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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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HELMER There! You hear her, Mrs. Linden? She dances her tarantella with wild applause, and well she deserved it, I must say-though there was, perhaps, a little too much nature in her rendering of the idea-more than was, strictly speaking, artistic. But never mind-the point is, she made a great success, a tremendous success. Was I to let her remain after that-to weaken the impression? Not if I know it. I took my sweet little Capri girlmy capricious little Capri girl, I might say-under my arm; a rapid turn round the room, a curtsey to all sides, and-as they say in novels-the lovely apparition vanished! An exit should always be effective, Mrs. Linden; but I can’t get Nora to see it. By Jove! it’s warm here. [Throws his domino on a chair and opens the door to his room.] What! No light there? Oh, of course. Excuse me[Goes in and lights candle. NORA [Whispers breathlessly.] Well? MRS. LINDEN [Softly.] I’ve spoken to him. NORA And-? MRS. LINDEN Nora-you must tell your husband everythingNORA [Tonelessly.] I knew it! MRS. LINDEN You have nothing to fear from Krogstad; but you must speak out. NORA I shall not speak! MRS. LINDEN Then the letter will. NORA Thank you, Christina. Now I know what I have to do. Hush-! HELMER [Coming back.] Well, Mrs. Linden, have you admired her? MRS. LINDEN Yes; and now I must say good-night. HELMER What, already? Does this knitting belong to you? MRS. LINDEN [Takes it.] Yes, thanks; I was nearly forgetting it. HELMER Then you do knit? MRS. LINDEN Yes. HELMER Do you know, you ought to embroider instead? MRS. LINDEN Indeed! Why? HELMER Because it’s so much prettier. Look now! You hold the embroidery in the left hand, so, and then work the needle with the right hand, in a long, graceful curve-don’t you? MRS. LINDEN Yes, I suppose so. HELMER But knitting is always ugly. Just look-your arms close to your sides, and the needles going up and down-there’s something Chinese about it.- They really gave us splendid champagne to-night. MRS. LINDEN Well, good-night, Nora, and don’t be obstinate any more. HELMER Well said, Mrs. Linden! MRS. LINDEN Good-night, Mr. Helmer. |
