doll! (_Takes the baby from the_ MAID _and dances it up and down._) Yes,
yes, mother will dance with Bob too. What! Have you been snow-balling? I
wish I had been there too! No, no, I will take their things off, Anne;
please let me do it, it is such fun. Go in now, you look half frozen.
There is some hot coffee for you on the stove.

(_The_ NURSE _goes into the room on the left. Nora takes off the
children's things and throws them about, while they all talk to her at
once_.)

_Nora._ Really! Did a big dog run after you? But it didn't bite you? No,
dogs don't bite nice little dolly children. You mustn't look at the
parcels, Ivar. What are they? Ah, I daresay you would like to know. No,
no--it's something nasty! Come, let us have a game. What shall we play
at? Hide and Seek? Yes, we'll play Hide and Seek. Bob shall hide first.
Must I hide? Very well, I'll hide first. (_She and the children laugh
and shout, and romp in and out of the room; at last Nora hides under the
table the children rush in and look for her, but do not see her; they
hear her smothered laughter run to the table, lift up the cloth and find
her. Shouts of laughter. She crawls forward and pretends to frighten
them. Fresh laughter. Meanwhile there has been a knock at the hall door,
but none of them has noticed it. The door is half opened, and KROGSTAD
appears. He waits a little; the game goes on._)

_Krogstad_. Excuse me, Mrs. Helmer.

_Nora_ (_with a stifled cry, turns round and gets up on to her knees_).
Ah! what do you want?

_Krogstad_. Excuse me, the outer door was ajar; I suppose someone forgot