human
Hi, what's all this?
gpt
To what do you refer?
human
I heard a woman singin', that's what!
gpt
So did I.
human
Oh, you did, huh?
gpt
Certainly. It is patent that my ears are as good as yours.
human
Huh! See her?
gpt
For a moment,
human
Well, we can't have none o' this in the streets. It's disorderly.
gpt
My friend, said Hillard, rather annoyed at the policeman's tone,
human
Think? Where's your hat?
gpt
I did not bring it out.
human
Too warm and summery; huh? It don't look good. I've been watchin' these parts fer a leddy. They call her Leddy Lightfinger; an' she has some O' the gents done to a pulp when it comes to liftin' jools an' trinkets. Somebody fergits to lock the front door, an' she finds it out. Why did you come out without yer lid?
gpt
Just forgot it, that's all.
human
Which way'd she go?
gpt
You'll need a map and a search-light. I started to run after her myself. I heard a voice from my window; I saw a woman; I made for the street; _niente_!
human
Huh?
gpt
Oh! I see; Dago. Seems to me now that this woman was singin' I-taly-an, too. They were nearing the light, and the policeman gazed intently at the hatless young man.
human
Why, it's Mr. Hillard! I'm surprised. Well, well! Some day I'll run in a bunch o' these chorus leddies, jes' fer a lesson. They git lively at the restaurants over on Broadway, an' thin they raise the dead with their singin', which, often as not, is anythin' but singin'. An' here it is, after one.
gpt
But this was not a chorus lady,
human
Sure, an' how do you know?
gpt
The lady had a singing voice.
human
Huh! They all think alike about that. But mebbe she wasn't bad at the business. Annyhow....
gpt
It was rather out of time and place, eh?
human
That's about the size of it. This Leddy Lightfinger is a case. She has us all thinkin' on our nights off. Clever an' edjicated, an' jabbers in half a dozen tongues. It's a thousan' to the man who jugs her. But she don't sing; at least, they ain't any report to that effect. Perhaps your leddy was jes' larkin' a bit. But it's got to be stopped.