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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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I am alone with you for the first time-quite alone with you, in your trembling loveliness! All this evening I have been longing for you, and you only. When I watched you swaying and whirling in the tarantella-my blood boiled-I could endure it no longer; and that’s why I made you come home with me so earlyNORA Go now, Torvald! Go away from me. I won’t have all this. HELMER What do you mean? Ah, I see you’re teasing me, little Nora! Won’t-won’t! Am I not your husband-? [A knock at the outer door. NORA [Starts.] Did you hear-? HELMER [Going towards the hall.] Who’s there? RANK [Outside.] It is I; may I come in for a moment? HELMER [In a low tone, annoyed.] Oh, what can he want just now? [Aloud.] Wait a moment. [Opens door.] Come, it’s nice of you to look in. RANK I thought I heard your voice, and that put it into my head. [Looks round.] Ah, this dear old place! How cosy you two are here! HELMER You seemed to find it pleasant enough upstairs, too. RANK Exceedingly. Why not? Why shouldn’t one take one’s share of everything in this world? All one can, at least, and as long as one can. The wine was splendidHELMER Especially the champagne. RANK Did you notice it? It’s incredible the quantity I contrived to get down. NORA Torvald drank plenty of champagne, too. RANK Did he? NORA Yes, and it always puts him in such spirits. RANK Well, why shouldn’t one have a jolly evening after a well-spent day? HELMER Well-spent! Well, I haven’t much to boast of in that respect. RANK [Slapping him on the shoulder.] But I have, don’t you see? NORA I suppose you have been engaged in a scientific investigation, Doctor Rank? RANK Quite right. HELMER Bless me! Little Nora talking about scientific investigations! NORA Am I to congratulate you on the result? RANK By all means. NORA It was good then? RANK The best possible, both for doctor and patient- certainty. NORA [Quickly and searchingly.] Certainty? RANK Absolute certainty. Wasn’t I right to enjoy myself after that? NORA Yes, quite right, Doctor Rank. HELMER And so say I, provided you don’t have to pay for it |
