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please you, Torvald!--I will sing for you, dance for you--(HELMER
comes in with some papers under his arm.) Oh! are you back
already?.

Helmer. Yes. Has anyone been here?

Nora. Here? No.

Helmer. That is strange. I saw Krogstad going out of the gate.

Nora. Did you? Oh yes, I forgot, Krogstad was here for a moment.

Helmer. Nora, I can see from your manner that he has been here
begging you to say a good word for him.

Nora. Yes.

Helmer. And you were to appear to do it of your own accord; you
were to conceal from me the fact of his having been here; didn't
he beg that of you too?

Nora. Yes, Torvald, but--

Helmer. Nora, Nora, and you would be a party to that sort of
thing? To have any talk with a man like that, and give him any
sort of promise? And to tell me a lie into the bargain?

Nora. A lie--?

Helmer. Didn't you tell me no one had been here? (Shakes his
finger at her.) My little songbird must never do that again. A
songbird must have a clean beak to chirp with--no false notes!
(Puts his arm round her waist.) That is so, isn't it? Yes, I am
sure it is. (Lets her go.) We will say no more about it. (Sits
down by the stove.) How warm and snug it is here! (Turns over his
papers.)

Nora (after a short pause, during which she busies herself with
the Christmas Tree.) Torvald!

Helmer. Yes.

Nora. I am looking forward tremendously to the fancy-dress ball
at the Stenborgs' the day after tomorrow.

Helmer. And I am tremendously curious to see what you are going
to surprise me with.

Nora. It was very silly of me to want to do that.

Helmer. What do you mean?

Nora. I can't hit upon anything that will do; everything I think
of seems so silly and insignificant.

Helmer. Does my little Nora acknowledge that at last?

Nora (standing behind his chair with her arms on the back of it).
Are you very busy, Torvald?

Helmer. Well--

Nora. What are all those papers?

Helmer. Bank business.

Nora. Already?

Helmer. I have got authority from the retiring manager to
undertake the necessary changes in the staff and in the
rearrangement of the work; and I must make use of the
Christmas week for that, so as to have everything in order
for the new year.

Nora. Then that was why this poor Krogstad--

Helmer. Hm!

Nora (leans against the back of his chair and strokes his hair).

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