Less patient ones bid her shut her head, or ask her roughly what is
wrong with her. A remoter group, not knowing what the matter is, crowd
in and increase the noise with question and answer: What's the row?
What she do? Where is he? A tec taking her down. What! him? Yes: him
over there: Took money off the gentleman, etc. The flower girl,
distraught and mobbed, breaks through them to the gentleman, crying
mildly] Oh, sir, don't let him charge me. You dunno what it means to
me. They'll take away my character and drive me on the streets for
speaking to gentlemen. They--
THE NOTE TAKER [coming forward on her right, the rest crowding after
him] There, there, there, there! Who's hurting you, you silly girl?
What do you take me for?
THE BYSTANDER. It's all right: he's a gentleman: look at his boots.
[Explaining to the note taker] She thought you was a copper's nark, sir.
THE NOTE TAKER [with quick interest] What's a copper's nark?
THE BYSTANDER [inept at definition] It's a--well, it's a copper's nark,
as you might say. What else would you call it? A sort of informer.
THE FLOWER GIRL [still hysterical] I take my Bible oath I never said a
word--
THE NOTE TAKER [overbearing but good-humored] Oh, shut up, shut up. Do
I look like a policeman?
THE FLOWER GIRL [far from reassured] Then what did you take down my
words for? How do I know whether you took me down right? You just show
me what you've wrote about me. [The note taker opens his book and holds
it steadily under her nose, though the pressure of the mob trying to
read it over his shoulders would upset a weaker man]. What's that? That
ain't proper writing. I can't read that.
THE NOTE TAKER. I can. [Reads, reproducing her pronunciation exactly]
"Cheer ap, Keptin; n' haw ya flahr orf a pore gel."
THE FLOWER GIRL [much distressed] It's because I called him Captain. I
meant no harm. [To the gentleman] Oh, sir, don't let him lay a charge
agen me for a word like that. You--
THE GENTLEMAN. Charge! I make no charge. [To the note taker] Really,
sir, if you are a detective, you need not begin protecting me against
molestation by young women until I ask you. Anybody could see that the
girl meant no harm.
THE BYSTANDERS GENERALLY [demonstrating against police espionage]
Course they could. What business is it of yours? You mind your own
affairs. He wants promotion, he does. Taking down people's words! Girl
never said a word to him. What harm if she did? Nice thing a girl can't