A Doll’s House

A bell rings in the hall; shortly afterwards the door is heard to open. Enter Nora, humming a tune and in high spirits. She is in outdoor dress and carries a number of parcels; these she lays on the table to the right. She leaves the outer door open after her, and through it is seen a Porter who is carrying a Christmas tree and a basket, which he gives to the Maid who has opened the door.

Nora

Hide the Christmas tree carefully, Helen. Be sure the children do not see it until this evening, when it is dressed. To the Porter, taking out her purse. How much?

Porter

Sixpence.

Nora

There is a shilling. No, keep the change. The Porter thanks her, and goes out. Nora shuts the door. She is laughing to herself, as she takes off her hat and coat. She takes a packet of macaroons from her pocket and eats one or two; then goes cautiously to her husband’s door and listens. Yes, he is in. Still humming, she goes to the table on the right.

Helmer

Calls out from his room. Is that my little lark twittering out there?

Nora

Busy opening some of the parcels. Yes, it is!

Helmer

Is it my little squirrel bustling about?

Nora

Yes!

Helmer

When did my squirrel come home?

Nora

Just now. Puts the bag of macaroons into her pocket and wipes her mouth. Come in here, Torvald, and see what I have bought.

Helmer

Don’t disturb me. A little later, he opens the door and looks into the room, pen in hand. Bought, did you say? All these things? Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again?

Mrs. Linde

I have no doubt you have. But what do you refer to?

Nora

Speak low. Suppose Torvald were to hear! He mustn’t on any account⁠—no one in the world must know, Christine, except you.

Mrs. Linde

But what is it?

Nora

Come here. Pulls her down on the sofa beside her. Now I will show you that I too have something to be proud and glad of. It was I who saved Torvald’s life.

Mrs. Linde

“Saved”? How?

Nora

I told you about our trip to Italy. Torvald would never have recovered if he had not gone there⁠—

Mrs. Linde

Yes, but your father gave you the necessary funds.

Nora

Smiling. Yes, that is what Torvald and all the others think, but⁠—

Mrs. Linde

But⁠—

Nora

Papa didn’t give us a shilling. It was I who procured the money.

Mrs. Linde

You? All that large sum?

Nora

Two hundred and fifty pounds. What do you think of that?

Mrs. Linde

But, Nora, how could you possibly do it? Did you win a prize in the Lottery?

Nora

Contemptuously. In the Lottery? There would have been no credit in that.

Mrs. Linde

But where did you get it from, then?

Nora

Humming and smiling with an air of mystery. Hm, hm! Aha!

Mrs. Linde

Because you couldn’t have borrowed it.

Nora

Couldn’t I? Why not?

Mrs. Linde

No, a wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent.

Nora

Tossing her head. Oh, if it is a wife who has any head for business⁠—a wife who has the wit to be a little bit clever⁠—

Mrs. Linde

I don’t understand it at all, Nora.

Tell me, Mrs. Helmer, can you by any chance remember what day your father died?⁠—on what day of the month, I mean.

Nora

Papa died on the 29th of September.

Krogstad

That is correct; I have ascertained it for myself. And, as that is so, there is a discrepancy taking a paper from his pocket which I cannot account for.

Nora

What discrepancy? I don’t know⁠—

Krogstad

The discrepancy consists, Mrs. Helmer, in the fact that your father signed this bond three days after his death.

Nora

What do you mean? I don’t understand⁠—

Krogstad

Your father died on the 29th of September. But, look here; your father has dated his signature the 2nd of October. It is a discrepancy, isn’t it? Nora is silent. Can you explain it to me? Nora is still silent. It is a remarkable thing, too, that the words “2nd of October,” as well as the year, are not written in your father’s handwriting but in one that I think I know. Well, of course it can be explained; your father may have forgotten to date his signature, and someone else may have dated it haphazard before they knew of his death. There is no harm in that. It all depends on the signature of the name; and that is genuine, I suppose, Mrs. Helmer? It was your father himself who signed his name here?

Nora

After a short pause, throws her head up and looks defiantly at him. No, it was not. It was I that wrote Papa’s name.

Krogstad

Are you aware that is a dangerous confession?

Helmer

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 those near and dear to him, even before his own wife and children. And about the children⁠—that is the most terrible part of it all, Nora.

Nora

How?

Helmer

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.

Nora

Coming nearer him. Are you sure of that?

Helmer

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.

Nora

Why do you only say⁠—mother?

Helmer

It seems most commonly to be the mother’s influence, though naturally a bad father’s would have the same result. Every lawyer is familiar with the fact.

Krogstad

Do you mean that you will⁠—?

Nora

I have courage enough for it now.

Krogstad

Oh, you can’t frighten me. A fine, spoilt lady like you⁠—

Nora

You will see, you will see.

Krogstad

Under the ice, perhaps? Down into the cold, coal-black water? And then, in the spring, to float up to the surface, all horrible and unrecognisable, with your hair fallen out⁠—

Nora

You can’t frighten me.

Krogstad

Nor you me. People don’t do such things, Mrs. Helmer. Besides, what use would it be? I should have him completely in my power all the same.

Nora

Afterwards? When I am no longer⁠—

Krogstad

Have you forgotten that it is I who have the keeping of your reputation? Nora stands speechlessly looking at him. Well, now, I have warned you. Do not do anything foolish. When Helmer has had my letter, I shall expect a message from him. And 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. Exit through the hall.

Nora

Goes to the hall door, opens it slightly and listens. He is going. He is not putting the letter in the box. Oh no, no! that’s impossible! Opens the door by degrees. What is that? He is standing outside. He is not going downstairs. Is he hesitating? Can he⁠—? A letter drops into the box; then Krogstad’s footsteps are heard, until they die away as he goes downstairs. Nora utters a stifled cry, and runs across the room to the table by the sofa. A short pause.