at you did, you did
out of love for me.

Nora. That is true.

Helmer. You have loved me as a wife ought to love her husband. Only you
had not sufficient knowledge to judge of the means you used. But do you
suppose you are any the less dear to me, because you don't understand
how to act on your own responsibility? No, no; only lean on me; I
will advise you and direct you. I should not be a man if this womanly
helplessness did not just give you a double attractiveness in my eyes.
You must not think anymore about the hard things I said in my first
moment of consternation, when I thought everything was going to
overwhelm me. I have forgiven you, Nora; I swear to you I have forgiven
you.

Nora. Thank you for your forgiveness. (She goes out through the door to
the right.)

Helmer. No, don't go--. (Looks in.) What are you doing in there?

Nora (from within). Taking off my fancy dress.

Helmer (standing at the open door). Yes, do. Try and calm yourself,
and make your mind easy again, my frightened little singing-bird. Be at
rest, and feel secure; I have broad wings to shelter you under. (Walks
up and down by the door.) How warm and cosy our home is, Nora. Here is
shelter for you; here I will protect you like a hunted dove that I
have saved from a hawk's claws; I will bring peace to your poor beating
heart. It will come, little by little, Nora, believe me. Tomorrow
morning you will look upon it all quite differently; soon everything
will be just as it was before. Very soon you won't need me 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 has 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.

No