Eliza smiles for the first time; expresses her feelings by a wild pantomime in which an imitation of Higgins’s exit is confused with her own triumph; and finally goes down on her knees on the hearthrug to look for the ring.

ACT V

Mrs. Higgins’s drawing-room.  She is at her writing-table as before.  The parlor-maid comes in.

The parlor-maid [at the door] Mr. Henry, mam, is downstairs with Colonel Pickering.

Mrs. Higgins.  Well, show them up.

The parlor-maid.  They’re using the telephone, mam.  Telephoning to the police, I think.

Mrs. Higgins.  What!

The parlor-maid [coming further in and lowering her voice] Mr.
Henry’s in a state, mam.  I thought I’d better tell you.

Mrs. Higgins.  If you had told me that Mr. Henry was not in a state it would have been more surprising.  Tell them to come up when they’ve finished with the police.  I suppose he’s lost something.

The parlor-maid.  Yes, mam [going].

Mrs. Higgins.  Go upstairs and tell Miss Doolittle that Mr. Henry and the Colonel are here.  Ask her not to come down till I send for her.

The parlor-maid.  Yes, mam.

Higgins bursts in.  He is, as the parlor-maid has said, in a state.

Higgins.  Look here, mother:  here’s a confounded thing!

Mrs. Higgins.  Yes, dear.  Good-morning. [He checks his impatience and kisses her, whilst the parlor-maid goes out].  What is it?

Higgins.  Eliza’s bolted.

Mrs. Higgins [calmly continuing her writing] You must have frightened her.

Higgins.  Frightened her! nonsense!  She was left last night, as usual, to turn out the lights and all that; and instead of going to bed she changed her clothes and went right off:  her bed wasn’t slept in.  She came in a cab for her things before seven this morning; and that fool Mrs. Pearce let her have them without telling me a word about it.  What am I to do?

Mrs. Higgins.  Do without, I’m afraid, Henry.  The girl has a perfect right to leave if she chooses.

Higgins [wandering distractedly across the room] But I can’t find anything.  I don’t know what appointments I’ve got.  I’m—­ [Pickering comes in.  Mrs. Higgins puts down her pen and turns away from the writing-table].

Pickering [shaking hands] Good-morning, Mrs. Higgins.  Has Henry told you? [He sits down on the ottoman].

Higgins.  What does that ass of an inspector say?  Have you offered a reward?

Mrs. Higgins [rising in indignant amazement] You don’t mean to say you have set the police after Eliza?

Higgins.  Of course.  What are the police for?  What else could we do? [He sits in the Elizabethan chair].