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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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Yes, we will have a merry Christmas. Do take your things off. Aren’t you frozen? [Helping her.] There; now we’ll sit cosily by the fire. No, you take the arm-chair; I shall sit in this rocking-chair. [Seizes her hands.] Yes, now I can see the dear old face again. It was only at the first glance-But you’re a little paler, Christina-and perhaps a little thinner. MRS. LINDEN And much, much older, Nora. NORA Yes, perhaps a little older-not much-ever so little. [She suddenly checks herself; seriously.] Oh, what a thoughtless wretch I am! Here I sit chattering on, and-Dear, dear Christina, can you forgive me! MRS. LINDEN What do you mean, Nora? NORA[Softly.] Poor Christina! I forgot: you are a widow. MRS. LINDEN Yes; my husband died three years ago. NORA I know, I know; I saw it in the papers. Oh, believe me, Christina, I did mean to write to you; but I kept putting it off, and something always came in the way. MRS. LINDEN I can quite understand that, Nora dear. NORA No, Christina; it was horrid of me. Oh, you poor darling! how much you must have gone through!- And he left you nothing? MRS. LINDEN Nothing. NORA And no children? MRS. LINDEN None. NORA Nothing, nothing at all? MRS. LINDEN Not even a sorrow or a longing to dwell upon. NORA [Looking at her incredulously.] My dear Christina, how is that possible? MRS. LINDEN [Smiling sadly and stroking her hair.] Oh, it happens so sometimes, Nora. NORA So utterly alone! How dreadful that must be! I have three of the loveliest children. I can’t show them to you just now; they’re out with their nurse. But now you must tell me everything. MRS. LINDEN No, no; I want you to tell meNORA No, you must begin; I won’t be egotistical to-day. To-day I’ll think only of you. Oh! but I must tell you one thing- perhaps you’ve heard of our great stroke of fortune? MRS. LINDEN No. What is it? NORA Only think! my husband has been made manager of the Joint Stock Bank. MRS. LINDEN Your husband! Oh, how fortunate! NORA Yes; isn’t it? A lawyer’s position is so uncertain, you see, especially when he won’t touch any business that’s the least bit shady, as of course Torvald never would; and there I quite agree with him. Oh! you can imagine how glad we are. He is to enter on his new position at the New Year, and then he’ll have a large salary, and percentages. In future we shall be able to live quite differentlyjust as we please, in fact. Oh, Christina, I feel so lighthearted and happy! It’s delightful to have lots of money, |
