the treasures of my Miltonic mind by spreading them
before you. Once for all, understand that I go my way and do my work
without caring twopence what happens to either of us. I am not
intimidated, like your father and your stepmother. So you can come back
or go to the devil: which you please.

LIZA. What am I to come back for?

HIGGINS [bouncing up on his knees on the ottoman and leaning over it to
her] For the fun of it. That's why I took you on.

LIZA [with averted face] And you may throw me out tomorrow if I don't
do everything you want me to?

HIGGINS. Yes; and you may walk out tomorrow if I don't do everything
YOU want me to.

LIZA. And live with my stepmother?

HIGGINS. Yes, or sell flowers.

LIZA. Oh! if I only COULD go back to my flower basket! I should be
independent of both you and father and all the world! Why did you take
my independence from me? Why did I give it up? I'm a slave now, for all
my fine clothes.

HIGGINS. Not a bit. I'll adopt you as my daughter and settle money on
you if you like. Or would you rather marry Pickering?

LIZA [looking fiercely round at him] I wouldn't marry YOU if you asked
me; and you're nearer my age than what he is.

HIGGINS [gently] Than he is: not "than what he is."

LIZA [losing her temper and rising] I'll talk as I like. You're not my
teacher now.

HIGGINS [reflectively] I don't suppose Pickering would, though. He's as
confirmed an old bachelor as I am.

LIZA. That's not what I want; and don't you think it. I've always had
chaps enough wanting me that way. Freddy Hill writes to me twice and
three times a day, sheets and sheets.

HIGGINS [disagreeably surprised] Damn his impudence! [He recoils and
finds himself sitting on his heels].

LIZA. He has a right to if he likes, poor lad. And he does love me.

HIGGINS [getting off the ottoman] You have no right to encourage him.

LIZA. Every girl has a right to be loved.

HIGGINS. What! By fools like that?

LIZA. Freddy's not a fool. And if he's weak and poor and wants me, may
be he'd make me happier than my betters that bully me and don't want me.

HIGGINS. Can he MAKE anything of you? That's the point.

LIZA. Perhaps I could make something of him. But I never thought of us
making anything of one another; and you never think of anything else. I
only want to be natural.

HIGGINS. In short, you want me to be as infatuated about you as Freddy?
Is that it?

LIZA. No I don't. That's not the sort of feeling