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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 My little Nora, between your father and me there is all the difference in the world. Your father was not altogether unimpeachable. I am; and I hope to remain so. NORA Oh, no one knows what wicked men may hit upon. We could live so quietly and happily now, in our cosy, peaceful home, you and I and the children, Torvald! That’s why I beg and implore youHELMER And it is just by pleading his cause that you make it impossible for me to keep him. It’s already known at the Bank that I intend to dismiss Krogstad. If it were now reported that the new manager let himself be turned round his wife’s little fingerNORA What then? HELMER Oh, nothing, so long as a wilful woman can have her way-! I am to make myself a laughing-stock to the whole staff, and set people saying that I am open to all sorts of outside influence? Take my word for it, I should soon feel the consequences. And besides there is one thing that makes Krogstad impossible for me to work withNORA What thing? HELMER I could perhaps have overlooked his moral failings at a pinchNORA Yes, couldn’t you, Torvald? HELMER And I hear he is good at his work. But the fact is, he was a college chum of mine-there was one of those rash friendships between us that one so often repents of later. I may as well confess it at oncehe calls me by my Christian name; 11 and he is tactless enough to do it even when others are present. He delights in putting on airs of familiarity-Torvald here, Torvald there! I assure you it’s most painful to me. He would make my position at the Bank perfectly unendurable. NORA Torvald, surely you’re not serious? HELMER No? Why not? 11 In the original, “We say ‘thou’ to each other.” NORA That’s such a petty reason. HELMER What! Petty! Do you consider me petty! NORA No, on the contrary, Torvald dear; and that’s just whyHELMER Never mind; you call my motives petty; then I must be petty too. Petty! Very well!- Now we’ll put an end to this, once for all. [Goes to the door into the hall and calls.] Ellen! NORA What do you want? HELMER [Searching among his papers.] To settle the thing. [ELLEN enters.] Here; take this letter; give it to a messenger. See that he takes it at once. The address is on it. Here’s the money. ELLEN Very well, sir. [Goes with the letter. HELMER [Putting his papers together.] There, Madam Obstinacy. NORA [Breathless.] Torvald-what was in the letter? HELMER Krogstad’s dismissal. NORA Call it back again, Torvald! There’s still time. Oh, Torvald, call it back again! For my sake, for your own, for the children’s sake! Do you hear, Torvald? Do it! You don’t know what that letter may bring upon us all. HELMER Too late. |
