Ragtime soundtrack – What Kind Of Woman lyrics

[MOTHER]
Get Kathleen
[LITTLE BOY]
Get Kathleen, I tell you! Call the doctor!
[KATHLEEN]
Is it alive? Oh, please, God, let it be.
[MOTHER]
It's alive. It's a Negro child. A newborn baby boy.
What kind of woman
Would do such a thing?
Why in God's name
Is my husband not here?
I'm such a fool!
Why did I say
He was free to go?
What am I to do?
Where are your instructions,
My dear?
You left me lists.
Everything in lists!
Well, your little lists
Aren't very helpful,
I fear!
Each day, the maids
Trudge up the hill.
The hired help arrives.
I never stopped to think
They might
have lives beyond out lives...
[POLICEMAN]
We found her in the cellar of a home on the next
block. She's a washwoman there. Her name is Sarah.
[MOTHER]
Where will you take her?
[POLICEMAN]
to the charity ward. Eventually she will have to
stand trial.
[YOUNGER BROTHER]
What charges?
[POLICEMAN]
Well, attempted murder, I should think.
[MOTHER]
What's going to happen to the baby?
[DOCTOR]
They have places for unfortunates like this.
[MOTHER]
I will take responsibility for mother and child.
Please take Miss Sarah inside.
What kind of woman
Would do what I've done-
Open the door
to such chaos and pain!
You would have
Gently closed the door,
And gently turned the key,
And gently told me not to look,
For fear of what I'd see.
What kind of woman
Would that have made me?