Tony. I want to get into the bank again in a higher position. Your husband must make a place for me. That's a thing you will never do. He will. I know him. He dare not protest. And soon as I am in there again with him, then you will see. Within a year, I shall be the manager's right hand. It will be Nils Kronstein, not Torvald Holmer, who manages the bank. That's a thing you will never see. Oh, do you mean that you will? I've carried enough for it now. You can't frighten me. Fine, spoilt lady like you. You will see. You will see. Under the ice, perhaps. Down into the cold, cold black water. And then in the spring. to float to the surface all horrible and unrecognisable with your hair falling out. You've got to be... You're me. You're you me. People don't do such things, Mrs Bellamy. Besides, what use would it be? She'd still have it on completely in my power just the same. Afterwards, when I no longer... Have you forgot that it is I who have the keeping of your reputation? Well, now I've warned you. Did not do anything foolish. When Helmer has had my letter, I shall expect a message from him. I'll be sure you remember that it is your husband himself who has forced me into such ways as this again. I will never forgive him for that. Goodbye, Mrs. Helmer. He is going though. He is not putting the letter in the box. No, no, no. That's impossible. What's that? Is Daddy outside? Can you taste it? Can you? In the letterbox. There it lies. Torvald. Torvald? There is no hope for us now. There, I can't see any more to mend now. We've got to try it on. Christine! Come here! What's the matter with you? You look so agitated! Here. Do you see that letter? There. Look, you can see it through the glass of the letterbox. Yes, I see it. That letter is from Crogstad. Nora! It was Crogstad who lent you the money. Yes, and now Torval will know all about it. Believe me, Nora, that's the best thing for both of you Even more I've forced an aim Good heavens I don't want to say this to you, Christine You shall be my witness Your witness? What do you mean? If I should go out of my mind, then it might easily happen Nora! Or if anything else should happen to me Anything, do you understand? I remember You're quite out of your mind If it should happen that there was someone who wanted to take all the responsibility All the blame, do you understand? Yes, but how can you suppose? You must be my- I witness that it is not true. I am not out of my mind at all. I know my right senses now. And I tell you, no one else has known anything about it. I and I alone did the whole thing. Remember that. I will, but I don't understand it. Absolutely you understand it. A wonderful thing is going to happen. A wonderful thing? Yes, a wonderful thing. But it is so terrible, Christine. It mustn't happen, not for all the world. I will go at once and see Krogstad. No, don't go, David. He will do you some harm. There was a time when he would gladly do anything for my sake. Where does he live? How should I know? Yes, there is his card. But the letter, the letter. Laura! What's that? What do you want? Don't be so frightened. We're not coming in. Are you trying on your dress? Oh, yes, that's it. I look so nice, Torvald. I see you're so cornered here. Yes, but it's no use. It is hopeless. The letter is lying there in the box. And I can keep the key? Yes, always. Kronkstein must ask for his letter back unread. He must finally return. But it is just at this time that Torvald generally- You must delay him. Go into him in the meantime. I will come back as soon as I can. Torvald! Well, may I venture at last to come again into my own room? Come along, Rak. Now you will see. But what's this? What is what, dear? Rank led me to expect a splendid transformation. I understood so, but evidently I was mistaken. Yes, nobody is to have the chance of admiring me in my dress until tomorrow. But poor little Nora. You look so worn out. Have you been practising too much? I haven't practised at all. You need to. Yes, indeed I shall. But I've absolutely forgotten the whole thing. I can't get along a bit without your help. We'll soon work it up again. Yes, yes, please Torvald, you must give yourself up to me entirely this evening. Will you? Will you do that for me? I promise, this evening I will be wholly and absolutely at your service, you helpless little mortal. Oh, by the way, first of all, I'll just... What are you going to do there? Well, let me see if any letters have come. No, no, Torvald, don't. Well, why not? No, Torvald, please don't. There is nothing there. Well, I'm going to go. Aha! I can't dance tomorrow if I don't practice with you. Are you really so afraid of it dear? Yes, so dreadfully afraid of it. Let me practice at once. There is time now before we go into dinner. Now sing for me Torvald. Criticise and correct me as you sing. It would be a great pleasure if you wished me to. Now sing for me. I am very smart. No. Slow, slow. Do it any other way. Not so violent any more. This is the way. No, no, that is sort of it, right? Did I tell you so? Go on, let me sing for you. Yes, do, then I can direct it better. My dear darling, all you've done is give your life to him. Oh, it's so good! Stop it! This is too bad! This is so, so nice! I could hardly have believed it. You've forgotten everything I taught you. There. See? Oh, you want a lot of coaching. Yes. You can see how much I need it. You must coach me up to the last level. Promise me that, Torvald, dear. You can depend on me. You mustn't think of anything but me. Either today or tomorrow. You mustn't open a single letter. Not even open the letterbox. I see you're still afraid of that fellow. Yes, indeed I am. Nora, I can tell from your looks that there is a letter from him lying there. I don't know. I think there is. But you mustn't read anything like that today. Nothing horrid must come between us until this is all over. You must not contradict her. The child shall have her way. But tomorrow night, after you have danced... Then you will be free. Dinner is served. And we will have... Hello, I'll be your banquet. Yes, a champagne banquet for the small house. I'll stress you all out. Come, come, don't be so... Why are you nervous? Be my own little Skyhawk as you use. Yes dear, I will. But go in now. And you too, Dr. Roke. Christine, you must help me with my hair. I suppose there is nothing. She's not expecting far from it, my dear fellow. There's nothing more than this childish nervousness that I was telling her before. I've gone out of town. I could tell from your face. He is coming home tomorrow evening. I wrote a note for him. You should have left it alone. You must prevent nothing. After all, it is splendid to be waiting for a wonderful thing to happen. What is it that you are waiting for? Oh, you wouldn't understand. But go in now. I will come in a moment. Five o'clock. Seven hours to a 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. Where is my little Skylark? Here she is! Not yet. The time is nearly up. Harry does not... Oh, there he is. Come in, there is no one here. I've found a note from you at home. What does this mean? It is absolutely necessary that I should have a talk with you. Really? And is it absolutely necessary that it should be here? But it's impossible where I live. There is no private entrance to my rooms. Come in. We're quite alone. The servants are asleep and the helmers at the dance upstairs. Are the helmers really at a dance tonight? Yes. Why not? Oh, certainly. Why not? Now, Niels, let us have a talk. Can we two have anything to talk about? We have a great deal to talk about. I shouldn't have thought so. No. You have never properly understood me. Was there anything to understand except what was obvious to all the world? A heartless woman jilts a man when a more lucrative chance turns up. Do you believe I was absolutely heartless with all that? And do you believe I did it with a light heart? Didn't you? Yes. Did you really think that? If it was as you say. Why did you write to me as you did at the time? 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. So that was it. And all this only for the sake of money. You must not forget that I had an ailing mother and two little brothers. We couldn't wait for you, Niels. Your prospects seemed hopeless then. That may be so, but you had no right to throw me over for anyone else's sake. Indeed I don't know. Many a time did I ask myself if I had the right to do it. When I asked you, it was as if all this solid ground went from under my feet. But look at me now, I'm a shipwrecked man. clinging to a bit of wreckage. Help may be near. It was near, but then you came and stood in my way. Unintentionally, Niels. It was only today that I realised it was your place I was to take in the bank. I believe you if you say so. But now that you know it, are you not going to give it up to me? No, because that will not benefit you in the least. Oh, benefit, benefit. I would have done it whether or no. I have learned to act prudently. Life and hard, bitter necessity have taught me that. Life has taught me not to believe in fine speeches. Ben, life has taught you something very reasonable. That deeds you must believe in. What do you mean by that? You said you were like a shipwrecked man clinging to some wreckage. I have good reason to say so. Well, I am like a shipwrecked woman clinging to some wreckage. No one to mourn for. No one to care for. It was your own choice. It was my own choice, Ben. What now? Yes. How would it be if we two shipwrecked people could join forces? What are you saying? Two on the same piece of wreckage would stand a better chance than each on their own. Christine. What do you suppose brought me to town? Do you mean that you gave me a thought? 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. I feel so forsaken. There is not the least pleasure in working for oneself. Niels, give me someone and something to work for. But I trust that. There is nothing but a woman's overstrained sense of generosity that prompts you to make such an offer of yourself. Have you ever noticed anything of the sort in me? Could you really do it? Tell me, do you know all about my past life? Yes. Do you know what they think of me here? You seem to me to imply that with me you might have been quite another man. I am certain of it. Is it too late now? Of course not. Are you saying this deliberately? Yes, I'm sure you are. I can see it in your face. You've really the courage then to... I want to be a mother to someone. And your children need a mother. We two need each other. Niels, I have faith in your true character. I can dare anything together with you. Oh, thanks. Thanks, Christine. Now I shall find a way to clear myself in the eyes of the world. Oh, I forgot! Hush! The tarantella! Go! Go! Why, what's the matter? Do you hear them up there? When that is over, you may expect them back. Yes, yes, I will go, but it is all now use. Of course you are not aware what steps I have taken in the matter of the Hell-Mist. I know all about that. Well, in spite of that, have you the courage to... I understand very well to what lengths a man like you may be driven by despair. You could only undo what I have done. You cannot. Your letter is lying in the letterbox now. Are you sure about that? Quite sure. Is that what it all means? Did you want to save your friend at any cost? Tell me frankly, is that it? Niels, a woman who has once sold herself for another's sake doesn't do so a second time. I will ask for my letter back. No, no. Yes, of course I will. I will wait here till Helmer comes. I will tell him he must give me my letter back. That it only concerns my dismissal. That he's not to read it. No, Niels, you must not recall your letter. But tell me, wasn't it for that very purpose that you asked me to meet you? meet you here? In my first moment of fright it was. But 24 hours have elapsed since then, and in that time I have witnessed incredible things in this house. Helmut must know all about it. This unhappy secret must be disclosed. They must have complete understanding between them, which is impossible with all this concealment and falsehood going on. Very well, if you will take the responsibility. But there is one thing I can do with any way too much. You must be quick. We go. The dance is over. We are not safe a moment longer. I will wait for you below. Yes, you must see me to my door. I have never had such an amazing piece of good fortune in my life! What a difference. What a difference. Someone to live for and care for. A home to bring comfort into. That I shall do indeed. I wish they would be quick and come. Oh, there they are. I must put on my things. No, no, no! Don't take me in! I want to go upstairs again! I don't want to- You're leaving so early! But my dearest Nora! Please Dorfsteen, please, please, only an hour more! Not a single minute, my sweet Nora! You know that was our agreement. Now come along into the room, catching colds... Oh, dear. Christine. Good evening. You here so late, Mrs. Lent? Yes, you must excuse me. I was so anxious to see Nora in her dress. Have you been sitting here waiting for me? Yes. Unfortunately, I arrived too late and you had already gone upstairs, and I thought I couldn't go away again without having seen you. Yes. Take a good look at her. I think she is worth looking at. Isn't she charming, Mrs. Lynde? She is indeed. Doesn't she look remarkably pretty? Everyone thought so at the dance. But she is terribly well for this sweet little person. What are we to do with her? You will hardly believe that I had always to bring her away by force. You will repent having not let me stay, Torvald, even if it were only for half an hour. Listen to her, Mrs. Lynde. She had danced her talentella and it had been a tremendous success, as it deserved. I told them. Possibly the performance was a trifle too realistic, little more so, I mean. It was strictly compatible with the limitations of art, but never mind 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 precious little Capri Maiden, I should say, on my arm. Took one quick turn round the room, a curtsy on either side, and as they say in novels, the beautiful apparition. Disappeared and exit ought always to be effective Mrs. Loom but that's what I can't make Nora understand. Oh, this room is really hot. It's really dark in here. Oh, of course, excuse me. Well, I have had a talk with him. Yes, and? Nora, you must tell your husband all about it. I knew it. You have nothing to be afraid of as far as Croystead is concerned but you must tell him. I won't tell him. Then the letter will. Thank you, Christine. Now I know what I must do. Well, Mrs. Lynde, have you admired us? Yes, and now I will say goodnight. Oh, what, already? Oh, is this yours? This letter? Oh, yes, thank you. I'd almost forgotten it. So you knit? Yes, of course. Do you know you ought to embroider? Really? Why? It's far more becoming. Here, let me show you. You hold the embroidery thus in your left hand and the needle with the right. Like this. With a long, easy sweep. Like that. Yes, perhaps. That is a case of knitting. There can never be anything but ungraceful. Look here, the arms close together, the needles going up and down. It's a sort of Chinese effect. Oh, that was really excellent champagne they gave us. Well, good night, Nora. Don't be self-willed any more. That's right Mrs. Lin. Good night Mr. Helm. Good night, good night. I hope you get home alright. I should be very happy to. I'm glad she was having a great distance to go. Good night, good night. Oh, at last we've got rid of her. She is a frightful bore that woman. Aren't you very tired, Tom? No, not in the least. Not sleepy? No, not a bit. On the contrary, I feel extraordinarily lively and... And you, you look both tired and sleepy. Yes, I'm very tired. I want to go to sleep at once. There, you see, it was quite right of me not to let you stay there any longer. Everything you do is quite right, Torvald. Oh, now my little Skyhawk is speaking reasonably. Did you notice what good spirits Ray was in this evening? Really? Was he? I didn't speak to him at all. Why, very little, but I have not for a long time seen him in such good form. Oh, it is delightful to be at home by ourselves again, to be all alone with you. Fascinating. Charming little darling. Don't look at me like that, Torvald. Why shouldn't I look at my dearest treasure? All that beauty that is mine. All my very own. You mustn't say things like that to me tonight. You still have the Tarantella in your blood, I see. It makes you more captivating than ever. Listen, the guests are beginning to go now. Nora, soon the whole house will be quiet. Yes, I hope so. Yes, my own darling Nora. Do you know, when I'm out at a party with you like this, Why, I keep away from you, speak so little to you, and only send a stolen glance in your direction now and then. Do you know why that is? It is because I make believe to myself that we are secretly in love, and that you are my secretly promised bride, and that no one suspects there is anything between us. Yes. Yes, I know very well that your thoughts are with me all of the time. And while we are leaving, and I'm putting the shawl over your beautiful young shoulders, on your lovely neck, then I imagine that you are my young bride, and that we have just come from our wedding, and that I am bringing you, for the first time, into our home, to be alone with you for the first time. Quite alone with my shy little darling. All this evening I've longed for nothing else but you. Oh, I've reached the seductive fingers of the telling teller. My brother's on fire. I can endure it no longer. And this is why I brought you down so early. No, ladies, no, you must let me go. I won't. What? Are you joking, my little Nora? You won't, you won't. Am I not your husband? Did you hear? Who is it? It is I! What is it you want? Can I have a moment? Oh, wait a minute! Come, it's kind of you not to pass by our door. I thought I heard your voice, if I should like to look in for a while. Oh yes, these dear familiar rooms. You're very happy and cosy in here, you two. It seems that you looked after yourself pretty well upstairs, too. Excellent. Why shouldn't I? Why shouldn't one enjoy everything in this world? At any rate, as much as one can and as long as one can. The wine was capital. Especially the champagne. Oh, so you noticed that, too. It's almost incredible how much I managed to put away. Horville drank a great deal of champagne tonight, too. Did he? Yes, and he's always in such good spirits afterwards. Well, why should one not enjoy a merry evening after a well-spent day? Well-spent? I'm afraid I can't take credit for that. Ah, but I can, you know. Dr. Rank, you must have been occupied with some sort of scientific investigation today. Exactly. Just listen, little Laura talking about scientific investigations. And may I congratulate you on the result? Indeed you may. Was it favourable then? The best possible, for both doctor and patient. Certainty. Certainty? Absolute certainty. So, wasn't I entitled to make a merry evening of it after that? Yes, Dr. Rankin, you certainly were. Well, I think so too, so long as you don't have to pay for it in the morning. Oh, one can't have anything in this life without paying for it. Tell me, Dr. Wren, are you fond of fancy dress walls? Well, yes, if there is a fine lot of pretty costumes. Tell me, what should we two wear at the next? Little feather-brain, are you thinking of the next already? We two? Yes, I can tell you that. You shall go as a good fairy. Yes, but what would you suggest as an appropriate costume for that? Let your wife go dressed just as she is in everyday life. Oh, that was really very prettily turned, but can't you tell us what you will be? Oh, yes. Yes, my dear friend, I've quite made up my mind about that. Well? Hmph. At the next fancy dress ball, I shall be... Invisible? That's a good joke. There is a big black hat. Have you never heard of hats that make you invisible? You put one on and no one can see you. Yes, you're quite right. But I'm clearly forgetting what it came for. Help me. Give me a cigar. One of the dark Havanas. Oh, it's the greatest pleasure! Thanks. Let me give you a light. Oh, thank you. Now, goodbye. Goodbye, goodbye dear old man. Sleep well, Dr. Rink. Thank you for that wish. Wish me the same. You? Well, it would want me to. Sleep well. And, uh, thanks for the light. He's drunk more than he ought. Maybe. What are you going to do? I empty the leather box. It's full. We aren't going to get the newspaper in there tomorrow morning. God. Are you going to work tonight? Oh, hell will I not! What is this? Someone has been at the lock. At the lock? Yes. Someone has. What could it mean? It should never have fallen. Hell no. There's a broken hairpin. Laura, it's one of yours. Then it must have been the children. Then you must get them over these ways. There, last I've got it open. Helen! Helen, put out the light over the front door. Oh, what a heap of them there are. What on earth is this? There's no door open. Two cars. Of ranks. Dr. Rank's. Dr. Rank. They were on top. He must have put them in when he went out. Is there anything written on them? There's a blank cross over the name. Look there. An uncomfortable idea. It looks as though he were announcing his own death. It is just what he is doing. What? Do you know anything about it? Has he said anything to you? He told me that when the cards came it would be his leave-taking from us. He means to shut himself up and die. My poor old friend. Certainly I knew we should not have him very long with us, but so soon? Sorry to hide some stuff away like a wounded animal. It has to happen. It is best it should be without a word. Don't you think so Torvald? He is so grown into our lives I can't think of him as having gone out of them. He with his sorrows and his loneliness was like a cloudy background to our sunlit happiness. Perhaps it is best so. And perhaps for us two, Nora, we're two thrown quite upon each other now. Oh, my darling wife, I don't feel as if I could hold you tight enough. And 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. Now you must read your letters, Torvald. No, not tonight. I want to be with you, my darling wife. The thought of your friend's death... You're right. It has affected this book. Something ugly has come between us. The thought of the horrors of death. Let's try and rid our minds of that. Until then, we will each go to our own rooms. Good night, Torvald. Good night. Good night, my little singing bird. Sleep soundly, Laura. Now I will be my sister. Never to see him again. Never to see my children again either. Never. I see black water. The unfathomable depths. Tony O'Rourke. He's got it now. Now he is reading it. Goodbye, Torvald and my children. Laura! What is this? Do you know what is in this letter? Yes, I know. Let me go. Let me get out. Where do you go? You shan't save me, Torvald. True. Is this true what I read here? Yes. No, no, it isn't possible that it can be true. It is true. I have loved you above everything else in the world. Oh Lord, don't let us have any silly excuses. Miserable creature. What have you done? What? Now, here you shall stay and give me an explanation. Let me go. You shall not suffer for my sake. You shall not take it upon yourself. No tragedy airs. Here you will stay and give me an explanation. Do you understand what you have done? Answer me. Do you understand what you have done? Yes. Now I'm beginning to understand thoroughly. Oh, the horrible awakening! All these eight years she... Who was my joy and pride? A hypocrite? A liar, a wuss, once a criminal! Oh, the unutterable ugliness of it all! Oh, for shame! For shame! I ought to have suspected something of the sort would have happened. I ought to have foreseen it all. Your father has wandered principle... Oh, be silent! Why, a father's want of principle has come out in you too. No religion, no morality, no sense of duty. I am punished for having wanted what he did. I did it for your sake, and this is how you repay me. When I am out of the way, you will be free. Now I have destroyed. Now you have destroyed all my happiness, you have ruined all my future! It is horrible to think of. I am in the power of an unscrupulous man who can do... ask anything he wants of me. Do anything he wants of me. Give me any orders he pleases. I dare not refuse and I must stick to such miserable debts because of a thoughtless woman! I've no tragedy, yes. What good would it be to me if you were out of the way, as you say? Not the slightest. He can make the affair known everywhere, and if he does, I may be falsely suspected of being a party to your criminal action. Very likely people will think that I was behind it all. It was I who prompted you and I have to thank you for all of this. You whom I have cherished during the whole of my married life. Do you see now what it is that you have done for me? Yes. It is so incredible that I can't take it in. But we must come to some understanding. Take off that shawl. Take it off, I tell you! I must try and appease him some way or another. The matter must be hushed up at any cost, and as for you and me, it must appear as if everything between us were as before, but naturally only in the eyes of the world. You will still remain in my house, that is a matter of course, but I shall not allow you to bring up the children. I dare not trust them to you. To think that I should be obliged to say so to one whom I have loved so dearly and whom I still... No, that is all over. From this moment happiness is not the question. All that remains is to save the fragments and the appearance. What is that? How so late is this? What kind of voice can he? Hide yourself, Laura! Stay to my ill! A letter. Give it to me. Yes, it is from him. You shall not have it. I will read it myself. Yes, read it. I'm scared you have the courage to do it. This may mean ruin for both of us. No, I must know. Laura? Laura? No, I must breathe again. Yes, it is true! I am saved, Laura! I am saved! And Anna? You too, of course! We are both saved! Both you and I both saved! Look, he sends you your bond back. He says that he regrets and repents that a happy change in his life. Never mind what he says. We are saved, Nora. No one can do anything to you, old Nora. Nora! No! First, let me destroy these hateful things! Let me see... No, no... All things shall be nothing but a crowd free to me! Now at last! They do not exist any longer! He says that since Christmas Eve you... These must have been three dreadful days for you, Nora. I have fought a hard fight these three days. And suffered agonies and seen no way out. But... No. No, you won't call any of those horrors to mind. We will only shout with joy. And keep saying it's all over. It's all over! Listen to me, Nora. You don't seem to realise that it is all over. What is this? This cold, set face? Oh, my poor little Nora, you don't seem to believe that I have forgiven you. I swear it. It is true. I have forgiven you everything I know that what you did you did out of love for me. That is true. Or you have loved me as a wife ought to love her husband. Or you have not sufficient knowledge to judge the means you use. But do you suppose you are any less dear to me? Because you don't understand how to act on your own responsibility. No, no, only lean on me. I will advise you and direct you. I should not be a man if this womanly helplessness didn't just give you a double attractiveness in my eyes. You must not think anymore about the hard things I said in my first moment of consternation. I thought everything was going to overwhelm me. I swear to you, I have forgiven you. I swear I have forgiven you! Thank you for your forgiveness. Oh no, don't go! What are you doing there? Taking off my fancy dress. Yes, do! Oh, try and calm yourself and make your mind easy again, my frightened little singing bird. Oh, be at rest and feel secure. I have broad wings to shelter you under. How warm and cozy our home is, Nora. Here is shelter for you. Here. I will protect you like a hunted dove that I have saved from a hawk's claws. I will bring peace to your poor beating heart. It will come, little by little, Nora. Believe me, tomorrow morning you will look upon it all quite differently. Soon everything will be just as it was before. And very soon you won't need me to assure you that I have forgiven you. You will yourself feel the certainty that I have done so. Can you suppose that I should ever think of such a thing as repudiating you or even reproaching you? You have no idea what a true man's heart is like, Nora. There is something so endless, flambably sweet and satisfying to a man in the knowledge that he has forgiven his wife, forgiven her freely. And with all his heart, it is as if that had made her, as it were, doubly his own. He has given her a new life, so to speak, and she is in a way become both wife and child to him. So you shall be for me after this, my little scared, helpless darling. Have no anxiety about anything, Nora. Only be frank and open with me, and I will serve. As conscience and will both to you and to... What is this? Not gone to bed? Have you changed your things? Yes, I have changed my things now. But what for so late as this? I shall not sleep tonight. But, Nora! It is not so very late. Sit down here, Torvald. You and I have much to say to one another. Nora, what is this? This cold-set face? Sit down. It will take some time. I have a lot to talk over with you. You love me, Nora, and I... I don't understand you. No. That's just it. You don't understand me. And I have never understood you either before tonight. No, you mustn't interrupt me. You must simply listen to what I say. Torvald, this is a settling of accounts. What do you mean by that? Isn't there one thing that strikes you as strange in our sitting here like this? What is that? We have been married now, eight years. Does it not occur to you that this is the first time we two, you and I, husband and wife, have had a serious conversation? What do you mean by serious? In all these eight years, longer than that, from the very beginning of our acquaintance, we have never exchanged a word on any serious subject. Was it likely that I would be forever and continually telling you about worries that you could not help me to bear? I'm not speaking of business matters. I say we have never sat down in earnest together to get at the bottom of anything. My dearest Nora, would it have been any good to you? That's just it. You have never understood me. I have been greatly wronged to our fault. First by Papa, and then by you. What? By us too? I asked who would have loved you better than anyone else in the world? You have never loved me. You have only thought it pleasant to be in love with me. Nora, what are you saying? It is perfectly true, Torvald. When I was at home with Papa, he told me his opinions about everything. And so I had the same opinions as he did. Or if I differed from him, I concealed the fact because he would not have liked it. He called me his dull child. And he played with me. Just as I used to play with my dogs. And when I came to live with you... What sort of an expression is that to use about our marriage? I mean that I was simply transferred from Papa's hands into yours. You arranged everything according to your own tastes and... So I got the same tastes as you. Or else I pretended to. I'm really not quite sure which. I think sometimes the one and sometimes the other. When I look back on it all, it seems as if I... been living here like a poor woman just from hand to mouth. I have existed merely to perform tricks for you. But you would have it so. You and Papa have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life. How unreasonable and how ungrateful you are. Nora, have you not been happy here? No, I have never been happy. I thought I was, but it has never really been so. Not happy? No. Only Mary, and you have always been so kind to me, Torvald. But our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll wife, just as at home I was Papa's doll child. And here the children have been my dolls. I thought it great fun when you played with me, just as they thought it great fun when I played with them. That is what our marriage has been, Torvald. There is some truth in it. What you say, exaggerated and strange as your view of it is, but for the future, it should be different. Playtime shall be over and lesson time shall begin. Whose lessons? Mine or the children's? Both yours and the children's, my darling Nora. Alas, Torvald, you are not the man to educate me into being a proper wife for you. You can see that. And I? How am I fitted to bring up the children? Nora! Didn't you say so just now, a little while ago, that you'd dare not trust me to bring them up? In a moment I'll... anger. Why do you pay any heed to that? Indeed, you are perfectly right, Torvald. I am not fit for the task. There is another task I must undertake first. I must try and educate myself. You are not the man to help me with that. I must do that for myself. And that is why I am going to leave you. What do you say? I must stand quite alone if I am to understand myself and everything about me. That is why I cannot remain with you any longer. Nora! Nora! I'm going to go away from here now, at once. I'm sure Christine will take me in for the night. You're out of your mind. I won't allow it. I forbid you. It's no use your forbidding me anything any longer. I will take with me what belongs to myself. I will take nothing from you, either now or later. What sort of madness is this? Tomorrow I will go home. To my old home, I mean. It will be easiest for me to find something to do there. You blind foolish woman! I must try and get some sense Torvald. To desert your home, your husband and your children? And you don't consider what people will say? I cannot consider that at all. I only know that it is right for me. It's shocking. This is how you would neglect your most sacred duties. What do you consider my most sacred duties? Do I need to tell you that? Are they not your duties to your husband and your children? I have other duties just as sacred. That you have not. What duties could those be? Duties to myself. Before all else, you are a wife and mother. I don't believe that any longer. I believe that before all else, I am a reasonable human being, just as you are. Or at all events, I must try and become one. I know quite well, Torvald, that most people would think you right. and that views of that kind are to be found in books. But I can no longer content myself with what most people say or what is found in books. I must think things over for myself and get to understand them. Can you not understand your position in your own home? Have you not a reliable guide in such things as that? Have you no religion? I'm afraid, Torvald, I don't exactly know what religion is. What are you saying? I know nothing but what the clergyman told me when I went to be confirmed. He said that religion was this and that and the other. When I am away from all this and am alone, I will look into that matter too. I will see if what the clergyman said is true, or at all events, if it is true for me. This is a hurtful girl of your age. But if religion cannot lead you aright, let me try to awaken your conscience. I suppose you have some moral sense of it. Oh, answer me. I might have think you have none. I assure you, Torvald, that is not an easy question to answer. I really don't know. The thing perplexes me altogether. I only know that you and I look at it in quite a different light. I am learning, too, that the law is quite another thing from what I supposed. But I find it impossible to convince myself that the law is right. According to it... A woman has no right to spare her old, dying father or to save her husband's life. I can't believe that. You talk like a child. You don't understand the conditions of the world in which you live. No, I don't. But now I'm going to try. I'm going to see if I can make out who is right, the world or I. Nora. You are delirious. I almost think that you are out of your mind. I have never felt my mind so clear and certain as tonight. And is it with a clear and certain mind that you forsake your husband and your children? Yes, it is. Then there is only one possible explanation. What is that? You do not love me anymore. And you can see that? It gives me great pain, Torvald. For you have always been so kind to me. But I cannot help it. I do not love you anymore. Is that a clear and certain conviction too? Yes. Absolutely clear and certain. That is why I cannot remain here any longer. And can you tell me what I have done to forfeit your love? Indeed I can. It was tonight, when the wonderful thing did not happen. Then I saw that you were not the man I had brought you. Explain yourself better, I don't understand you. I had waited so patiently for eight years. For goodness knows, I know quite well that wonderful things don't happen every day. And this horrible misfortune came upon me, and I felt quite certain that the wonderful thing was about to happen at last. Krogstad's letter was lying out there. Never for a moment did I imagine that you would consent to accept that man's conditions. I was so absolutely certain that you would say, publish the thing to the whole world, and then when that was done... Yes, what then? When I exposed my wife to shame and disgrace? When that was done, I was so absolutely certain that you would come forward and take everything upon yourself and say, I am the guilty one. Nora. You mean that I would never have accepted such a sacrifice on your part? Of course not. What would my assurances have been worth against yours? That was the wonderful thing that I hoped for. And feared. And it was to prevent that, that I wanted to kill myself. Nora, I would gladly work night and day for you, bear sorrow and want for your sake, but no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves. It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done. You think and talk like a heedless child. Maybe, but you neither think nor talk like the man I could bind myself to. As soon as it was over, as soon as your fear was past, and it was not fear for what threatened me, but for what might happen to you, as soon as the whole thing was over, as far as you were concerned, it was exactly as if nothing at all had happened. Exactly as before, I was your little skylark, your doll, which you would for the future treat with doubly gentle care because it was so brittle and fragile. It was then it dawned upon me that for the past eight years... I have been living here with a strange man and have borne him three children to think of him. I could tear myself into little bits. I see. I see. And this has opened between us. But Nora... Would it not be possible to fill it up? As I am now, I've no wife for you. I have it in me to become a different man. Perhaps, if your doll is taken away from you. But to part? To part from you? No, no, Nora, I can't understand that idea. That makes it all the more necessary, but it must be done. Nora. Nora, not now. Wait till tomorrow. I cannot spend the night in a strange man's rooms. Can't we live here like brother and sister? You know very well that will not last long. Goodbye to all. I won't see the little ones. I know they are in better hands than mine. As I am now, I can be of no use to them. But someday, Nora. Someday. How can I tell? I have no idea what is going to become of me. You are my wife. Whatever becomes of you. Listen to me, Torvald. I've heard that when a wife deserts her husband, as I am doing now, he is legally freed from all his obligations towards her. At any rate, I set you free from all your obligations. You must not feel bound to me in the slightest way. There must be perfect freedom between us. See? There is your ring back. Now give me mine. That too? That too. Here it is. Yes. Now it is all over. I've got the keys here. The servants know all about everything in the house far better than I do. Tomorrow, after I have left her, Christine will come and pack up all my own things. I shall have them sent after me. All over. All over. Nora, shall you never think of me again? I often think of you, and the children, and this house. May I write to you, Nora? No, never. You must not do that. But let me send you... Nothing, nothing. Let me copy with you your rewards. I can receive nothing from a stranger. Nora... Can there never be anything more to you than a stranger? The most wonderful thing of all would have to happen. Tell me what that would be. Both you and I would have to be so changed... I don't believe any longer in wonderful things happening. But I will believe in it. Tell me. So changed that... That our life together could be a real wedlock. Goodbye. Nora! Nora! Nora! Nora! Nora! Empty! Empty! She is gone. The most wonderful thing of all!