e 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?

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, anyhow I think it would be delightful to have what
one needs.

_Nora_. No, not only what one needs, but heaps and heaps of money.

_Mrs. Linde_ (_smiling_). Nora, Nora, haven't you learnt sense yet? In
our schooldays you were a great spendthrift.

_Nora_ (_laughing_). Yes, that is what Torvald says now. (_Wags her
finger at her_.) But "Nora, Nora" is not so silly as you think. We have
not been in a position for me to waste money. We have both had to work.

_Mrs. Linde_. You too?

_Nora_. Yes; odds and ends, needlework, crochet-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. But during the first year he overworked 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.

_Mrs. Linde_. You spent a whole year in Italy, didn't you?

_Nora_. Yes. It was no easy matter to get away, I can tell you. It was
just after Ivar was born; but naturally we had to go. It was a
wonderfully beautiful journey, and it saved Torvald's life. But it cost
a tremendous lot of money, Christine.

_Mrs. Linde_. So I should think.

_Nora_. It cost about two hundred and fifty pounds. That's a lot, isn't
it?

_Mrs. Linde_. Yes, and in emergencies like that it is lucky to have the
money.

_Nora_. I ought to tell you that we had it from papa.

_Mrs. Linde_. Oh, I see. It was just about that time that he died,
wasn't it?

_Nora_. Yes; and, just think of it, I couldn't go and nurse him. I was
expecting little Ivar's birth every day and I had my poor sick Torvald
to look after. My dear, kind father--I never saw him again, Christine.
That was the saddest time I have known since our marriage.

_Mrs. Linde_. I know how fond you were of him. And then you went off to
Italy?

_Nora_. Yes; you see we had money then, and the doctors insisted on our
going, so we started a month later.

_Mrs. Linde_. And your husband cam