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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 [Accompanying her to the door.] Good-night, good-night; I hope you’ll get safely home. I should be glad to-but you have such a short way to go. Good-night, goodnight. [She goes; HELMER shuts the door after her and comes forward again.] At last we’ve got rid of her: she’s a terrible bore. NORA Aren’t you very tired, Torvald? HELMER No, not in the least. NORA Nor sleepy? HELMER Not a bit. I feel particularly lively. But you? You do look tired and sleepy. NORA Yes, very tired. I shall soon sleep now. HELMER There, you see. I was right after all not to let you stay longer. NORA Oh, everything you do is right. HELMER [Kissing her forehead.] Now my lark is speaking like a reasonable being. Did you notice how jolly Rank was this evening? NORA Indeed? Was he? I had no chance of speaking to him. HELMER Nor I, much; but, I haven’t seen him in such good spirits for a long time. [Looks at NORA a little, then comes nearer her.] It’s splendid to be back in our own home, to be quite alone together!- Oh, you enchanting creature! NORA Don’t look at me in that way, Torvald. HELMER I am not to look at my dearest treasure?- at all the loveliness that is mine, mine only, wholly and entirely mine? NORA [Goes to the other side of the table.] You mustn’t say these things to me this evening. HELMER [Following.] I see you have the tarantella still in your blood-and that makes you all the more enticing. Listen! the other people are going now. [More softly.] Nora-soon the whole house will be still. NORA Yes, I hope so. HELMER Yes, don’t you, Nora darling? When we are among strangers, do you know why I speak so little to you, and keep so far away, and only steal a glance at you now and then-do you know why I do it? Because I am fancying that we love each other in secret, that I am secretly betrothed to you, and that no one dreams that there is anything between us. NORA Yes, yes, yes. I know all your thoughts are with me. HELMER And then, when the time comes to go, and I put the shawl about your smooth, soft shoulders, and this glorious neck of yours, I imagine you are my bride, that our marriage is just over, that I am bringing you for the first time to my home-that |
