th a
cigar?

_Nora_ (_with a suppressed smile_). Certainly. Let me give you a
light?

[_RANK lights his cigar, after several ineffectual attempts,
and goes out._

_Helmer_ (_compassionately_). Poo' old RANK--he'sh very bad
to-ni'! (_Pulls himself together._) But I forgot--Bishness--I mean,
bu-si-ness--mush be 'tended to. I'll go and see if there are any
letters. (_Goes to box._) Hallo! someone's been at the lock with a
hairpin--it's one of _your_ hairpins! [_Holding it out to her._

_Nora_ (_quickly_). Not mine--one of BOB's, or IVAR's--they both wear
hairpins!

_Helmer_ (_turning over letters absently_). You must break them
of it--bad habit! What a lot o' lettersh! _double_ usual quantity.
(_Opens KROGSTAD's._) By Jove! (_Reads it and falls back completely
sobered._) What have you got to say to _this_?

_Nora_ (_crying aloud._) You shan't save me--let me go! I _won't_ be
saved!

_Helmer_. Save _you_, indeed! Who's going to save _Me_? You miserable
little criminal. (_Annoyed._) Ugh--ugh!

_Nora_ (_with hardening expression_). Indeed, TORVALD, your
singing-bird acted for the best!

_Helmer_. Singing-bird! Your father was a rook--and you take _after_
him. Heredity again! You have utterly destroyed my happiness. (_Walks
round several times._) Just as I was beginning to get on, too!

_Nora_. I have--but I will go away and jump into the water.

_Helmer_. What good will _that_ do me? People will say _I_ had a hand
in this business (_bitterly_). If you _must_ forge, you might at least
put your dates in correctly! But you never _had_ any principle! (_A
ring._) The front-door bell! (_A fat letter is seen to fall into the
box; HELMER takes it, opens it, sees enclosure, and embraces NORA._)
KROGSTAD won't split. See, he returns the forged I.O.U.! Oh, my poor
little lark, _what_ you must have gone through! Come under my wing,
my little scared song-bird.... Eh? you _won't!_ Why, what's the matter
_now_?

_Nora_ (_with cold calm_). I have wings of my own, thank you, TORVALD,
and I mean to use them!

_Helmer_. What--leave your pretty cage, and (_pathetically_) the old
cock bird, and the poor little innocent eggs!

_Nora_. Exactly. Sit down, and we will talk it over first. (_Slowly._)
Has it ever struck you that this is the first time you and I have ever
talked seriously together about serious things?

_Helmer_. Come, I do like that! How on earth could we talk about
serious things when your mouth was alway