[_To_ HELMER.] And the doctor has just come, sir. HELMER. Has he gone into my study? ELLEN. Yes, sir. [HELMER _goes into his study._ ELLEN _ushers in_ MRS. LINDEN, _in travelling costume, and goes out, closing the door._ MRS. LINDEN. [_Embarrassed and hesitating._] How do you do, Nora? NORA. [_Doubtfully._] How do you do? MRS. LINDEN. I see you don’t recognise me. NORA. No, I don’t think—oh yes!—I believe——[_Suddenly brightening._] What, Christina! Is it really you? MRS. LINDEN. Yes; really I! NORA. Christina! And to think I didn’t know you! But how could I——[_More softly._] How changed you are, Christina! MRS. LINDEN. Yes, no doubt. In nine or ten years—— NORA. Is it really so long since we met? Yes, so it is. Oh, the last eight years have been a happy time, I can tell you. And now you have come to town? All that long journey in mid-winter! How brave of you! MRS. LINDEN. I arrived by this morning’s steamer. NORA. To have a merry Christmas, of course. Oh, how delightful! Yes, we _will_ have a merry Christmas. Do take your things off. Aren’t you frozen? [_Helping her._] There; now we’ll sit cosily by the fire. No, you take the arm-chair; I shall sit in this rocking-chair. [_Seizes her hands._] Yes, now I can see the dear old face again. It was only at the first glance——But you’re a little paler, Christina—and perhaps a little thinner. MRS. LINDEN. And much, much older, Nora. NORA. Yes, perhaps a little older—not much—ever so little. [_She suddenly checks herself; seriously._] Oh, what a thoughtless wretch I am! Here I sit chattering on, and——Dear, dear Christina, can you forgive me! MRS. LINDEN. What do you mean, Nora? NORA. [_Softly._] Poor Christina! I forgot: you are a widow. MRS. LINDEN. Yes; my husband died three years ago. NORA. I know, I know; I saw it in the papers. Oh, believe me, Christina, I did mean to write to you; but I kept putting it off, and something always came in the way. MRS. LINDEN. I can quite understand that, Nora dear. NORA. No, Christina; it was horrid of me. Oh, you poor darling! how much you must have gone through!—And he left you nothing? MRS. LINDEN. Nothing. NORA. And no children? MRS. LINDEN. None.