THE NOTE TAKER. I've thought of that. Perhaps I shall some day.
The rain has stopped; and the persons on the outside of the crowd begin
to drop off.
THE FLOWER GIRL [resenting the reaction] He's no gentleman, he ain't,
to interfere with a poor girl.
THE DAUGHTER [out of patience, pushing her way rudely to the front and
displacing the gentleman, who politely retires to the other side of the
pillar] What on earth is Freddy doing? I shall get pneumonia if I stay
in this draught any longer.
THE NOTE TAKER [to himself, hastily making a note of her pronunciation
of "monia"] Earlscourt.
THE DAUGHTER [violently] Will you please keep your impertinent remarks
to yourself?
THE NOTE TAKER. Did I say that out loud? I didn't mean to. I beg your
pardon. Your mother's Epsom, unmistakeably.
THE MOTHER [advancing between her daughter and the note taker] How very
curious! I was brought up in Largelady Park, near Epsom.
THE NOTE TAKER [uproariously amused] Ha! ha! What a devil of a name!
Excuse me. [To the daughter] You want a cab, do you?
THE DAUGHTER. Don't dare speak to me.
THE MOTHER. Oh, please, please Clara. [Her daughter repudiates her with
an angry shrug and retires haughtily.] We should be so grateful to you,
sir, if you found us a cab. [The note taker produces a whistle]. Oh,
thank you. [She joins her daughter]. The note taker blows a piercing
blast.
THE SARCASTIC BYSTANDER. There! I knowed he was a plain-clothes copper.
THE BYSTANDER. That ain't a police whistle: that's a sporting whistle.
THE FLOWER GIRL [still preoccupied with her wounded feelings] He's no
right to take away my character. My character is the same to me as any
lady's.
THE NOTE TAKER. I don't know whether you've noticed it; but the rain
stopped about two minutes ago.
THE BYSTANDER. So it has. Why didn't you say so before? and us losing
our time listening to your silliness. [He walks off towards the Strand].
THE SARCASTIC BYSTANDER. I can tell where you come from. You come from
Anwell. Go back there.
THE NOTE TAKER [helpfully] _H_anwell.
THE SARCASTIC BYSTANDER [affecting great distinction of speech] Thenk
you, teacher. Haw haw! So long [he touches his hat with mock respect
and strolls off].
THE FLOWER GIRL. Frightening people like that! How would he like it
himself.
THE MOTHER. It's quite fine now, Clara. We can walk to a motor bus.
Come. [She gathers her skirts above her ankles and hurries off towards
the Strand].
THE DAUGHTER. But the cab--[her mother is out of hearing]. Oh, how
tiresome! [She follows angrily].