(Torvald sits down)
Torvald: Well. Krogstad. I thank you for your honesty, and coming down here in person, with your act of so called good. Very brave of you. Certainly very brave.
Krogstad: What do you mean brave?
Torvald: Very brave after you sent those letters to me. Isn’t it Krogstad? How did you know I was going to be as calm as I am right now. Blackmail. Very good of you, you are smarter than I thought you were, but now I see you here I think you an idiot. Maybe I shouldn’t have fired you after all, and all this might have been avoided. But now I’m in this position.
Krogstad: (Notices open letter on table) Torvald, listen. I did that for my family, my children, Torvald. What you would have done, if you were desperate? I am sorry, and I apologise to Nora as well, but I did send you the contract.
Torvald: Yes you did send me the contract, but also the letters, I think you forget.
Krogstad: I have children. They are my life. My life, Torvald, can’t you see that? You spend your life shaping your image, I spend mine trying to feed mine. But now, at least I have a chance I’m willing to take, for my kids, god knows as long as there’s meat on my bones I would do anything for them…
Torvald: Krogstad….Krogstad, Krogstad, Krogstad….(Looks at picture of family on the wall). You do have children, don’t you, as do I…
Krogstad: Yes, thank you for understanding-
Torvald: Please leave.
Krogstad: What?
Torvald: Leave. Don’t ever come back. If you do, I’ll notify the police of what you did. You and Ms Linde and your starving children. Go.
Krogstad: (Walks toward the door and opens it.) You know, Nora did what she did because she loved you, Torvald. Nora-
Torvald: Nora is gone! Nora left me Krogstad! Because of you and your lovely bloody letter! She walked out that door not half hour ago! And out with her went my reputation, my pride, my, my little spendthrift, she left me. Oh god! (Sinks down to his knees crying, Krogstad walks over to him.)
Krogstad: I’m sorry, Torvald. I’m sorry it all had to turn out like this. If I had known-
Torvald: No, don’t apologise, there was no way you could have known. I should apologise. I am sorry. I am sorry for firing you. Sorry for putting you in the position that you are in. I suppose we all get a little hot headed once in a while. (Krogstad goes and lights the fireplace, with his back turned towards Torvald) But, I would never have supposed that everything would have turned out like this. Is it a wonderful thing, Krogstad? Is love wonderful?
Krogstad: Yes, quite wonderful.
Torvald: I can’t remember the last time I loved Nora. All I can remember is how beautiful she looked when I first saw her, and how she reminded me…of a doll, so innocent, so sweet, just waiting to be played with, to be taught about the world, I could dress her up, and she would be mine, people would look at her and think, my Torvald is a lucky man…and I was…. if I ever loved her then I can’t remember when I changed… and if I didn’t then she didn’t deserve me. But, a part of me wishes, wishes that I did, that I should have, that of all the mistakes I could make in my life, and all the mistakes I have made, that the mistake of not loving her, not showing it, and making her runaway like that…that is a mistake that god himself could not forgive.
Krogstad: I am not going to say you are wrong, Torvald, I am only going to offer you hope…that-
Torvald: Come back to your job Krogstad, please, come back. I’ll give you a good position, better than anything you would have wanted. Just come back.
Krogstad: No Torvald, you can’t correct your mistake like that. It has been decided. Ms Linde and I are leaving; our carriage will be waiting for us soon.
Torvald: I don’t understand! Why won’t you accept your job back?
Krogstad: Because, Torvald, I don’t want to work with a man like you. You are inconsiderate, you are full of yourself, you always think of the quick way to solve a problem. You are the epitome of everything in the world that has gone against me.
(Krogstad walks to the door and stands in the door frame)
Torvald: Don’t go, please Krogstad, don’t go. Stay here, work for me, I will change, I have to, don’t you see, how can I go on like this, after everyone finds out about Nora I will be ruined, my reputation, my new job will be taken back, I might even be fired because of this, they need a family man, a man, who has the perfect life. I do not, or ever had the perfect life, I just lost the perfect lie though, and that, is almost the same thing. Almost.
Krogstad: Almost. Torvald, you need some sleep-
Torvald: No! (Gets up) Don’t you see, I’ve been asleep my whole life! I’ve never been more awake, I’ve been following orders before, but Nora leaving, makes me see, the most wonderful thing of all-
Krogstad: Torvald. Goodbye. I wish the best of luck to you, and I wish the best of luck to Nora. Goodbye, get some sleep, and I suggest you stop thinking about Nora. She is gone. People will find out, and you will suffer the concequences. And I do not want to be here to see it. I had too much respect for you. Goodbye. (Walks out of the door, closing it behind him leaving Torvald, who slumps back down again and the fire behind him dies out and leaves him in darkness.)
Torvald: Goodbye.
