There might be a few loose groups of passersby who might pause to listen for a little while before tossing cash or a few coins into the hat, a group of girls might even break into an impromptu hopping dance punctuated by "whoo!"s of delight. And among that crowd, he might spot a tall, pale gent in a long, mantled coat, listening with interest, even lingering as the audience drifts away.

He might glance after the departing onlookers. "Must have places to be, but at least they stopped to listen," he notes.