Pygmalion

Less patient ones bid her shut her head, or ask her roughly what is

wrong with her. A remoter group, not knowing what the matter is, crowd

in and increase the noise with question and answer: What's the row?

What she do? Where is he? A tec taking her down. What! him? Yes: him

over there: Took money off the gentleman, etc. The flower girl,

distraught and mobbed, breaks through them to the gentleman, crying

mildly] Oh, sir, don't let him charge me. You dunno what it means to

me. They'll take away my character and drive me on the streets for

speaking to gentlemen. They--

THE NOTE TAKER [coming forward on her right, the rest crowding after

him] There, there, there, there! Who's hurting you, you silly girl?

What do you take me for?

THE BYSTANDER. It's all right: he's a gentleman: look at his boots.

[Explaining to the note taker] She thought you was a copper's nark, sir.

THE NOTE TAKER [with quick interest] What's a copper's nark?

THE BYSTANDER [inept at definition] It's a--well, it's a copper's nark,

as you might say. What else would you call it? A sort of informer.

THE FLOWER GIRL [still hysterical] I take my Bible oath I never said a

word--

THE NOTE TAKER [overbearing but good-humored] Oh, shut up, shut up. Do

I look like a policeman?

THE FLOWER GIRL [far from reassured] Then what did you take down my

words for? How do I know whether you took me down right? You just show

me what you've wrote about me. [The note taker opens his book and holds

it steadily under her nose, though the pressure of the mob trying to

read it over his shoulders would upset a weaker man]. What's that? That

ain't proper writing. I can't read that.

THE NOTE TAKER. I can. [Reads, reproducing her pronunciation exactly]

"Cheer ap, Keptin; n' haw ya flahr orf a pore gel."

THE FLOWER GIRL [much distressed] It's because I called him Captain. I

meant no harm. [To the gentleman] Oh, sir, don't let him lay a charge

agen me for a word like that. You--

THE GENTLEMAN. Charge! I make no charge. [To the note taker] Really,

sir, if you are a detective, you need not begin protecting me against

molestation by young women until I ask you. Anybody could see that the

girl meant no harm.

THE BYSTANDERS GENERALLY [demonstrating against police espionage]

Course they could. What business is it of yours? You mind your own

affairs. He wants promotion, he does. Taking down people's words! Girl

never said a word to him. What harm if she did? Nice thing a girl can't