登陆注册
16237600000010

第10章 ACT I(10)

Helmer.I have got authority from the retiring manager to undertake the necessary changes in the staff and in the rearrangement of the work;and I must make use of the Christmas week for that,so as to have everything in order for the new year.

Nora.Then that was why this poor Krogstad--Helmer.Hm!

Nora (leans against the back of his chair and strokes his hair).

If you hadn't been so busy I should have asked you a tremendously big favour,Torvald.

Helmer.What is that?Tell me.

Nora.There is no one has such good taste as you.And I do so want to look nice at the fancy-dress ball.Torvald,couldn't you take me in hand and decide what I shall go as,and what sort of a dress I shall wear?

Helmer.Aha!so my obstinate little woman is obliged to get someone to come to her rescue?

Nora.Yes,Torvald,I can't get along a bit without your help.

Helmer.Very well,I will think it over,we shall manage to hit upon something.

Nora.That is nice of you.(Goes to the Christmas Tree.A short pause.)How pretty the red flowers look--.But,tell me,was it really something very bad that this Krogstad was guilty of?

Helmer.He forged someone's name.Have you any idea what that means?

Nora.Isn't it possible that he was driven to do it by necessity?

Helmer.Yes;or,as in so many cases,by imprudence.I am not so heartless as to condemn a man altogether because of a single false step of that kind.

Nora.No,you wouldn't,would you,Torvald?

Helmer.Many a man has been able to retrieve his character,if he has openly confessed his fault and taken his punishment.

Nora.Punishment--?

Helmer.But Krogstad did nothing of that sort;he got himself out of it by a cunning trick,and that is why he has gone under altogether.

Nora.But do you think it would--?

Helmer.Just think how a guilty man like that has to lie and play the hypocrite with every one,how he has to wear a mask in the presence of those near and dear to him,even before his own wife and children.And about the children--that is the most terrible part of it all,Nora.

Nora.How?

Helmer.Because such an atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home.Each breath the children take in such a house is full of the germs of evil.

Nora (coming nearer him).Are you sure of that?

Helmer.My dear,I have often seen it in the course of my life as a lawyer.Almost everyone who has gone to the bad early in life has had a deceitful mother.

Nora.Why do you only say--mother?

Helmer.It seems most commonly to be the mother's influence,though naturally a bad father's would have the same result.Every lawyer is familiar with the fact.This Krogstad,now,has been persistently poisoning his own children with lies and dissimulation;that is why I say he has lost all moral character.

(Holds out his hands to her.)That is why my sweet little Nora must promise me not to plead his cause.Give me your hand on it.

Come,come,what is this?Give me your hand.There now,that's settled.I assure you it would be quite impossible for me to work with him;I literally feel physically ill when I am in the company of such people.

Nora (takes her hand out of his and goes to the opposite side of the Christmas Tree).How hot it is in here;and I have such a lot to do.

Helmer (getting up and putting his papers in order).Yes,and Imust try and read through some of these before dinner;and I must think about your costume,too.And it is just possible I may have something ready in gold paper to hang up on the Tree.(Puts his hand on her head.)My precious little singing-bird!(He goes into his room and shuts the door after him.)Nora (after a pause,whispers).No,no--it isn't true.It's impossible;it must be impossible.

(The NURSE opens the door on the left.)

Nurse.The little ones are begging so hard to be allowed to come in to mamma.

Nora.No,no,no!Don't let them come in to me!You stay with them,Anne.

Nurse.Very well,ma'am.(Shuts the door.)Nora (pale with terror).Deprave my little children?Poison my home?(A short pause.Then she tosses her head.)It's not true.

It can't possibly be true.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 风吟榆荫绕倾

    风吟榆荫绕倾

    作为一名苦逼少女,季澜澜表示非常无奈,入学第一天上学迟到,翻墙入校,结果被一名帅哥看到,囧……出校,“一不小心”拿鞋子砸到了学生会会长!汗,纳尼!他叫慕倾杰?!算了,她还是跑路吧
  • 殇红颜:

    殇红颜:

    百年轮回之中只有你、我、他,剪不断理还乱。冥冥之中遇见了你,回眸一笑媚百生。曾经的人事已成过眼云烟。漫天飞絮却挡不住离开的脚步,烟花烂漫也放不下心中的惦念,几度春秋仍抹不去深深的记忆。对你、对他、对我,几近心灰而又舍之不去,凉人心头,为之而愁。
  • 水长成

    水长成

    老奶奶的声音在我耳边萦绕。她挑起眉头露出凶恶的笑:“你已经不是原来的自己了”她因为痛苦选择了离开,却发现自己迈进了另一个痛苦,她挣扎着要逃离这个魔咒但她的心却狠狠的烙下了疤。她只是个普通女生但被迫发出储备的力量登上顶界的高峰,另一个自己吞噬了她,一点点。她再一次被迫喝下了断魂水,她说重来一次她甘愿一开始就是个错误
  • 郁曲倾城,带着神器找夫君

    郁曲倾城,带着神器找夫君

    她是绝代神医,一朝穿越,竟成废柴三小姐,虽有个好爹,却有着烂姐。灵力?神器?神兽?哼,全都不在话下!神农鼎在手,药丸随便一抓就一大把;银针在手,疑难杂症不是事;神兽在手,什么敌人都是渣;本小姐什么都不缺,就是缺个美男夫君哈!有意者过来应聘啊,哎,妖孽你幻化灵力想干嘛……【女主双面派,男主腹黑派,不喜勿喷哈!】
  • 君子谋:嗜宠冷王妃

    君子谋:嗜宠冷王妃

    他是风华霁月的王爷,她是四大王府其一阑王府中唯一的小姐,一个温润如玉,一个温和谦婉,本来的青梅竹马到后来的淡漠疏离,令其他人百思不得其解,本以为她会嫁给战王世子,却不曾想一场大火,将两个人的命运再次牵扯到一起,后来才明白,他们的命运,从来都是拴在一起的……
  • 快穿之任务进行时

    快穿之任务进行时

    她,一直是一个传说。三岁考入精英大学,四岁毕业,五岁创立属于自己的商业帝国。她站在世界顶端。她一觉醒来,契约了系统,开展了任务之旅.……
  • 神武系统

    神武系统

    苍茫寰宇,诸天万域,亘古混沌,武道天路,试问谁主沉浮!!!
  • 风花雪月,空空罢了

    风花雪月,空空罢了

    风花雪月,惹人羡慕,最后回头发现,不过是空空一片……她是千年不死的雪山一脉的最后一人,生活没有追求,活着还有什么意思?但是她遇到了她这一生中的一个巨大转折点——裴翼珂。是这个小正太让她重拾生活的希望,可是他的父亲居然是当年她唯一一个朋友的血脉延续。九百多岁的差距,能否跨越?可当他知道她的身份后为什么一切都变了?他拿起她送给他的剑,亲手将她送入万劫不复的地域……
  • 都市魔女行

    都市魔女行

    是乖乖女还是魔女?是淑女还是女汉子?一枚祖传玉佩让他觉醒了异能,不过觉醒的貌似不只有异能,还有……且看随着她的觉醒,这世界会因她而如何改变……
  • 魔法冰雪奇缘

    魔法冰雪奇缘

    本作作为电影《冰雪奇缘》的同人小说,只可惜迪斯尼的编剧并没有将艾莎的高冷气质和安娜的活泼性格体现地淋漓尽致,更没有将可能发生在阿伦黛尔一场巨大危机叙说出来。现在我们跟随着女主角爱情的脚步,在童话里,去寻找一个史诗般的冰雪世界。