No More Learning

Linde_ (_dropping her sewing_). But, my dearest Nora, how do you
know anything about such things?

_Nora_ (_walking about_). Pooh! When you have three children, you get
visits now and then from--from married women, who know something of
medical matters, and they talk about one thing and another.

_Mrs. Linde_ (_goes on sewing. A short silence_). Does Doctor Rank come
here every day?

_Nora_. 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.

_Mrs. Linde_. But tell me this--is he perfectly sincere? I mean, isn't
he the kind of a man that is very anxious to make himself agreeable?

_Nora_. Not in the least. What makes you think that?

_Mrs. Linde_. When you introduced him to me yesterday, he declared he
had often heard my name mentioned in this house; but afterwards I
noticed that your husband hadn't the slightest idea who I was. So how
could Doctor Rank--?

_Nora_. 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 I mentioned any of the dear folk at home, so
naturally I gave up doing so. But I often talk about such things with
Doctor Rank, because he likes hearing about them.

_Mrs. Linde_. Listen to me, Nora. 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
Doctor Rank.

_Nora_. What ought I to make an end of?

_Mrs. Linde_. Of two things, I think. Yesterday you talked some nonsense
about a rich admirer who was to leave you money--

_Nora_. An admirer who doesn't exist, unfortunately! But what then?

_Mrs. Linde_. Is Doctor Rank a man of means?

_Nora_. Yes, he is.

_Mrs. Linde_. And has no one to provide for?

_Nora_. No, no one; but--

_Mrs. Linde_. And comes here every day?

_Nora_. Yes, I told you so.

_Mrs. Linde_. But how can this well-bred man be so tactless?

_Nora_. I don't understand you at all.

_Mrs. Linde_. Don't prevaricate, Nora. Do you suppose I don't guess who
lent you the two hundred and fifty pounds.

_Nora_. Are you out of your senses? How can you think of such a thing! A
friend of ours, who comes here every day! Do you realise what a horribly
painful position that would be?

_Mrs. Linde_. Then it really isn't he?

_Nora_. No, certainly not. It would never have entered into my head for
a moment. Besides, he had no money to lend then; he came into his money
afterwards.

_Mrs. Linde_. Well, I think that was lucky for you, my dear Nora.

_Nora_. No, it would never have come into my head to ask Doctor Rank.
Although I am quite sure that if I had asked him--

_Mrs. Linde_. But of course you won't.

_Nora_. Of course not. I have no reason to think it could possibly be
necessary. But I am quite sure that if I told Doctor Rank--

_Mrs. Linde_. Behind your husband's back?

_Nora_. 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.

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, that is what I told you yesterday, but--

_Nora_ (_walking up and down_). A man can put a thing like that straight
much easier than a woman--

_Mrs. Linde_. One's husband, yes.

_Nora_. Nonsense! (_Standing still_. ) When you pay off a debt you get
your bond back, don't you?

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, as a matter of course.

_Nora_. And can tear it into a hundred thousand pieces, and burn it
up--the nasty, dirty paper!

_Mrs. Linde_ (_looks hard at her, lays down her sewing and gets up
slowly_). Nora, you are concealing something from me.

_Nora_. Do I look as if I were?

_Mrs. Linde_. Something has happened to you since yesterday morning.
Nora, what is it?

_Nora_ (_going nearer to her_). Christine! (_Listens_. ) Hush! there's
Torvald come home. Do you mind going in to the children for the present?
Torvald can't bear to see dressmaking going on. Let Anne help you.

_Mrs. Linde_ (_gathering some of the things together_). Certainly--but I
am not going away from here till we have had it out with one another.
(_She goes into the room, on the left, as Helmer comes in from, the
hall_. )

_Nora_ (_going up to_ HELMAR). I have wanted you so much, Torvald dear.

_Helmer_. Was that the dressmaker?

_Nora_. No, it was Christine; she is helping me to put my dress in
order. You will see I shall look quite smart.

_Helmer_. Wasn't that a happy thought of mine, now?

_Nora_. Splendid! But don't you think it is nice of me, too, to do as
you wish?

_Helmer_. Nice? --because you do as your husband wishes? Well, well, you
little rogue, I am sure you did not mean it in that way. But I am not
going to disturb you; you will want to be trying on your dress, I
expect.

_Nora_. I suppose you are going to work.

_Helmer_. Yes. (_Shows her a bundle of papers_. ) Look at that. I have
just been into the bank. (_Turns to go into his room_. )

_Nora_. Torvald.

_Helmer_. Yes.

_Nora_. If your little squirrel were to ask you for something very, very
prettily--?

_Helmer_. What then?

_Nora_. Would you do it?

_Helmer_. I should like to hear what it is, first.

_Nora_. Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would
be nice, and do what she wants.

_Helmer_. Speak plainly.

_Nora_. Your skylark would chirp about in every room, with her song
rising and falling--

_Helmer_. Well, my skylark does that anyhow.

_Nora_. I would play the fairy and dance for you in the moonlight,
Torvald.

_Helmer_. Nora--you surely don't mean that request you made of me this
morning?

_Nora_ (_going near him_). Yes, Torvald, I beg you so earnestly--

_Helmer_. Have you really the courage to open up that question again?

_Nora_. Yes, dear, you _must_ do as I ask; you _must_ let Krogstad keep
his post in the bank.

_Helmer_. My dear Nora, it is his post that I have arranged Mrs. Linde
shall have.

_Nora. _ Yes, you have been awfully kind about that; but you could just
as well dismiss some other clerk instead of Krogstad.

_Helmer. _ This is simply incredible obstinacy! Because you chose to give
him a thoughtless promise that you would speak for him, I am expected
to--

_Nora. _ That isn't the reason, Torvald. It is for your own sake. This
fellow writes in the most scurrilous newspapers; you have told me so
yourself. He can do you an unspeakable amount of harm. I am frightened
to death of him--

_Helmer. _ Ah, I understand; it is recollections of the past that scare
you.

_Nora. _ What do you mean?

_Helmer.
_ Naturally you are thinking of your father.

_Nora. _ Yes--yes, of course. Just recall to your mind what these
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 had not sent you over to inquire into it, and if you had
not been so kindly disposed and helpful to him.

_Helmer. _ My little Nora, there is an important difference between your
father and me. Your father's reputation as a public official was not
above suspicion. Mine is, and I hope it will continue to be so, as long
as I hold my office.

_Nora. _ You never can tell 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! That is why I
beg you so earnestly--

_Helmer_. And it is just by interceding for him that you make it
impossible for me to keep him. It is already known at the Bank that I
mean to dismiss Krogstad. Is it to get about now that the new manager
has changed his mind at his wife's bidding--

_Nora_. And what if it did?

_Helmer_. Of course! --if only this obstinate little person can get her
way! Do you suppose I am going to make myself ridiculous before my whole
staff, to let people think that I am 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.

_Nora_. Whatever is that?

_Helmer_. His moral failings I might perhaps have overlooked, if
necessary--

_Nora_. Yes, you could--couldn't you?

_Helmer_. 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 after life. I may as well tell you plainly, we were once on
very intimate terms with one another. But this tactless fellow lays no
restraint upon 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, Helmer, old fellow! " and that sort of thing.
I assure you it is extremely painful to me. He would make my position in
the bank intolerable.

_Nora_. Torvald, I don't believe you mean that.

_Helmer_. Don't you? Why not?

_Nora_. Because it is such a narrow-minded way of looking at things.

_Helmer_. What are you saying? Narrow-minded? Do you think I am
narrow-minded?

_Nora_. No, just the opposite, dear--and it is exactly for that reason.

_Helmer_. It's the same thing. You say my point of view is
narrow-minded, so I must be so, too. Narrow-minded! Very well--I must
put an end to this. (_Goes to the hall door and calls. )_ Helen!

_Nora_. What are you going to do?

_Helmer_ (_looking among his papers)_. Settle it. (_Enter_ MAID. ) Look
here; take this letter and go downstairs with it at once. Find a
messenger and tell him to deliver it, and be quick. The address is on
it, and here is the money.

_Maid_. Very well, sir. (_Exit with the letter_. )

_Helmer_ (_putting his papers together_). Now, then, little Miss
Obstinate.

_Nora_ (_breathlessly_). Torvald--what was that letter?

_Helmer_. Krogstad's dismissal.

_Nora_. 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
can bring upon us.

_Helmer_. It's too late.

_Nora_. Yes, it's too late.

_Helmer_. My dear Nora, I can forgive the anxiety you are in, although
really it is an insult to me. It is, indeed. Isn't it an insult to think
that I should be afraid of a starving quill-driver's vengeance? But I
forgive you, nevertheless, because it is such eloquent witness to your
great love for me. (_Takes her in his arms. )_ And that is as it should
be, my own darling Nora. Come what will, you may be sure I shall have
both courage and strength if they be needed. You will see I am man
enough to take everything upon myself.

_Nora_ (_in a horror-stricken voice_). What do you mean by that?

_Helmer_. Everything I say--

_Nora_ (_recovering herself_). You will never have to do that.

_Helmer_. That's right. Well, we will share it, Nora, as man and wife
should. That is how it shall be. (_Caressing her_. ) Are you content now?
There! There! --not these frightened dove's eyes! The whole thing is only
the wildest fancy! --Now, you must go and play through the Tarantella and
practice with your tambourine. I shall go into the inner office and shut
the door, and I shall hear nothing; you can make as much noise as you
please. (_Turns back at the door. )_ And when Rank comes, tell him where
he will find me. (_Nods to her, takes his papers and goes into his room,
and shuts the door after him_. )

_Nora_ (_bewildered with anxiety, stands as if rooted to the spot, and
whispers_). 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 it. (_The door-bell rings_. )
Doctor Rank! Anything rather than that--anything, whatever it is! (_She
puts her hands over her face, pulls herself together, goes to the door
and opens it. _RANK_ is standing without, hanging up his coat. During
the following dialogue it begins to grow dark_. )

_Nora_. Good-day, Doctor Rank. I knew your ring. But you mustn't go into
Torvald now; I think he is busy with something.

_Rank_. And you?

_Nora_ (_brings him in and shuts the door after him_). Oh, you know very
well I always have time for you.

_Rank_. Thank you. I shall make use of as much of it as I can.

_Nora_. What do you mean by that? As much of it as you can.

_Rank_. Well, does that alarm you?

_Nora_. It was such a strange way of putting it. Is anything likely to
happen?

_Rank_. Nothing but what I have long been prepared for. But I certainly
didn't expect it to happen so soon.

_Nora_ (_gripping him by the arm_). What have you found out? Doctor
Rank, you must tell me.

_Rank_ (_sitting down by the stove_). It is all up with me. And it can't
be helped.

_Nora_ (_with a sigh of relief_). Is it about yourself?

_Rank_. Who else? It is no use lying to one's self. I am the most
wretched of all 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 church-yard.

_Nora_. What an ugly thing to say!

_Rank_. The thing itself is cursedly ugly, and the worst of it is that 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 know
pretty certainly when it will be that the horrors of dissolution will
begin. 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.

_Nora_. Oh, but, Doctor Rank--

_Rank_. I won't have him there. Not on any account. I bar my door to
him. As soon as I am quite certain that the worst has come, I shall send
you my card with a black cross on it, and then you will know that the
loathsome end has begun.

_Nora_. You are quite absurd to-day. And I wanted you so much to be in a
really good humour.

_Rank_. With 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 retribution is being
exacted--

_Nora_ (_putting her hands over her ears_). Rubbish! Do talk of
something cheerful.

_Rank_. Oh, it's a mere laughing matter, the whole thing. My poor
innocent spine has to suffer for my father's youthful amusements.

_Nora_ (_sitting at the table on the left_). I suppose you mean that he
was too partial to asparagus and pate de foie gras, don't you?

_Rank_. Yes, and to truffles.

_Nora_. Truffles, yes. And oysters too, I suppose?