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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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But how’s this? NORA What, Torvald dear? HELMER Rank led me to expect a grand transformation. RANK [In the doorway.] So I understood. I suppose I was mistaken. NORA No, no one shall see me in my glory till to-morrow evening. HELMER Why, Nora dear, you look so tired. Have you been practising too hard? NORA No, I haven’t practised at all yet. HELMER But you’ll have toNORA Oh yes, I must, I must! But, Torvald, I can’t get on at all without your help. I’ve forgotten everything. HELMER Oh, we shall soon freshen it up again. NORA Yes, do help me, Torvald. You must promise me-Oh, I’m so nervous about it. Before so many people-This evening you must give yourself up entirely to me. You mustn’t do a stroke of work; you mustn’t even touch a pen. Do promise, Torvald dear! HELMER I promise. All this evening I shall be your slave. Little helpless thing-! But, by-the-bye, I must just[Going to hall door. NORA What do you want there? HELMER Only to see if there are any letters. NORA No, no, don’t do that, Torvald. HELMER Why not? NORA Torvald, I beg you not to. There are none there. HELMER Let me just see. [Is going. NORA, at the piano, plays the first bars of the tarantella. HELMER [At the door, stops.] Aha! NORA I can’t dance to-morrow if I don’t rehearse with you first. HELMER [Going to her.] Are you really so nervous, dear Nora? NORA Yes, dreadfully! Let me rehearse at once. We have time before dinner. Oh, do sit down and play for me, Torvald dear; direct me and put me right, as you used to do. HELMER With all the pleasure in life, since you wish it. [Sits at piano. NORA snatches the tambourine out of he box, and hurriedly drapes herself in a long parti-coloured shawl; then, with a bound, stands in the middle of the floor. NORA Now play for me! Now I’ll dance! [HELMER plays and NORA dances. RANK stands at the piano behind HELMER and looks on. HELMER [Playing.] Slower! Slower! NORA Can’t do it slower! HELMER Not so violently, Nora. NORA I must! I must! HELMER [Stops.] No, no, Nora-that will never do. |
