No More Learning

Isn't she charming, Mrs. Linde?

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, indeed she is.

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

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

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

_Nora_ (_in a hurried and breathless whisper_). Well?

_Mrs. Linde. _ (_in a low voice_). I have had a talk with him.

_Nora. _ Yes, and--

_Mrs. Linde_. Nora, you must tell your husband all about it.

_Nora_ (_in an expressionless voice_). I knew it.

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

_Nora_. I won't tell him.

_Mrs. Linde_. Then the letter will.

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

_Helmer_ (_coming in again_). Well, Mrs. Linde, have you admired her?

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, and now I will say good-night.

_Helmer_. What, already? Is this yours, this knitting?

_Mrs. Linde_ (_taking it_). Yes, thank you, I had very nearly forgotten
it.

_Helmer_. So you knit?

_Mrs. Linde_. Of course.

_Helmer_. Do you know, you ought to embroider?

_Mrs. Linde_. Really? Why?

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

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, perhaps--

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

_Mrs. Linde_. Well,--good-night, Nora, and don't be self-willed any
more.

_Helmer_. That's right, Mrs. Linde.

_Mrs. Linde_. Good-night, Mr. Helmer.

_Helmer_ (_accompanying her to the door_). Good-night, good-night. I
hope you will get home all right. I should be very happy to--but you
haven't any great distance to go. Good-night, good-night. (_She goes
out; he shuts the door after her and comes in again_. ) Ah! --at last we
have got rid of her. She is a frightful bore, that woman.

_Nora_. Aren't you very tired, Torvald?

_Helmer_. No, not in the least.

_Nora_. Nor sleepy?

_Helmer_. Not a bit. On the contrary, I feel extraordinarily lively. And
you? --you really look both tired and sleepy.

_Nora_. Yes, I am very tired. I want to go to sleep at once.

_Helmer_. There, you see it was quite right of me not to let you stay
there any longer.

_Nora_. Everything you do is quite right, Torvald.

_Helmer_ (_kissing her on the forehead_). Now my little skylark is
speaking reasonably. Did you notice what good spirits Rank was in this
evening?

_Nora_. Really? Was he? I didn't speak to him at all.

_Helmer_. And I very little, but I have not for a long time seen him in
such good form. (_Looks for a while at her and then goes nearer to
her_. ) It is delightful to be at home by ourselves again, to be all
alone with you--you fascinating, charming little darling!

_Nora_. Don't look at me like that, Torvald.

_Helmer_. Why shouldn't I look at my dearest treasure? --at all the
beauty that is mine, all my very own?

_Nora_ (_going to the other side of the table_). You mustn't say things
like that to me tonight.

_Helmer_ (_following her_). You have still got the Tarantella in your
blood, I see. And it makes you more captivating than ever. Listen--the
guests are beginning to go now. (_In a lower voice_. ) Nora--soon the
whole house will be quiet.

_Nora_. Yes, I hope so.

_Helmer_. Yes, my own darling Nora. Do you know, when I am out at a
party with you like this, why I speak so little to you, keep away from
you, and only send a stolen glance in your direction now and then? --do
you know why I do that? It is because I make believe to myself that we
are secretly in love, and you are my secretly promised bride, and that
no one suspects there is anything between us.

_Nora_. Yes, yes--I know very well your thoughts are with me all the
time.

_Helmer_. And when we are leaving, and I am 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 the wedding, and 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 have longed for nothing but you. When I watched the seductive figures
of the Tarantella, my blood was on fire; I could endure it no longer,
and that was why I brought you down so early--

_Nora_. Go away, Torvald! You must let me go. I won't--

_Helmer_. What's that? You're joking, my little Nora! You won't--you
won't? Am I not your husband--? (_A knock is heard at the outer door_. )

_Nora_ (_starting_). Did you hear--?

_Helmer_ (_going into the hall_). Who is it?

_Rank_ (_outside_). It is I. May I come in for a moment?

_Helmer_ (_in a fretful whisper_). Oh, what does he want now? (_Aloud_. )
Wait a minute? (_Unlocks the door_. ) Come, that's kind of you not to
pass by our door.

_Rank_. I thought I heard your voice, and felt as if I should like to
look in. (_With a swift glance round_. ) Ah, yes! --these dear familiar
rooms. You are very happy and cosy in here, you two.

_Helmer_. It seems to me that you looked after yourself pretty well
upstairs too.

_Rank_. Excellently. 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--

_Helmer_. Especially the champagne.

_Rank_. So you noticed that too?
It is almost incredible how much I
managed to put away!

_Nora_. Torvald drank a great deal of champagne tonight, too.

_Rank_. Did he?

_Nora_. Yes, and he is always in such good spirits afterwards.

_Rank_. Well, why should one not enjoy a merry evening after a
well-spent day?

_Helmer_. Well spent? I am afraid I can't take credit for that.

_Rank_ (_clapping him on the back_). But I can, you know!

_Nora_. Doctor Rank, you must have been occupied with some scientific
investigation today.

_Rank_. Exactly.

_Helmer_. Just listen! --little Nora talking about scientific
investigations!

_Nora_. And may I congratulate you on the result?

_Rank_. Indeed you may.

_Nora_. Was it favourable, then.

_Rank_. The best possible, for both doctor and patient--certainty.

_Nora_ (_quickly and searchingly_). Certainty?

_Rank_. Absolute certainty. So wasn't I entitled to make a merry evening
of it after that?

_Nora_. Yes, you certainly were, Doctor Rank.

_Helmer_. I think so too, so long as you don't have to pay for it in the
morning.

_Rank_. Oh well, one can't have anything in this life without paying for
it.

_Nora_. Doctor Rank--are you fond of fancy-dress balls?

_Rank_. Yes, if there is a fine lot of pretty costumes.

_Nora_. Tell me--what shall we two wear at the next?

_Helmer_. Little featherbrain! --are you thinking of the next already?

_Rank_. We two? Yes, I can tell you. You shall go as a good fairy--

_Helmer_. Yes, but what do you suggest as an appropriate costume for
that?

_Rank_. Let your wife go dressed just as she is in every-day life.

_Helmer_. That was really very prettily turned. But can't you tell us
what you will be?

_Rank_. Yes, my dear friend, I have quite made up my mind about that.

_Helmer_. Well?

_Rank_. At the next fancy-dress ball I shall be invisible.

_Helmer_ That's a good joke!

_Rank_. There is a big black hat--have you never heard of hats that make
you invisible? If you put one on, no one can see you.

_Helmer_ (_suppressing a smile_). Yes, you are quite right.

_Rank_. But I am clean forgetting what I came for. Helmer, give me a
cigar--one of the dark Havanas.

_Helmer_. With the greatest pleasure. (_Offers him his case_. )

_Rank_ (_takes a cigar and cuts off the end_). Thanks.

_Nora_ (_striking a match_). Let me give you a light.

_Rank_. Thank you. (_She holds the match for him to light his cigar_. )
And now good-bye!

_Helmer_. Good-bye, good-bye, dear old man!

_Nora_. Sleep well, Doctor Rank.

_Rank_. Thank you for that wish.

_Nora_. Wish me the same.

_Rank_. You? Well, if you want me to sleep well! And thanks for the
light. (_He nods to them both and goes out_. )

_Helmer_ (_in a subdued voice_). He has drunk more than he ought.

_Nora_ (_absently_). Maybe. (HELMER _takes a bunch of keys out of his
pocket and goes into the hall_. ) Torvald! what are you going to do
there?

_Helmer_. Empty the letter-box; it is quite full; there will be no room
to put the newspaper in to-morrow morning.

_Nora. _ Are you going to work to-night?

_Helmer_. You know quite well I'm not. What is this? Some one has been
at the lock.

_Nora_. At the lock?

_Helmer_. Yes, someone has. What can it mean? I should never have
thought the maid--. Here is a broken hairpin. Nora, it is one of yours.

_Nora_ (_quickly_). Then it must have been the children--

_Helmer_. Then you must get them out of those ways. There, at last I
have got it open. (_Takes out the contents of the letter-box, and calls
to the kitchen_. ) Helen! --Helen, put out the light over the front door.
(_Goes back into the room and shuts the door into the hall. He holds out
his hand full of letters_. ) Look at that--look what a heap of them there
are. (_Turning them over_. ) What on earth is that?

_Nora_ (_at the window_). The letter--No! Torvald, no!

_Helmer. _ Two cards--of Rank's.

_Nora. _ Of Doctor Rank's?

_Helmer_ (_looking at them_). Doctor Rank. They were on the top. He must
have put them in when he went out.

_Nora. _ Is there anything written on them?

_Helmer. _ There is a black cross over the name. Look there--what an
uncomfortable idea! It looks as If he were announcing his own death.

_Nora. _ It is just what he is doing.

_Helmer. _ What? Do you know anything about it? Has he said anything to
you?

_Nora. _ Yes. He told me that when the cards came it would be his
leave-taking from us. He means to shut himself up and die.

_Helmer. _ My poor old friend. Certainly I knew we should not have him
very long with us. But so soon! And so he hides himself away like a
wounded animal.

_Nora. _ If it has to happen, it is best it should be without a
word--don't you think so, Torvald?

_Helmer_ (_walking up and down_). He has so grown into our lives. I
can't think of him as having gone out of them. He, with his sufferings
and his loneliness, was like a cloudy background to our sunlit
happiness. Well, perhaps it is best so. For him, anyway. (_Standing
still. _) And perhaps for us too, Nora. We two are thrown quite upon each
other now. (_Puts his arms around her. _) My darling wife, I don't feel
as if I could hold you tight enough. 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.

_Nora_ (_disengages herself, and says firmly and decidedly_). Now you
must read your letters, Torvald.

_Helmer. _ No, no; not tonight. I want to be with you, my darling wife.

_Nora. _ With the thought of your friend's death--

_Helmer. _ You are right, it has affected us both. Something ugly has
come between us--the thought of the horrors of death. We must try and
rid our minds of that. Until then--we will each go to our own room.

_Nora_ (_hanging on his neck_). Good-night, Torvald--Good-night!

_Helmer_ (_kissing her on the forehead_). Good-night, my little
singing-bird. Sleep sound, Nora. Now I will read my letters through.
(_He takes his letters and goes into his room, shutting the door after
him. _)

_Nora_ (_gropes distractedly about, seizes_ HELMER'S _domino, throws it
round her, while she says in quick, hoarse, spasmodic whispers_). Never
to see him again. Never! Never!