_The same Room--except that the sofa has been slightly moved, and one
of the Japanese cotton-wool frogs has fallen into the fireplace.
Mrs. LINDEN sits and reads a book--but without understanding a single
line._
_Mrs. Linden_ (_laying down book, as a light tread is heard outside_).
Here he is at last! (_KROGSTAD comes in, and stands in the doorway._)
Mr. KROGSTAD, I have given you a secret _rendezvous_ in this room,
because it belongs to my employer, Mr. HELMER, who has lately
discharged you. The etiquette of Norway permits these slight freedoms
on the part of a female Cashier.
_Krogs._ It does. Are we alone? (_NORA is heard overhead dancing the
Tarantella._) Yes, I hear Mrs. HELMER's fairy footfall above. She
dances the Tarantella now--by-and-by she will dance to another tune!
(_Changing his tone._) I don't exactly know why you should wish to
have this interview--after jilting me as you did, long ago, though?
_Mrs. L._ Don't you? _I_ do. I am a widow--a Norwegian widow. And
it has occurred to me that there may be a nobler side to your nature
somewhere--though you have not precisely the best of reputations.
[Illustration: "Oh, you prillil squillikins!"]
_Krogs._ Right. I am a forger, and a money-lender; I am on the staff
of the Norwegian _Punch_--a most scurrilous paper. More, I have been
blackmailing Mrs. HELMER by trading on her fears like a low cowardly
cur. But, in spite of all that--(_clasping his hands_)--there are the
makings of a fine man about me _yet_, CHRISTINA!
_Mrs. L._ I believe you--at least, I'll chance it. I want some one to
care for, and I'll marry you.
_Krogs._ (_suspiciously_). On condition, I suppose, that I suppress
the letter denouncing Mrs. HELMER?
_Mrs. L._ How can you think so? I am her dearest friend: but I can
still see her faults, and it is my firm opinion that a sharp lesson
will do her all the good in the world. She is _much_ too comfortable.
So leave the letter in the box, and come home with me.
_Krogs._ I am wildly happy! Engaged to the female Cashier of the
Manager who has discharged me, our future is bright and secure!
[_He goes out; and Mrs. LINDEN sets the furniture straight;
presently a noise is heard outside, and HELMER enters,
dragging_ NORA in. She is in fancy dress, and he in an open
black domino._
_Nora_. I shan't! It's too early to come away from such a nice party.
I _won't_ go to bed! [_She whimpers._
_Helmer_ (_tenderly_). There'sh a naughty lil' larkie for you, Mrs.
LINEN! Poshtively had to drag her 'way! She'sh a capricious lil'
girl--from Capri. 'Scuse me!--'fraid I've been and made a pun. Shan'
'cur again! Shplendid champagne the Consul gave us--'counts for it!
(_Sits down, smiling._) Do you _knit_, Mrs. COTTON?... You shouldn't.
Never knit. 'Broider. (_Nodding to her, solemnly._) 'Member that.
Alwaysh _'broider_. More--(_hiccoughing_)--Oriental! Gobblesh
you!--goo'ni!
_Mrs. Linden_. I only came in to--to see NORA's costume. Now I've seen
it, I'll go. [_Goes out._
_Helmer_. Awful bore that woman--hate boresh! (_Looks at NORA, then
comes nearer._) Oh, you prillil squillikins, I _do_ love you so!
Shomehow, I feel sho lively thishevenin'!
_Nora_ (_goes to other side of table_). I won't _have_ all that,
TORVALD!
_Helmer_. Why? ain't you my lil' lark--ain't thish our lil' cage?
Ver-_well_, then. (_A ring._) RANK! confound it all! (_Enter
Dr. RANK._) RANK, dear old boy, you've been (_hiccoughs_) going it
upstairs. Cap'tal champagne, eh? _'Shamed_ of you, RANK! [_He sits
down on sofa, and closes his eyes gently._
_Rank_. Did you notice it? (_with pride_). It was almost incredible
the amount I contrived to put away. But I shall suffer for it
to-morrow (_gloomily_). Heredity again! I wish I was dead! I do.
_Nora_. Don't apologise. TORVALD was just as bad; but he is always so
good-tempered after champagne.
_Rank_. Ah, well, I just looked in to say that I haven't long to live.
Don't weep for me, Mrs. HELMER, it's chronic--and hereditary too. Here
are my P.P.C. cards. I'm a fading flower. Can you oblige me with a
cigar?
_Nora_ (_with a suppressed smile_). Certainly. Let me give you a
light?
[_RANK lights his cigar, after several ineffectual attempts,
and goes out._
_Helmer_ (_compassionately_). Poo' old RANK--he'sh very bad
to-ni'! (_Pulls himself together._) But I forgot--Bishness--I mean,
bu-si-ness--mush be 'tended to. I'll go and see if there are any
letters. (_Goes to box._) Hallo! someone's been at the lock with a
hairpin--it's one of _your_ hairpins! [_Holding it out to her._
_Nora_ (_quickly_). Not mine--one of BOB's, or IVAR's--they both wear
hairpins!
_Helmer_ (_turning over letters absently_). You must break them
of it--bad habit! What a lot o' lettersh! _double_ usual quantity.
(_Opens KROGSTAD's._) By Jove! (_Reads it and falls back completely
sobered._) What have you got to say to _this_?
_Nora_ (_crying aloud._) You shan't save me--let me go! I _won't_ be
saved!
_Helmer_. Save _you_, indeed! Who's going to save _Me_? You miserable
little criminal. (_Annoyed._) Ugh--ugh!
_Nora_ (_with hardening expression_). Indeed, TORVALD, your
singing-bird acted for the best!
_Helmer_. Singing-bird! Your father was a rook--and you take _after_
him. Heredity again! You have utterly destroyed my happiness. (_Walks
round several times._) Just as I was beginning to get on, too!
_Nora_. I have--but I will go away and jump into the water.
_Helmer_. What good will _that_ do me? People will say _I_ had a hand
in this business (_bitterly_). If you _must_ forge, you might at least
put your dates in correctly! But you never _had_ any principle! (_A
ring._) The front-door bell! (_A fat letter is seen to fall into the
box; HELMER takes it, opens it, sees enclosure, and embraces NORA._)
KROGSTAD won't split. See, he returns the forged I.O.U.! Oh, my poor
little lark, _what_ you must have gone through! Come under my wing,
my little scared song-bird.... Eh? you _won't!_ Why, what's the matter
_now_?
_Nora_ (_with cold calm_). I have wings of my own, thank you, TORVALD,
and I mean to use them!
_Helmer_. What--leave your pretty cage, and (_pathetically_) the old
cock bird, and the poor little innocent eggs!
_Nora_. Exactly. Sit down, and we will talk it over first. (_Slowly._)
Has it ever struck you that this is the first time you and I have ever
talked seriously together about serious things?
_Helmer_. Come, I do like that! How on earth could we talk about
serious things when your mouth was always full of macaroons?
_Nora_ (_shakes her head_). Ah, TORVALD, the mouth of a mother of a
family should have more solemn things in it than macaroons! I see
that now, too late. No, you have wronged me. So did Papa. Both of
you called me a doll, and a squirrel, and a lark! You might have made
something of me--and instead of that, you went and made too much of
me--oh, you _did_!
_Helmer_. Well, you didn't seem to object to it, and really I don't
exactly see what it is you _do_ want!
_Nora_. No more do I--that is what I have got to find out. If I had
been properly educated, I should have known better than to date
poor Papa's signature three days after he died. Now I must educate
_myself_. I have to gain experience, and get clear about religion, and
law, and things, and whether Society is right or I am--and I must go
away and never come back any more till I _am_ educated!
_Helmer_. Then you may be away some little time? And what's to become
of me and the eggs meanwhile?
_Nora_. That, TORVALD, is entirely your own affair. I have a higher
duty than that towards you and the eggs. (_Looking solemnly upward._)
I mean my duty towards Myself!
_Helmer_. And all this because--in a momentary annoyance at finding
myself in the power of a discharged Cashier who calls me "I say
TORVALD," I expressed myself with ultra-Gilbertian frankness! You talk
like a silly child!
_Nora_. Because my eyes are opened, and I see my position with the
eyes of IBSEN. I must go away at once, and begin to educate myself.
_Helmer_. May I ask how you are going to set about it?
_Nora_. Certainly. I shall begin--yes, I shall _begin_ with a course
of the Norwegian theatres. If _that_ doesn't take the frivolity out of
me, I don't really know what _will_! [_She gets her bonnet and ties it
tightly._
_Helmer_. Then you are really going? And you'll never think about me
and the eggs any more! Oh, NORA!
_Nora_. Indeed, I shall, occasionally--as strangers. (_She puts on a
shawl sadly, and fetches her dressing-bag._) If I ever do come back,
the greatest miracle of all will have to happen. Good-bye! [_She goes
out through the hall; the front-door is heard to bang loudly._
_Helmer_ (_sinking on a chair_). The room empty? Then she _must_ be
gone! Yes, my little lark has flown! (_The dull sound of an unskilled
latchkey is heard trying the lock; presently the door opens, and Nora,
with a somewhat foolish expression, reappears._) What? back already!
Then you _are_ educated?
_Nora_ (_puts down dressing-bag_). No, TORVALD, not yet. Only, you
see, I found I had only threepence-halfpenny in my purse, and the
Norwegian theatres are all closed at this hour--and so I thought I
wouldn't leave the cage till to-morrow--after breakfast.
_Helmer_ (_as if to himself_). The greatest miracle of all _has_
happened. My little bird is not in the bush _just_ yet!
[_NORA takes down a showily bound dictionary from the shelf
and begins her education_; HELMER _fetches a bag of macaroons,
sits near her, and tenders one humbly. A pause. NORA
repulses it, proudly. He offers it again. She snatches at
it suddenly, still without looking at him, and nibbles it
thoughtfully as Curtain falls._
THE END (_with Mr. Punch's apologies to the Master_).
* * * * *