Read Online Doll's House (9781443435505) by Henrik Ibsen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Henrik Ibsen
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seeâ(
Halting in the doorway
.) But what is this?
NORA
What is what, dear?
HELMER
Rank led me to expect a splendid transformation.
RANK
(
In the doorway
.) I understood so, but evidently I was mistaken.
NORA
Yes, nobody is to have the chance of admiring me in my dress until tomorrow.
HELMER
But, my dear Nora, you look so worn out. Have you been practising too much?
NORA
No, I have not practised at all.
HELMER
But you will need toâ
NORA
Yes, indeed I shall, Torvald. But I canât get on a bit without you to help me; I have absolutely forgotten the whole thing.
HELMER
Oh, we will soon work it up again.
NORA
Yes, help me, Torvald. Promise that you will! I am so nervous about itâall the people. . . . You must give yourself up to me entirely this evening. Not the tiniest bit of businessâyou mustnât even take a pen in your hand. Will you promise, Torvald dear?
HELMER
I promise. This evening I will be wholly and absolutely at your service, you helpless little mortal. Ah, by the way, first of all I will justâ(
Goes towards the hall door
.)
NORA
What are you going to do there?
HELMER
Only see if any letters have come.
NORA
No, no! donât do that, Torvald!
HELMER
Why not?
NORA
Torvald, please donât. There is nothing there.
HELMER
Well, let me look. (
Turns to go to the letter box
. NORA,
at the piano, plays the first bars of the Tarantella
. HELMER
stops in the doorway
.) Aha!
NORA
I canât dance tomorrow if I donât practise with you.
Helmer.
(
Going up to her
.) Are you really so afraid of it, dear?
NORA
Yes, so dreadfully afraid of it. Let me practise at once; there is time now, before we go to dinner. Sit down and play for me, Torvald dear; criticise me, and correct me as you play.
HELMER
With great pleasure, if you wish me to. (
Sits down at the piano
.)
NORA
(
Takes out of the box a tambourine and a long variegated shawl. She hastily drapes the shawl round her. Then she springs to the front of the stage and calls out
.). Now play for me! I am going to dance!
(HELMER
plays and
NORA
dances
. RANK
stands by the piano behind
HELMER,
and looks on
.)
HELMER
(
As he plays
.) Slower, slower!
NORA
I canât do it any other way.
HELMER
Not so violently, Nora!
NORA
This is the way.
HELMER
(
Stops playing
.) No, noâthat is not a bit right.
NORA
(
Laughing and swinging the tambourine
.). Didnât I tell you so?
RANK
Let me play for her.
HELMER
(
Getting up
). Yes, do. I can correct her better then.
(RANK
sits down at the piano and plays.
NORA
dances more and more wildly.
HELMER
has taken up a position beside the stove, and during her dance gives her frequent instructions. She does not seem to hear him; her hair comes down and falls over her shoulders; she pays no attention to it, but goes on dancing. Enter
MRS. LINDE)
MRS. LINDE
(
Standing as if spellbound in the doorway
.) Oh!â
NORA
(
As she dances
.) Such fun, Christine!
HELMER
My dear darling Nora, you are dancing as if your life depended on it.
NORA
So it does.
HELMER
Stop, Rank; this is sheer madness. Stop, I tell you! (RANK
stops playing, and
NORA
suddenly stands still
. HELMER
goes up to her
.) I could never have believed it. You have forgotten everything I taught you.
NORA
(
Throwing away the tambourine
.) There, you see.
HELMER
You will want a lot of coaching.
NORA
Yes, you see how much I need it. You must coach me up to the last minute. Promise me that, Torvald!
HELMER
You can depend on me.
NORA
You must not think of anything but me, either today or tomorrow; you mustnât open a single letterânot even open the letter boxâ
HELMER
Ah, you are still afraid of that fellowâ
NORA
Yes, indeed I am.
HELMER
Nora, I can tell from your looks that there is a letter from him lying there.
NORA
I donât know; I think there is; but you must not read anything of that kind now. Nothing horrid must come between us until this
Halting in the doorway
.) But what is this?
NORA
What is what, dear?
HELMER
Rank led me to expect a splendid transformation.
RANK
(
In the doorway
.) I understood so, but evidently I was mistaken.
NORA
Yes, nobody is to have the chance of admiring me in my dress until tomorrow.
HELMER
But, my dear Nora, you look so worn out. Have you been practising too much?
NORA
No, I have not practised at all.
HELMER
But you will need toâ
NORA
Yes, indeed I shall, Torvald. But I canât get on a bit without you to help me; I have absolutely forgotten the whole thing.
HELMER
Oh, we will soon work it up again.
NORA
Yes, help me, Torvald. Promise that you will! I am so nervous about itâall the people. . . . You must give yourself up to me entirely this evening. Not the tiniest bit of businessâyou mustnât even take a pen in your hand. Will you promise, Torvald dear?
HELMER
I promise. This evening I will be wholly and absolutely at your service, you helpless little mortal. Ah, by the way, first of all I will justâ(
Goes towards the hall door
.)
NORA
What are you going to do there?
HELMER
Only see if any letters have come.
NORA
No, no! donât do that, Torvald!
HELMER
Why not?
NORA
Torvald, please donât. There is nothing there.
HELMER
Well, let me look. (
Turns to go to the letter box
. NORA,
at the piano, plays the first bars of the Tarantella
. HELMER
stops in the doorway
.) Aha!
NORA
I canât dance tomorrow if I donât practise with you.
Helmer.
(
Going up to her
.) Are you really so afraid of it, dear?
NORA
Yes, so dreadfully afraid of it. Let me practise at once; there is time now, before we go to dinner. Sit down and play for me, Torvald dear; criticise me, and correct me as you play.
HELMER
With great pleasure, if you wish me to. (
Sits down at the piano
.)
NORA
(
Takes out of the box a tambourine and a long variegated shawl. She hastily drapes the shawl round her. Then she springs to the front of the stage and calls out
.). Now play for me! I am going to dance!
(HELMER
plays and
NORA
dances
. RANK
stands by the piano behind
HELMER,
and looks on
.)
HELMER
(
As he plays
.) Slower, slower!
NORA
I canât do it any other way.
HELMER
Not so violently, Nora!
NORA
This is the way.
HELMER
(
Stops playing
.) No, noâthat is not a bit right.
NORA
(
Laughing and swinging the tambourine
.). Didnât I tell you so?
RANK
Let me play for her.
HELMER
(
Getting up
). Yes, do. I can correct her better then.
(RANK
sits down at the piano and plays.
NORA
dances more and more wildly.
HELMER
has taken up a position beside the stove, and during her dance gives her frequent instructions. She does not seem to hear him; her hair comes down and falls over her shoulders; she pays no attention to it, but goes on dancing. Enter
MRS. LINDE)
MRS. LINDE
(
Standing as if spellbound in the doorway
.) Oh!â
NORA
(
As she dances
.) Such fun, Christine!
HELMER
My dear darling Nora, you are dancing as if your life depended on it.
NORA
So it does.
HELMER
Stop, Rank; this is sheer madness. Stop, I tell you! (RANK
stops playing, and
NORA
suddenly stands still
. HELMER
goes up to her
.) I could never have believed it. You have forgotten everything I taught you.
NORA
(
Throwing away the tambourine
.) There, you see.
HELMER
You will want a lot of coaching.
NORA
Yes, you see how much I need it. You must coach me up to the last minute. Promise me that, Torvald!
HELMER
You can depend on me.
NORA
You must not think of anything but me, either today or tomorrow; you mustnât open a single letterânot even open the letter boxâ
HELMER
Ah, you are still afraid of that fellowâ
NORA
Yes, indeed I am.
HELMER
Nora, I can tell from your looks that there is a letter from him lying there.
NORA
I donât know; I think there is; but you must not read anything of that kind now. Nothing horrid must come between us until this
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