A Doll's House big chunks

I arrived by steamer this morning.

To have some fun at Christmas-time, of course. How delightful! We will have such fun together!

To have some fun at Christmas-time, of course. How delightful! We will have such fun together!

But take off your things. You are not cold, I hope. Now we will sit down by the stove, and be cosy

Now we will sit down by the stove, and be cosy

You take this armchair; I will sit here in the smaller chair.

You take this armchair; I will sit here in the smaller chair.

Now you look like your old self again; it was only the first moment--You are a little paler, Christine, and perhaps a little thinner.

Your husband? What good luck!

Yes, tremendous! A barrister's profession is such an uncertain thing, especially if he won't undertake unsavoury cases; and naturally Torvald has never been willing to do that, and I quite agree with him.

Yes, tremendous! A barrister's profession is such an uncertain thing, especially if he won't undertake unsavoury cases; and naturally Torvald has never been willing to do that, and I quite agree with him.

You may imagine how pleased we are! He is to take up his work in the Bank at the New Year, and then he will have a big salary and lots of commissions.

You may imagine how pleased we are! He is to take up his work in the Bank at the New Year, and then he will have a big salary and lots of commissions.

For the future we can live quite differently--we can do just as we like. I feel so relieved and so happy, Christine! It will be splendid to have heaps of money and not need to have any anxiety, won't it?

You too?

Yes; odds and ends, needlework, crotchet-work, embroidery, and that kind of thing. And other things as well.

Yes; odds and ends, needlework, crotchet-work, embroidery, and that kind of thing. (Dropping her voice.) And other things as well.

You know Torvald left his office when we were married? There was no prospect of promotion there, and he had to try and earn more than before.

You know Torvald left his office when we were married? There was no prospect of promotion there, and he had to try and earn more than before.

But during the first year he over-worked himself dreadfully. You see, he had to make money every way he could, and he worked early and late; but he couldn't stand it, and fell dreadfully ill, and the doctors said it was necessary for him to go south.

I thought your maid said the gentleman who arrived here just as I did, was the doctor?

Yes, that was Doctor Rank, but he doesn't come here professionally. He is our greatest friend, and comes in at least once every day.

Yes, that was Doctor Rank, but he doesn't come here professionally. He is our greatest friend, and comes in at least once every day.

No, Torvald has not had an hour's illness since then, and our children are strong and healthy and so am I.

No, Torvald has not had an hour's illness since then, and our children are strong and healthy and so am I.

Christine! Christine! it's good to be alive and happy!--But how horrid of me; I am talking of nothing but my own affairs

Christine! Christine! it's good to be alive and happy!--But how horrid of me; I am talking of nothing but my own affairs

You mustn't be angry with me. Tell me, is it really true that you did not love your husband? Why did you marry him?

It seems to me imprudent, without his knowledge, to--

But it was absolutely necessary that he should not know! My goodness, can't you understand that? It was necessary he should have no idea what a dangerous condition he was in

But it was absolutely necessary that he should not know! My goodness, can't you understand that? It was necessary he should have no idea what a dangerous condition he was in

It was to me that the doctors came and said that his life was in danger, and that the only thing to save him was to live in the south.

It was to me that the doctors came and said that his life was in danger, and that the only thing to save him was to live in the south.

Do you suppose I didn't try, first of all, to get what I wanted as if it were for myself?

Do you suppose I didn't try, first of all, to get what I wanted as if it were for myself?

I told him how much I should love to travel abroad like other young wives; I tried tears and entreaties with him; I told him that he ought to remember the condition I was in, and that he ought to be kind and indulgent to me; I even hinted that he might raise a loan.

I told him how much I should love to travel abroad like other young wives; I tried tears and entreaties with him; I told him that he ought to remember the condition I was in, and that he ought to be kind and indulgent to me; I even hinted that he might raise a loan.

That nearly made him angry, Christine. He said I was thoughtless, and that it was his duty as my husband not to indulge me in my whims and caprices--as I believe he called them.

That nearly made him angry, Christine. He said I was thoughtless, and that it was his duty as my husband not to indulge me in my whims and caprices--as I believe he called them.

Very well, I thought, you must be saved--and that was how I came to devise a way out of the difficulty--

Mrs. Linde. And since then have you never told your secret to your husband?

Good Heavens, no! How could you think so? A man who has such strong opinions about these things!

Good Heavens, no! How could you think so? A man who has such strong opinions about these things!

And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything!

And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything!

It would upset our mutual relations altogether; our beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now.

Do you mean never to tell him about it?

Yes--someday, perhaps, after many years, when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now.

Yes--someday, perhaps, after many years, when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now.

Don't laugh at me! I mean, of course, when Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is now; when my dancing and dressing-up and reciting have palled on him; then it may be a good thing to have something in reserve

Don't laugh at me! I mean, of course, when Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is now; when my dancing and dressing-up and reciting have palled on him; then it may be a good thing to have something in reserve

What nonsense! That time will never come. Now, what do you think of my great secret, Christine? Do you still think I am of no use?

What nonsense! That time will never come. Now, what do you think of my great secret, Christine? Do you still think I am of no use?

I can tell you, too, that this affair has caused me a lot of worry. It has been by no means easy for me to meet my engagements punctually.

I can tell you, too, that this affair has caused me a lot of worry. It has been by no means easy for me to meet my engagements punctually.

I may tell you that there is something that is called, in business, quarterly interest, and another thing called payment in installments, and it is always so dreadfully difficult to manage them.

I may tell you that there is something that is called, in business, quarterly interest, and another thing called payment in installments, and it is always so dreadfully difficult to manage them.

I have had to save a little here and there, where I could, you understand. I have not been able to put aside much from my housekeeping money, for Torvald must have a good table.

I have had to save a little here and there, where I could, you understand. I have not been able to put aside much from my housekeeping money, for Torvald must have a good table.

I couldn't let my children be shabbily dressed; I have felt obliged to use up all he gave me for them, the sweet little darlings!

So it has all had to come out of your own necessaries of life, poor Nora?

Of course. Besides, I was the one responsible for it. Whenever Torvald has given me money for new dresses and such things, I have never spent more than half of it; I have always bought the simplest and cheapest things.

Of course. Besides, I was the one responsible for it. Whenever Torvald has given me money for new dresses and such things, I have never spent more than half of it; I have always bought the simplest and cheapest things.

Thank Heaven, any clothes look well on me, and so Torvald has never noticed it. But it was often very hard on me, Christine--because it is delightful to be really well dressed, isn't it?

Quite so.

Well, then I have found other ways of earning money. Last winter I was lucky enough to get a lot of copying to do; so I locked myself up and sat writing every evening until quite late at night.

Well, then I have found other ways of earning money. Last winter I was lucky enough to get a lot of copying to do; so I locked myself up and sat writing every evening until quite late at night.

Many a time I was desperately tired; but all the same it was a tremendous pleasure to sit there working and earning money. It was like being a man.

How much have you been able to pay off in that way?

I can't tell you exactly. You see, it is very difficult to keep an account of a business matter of that kind.

I can't tell you exactly. You see, it is very difficult to keep an account of a business matter of that kind.

I only know that I have paid every penny that I could scrape together. Many a time I was at my wits' end.

I only know that I have paid every penny that I could scrape together. Many a time I was at my wits' end.

Then I used to sit here and imagine that a rich old gentleman had fallen in love with me

What! Who was it?

Be quiet!--that he had died; and that when his will was opened it contained, written in big letters, the instruction: "The lovely Mrs. Nora Helmer is to have all I possess paid over to her at once in cash."

But, my dear Nora--who could the man be?

Good gracious, can't you understand? There was no old gentleman at all; it was only something that I used to sit here and imagine, when I couldn't think of any way of procuring money.

Good gracious, can't you understand? There was no old gentleman at all; it was only something that I used to sit here and imagine, when I couldn't think of any way of procuring money.

But it's all the same now; the tiresome old person can stay where he is, as far as I am concerned; I don't care about him or his will either, for I am free from care now.

But it's all the same now; the tiresome old person can stay where he is, as far as I am concerned; I don't care about him or his will either, for I am free from care now.

My goodness, it's delightful to think of, Christine! Free from care! To be able to be free from care, quite free from care; to be able to play and romp with the children; to be able to keep the house beautifully and have everything just as Torvald likes it!

My goodness, it's delightful to think of, Christine! Free from care! To be able to be free from care, quite free from care; to be able to play and romp with the children; to be able to keep the house beautifully and have everything just as Torvald likes it!

And, think of it, soon the spring will come and the big blue sky! Perhaps we shall be able to take a little trip--perhaps I shall see the sea again! Oh, it's a wonderful thing to be alive and be happy.