HELMER. And I’m on tenterhooks to see what surprise you have in store for me. NORA. Oh, it’s too tiresome! HELMER. What is? NORA. I can’t think of anything good. Everything seems so foolish and meaningless. HELMER. Has little Nora made that discovery? NORA. [_Behind his chair, with her arms on the back._] Are you very busy, Torvald? HELMER. Well—— NORA. What papers are those? HELMER. Bank business. NORA. Already! HELMER. I have got the retiring manager to let me make some necessary changes in the staff and the organization. I can do this during Christmas week. I want to have everything straight by the New Year. NORA. Then that’s why that poor Krogstad—— HELMER. H’m. NORA. [_Still leaning over the chair-back and slowly stroking his hair._] If you hadn’t been so very busy, I should have asked you a great, great favour, Torvald. HELMER. What can it be? Out with it. NORA. Nobody has such perfect taste as you; and I should so love to look well at the fancy ball. Torvald, dear, couldn’t you take me in hand, and settle what I’m to be, and arrange my costume for me? HELMER. Aha! So my wilful little woman is at a loss, and making signals of distress. NORA. Yes, please, Torvald. I can’t get on without your help. HELMER. Well, well, I’ll think it over, and we’ll soon hit upon something. NORA. Oh, how good that is of you! [_Goes to the tree again; pause._] How well the red flowers show.—Tell me, was it anything so very dreadful this Krogstad got into trouble about? HELMER. Forgery, that’s all. Don’t you know what that means? NORA. Mayn’t he have been driven to it by need? HELMER. Yes; or, like so many others, he may have done it in pure heedlessness. I am not so hard-hearted as to condemn a man absolutely for a single fault. NORA. No, surely not, Torvald! HELMER. Many a man can retrieve his character, if he owns his crime and takes the punishment. NORA. Punishment——? HELMER. But Krogstad didn’t do that. He evaded the law by means of tricks and subterfuges; and that is what has morally ruined him. NORA.