Unit4Pygmalion(3)ACTIIIItisMrs.Higgins'sat-homeday.Nobodyhasyetarrived.Herdrawing-room,inaflatonChelseaembankment,hasthreewindowslookingontheriver;andtheceilingisnotsoloftyasitwouldbeinanolderhouseofthesamepretension.Thewindowsareopen,givingaccesstoabalconywithflowersinpots.Ifyoustandwithyourfacetothewindows,youhavethefireplaceonyourleftandthedoorintheright-handwallclosetothecornernearestthewindows.Mrs.HigginswasbroughtuponMorrisandBurneJones;andherroom,whichisveryunlikeherson'sroominWimpoleStreet,isnotcrowdedwithfurnitureandlittletablesandnicknacks.Inthemiddleoftheroomthereisabigottoman;andthis,withthecarpet,theMorriswall-papers,andtheMorrischintzwindowcurtainsandbrocadecoversoftheottomananditscushions,supplyalltheornament,andaremuchtoohandsometobehiddenbyoddsandendsofuselessthings.Afewgoodoil-paintingsfromtheexhibitionsintheGrosvenorGallerythirtyyearsago(theBurneJones,nottheWhistlersideofthem)areonthewalls.TheonlylandscapeisaCecilLawsononthescaleofaRubens.ThereisaportraitofMrs.HigginsasshewaswhenshedefiedfashioninheryouthinoneofthebeautifulRossettiancostumeswhich,whencaricaturedbypeoplewhodidnotunderstand,ledtotheabsurditiesofpopularestheticismintheeighteen-seventies.InthecornerdiagonallyoppositethedoorMrs.Higgins,nowoversixtyandlongpasttakingthetroubletodressoutofthefashion,sitswritingatanelegantlysimplewriting-tablewithabellbuttonwithinreachofherhand.ThereisaChippendalechairfurtherbackintheroombetweenherandthewindownearestherside.Attheothersideoftheroom,furtherforward,isanElizabethanchairroughlycarvedinthetasteofInigoJones.Onthesamesideapianoinadecoratedcase.ThecornerbetweenthefireplaceandthewindowisoccupiedbyadivancushionedinMorrischintz.Itisbetweenfourandfiveintheafternoon.Thedoorisopenedviolently;andHigginsenterswithhishaton.MRS.HIGGINS[dismayed]Henry[scoldinghim]!Whatareyoudoinghereto-day?Itismyat-homeday:youpromisednottocome.[Ashebendstokissher,shetakeshishatoff,andpresentsittohim].HIGGINS.Ohbother![Hethrowsthehatdownonthetable].MRS.HIGGINS.Gohomeatonce.HIGGINS[kissingher]Iknow,mother.Icameonpurpose.MRS.HIGGINS.Butyoumustnt.I'mserious,Henry.Youoffendallmyfriends:theystopcomingwhenevertheymeetyou.用心爱心专心116号编辑HIGGINS.Nonsense!IknowIhavenosmalltalk;butpeopledontmind.[Hesitsonthesettee].MRS.HIGGINS.Oh!dontthey?Smalltalkindeed!Whataboutyourlargetalk?Really,dear,youmustntstay.HIGGINS.Imust.Iveajobforyou.Aphoneticjob.MRS.HIGGINS.Nouse,dear.I'msorry;butIcantgetroundyourvowels;andthoughIliketogetprettypostcardsinyourpatentshorthand,Ialwayshavetoreadthecopiesinordinarywritingyousothoughtfullysendme.HIGGINS.Well,thisisntaphoneticjob.MRS.HIGGINS.Yousaiditwas.HIGGINS.Notyourpartofit.Ivepickedupagirl.MRS.HIGGINS.Doesthatmeanthatsomegirlhaspickedyouup?HIGGINS.Notatall.Idontmeanaloveaffair.MRS.HIGGINS.Whatapity!HIGGINS.Why?MRS.HIGGINS.Well,youneverfallinlovewithanyoneunderforty-five.Whenwillyoudiscoverthattherearesomerathernice-lookingyoungwomenabout?HIGGINS.Oh,Icantbebotheredwithyoungwomen.Myideaofaloveablewomanissomethingaslikeyouaspossible.Ishallnevergetintothewayofseriouslylikingyoungwomen:somehabitslietoodeeptobechanged.[Risingabruptlyandwalkingabout,jinglinghismoneyandhiskeysinhistrouserpockets]Besides,theyreallidiots.MRS.HIGGINS.Doyouknowwhatyouwoulddoifyoureallylovedme,Henry?HIGGINS.Ohbother!What?Marry,Isuppose?MRS.HIGGINS.No.Stopfidgetingandtakeyourhandsoutof...
