Free Doll's House (9781443435505) by Henrik Ibsen

is all over.
    RANK
    (
Whispers to
HELMER) You mustn’t contradict her.
    HELMER
    (
Taking her in his arms
.) The child shall have her way. But tomorrow night, after you have danced—
    NORA
    Then you will be free. (
The
MAID
appears in the doorway to the right
.)
    MAID
    Dinner is served, ma’am.
    NORA
    We will have champagne, Helen.
    MAID
    Very good, ma’am. (
Exit
.)
    HELMER
    Hullo!—are we going to have a banquet?
    NORA
    Yes, a champagne banquet until the small hours. (
Calls out
.) And a few macaroons, Helen—lots, just for once!
    HELMER
    Come, come, don’t be so wild and nervous. Be my own little skylark, as you used.
    NORA
    Yes, dear, I will. But go in now and you too, Doctor Rank. Christine, you must help me to do up my hair.
    Rank.
    (
Whispers to
HELMER
as they go out.
) I suppose there is nothing—she is not expecting anything?
    HELMER
    Far from it, my dear fellow; it is simply nothing more than this childish nervousness I was telling you of. (
They go into the right-hand room
.)
    NORA
    Well!
    MRS. LINDE
    Gone out of town.
    NORA
    I could tell from your face.
    MRS. LINDE
    He is coming home tomorrow evening. I wrote a note for him.
    NORA
    You should have let it alone; you must prevent nothing. After all, it is splendid to be waiting for a wonderful thing to happen.
    MRS. LINDE
    What is it that you are waiting for?
    NORA
    Oh, you wouldn’t understand. Go in to them, I will come in a moment. (MRS. LINDE
goes into the dining room
. NORA
stands still for a little while, as if to compose herself. Then she looks at her watch
.) Five o’clock. Seven hours until midnight; and then four-and-twenty hours until the next midnight. Then the Tarantella will be over. Twenty-four and seven? Thirty-one hours to live.
    HELMER
    (
From the doorway on the right
.) Where’s my little skylark?
    NORA
    (
Going to him with her arms outstretched
.) Here she is!

Act III
Scene
    The same scene. The table has been placed in the middle of the stage, with chairs around it. A lamp is burning on the table. The door into the hall stands open. Dance music is heard in the room above.
MRS. LINDE
is sitting at the table idly turning over the leaves of a book; she tries to read, but does not seem able to collect her thoughts. Every now and then she listens intently for a sound at the outer door
.)
    MRS. LINDE
    (
Looking at her watch
.) Not yet—and the time is nearly up. If only he does not. . . . (
Listens again
.) Ah, there he is. (
Goes into the hall and opens the outer door carefully. Light footsteps are heard on the stairs. She whispers
.) Come in. There is no one here.
    KROGSTAD
    (
In the doorway
.) I found a note from you at home. What does this mean?
    MRS. LINDE
    It is absolutely necessary that I should have a talk with you.
    KROGSTAD
    Really? And is it absolutely necessary that it should be here?
    MRS. LINDE
    It is impossible where I live; there is no private entrance to my rooms. Come in; we are quite alone. The maid is asleep, and the Helmers are at the dance upstairs.
    KROGSTAD
    (
Coming into the room
.) Are the Helmers really at a dance tonight?
    MRS. LINDE
    Yes, why not?
    KROGSTAD
    Certainly—why not?
    MRS. LINDE
    Now, Nils, let us have a talk.
    KROGSTAD
    Can we two have anything to talk about?
    MRS. LINDE
    We have a great deal to talk about.
    KROGSTAD
    I shouldn’t have thought so.
    MRS. LINDE
    No, you have never properly understood me.
    KROGSTAD
    Was there anything else to understand except what was obvious to all the world—a heartless woman jilts a man when a more lucrative chance turns up?
    MRS. LINDE
    Do you believe I am as absolutely heartless as all that? And do you believe that I did it with a light heart?
    KROGSTAD
    Didn’t you?
    MRS. LINDE
    Nils, did you really think that?
    KROGSTAD
    If it were as you say, why did you write to me as you did at the time?
    MRS. LINDE
    I could do nothing else. As I had to break with you, it was my duty also to put an end to all that you felt