something that ever kept Anna Maria awake at night. She knew she
wanted to devote her life solely to music. She’d heard enough
stories from the older women to make her flesh crawl. Once
married, a woman had nothing more to contribute. Pregnancy was
physical torture, and you were lucky to survive one delivery after
another. And then the suffering! The least lucky were those who
survived all their own children. And there was always a good
chance that your husband would die, and then who would provide
for yourself and your children? Before you knew it you were
knocking at the door of the poorhouse or selling your own body to
seamen and good-time tourists.
‘Of course, there are happy moments too,’ admitted the
women. But what did they remember of those now? Love was a fine
thing to dream about. But one thing had become plain over the
years, and that was that the virgins of the Pietà were spared many a
nasty disease. The sinning that began with love was all too often
rewarded with sores, sickness and premature death. How could it
be other than that the putte escaped all this? They enjoyed the direct
protection of the Holy Maria!
In truth, the Pietà is like an ark afloat upon turbulent and
dangerous seas. Safety dwells within her walls and membership of
the choir endows unprecedented status. Within the boundaries of
their own world, the women and girls have the chance to develop
intellectually without posing a threat to any man. The regime of
study and prayer within a secure environment is a good recipe for a
long and healthy life. Look at Bastiana, Stella, Anzoletta, Ortensia,
not to mention Marcolina, all still active choir members and every
one of them more than sixty years old!
Maestro di Violino Don Vivaldi, nicknamed Il Prete Rosso, is the first
man with whom Anna Maria has ever been in regular contact. He
discovered her! She adores the priest, whom she alone lovingly but
respectfully calls ‘Babbo’. To her, he is the father she has always
lacked. And now that Babbo has given her this chance everything
will be wonderful! She has learned with equal flair to play cello,
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