Mrs. Pearce.  But what’s to become of her?  Is she to be paid anything?  Do be sensible, sir.

Higgins.  Oh, pay her whatever is necessary:  put it down in the housekeeping book. [Impatiently] What on earth will she want with money?  She’ll have her food and her clothes.  She’ll only drink if you give her money.

Liza [turning on him] Oh you are a brute.  It’s a lie:  nobody ever saw the sign of liquor on me. [She goes back to her chair and plants herself there defiantly].

Pickering [in good-humored remonstrance] Does it occur to you, Higgins, that the girl has some feelings?

Higgins [looking critically at her] Oh no, I don’t think so.  Not any feelings that we need bother about. [Cheerily] Have you, Eliza?

Liza.  I got my feelings same as anyone else.

Higgins [to Pickering, reflectively] You see the difficulty?

Pickering.  Eh?  What difficulty?

Higgins.  To get her to talk grammar.  The mere pronunciation is easy enough.

Liza.  I don’t want to talk grammar.  I want to talk like a lady.

Mrs. Pearce.  Will you please keep to the point, Mr. Higgins.  I want to know on what terms the girl is to be here.  Is she to have any wages?  And what is to become of her when you’ve finished your teaching?  You must look ahead a little.

Higgins [impatiently] What’s to become of her if I leave her in the gutter?  Tell me that, Mrs. Pearce.

Mrs. Pearce.  That’s her own business, not yours, Mr. Higgins.

Higgins.  Well, when I’ve done with her, we can throw her back into the gutter; and then it will be her own business again; so that’s all right.

Liza.  Oh, you’ve no feeling heart in you:  you don’t care for nothing but yourself [she rises and takes the floor resolutely].  Here!  I’ve had enough of this.  I’m going [making for the door].  You ought to be ashamed of yourself, you ought.

Higgins [snatching a chocolate cream from the piano, his eyes suddenly beginning to twinkle with mischief] Have some chocolates, Eliza.

Liza [halting, tempted] How do I know what might be in them?  I’ve heard of girls being drugged by the like of you.

Higgins whips out his penknife; cuts a chocolate in two; puts one half into his mouth and bolts it; and offers her the other half.

Higgins.  Pledge of good faith, Eliza.  I eat one half you eat the other.

[Liza opens her mouth to retort:  he pops the half chocolate into it].  You shall have boxes of them, barrels of them, every day.  You shall live on them.  Eh?

Liza [who has disposed of the chocolate after being nearly choked by it] I wouldn’t have ate it, only I’m too ladylike to take it out of my mouth.

Higgins.  Listen, Eliza.  I think you said you came in a taxi.