Nora.  It gives me great pain, Torvald, for you have always been so kind to me, but I cannot help it.  I do not love you any more.

Helmer (regaining his composure).  Is that a clear and certain conviction too?

Nora.  Yes, absolutely clear and certain.  That is the reason why I will not stay here any longer.

Helmer.  And can you tell me what I have done to forfeit your love?

Nora.  Yes, indeed I can.  It was to-night, when the wonderful thing did not happen; then I saw you were not the man I had thought you.

Helmer.  Explain yourself better—­I don’t understand you.

Nora.  I have waited so patiently for eight years; for, goodness knows, I knew very well that wonderful things don’t happen every day.  Then this horrible misfortune came upon me; and then I felt quite certain that the wonderful thing was going to happen at last.  When Krogstad’s letter was lying out there, never for a moment did I imagine that you would consent to accept this man’s conditions.  I was so absolutely certain that you would say to him:  Publish the thing to the whole world.  And when that was done—­

Helmer.  Yes, what then?—­when I had exposed my wife to shame and disgrace?

Nora.  When that was done, I was so absolutely certain, you would come forward and take everything upon yourself, and say:  I am the guilty one.

Helmer.  Nora—!

Nora.  You mean that I would never have accepted such a sacrifice on your part?  No, of course not.  But what would my assurances have been worth against yours?  That was the wonderful thing which I hoped for and feared; and it was to prevent that, that I wanted to kill myself.

Helmer.  I would gladly work night and day for you, Nora—­bear sorrow and want for your sake.  But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves.

Nora.  It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done.

Helmer.  Oh, you think and talk like a heedless child.

Nora.  Maybe.  But you neither think nor talk like the man I could bind myself to.  As soon as your fear was over—­and it was not fear for what threatened me, but for what might happen to you—­when the whole thing was past, as far as you were concerned it was exactly as if nothing at all had happened.  Exactly as before, I was your little skylark, your doll, which you would in future treat with doubly gentle care, because it was so brittle and fragile. (Getting up.) Torvald—­it was then it dawned upon me that for eight years I had been living here with a strange man, and had borne him three children—.  Oh!  I can’t bear to think of it!  I could tear myself into little bits!

Helmer (sadly).  I see, I see.  An abyss has opened between us—­there is no denying it.  But, Nora, would it not be possible to fill it up?