Higgins [rising] Forgive!  Will she, by George!  Let her go.  Let her find out how she can get on without us.  She will relapse into the gutter in three weeks without me at her elbow.

Doolittle appears at the centre window.  With a look of dignified reproach at Higgins, he comes slowly and silently to his daughter, who, with her back to the window, is unconscious of his approach.

Pickering.  He’s incorrigible, Eliza.  You won’t relapse, will you?

Liza.  No:  Not now.  Never again.  I have learnt my lesson.  I don’t believe I could utter one of the old sounds if I tried. [Doolittle touches her on her left shoulder.  She drops her work, losing her self-possession utterly at the spectacle of her father’s splendor] A—­a—­a—­a—­a—­ah—­ow—­ooh!

Higgins [with a crow of triumph] Aha!  Just so.  A—­a—­a—­a—­ ahowooh!  A—­a—­a—­a—­ahowooh !  A—­a—­a—­a—­ahowooh!  Victory!  Victory! [He throws himself on the divan, folding his arms, and spraddling arrogantly].

Doolittle.  Can you blame the girl?  Don’t look at me like that, Eliza.  It ain’t my fault.  I’ve come into money.

Liza.  You must have touched a millionaire this time, dad.

Doolittle.  I have.  But I’m dressed something special today.  I’m going to St. George’s, Hanover Square.  Your stepmother is going to marry me.

Liza [angrily] You’re going to let yourself down to marry that low common woman!

Pickering [quietly] He ought to, Eliza. [To Doolittle] Why has she changed her mind?

Doolittle [sadly] Intimidated, Governor.  Intimidated.  Middle class morality claims its victim.  Won’t you put on your hat, Liza, and come and see me turned off?

Liza.  If the Colonel says I must, I—­I’ll [almost sobbing] I’ll demean myself.  And get insulted for my pains, like enough.

Doolittle.  Don’t be afraid:  she never comes to words with anyone now, poor woman! respectability has broke all the spirit out of her.

Pickering [squeezing Eliza’s elbow gently] Be kind to them, Eliza.  Make the best of it.

Liza [forcing a little smile for him through her vexation] Oh well, just to show there’s no ill feeling.  I’ll be back in a moment. [She goes out].

Doolittle [sitting down beside Pickering] I feel uncommon nervous about the ceremony, Colonel.  I wish you’d come and see me through it.

Pickering.  But you’ve been through it before, man.  You were married to Eliza’s mother.

Doolittle.  Who told you that, Colonel?

Pickering.  Well, nobody told me.  But I concluded naturally—­

Doolittle.  No:  that ain’t the natural way, Colonel:  it’s only the middle class way.  My way was always the undeserving way.  But don’t say nothing to Eliza.  She don’t know:  I always had a delicacy about telling her.