A Doll’s House Henrik Ibsen (e book free reading .TXT) 📖
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- Author: Henrik Ibsen
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a card.
Nora
Glancing at the card. Oh! Puts it in her pocket.
Rank
Is there anything wrong?
Nora
No, no, not in the least. It is only something—it is my new dress—
Rank
What? Your dress is lying there.
Nora
Oh, yes, that one; but this is another. I ordered it. Torvald mustn’t know about it—
Rank
Oho! Then that was the great secret.
Nora
Of course. Just go in to him; he is sitting in the inner room. Keep him as long as—
Rank
Make your mind easy; I won’t let him escape.
Goes into Helmer’s room.
Nora
To the Maid. And he is standing waiting in the kitchen?
Maid
Yes; he came up the back stairs.
Nora
But didn’t you tell him no one was in?
Maid
Yes, but it was no good.
Nora
He won’t go away?
Maid
No; he says he won’t until he has seen you, ma’am.
Nora
Well, let him come in—but quietly. Helen, you mustn’t say anything about it to anyone. It is a surprise for my husband.
Maid
Yes, ma’am, I quite understand. Exit.
Nora
This dreadful thing is going to happen! It will happen in spite of me! No, no, no, it can’t happen—it shan’t happen! She bolts the door of Helmer’s room. The Maid opens the hall door for Krogstad and shuts it after him. He is wearing a fur coat, high boots and a fur cap.
Nora
Advancing towards him. Speak low—my husband is at home.
Krogstad
No matter about that.
Nora
What do you want of me?
Krogstad
An explanation of something.
Nora
Make haste then. What is it?
Krogstad
You know, I suppose, that I have got my dismissal.
Nora
I couldn’t prevent it, Mr. Krogstad. I fought as hard as I could on your side, but it was no good.
Krogstad
Does your husband love you so little, then? He knows what I can expose you to, and yet he ventures—
Nora
How can you suppose that he has any knowledge of the sort?
Krogstad
I didn’t suppose so at all. It would not be the least like our dear Torvald Helmer to show so much courage—
Nora
Mr. Krogstad, a little respect for my husband, please.
Krogstad
Certainly—all the respect he deserves. But since you have kept the matter so carefully to yourself, I make bold to suppose that you have a little clearer idea, than you had yesterday, of what it actually is that you have done?
Nora
More than you could ever teach me.
Krogstad
Yes, such a bad lawyer as I am.
Nora
What is it you want of me?
Krogstad
Only to see how you were, Mrs. Helmer. I have been thinking about you all day long. A mere cashier, a quill-driver, a—well, a man like me—even he has a little of what is called feeling, you know.
Nora
Show it, then; think of my little children.
Krogstad
Have you and your husband thought of mine? But never mind about that. I only wanted to tell you that you need not take this matter too seriously. In the first place there will be no accusation made on my part.
Nora
No, of course not; I was sure of that.
Krogstad
The whole thing can be arranged amicably; there is no reason why anyone should know anything about it. It will remain a secret between us three.
Nora
My husband must never get to know anything about it.
Krogstad
How will you be able to prevent it? Am I to understand that you can pay the balance that is owing?
Nora
No, not just at present.
Krogstad
Or perhaps that you have some expedient for raising the money soon?
Nora
No expedient that I mean to make use of.
Krogstad
Well, in any case, it would have been of no use to you now. If you stood there with ever so much money in your hand, I would never part with your bond.
Nora
Tell me what purpose you mean to put it to.
Krogstad
I shall only preserve it—keep it in my possession. No one who is not concerned in the matter shall have the slightest hint of it. So that if the thought of it has driven you to any desperate resolution—
Nora
It has.
Krogstad
If you had it in your mind to run away from your home—
Nora
I had.
Krogstad
Or even something worse—
Nora
How could you know that?
Krogstad
Give up the idea.
Nora
How did you know I had thought of that?
Krogstad
Most of us think of that at first. I did, too—but I hadn’t the courage.
Nora
Faintly. No more had I.
Krogstad
In a tone of relief. No, that’s it, isn’t it—you hadn’t the courage either?
Nora
No, I haven’t—I haven’t.
Krogstad
Besides, it would have been a great piece of folly. Once the first storm at home is over—. I have a letter for your husband in my pocket.
Nora
Telling him everything?
Krogstad
In as lenient a manner as I possibly could.
Nora
Quickly. He mustn’t get the letter. Tear it up. I will find some means of getting money.
Krogstad
Excuse me, Mrs. Helmer, but I think I told you just now—
Nora
I am not speaking of what I owe you. Tell me what sum you are asking my husband for, and I will get the money.
Krogstad
I am not asking your husband for a penny.
Nora
What do you want, then?
Krogstad
I will tell you. I want to rehabilitate myself, Mrs. Helmer; I want to get on; and in that your husband must help me. For the last year and a half I have not had a hand in anything dishonourable, amid all that time I have been struggling in most restricted circumstances. I was content to work my way up step by step. Now I am turned out, and I am not going to be satisfied with merely being taken into favour again. I want to get on, I tell you. I want to get into the Bank again, in a higher position. Your husband must make a place for me—
Nora
That he will never do!
Krogstad
He will; I know him; he dare not protest. And as soon as I am in there again with him, then you
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