NORA. Oh, you wouldn’t understand. Go in to them, I will come in a moment. _[Mrs Linde goes into the dining-room. NORA stands still for a little while, as if to compose herself. Then she looks at her watch.]_ Five o’clock. Seven hours until midnight; and then four-and-twenty hours until the next midnight. Then the Tarantella will be over. Twenty-four and seven? Thirty-one hours to live. HELMER. _[from the doorway on the right]_. Where’s my little skylark? NORA. _[going to him with her arms outstretched]_. Here she is! ACT III _[THE SAME SCENE.—The table has been placed in the middle of the stage, with chairs around it. A lamp is burning on the table. The door into the hall stands open. Dance music is heard in the room above. Mrs Linde is sitting at the table idly turning over the leaves of a book; she tries to read, but does not seem able to collect her thoughts. Every now and then she listens intently for a sound at the outer door.]_ MRS LINDE. _[looking at her watch]_. Not yet—and the time is nearly up. If only he does not—. _[Listens again.]_ Ah, there he is. _[Goes into the hall and opens the outer door carefully. Light footsteps are heard on the stairs. She whispers.]_ Come in. There is no one here. KROGSTAD. _[in the doorway]_. I found a note from you at home. What does this mean? MRS LINDE. It is absolutely necessary that I should have a talk with you. KROGSTAD. Really? And is it absolutely necessary that it should be here? MRS LINDE. It is impossible where I live; there is no private entrance to my rooms. Come in; we are quite alone. The maid is asleep, and the Helmers are at the dance upstairs. KROGSTAD. _[coming into the room]_. Are the Helmers really at a dance tonight? MRS LINDE. Yes, why not? KROGSTAD. Certainly—why not? MRS LINDE. Now, Nils, let us have a talk. KROGSTAD. Can we two have anything to talk about? MRS LINDE. We have a great deal to talk about. KROGSTAD. I shouldn’t have thought so. MRS LINDE. No, you have never properly understood me. KROGSTAD. Was there anything else to understand except what was obvious to all the world—a heartless woman jilts a man when a more lucrative chance turns up? MRS LINDE. Do you believe I am as absolutely heartless as all that? And do you believe that I did it with a light heart? KROGSTAD. Didn’t you? MRS LINDE. Nils, did you really think that? KROGSTAD. If it were as you say, why did you write to me as you did at the time? MRS LINDE. I could do nothing else. As I had to break with you, it was my duty also to put an end to all that you felt for me. KROGSTAD. _[wringing his hands]_. So that was it. And all this—only for the sake of money! MRS LINDE. You must not forget that I had a helpless mother and two little brothers. We couldn’t wait for you, Nils; your prospects seemed hopeless then. KROGSTAD. That may be so, but you had no right to throw me over for anyone else’s sake.