A Doll’s House

epub:type="z3998:persona">Nora Ask her to come in. Maid To Helmer. The doctor came at the same time, sir. Helmer Did he go straight into my room? Maid Yes, sir. Helmer goes into his room. The Maid ushers in Mrs. Linde, who is in travelling dress, and shuts the door. Mrs. Linde In a dejected and timid voice. How do you do, Nora? Nora Doubtfully. How do you do⁠— Mrs. Linde You don’t recognise me, I suppose. Nora No, I don’t know⁠—yes, to be sure, I seem to⁠—Suddenly. Yes! Christine! Is it really you? Mrs. Linde Yes, it is I. Nora Christine! To think of my not recognising you! And yet how could I⁠—In a gentle voice. How you have altered, Christine! Mrs. Linde Yes, I have indeed. In nine, ten long years⁠— Nora Is it so long since we met? I suppose it is. The last eight years have been a happy time for me, I can tell you. And so now you have come into the town, and have taken this long journey in winter⁠—that was plucky of you. Mrs. Linde I arrived by steamer this morning. Nora To have some fun at Christmas-time, of course. How delightful! We will have such fun together! But take off your things. You are not cold, I hope. Helps her. Now we will sit down by the stove, and be cosy. No, take this armchair; I will sit here in the rocking chair. Takes her hands. Now you look like your old self again; it was only the first moment⁠—You are a little paler, Christine, and perhaps a little thinner. Mrs. Linde And much, much older, Nora. Nora Perhaps a little older; very, very little; certainly not much. Stops suddenly and speaks seriously. What a thoughtless creature I am, chattering away like this. My poor, dear Christine, do forgive me. Mrs. Linde What do you mean, Nora? Nora Gently. Poor Christine, you are a widow. Mrs. Linde Yes; it is three years ago now. Nora Yes, I knew; I saw it in the papers. I assure you, Christine, I meant ever so often to write to you at the time, but I always put it off and something always prevented me. Mrs. Linde I quite understand, dear. Nora It was very bad of me, Christine. Poor thing, how you must have suffered. And he left you nothing? Mrs. Linde No. Nora And no children? Mrs. Linde No. Nora Nothing at all, then. Mrs. Linde Not even any sorrow or grief to live upon. Nora Looking incredulously at her. But, Christine, is that possible? Mrs. Linde Smiles sadly and strokes her hair. It sometimes happens, Nora. Nora So you are quite alone. How dreadfully sad that must be. I have three lovely children. You can’t see them just now, for they are out with their nurse. But now you must tell me all about it. Mrs. Linde No, no; I want to hear about you. Nora No, you must begin. I mustn’t be selfish today; today I must only think of your affairs. But there is one thing I must tell you. Do you know we have just had a great piece of good luck? Mrs. Linde No, what is it? Nora Just fancy, my husband has been made manager of the Bank! Mrs. Linde Your husband? What good luck! Nora Yes, tremendous! A barrister’s profession is such an uncertain thing, especially if he won’t undertake unsavoury cases; and naturally Torvald has never been willing to do that, and I quite agree with him. You may imagine how pleased we are! He is to take up his work in the Bank at the New Year, and then he will have a big salary and lots of commissions. For the future we can live quite differently⁠—we can do just as we like. I feel so relieved and so happy, Christine! It will be splendid to have heaps of money and not need to have any anxiety, won’t it? Mrs. Linde Yes, anyhow I think it would be delightful to have what one needs. Nora No, not only what one needs, but heaps and heaps of money. Mrs. Linde Smiling. Nora, Nora, haven’t you learned sense yet? In our schooldays you were a great spendthrift. Nora Laughing. Yes, that is what Torvald says now. Wags her finger at her. But “Nora, Nora” is not so silly as you think. We have not been in a position for me to waste money. We have both had to work. Mrs. Linde You too? Nora Yes; odds and ends, needlework, crotchet work, embroidery, and that kind of thing. Dropping her voice. And other things as well. You know Torvald left his office when we were married? There was no prospect of promotion there, and he had to try and earn more than before. But during the first year he overworked himself dreadfully. You see, he had to make money every way he could, and he worked early and late; but he couldn’t stand it, and fell dreadfully ill, and the doctors said it was necessary for him to go south. Mrs. Linde You spent a whole year in Italy, didn’t you? Nora Yes. It was no easy matter to get away, I can tell you. It was just after Ivar was born; but naturally we had to go. It was a wonderfully beautiful journey, and it saved Torvald’s life. But it cost a tremendous lot of money, Christine. Mrs. Linde So I should think. Nora It cost about two hundred and fifty pounds. That’s a lot, isn’t it? Mrs. Linde Yes, and in emergencies like that it is lucky to have the money. Nora I ought to tell you that we had it from Papa. Mrs. Linde Oh, I see. It was just about that time that he died, wasn’t it? Nora Yes; and, just think of it, I couldn’t go and nurse him. I was expecting little Ivar’s birth every day and I had my poor sick Torvald to look after. My dear, kind father⁠—I never saw him again, Christine. That was the saddest time I have known since our marriage. Mrs. Linde I know how fond you were of him. And then you went off to Italy? Nora Yes; you see we had money then, and the doctors insisted on our going, so we started