[_Laughs and swings her tambourine._] Didn’t I tell you so! RANK. Let me play for her. HELMER. [_Rising._] Yes, do—then I can direct her better. [RANK _sits down to the piano and plays;_ NORA _dances more and more wildly._ HELMER _stands by the stove and addresses frequent corrections to her; she seems not to hear. Her hair breaks loose, and falls over her shoulders. She does not notice it, but goes on dancing._ MRS. LINDEN _enters and stands spellbound in the doorway._ MRS. LINDEN. Ah——! NORA. [_Dancing._] We’re having such fun here, Christina! HELMER. Why, Nora dear, you’re dancing as if it were a matter of life and death. NORA. So it is. HELMER. Rank, stop! This is the merest madness. Stop, I say! [RANK _stops playing, and_ NORA _comes to a sudden standstill._ HELMER. [_Going towards her._] I couldn’t have believed it. You’ve positively forgotten all I taught you. NORA. [_Throws the tambourine away._] You see for yourself. HELMER. You really do want teaching. NORA. Yes, you see how much I need it. You must practise with me up to the last moment. Will you promise me, Torvald? HELMER. Certainly, certainly. NORA. Neither to-day nor to morrow must you think of anything but me. You mustn’t open a single letter—mustn’t look at the letter-box. HELMER. Ah, you’re still afraid of that man—— NORA. Oh yes, yes, I am. HELMER. Nora, I can see it in your face—there’s a letter from him in the box. NORA. I don’t know, I believe so. But you’re not to read anything now; nothing ugly must come between us until all is over. RANK. [_Softly, to_ HELMER.] You mustn’t contradict her. HELMER. [_Putting his arm around her._] The child shall have her own way. But to-morrow night, when the dance is over—— NORA. Then you shall be free. ELLEN _appears in the doorway, right._ ELLEN. Dinner is on the table, ma’am. NORA. We’ll have some champagne, Ellen. ELLEN. Yes, ma’am. [_Goes out._ HELMER. Dear me! Quite a banquet. NORA. Yes, and we’ll keep it up till morning. [_Calling out._] And macaroons, Ellen—plenty—just this once.