sed as
he was yesterday?

_Nora_. No; yesterday it was very noticeable. I must tell you that he
suffers from a _very_ dangerous disease. He has consumption of the
spine, poor creature. His father was a horrible man who committed all
sorts of excesses; and that is why his son was sickly from childhood, do
you understand?

_Mrs. Linde_ (_dropping her sewing_). But, my dearest Nora, how do you
know anything about such things?

_Nora_ (_walking about_). Pooh! When you have three children, you get
visits now and then from--from married women, who know something of
medical matters, and they talk about one thing and another.

_Mrs. Linde_ (_goes on sewing. A short silence_). Does Doctor Rank come
here every day?

_Nora_. Every day regularly. He is Torvald's most intimate friend, and a
great friend of mine too. He is just like one of the family.

_Mrs. Linde_. But tell me this--is he perfectly sincere? I mean, isn't
he the kind of a man that is very anxious to make himself agreeable?

_Nora_. Not in the least. What makes you think that?

_Mrs. Linde_. When you introduced him to me yesterday, he declared he
had often heard my name mentioned in this house; but afterwards I
noticed that your husband hadn't the slightest idea who I was. So how
could Doctor Rank--?

_Nora_. That is quite right, Christine. Torvald is so absurdly fond of
me that he wants me absolutely to himself, as he says. At first he used
to seem almost jealous if I mentioned any of the dear folk at home, so
naturally I gave up doing so. But I often talk about such things with
Doctor Rank, because he likes hearing about them.

_Mrs. Linde_. Listen to me, Nora. You are still very like a child in
many ways, and I am older than you in many ways and have a little more
experience. Let me tell you this--you ought to make an end of it with
Doctor Rank.

_Nora_. What ought I to make an end of?

_Mrs. Linde_. Of two things, I think. Yesterday you talked some nonsense
about a rich admirer who was to leave you money--

_Nora_. An admirer who doesn't exist, unfortunately! But what then?

_Mrs. Linde_. Is Doctor Rank a man of means?

_Nora_. Yes, he is.

_Mrs. Linde_. And has no one to provide for?

_Nora_. No, no one; but--

_Mrs. Linde_. And comes here every day?

_Nora_. Yes, I told you so.

_Mrs. Linde_. But how can this well-bred man be so tactless?

_Nora_. I don't understand you at all.

_Mrs. Linde_. Don't prevaricate, Nora. Do you suppose I