A Doll's House - DA10

memorizing lines!

Hello, Nora.

Hello—

You don’t recognize me.

No, I don’t know—but wait, I think—What! Kristine! Is it really you?

Yes, it’s me.

Kristine! To think I didn’t recognize you. But then, how could I? How you’ve changed, Kristine!

Yes, no doubt I have. In nine—ten long years.

Is it so long since we met! Yes, it’s all of that. Oh, these last eight years have been a happy time, believe me. And so now you’ve come into town, too. Made the long trip in the winter. That took courage.

I just got here by ship this morning.

To enjoy yourself over Christmas, of course. Oh, how lovely! Yes, enjoy ourselves, we’ll do that. But take your coat off. You’re not still cold? You’re a bit more pale, Kristine—and maybe a bit thinner.

And much, much older, Nora.

Yes, perhaps a bit older; a tiny, tiny bit; not much at all. Oh, but thoughtless me, to sit here, chattering away. Sweet, good Kristine, can you forgive me?

What do you mean, Nora?

Poor Kristine, you’ve become a widow.

Yes, three years ago.

Oh, I knew it, of course; I read it in the papers. Oh, Kristine, you must believe me; I often thought of writing to you then, but I kept postponing it, and something always interfered.

Nora dear, I understand completely.

No, it was awful of me, Kristine. You poor thing, how much you must have gone through. And he left you nothing?

No. (I)

And no children?

No. (II)

Nothing at all, then?

Not even a sense of loss to feed on.

But Kristine, how could that be?

Oh, sometimes it happens, Nora.

So completely alone. So terribly hard it must be for you. I have three lovely children. You can’t see them now; they’re out with the maid. But now you must tell me everything—

No, no, no, tell me about yourself.

No, you begin. Today I don’t want to be selfish. I want to think only of you today. But there is something I must tell you. Did you hear of the wonderful luck we had recently?

No, what’s that?

My husband’s been made manager of the bank, just think!

Your husband? How marvelous!

Oh, we’re simply delighted, believe me! He’ll join the bank right after New Year’s and start getting a huge salary and lots of commissions. From now on we can live quite differently—just as we want. Oh, Kristine, I feel so light and happy! Won’t it be lovely to have stacks of money and not a care in the world?