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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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[Bows and goes out through hall. NORA[Stands a while thinking, then tosses her head.] Oh nonsense! He wants to frighten me. I’m not so foolish as that. [Begins folding the children’s clothes. Pauses.] But-? No, it’s impossible! Why, I did it for love! CHILDREN[At the door, left.] Mamma, the strange man has gone now. NORA Yes, yes, I know. But don’t tell any one about the strange man. Do you hear? Not even papa! CHILDREN No, mamma; and now will you play with us again? NORA No, no; not now. CHILDREN Oh, do, mamma; you know you promised. NORA Yes, but I can’t just now. Run to the nursery; I have so much to do. Run along,- run along, and be good, my darlings! [She pushes them gently into the inner room, and closes the door behind them. Sits on the sofa, embroiders a few stitches, but soon pauses.] No! [Throws down the work, rises, goes to the hall door and calls out.] Ellen, bring in the Christmas-tree! [Goes to table, left, and opens the drawer, again pauses.] No, it’s quite impossible! ELLEN[With Christmas-tree.] Where shall I stand it, ma’am? NORA There, in the middle of the room. ELLEN Shall I bring in anything else? NORA No, thank you, I have all I want. [ELLEN, having put down the tree, goes out. NORA[Busy dressing the tree.] There must be a candle here-and flowers there.- That horrible man! Nonsense, nonsense! there’s nothing to be afraid of. The Christmas-tree shall be beautiful. I’ll do everything to please you, Torvald; I’ll sing and dance, Enter HELMER by the hall door, with a bundle of documents. NORA Oh! You’re back already? HELMER Yes. Has anybody been here? NORA No. HELMER That’s odd. I saw Krogstad come out of the house. NORA Did you? Oh, yes, by-the-bye, he was here for a minute. HELMER Nora, I can see by your manner that he has been begging you to put in a good word for him. NORA Yes. HELMER And you were to do it as if of your own accord? You were to say nothing to me of his having been here. Didn’t he suggest that too? NORA Yes, Torvald; butHELMER Nora, Nora! And you could condescend to that! To speak to such a man, to make him a promise! And then to tell me an untruth about it! NORA An untruth! HELMER Didn’t you say that nobody had been here? [Threatens with his finger.] My little bird must never do that again! A song-bird must sing clear and true; no false notes. |
