No More Learning

_Rank_. Is that a good cure for overwork?

_Mrs. Linde_. One must live, Doctor Rank.

_Rank_. Yes, the general opinion seems to be that it is necessary.

_Nora_. Look here, Doctor Rank--you know you want to live.

_Rank_. Certainly. However wretched I may feel, I want to prolong the
agony as long as possible. All my patients are like that. And so are
those who are morally diseased; one of them, and a bad case, too, is at
this very moment with Helmer--

_Mrs. Linde_ (_sadly_). Ah!

_Nora_. Whom do you mean?

_Rank_. 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 its being highly important that he should live.

_Nora_. Did he? What did he want to speak to Torvald about?

_Rank_. I have no idea; I only heard that it was something about the
Bank.

_Nora_. I didn't know this--what's his name--Krogstad had anything to do
with the Bank.

_Rank_. Yes, he has some sort of appointment there. (_To_ Mrs. LINDE. ) I
don't know whether 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 have found some, put the person
concerned into some lucrative position where they can keep their eye on
him. Healthy natures are left out in the cold.

_Mrs. Linde_. Still I think the sick are those who most need taking care
of.

_Rank_ (_shrugging his shoulders_). Yes, there you are. That is the
sentiment that is turning Society into a sick-house.

(NORA, _who has been absorbed in her thoughts, breaks out into smothered
laughter and claps her hands_. )

_Rank_. Why do you laugh at that? Have you any notion what Society
really is?

_Nora_. What do I care about tiresome Society? I am laughing at
something quite different, something extremely amusing. Tell me, Doctor
Rank, are all the people who are employed in the Bank dependent on
Torvald now?

_Rank_. Is that what you find so extremely amusing?

_Nora_ (_smiling and humming_). That's my affair! (_Walking about the
room_. ) It's perfectly glorious to think that we have--that Torvald has
so much power over so many people. (_Takes the packet from her pocket_. )
Doctor Rank, what do you say to a macaroon?

_Rank_. What, macaroons? I thought they were forbidden here.

_Nora_. Yes, but these are some Christine gave me.

_Mrs. Linde_. What! I? --

_Nora_. Oh, well, don't be alarmed! You couldn't know that Torvald had
forbidden them. I must tell you that he is afraid they will spoil my
teeth. But, bah! --once in a way--That's so, isn't it, Doctor Rank? By
your leave! (_Puts a macaroon into his mouth. )_ You must have one too,
Christine. And I shall have one, just a little one--or at most two.
(_Walking about_. ) I am tremendously happy. There is just one thing in
the world now that I should dearly love to do.

_Rank_. Well, what is that?

_Nora_. It's something I should dearly love to say, if Torvald could
hear me.

_Rank_. Well, why can't you say it?

_Nora_, No, I daren't; it's so shocking.

_Mrs. Linde_. Shocking?

_Rank_. Well, I should not advise you to say it. Still, with us you
might. What is it you would so much like to say if Torvald could hear
you?

_Nora_. I should just love to say--Well, I'm damned!

_Rank_. Are you mad?

_Mrs. Linde_. Nora, dear--!

_Rank_. Say it, here he is!

_Nora_ (_hiding the packet_). Hush! Hush! Hush! (HELMER _comes out of
his room, with his coat over his arm and his hat in his hand_. )

_Nora_. Well, Torvald dear, have you got rid of him?

_Helmer_. Yes, he has just gone.

_Nora_. Let me introduce you--this is Christine, who has come to town.

_Helmer_. Christine--? Excuse me, but I don't know--

_Nora_. Mrs. Linde, dear; Christine Linde.

_Helmer_. Of course. A school friend of my wife's, I presume?

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, we have known each other since then.

_Nora_. And just think, she has taken a long journey in order to see
you.

_Helmer_. What do you mean?

_Mrs. Linde_. No, really, I--

_Nora_. Christine is tremendously clever at book-keeping, and she is
frightfully anxious to work under some clever man, so as to perfect
herself--

_Helmer_. Very sensible, Mrs. Linde.

_Nora_. And when she heard you had been appointed manager of the
Bank--the news was telegraphed, you know--she traveled here as quick as
she could, Torvald, I am sure you will be able to do something for
Christine, for my sake, won't you?

_Helmer_. Well, it is not altogether impossible. I presume you are a
widow, Mrs. Linde?

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes.

_Helmer_. And have had some experience of bookkeeping?

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, a fair amount.

_Helmer_. Ah! well it's very likely I may be able to find something for
you--

_Nora_ (_clapping her hands_). What did I tell you? What did I tell you?

_Helmer_. You have just come at a fortunate moment, Mrs. Linde.

_Mrs. Linde_. How am I to thank you?

_Helmer_. There is no need. (_Puts on his coat_. ) But today you must
excuse me--

_Rank_. Wait a minute; I will come with you. (_Brings his fur coat from
the hall and warms it at the fire_. )

_Nora_. Don't be long away, Torvald dear.

_Helmer_. About an hour, not more.

_Nora_. Are you going too, Christine?

_Mrs. Linde_ (_putting on her cloak_). Yes, I must go and look for a
room.

_Helmer_. Oh, well then, we can walk down the street together.

_Nora_ (_helping her_). What a pity it is we are so short of space here;
I am afraid it is impossible for us--

_Mrs. Linde_. Please don't think of it! Good-bye, Nora dear, and many
thanks.

_Nora_. Good-bye for the present. Of course you will come back this
evening. And you too, Dr. Rank. What do you say? If you are well enough?
Oh, you must be! Wrap yourself up well. (_They go to the door all
talking together. Children's voices are heard on the staircase. _)

_Nora_. There they are. There they are! (_She runs to open the door.
The_ NURSE _comes in with the children. _) Come in! Come in! (_Stoops and
kisses them.
_) Oh, you sweet blessings! Look at them, Christine! Aren't
they darlings?

_Rank_. Don't let us stand here in the draught.

_Helmer_. Come along, Mrs. Linde; the place will only be bearable for a
mother now!

(RANK, HELMER, _and_ MRS. LINDE _go downstairs. The_ NURSE _comes
forward with the children;_ NORA _shuts the hall door. _)

_Nora_. How fresh and well you look! Such red cheeks! --like apples and
roses. (_The children all talk at once while she speaks to them. _) Have
you had great fun? That's splendid! What, you pulled both Emmy and Bob
along on the sledge? --both at once? --that _was_ good. You are a clever
boy, Ivar. Let me take her for a little, Anne. My sweet little baby
doll! (_Takes the baby from the_ MAID _and dances it up and down. _) Yes,
yes, mother will dance with Bob too. What! Have you been snow-balling? I
wish I had been there too! No, no, I will take their things off, Anne;
please let me do it, it is such fun. Go in now, you look half frozen.
There is some hot coffee for you on the stove.

(_The_ NURSE _goes into the room on the left. Nora takes off the
children's things and throws them about, while they all talk to her at
once_. )

_Nora. _ Really! Did a big dog run after you? But it didn't bite you? No,
dogs don't bite nice little dolly children. You mustn't look at the
parcels, Ivar. What are they? Ah, I daresay you would like to know. No,
no--it's something nasty! Come, let us have a game. What shall we play
at? Hide and Seek? Yes, we'll play Hide and Seek. Bob shall hide first.
Must I hide? Very well, I'll hide first. (_She and the children laugh
and shout, and romp in and out of the room; at last Nora hides under the
table the children rush in and look for her, but do not see her; they
hear her smothered laughter run to the table, lift up the cloth and find
her. Shouts of laughter. She crawls forward and pretends to frighten
them. Fresh laughter. Meanwhile there has been a knock at the hall door,
but none of them has noticed it. The door is half opened, and KROGSTAD
appears. He waits a little; the game goes on. _)

_Krogstad_. Excuse me, Mrs. Helmer.

_Nora_ (_with a stifled cry, turns round and gets up on to her knees_).
Ah! what do you want?

_Krogstad_. Excuse me, the outer door was ajar; I suppose someone forgot
to shut it.

_Nora_ (_rising_). My husband is out, Mr. Krogstad.

_Krogstad_. I know that.

_Nora_. What do you want here, then?

_Krogstad_. A word with you.

_Nora_. With me? --(_To the children, gently_. ) Go in to nurse. What? No,
the strange man won't do mother any harm. When he has gone we will have
another game. (_She takes the children into the room on the left, and
shuts the door after them. _) You want to speak to me?

_Krogstad_. Yes, I do.

_Nora_. Today? It is not the first of the month yet.

_Krogstad_. No, it is Christmas Eve, and it will depend on yourself what
sort of a Christmas you will spend.

_Nora_. What do you want? Today it is absolutely impossible for me--

_Krogstad_. We won't talk about that till later on. This is something
different. I presume you can give me a moment?

_Nora_. Yes--yes, I can--although--

_Krogstad_. Good. I was in Olsen's Restaurant and saw your husband going
down the street--

_Nora_. Yes?

_Krogstad_. With a lady.

_Nora_. What then?

_Krogstad_. May I make so bold as to ask if it was a Mrs. Linde?

_Nora_. It was.

_Krogstad_. Just arrived in town?

_Nora_. Yes, today.

_Krogstad_. She is a great friend of yours, isn't she?

_Nora_: She is. But I don't see--

_Krogstad_. I knew her too, once upon a time.

_Nora_. I am aware of that.

_Krogstad_. Are you? So you know all about it; I thought as much. Then I
can ask you, without beating about the bush--is Mrs. Linde to have an
appointment in the Bank?

_Nora_. What right have you to question me, Mr. Krogstad? --You, one of
my husband's subordinates! But since you ask, you shall know. Yes, Mrs.
Linde _is_ to have an appointment. And it was I who pleaded her cause,
Mr. Krogstad, let me tell you that.

_Krogstad_. I was right in what I thought, then.

_Nora_ (_walking up and down the stage_). Sometimes one has a tiny
little bit of influence, I should hope. Because one is a woman, it does
not necessarily follow that--. When anyone is in a subordinate position,
Mr. Krogstad, they should really be careful to avoid offending anyone
who--who--

_Krogstad_. Who has influence?

_Nora_. Exactly.

_Krogstad_ (_changing his tone_). Mrs. Helmer, you will be so good as to
use your influence on my behalf.

_Nora_. What? What do you mean?

_Krogstad_. You will be so kind as to see that I am allowed to keep my
subordinate position in the Bank.

_Nora_. What do you mean by that? Who proposes to take your post away
from you?

_Krogstad_. 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 off.

_Nora_. But I assure you--

_Krogstad_. Very likely; but, to come to the point, the time has come
when I should advise you to use your influence to prevent that.

_Nora_. But, Mr. Krogstad, I _have_ no influence.

_Krogstad_. Haven't you? I thought you said yourself just now--

_Nora_. Naturally I did not mean you to put that construction on it. I!
What should make you think I have any influence of that kind with my
husband?

_Krogstad_. Oh, I have known your husband from our student days. I don't
suppose he is any more unassailable than other husbands.

_Nora_. If you speak slightly of my husband, I shall turn you out of the
house.

_Krogstad_. You are bold, Mrs. Helmer.

_Nora_. I am not afraid of you any longer, As soon as the New Year
comes, I shall in a very short time be free of the whole thing.

_Krogstad_ (_controlling himself_). Listen to me, Mrs. Helmer. If
necessary, I am prepared to fight for my small post in the Bank as if I
were fighting for my life.

_Nora_. So it seems.

_Krogstad_. It is not only for the sake of the money; indeed, that
weighs least with me in the matter. There is another reason--well, I may
as well tell you. My position is this. I daresay you know, like
everybody else, that once, many years ago, I was guilty of an
indiscretion.

_Nora_. I think I have heard something of the kind.

_Krogstad_. The matter never came into court; but every way seemed to be
closed to me after that. So I took to the business that you know of. I
had to do something; and, 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 and win back as much respect as I can in
the town. 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.