to assure you
that I have forgiven you; you will yourself feel the certainty that I
have done so. Can you suppose I should ever think of such a thing as
repudiating you, or even reproaching you? You have no idea what a true
man's heart is like, Nora. There is something so indescribably sweet and
satisfying, to a man, in the knowledge that he has forgiven his
wife--forgiven her freely, and with all his heart. It seems as if that
had made her, as it were, doubly his own; he has given her a new life,
so to speak; and she is in a way become both wife and child to him. So
you shall be for me after this, my little scared, helpless darling. Have
no anxiety about anything, Nora; only be frank and open with me, and I
will serve as will and conscience both to you--. What is this? Not gone
to bed? Have you changed your things?

_Nora_ (_in everyday dress_). Yes, Torvald, I have changed my things
now.

_Helmer._ But what for?--so late as this.

_Nora._ I shall not sleep tonight.

_Helmer._ But, my dear Nora--

_Nora_ (_looking at her watch_). It is not so very late. Sit down here,
Torvald. You and I have much to say to one another. (_She sits down at
one side of the table_.)

_Helmer._ Nora--what is this?--this cold, set face?

_Nora._ Sit down. It will take some time; I have a lot to talk over with
you.

_Helmer_ (_sits down at the opposite side of the table_). You alarm me,
Nora!--and I don't understand you.

_Nora._ No, that is just it. You don't understand me, and I have never
understood you either--before tonight. No, you mustn't interrupt me. You
must simply listen to what I say. Torvald, this is a settling of
accounts.

_Helmer._ What do you mean by that?

_Nora_ (_after a short silence_). Isn't there one thing that strikes you
as strange in our sitting here like this?

_Helmer._ What is that?

_Nora._ We have been married now eight years. Does it not occur to you
that this is the first time we two, you and I, husband and wife, have
had a serious conversation?

_Helmer._ What do you mean by serious?

_Nora._ In all these eight years--longer than that--from the very
beginning of our acquaintance, we have never exchanged a word on any
serious subject.

_Helmer._ Was it likely that I would be continually and forever telling
you about worries that you could not help me to bear?

_Nora._ I am not speaking about business matters. I say that we have
never sat down in earnest together to try and get at the bo