[THE SAME SCENE.—The Christmas Tree is in the corner by the piano, stripped of its ornaments and with burnt-down candle-ends on its dishevelled branches. Nora's cloak and hat are lying on the sofa. She is alone in the room, walking about uneasily. She stops by the sofa and takes up her cloak.]
Nora [drops her cloak] Someone is coming now! [Goes to the door and listens.] No—it is no one. Of course, no one will come today, Christmas Day—nor tomorrow either. But, perhaps—[opens the door and looks out]. No, nothing in the letterbox; it is quite empty. [Comes forward.] What rubbish! of course he can't be in earnest about it. Such a thing couldn't happen; it is impossible—I have three little children.
[Enter the Nurse from the room on the left, carrying a big cardboard box.]
Nurse At last I have found the box with the fancy dress. Nora Thanks; put it on the table. Nurse [doing so] But it is very much in want of mending. Nora I should like to tear it into a hundred thousand pieces. Nurse What an idea! It can easily be put in order—just a little patience. Nora Yes, I will go and get Mrs Linde to come and help me with it. Nurse What, out again? In this horrible weather? You will catch cold, ma'am, and make yourself ill. Nora Well, worse than that might happen. How are the children? Nurse The poor little souls are playing with their Christmas presents, but— Nora Do they ask much for me? Nurse You see, they are so accustomed to have their mamma with them. Nora Yes, but, nurse, I shall not be able to be so much with them now as I was before. Nurse Oh well, young children easily get accustomed to anything. Nora Do you think so? Do you think they would forget their mother if she went away altogether? Nurse Good heavens!—went away altogether? Nora Nurse, I want you to tell me something I have often wondered about—how could you have the heart to put your own child out among strangers? Nurse I was obliged to, if I wanted to be little Nora's nurse. Nora Yes, but how could you be willing to do it? Nurse What, when I was going to get such a good place by it? A poor girl who has got into trouble should be glad to. Besides, that wicked man didn't do a single thing for me. Nora But I suppose your daughter has quite forgotten you. Nurse No, indeed she hasn't. She wrote to me when she was confirmed, and when she was married. Nora [putting her arms round her neck] Dear old Anne, you were a good mother to me when I was little. Nurse Little Nora, poor dear, had no other mother but me. Nora And if my little ones had no other mother, I am sure you would— What nonsense I am talking! [Opens the box.] Go in to them. Now I must—. You will see tomorrow how charming I shall look. Nurse I am sure there will be no one at the ball so charming as you, ma'am. [Goes into the room on the left.] Nora [begins to unpack the box, but soon pushes it away from her]; If only I dared go out; If only no one would come; If only I could be sure nothing would happen here in the meantime; Stuff and nonsense! No one will come; Only I mustn't think about it; I will brush my muff. What lovely, lovely gloves! Out of my thoughts, out of my thoughts! One, two, three, four, five, six— [Screams.] Ah! there is someone coming—. [Makes a movement towards the door, but stands irresolute.] [Enter Mrs Linde from the hall, where she has taken off her cloak and hat.] Nora Oh, it's you, Christine. There is no one else out there, is there? How good of you to come! Mrs Linde I heard you were up asking for me. Nora Yes, I was passing by. As a matter of fact, it is something you could help me with. Let us sit down here on the sofa. Look here. Tomorrow evening there is to be a fancy-dress ball at the Stenborgs', who live above us; and Torvald wants me to go as a Neapolitan fisher-girl, and dance the Tarantella that I learned at Capri. Mrs Linde I see; you are going to keep up the character. Nora Yes, Torvald wants me to. Look, here is the dress; Torvald had it made for me there, but now it is all so torn, and I haven't any idea— Mrs Linde We will easily put that right; It is only some of the trimming come unsewn here and there Needle and thread? Now then, that's all we want. Nora It is nice of you. Mrs Linde [sewing] So you are going to be dressed up tomorrow Nora; I will tell you what—I shall come in for a moment and see you in your fine feathers. But I have completely forgotten to thank you for a delightful evening yesterday. Nora [gets up, and crosses the stage] Well, I don't think yesterday was as pleasant as usual. You ought to have come to town a little earlier, Christine. Certainly Torvald does understand how to make a house dainty and attractive. Mrs Linde And so do you, it seems to me; you are not your father's daughter for nothing.