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MRS PEARCE Only this , sir, you applied it to your boots, to

the butter, and to the brown bread

HIGGINS Oh, that! Mere alliteration, Mrs Pearce, natural to a poet

MRS PEARCE Well, sir, whatever you choose to call it, I beg you not

to let the girl hear you repeat it

HIGGINS Oh, very well, very well Is that all?

MRS PEARCE No, sir We shall have to be very particular with this

girl as to personal cleanliness

HIGGINS Certainly Quite right Most important

MRS PEARCE Ithings about

HIGGINS [going to her solemnly] Just so I intended to call your

attention to that [He passes on to Pickering, who is enjoying the

conversation i Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of

themselves is as true of personal habits as of , with the air of a man in an unassailable

position]

MRS PEARCE Yes, sir Then ht I ask you not to coown, or at any rate not to use it as a

napkin to the extent you do, sir And if you would be so good as not to

eat everything off the sae saucepan out of your hand on the clean tablecloth, it would be