Nora.
[Her arms round his neck.] Torvald! Goodnight! good-night!
Helmer.
[Kissing her forehead!] Good-night, my little song-bird. Sleep well, Nora. Now I shall go and read my letters.
[He goes with the letters in his hand into his room and shuts the door.
Nora.
[With wild eyes, gropes about her, seizes Helmer’s domino, throws it round her, and whispers quickly, hoarsely, and brokenly.] Never to see him again. Never, never, never. [Throws her shawl over her head.] Never to see the children again. Never, never.—Oh that black, icy water! Oh that bottomless——! If it were only over! Now he has it; he’s reading it. Oh, no, no, no, not yet. Torvald, good-bye——! Good-bye, my little ones——!
[She is rushing out by the hall; at the same moment Helmer flings his door open, and stands there with an open letter in his hand.
Helmer.
Nora!