Amelia di Cielo and the Blackmailer – Part I

Guest Author Uncategorized

Jaycee writes (and thank you as always, Jaycee):

The story below is from an age of a kind of fading feudalism, an age when position and religion ruled the small villages dotted amongst the Dolomites of Northern Italy. It was told by my father to my mother and then to me. It is from around the turn of the 20th century, when the church creatures wielded enormous power in those communities. It is a tale that could be told from any number of small villages in those days – the tyranny of power, no matter how small, over those who could be exploited, who can be silenced – perhaps not THAT different from now! The actions by the criminals can be the same, but it is how the individual overcomes that bullying that is different. Some run, some succumb, some become violent . . .

The heroine of our little moment, from the lowest rung in the social ladder of such a community, chose instead – chose deliberately – to rely on her self-knowledge and confidence in her own honesty and character for no recognition, no reward and, but for this story, completely forgotten.

To me therein lies true courage.

I have dramatised it because in itself, if told as a passing anecdote, it could be related in a paragraph or two, but that would be to omit the background and the build-up toward the crux of the story-line. So c’mon – ride with us on the tail of the tale, so to speak . . .

Amelia di Cielo was a widow who lived many years ago in her sister’s house in the mountain village of Vigo Lomaso set snug at the foot of the Dolomites in the north of Italy. Being a widow in a small village had its drawbacks in those days, as she had no-one to support her. Being also without children, she would have no-one but her sister to look after her in her old age. After cautious consideration of her status in the village pecking order, Amelia di Cielo decided to take in laundry to earn a small income. She also would walk up into the mountains and gather bundles of thick-twigs which she would tie up with stout twine and cart back to sell for kindling. The money from these small enterprises would, she hoped, be enough to put away for her old age.

Every day she could be seen hanging her customers’ washing, like brightly coloured banners flapping in the breeze, on a long line between two trees at the back of her sister’s house. She would hang her customers’ washing between two shawls, one orange and one black, given to her by her mother years before; this was so there would be no mix-ups with her sister’s clothes. Amelia took pride in her humble little business, and as with many people of such penury, she put that extra effort in applying her labour, her elbow-grease – her clothes were so clean they seemed to glow with brightness! The other village women walking past always remarked with a shaking of their heads and a waving of their arm. “Amelia!” they’d shout in greeting, “Amelia di Cielo, tell us how you get your washing so bright!” Amelia would laugh and shout back, “Wouldn’t you like to know. But then I’d be out of business!” And the women would stump away shaking their heads and grinning, and Amelia would laugh in sympathy.

In the same village there lived an old widower. His wife had died only that year and he was having some difficulty keeping the house in order. Amelia did the laundry for the woman next door who told her about Signor Cacchio’s misfortune.

Being a kindly person, Amelia, after some thought decided, as there was only he in the house, there wouldn’t be much washing for only one old man. So she went to Signor Cacchio and offered to take in some of his clothes for free. She could easily fit in a few of his essentials with the rest of the wash: “A spoonful of water doesn’t make a difference to a river,” she said to herself.

But there: it’s a curious thing that the best of intentions can sometimes lead to the most insidious accusations. The parish priest’s assistant was a mean man. He could even be called a criminal, indeed, a criminal.

Lay brother Fichi had the eyes of a stalking animal; always looking, looking, looking. He saw himself as a self-appointed guardian of the diocese and printed a parish news-sheet. He wouldn’t neglect to print – if it suited his intent in a cunning, off the cuff way – any tasty bit of gossip he set his stalking eyes on and his large, large ears heard.

On one of his stealthy strolls about the village, he spied Amelia di Cielo coming out of the small flat of widower Cacchio with a bundle of clothes. To any other person this would have been logically assessed as Amelia picking up the laundry of another customer, and promptly forgotten; that is, to any other person, not Lay brother Fichi!

He slyly observed Amelia for the best part of that day washing those clothes along with the rest of her customers in an old copper out the back of her sister’s house. As she was pegging out widower Cacchio’s trousers, Lay brother Fichi smiled a wicked smile to himself. Taking himself out of hiding, he sauntered up to Amelia di Cielo with his hands in his pockets.

“Good afternoon to you, Widow Amelia,” he smirked. “A goodly swag of washing today – but rather a poor customer.”

He lifted the damp trouser leg of Signor Cacchio’s and let it flop down heavily on the line. “What would you charge a widower that everyone knows has less gold than a silver shilling?”

“I do not charge him at all,” answered Amelia di Cielo.

“But you go to his house?” queried Fichi slyly.

“And I take out his washing,” said Amelia quietly. For she was well aware of Lay brother Fichi’s wily tongue.

“You may say that, Amelia, but do the parishioners of this village know that? Or will they suspect an illicit acquaintance, an opportune acquaintance with Signor Cacchio, who as everyone knows should still be in mourning for his dearly departed wife? Could this be an affair without the blessing of our council?”

Amelia kept washing the clothes, but slower now as she grasped the cunning insinuation of his conversation. She looked him up and down out of the corner of her eye.

“They do not ‘suspect’ yet, Lay-brother Fichi, but I’m sure you could concoct a tale for them.”

“A tale, Signora? I see with my eyes, I tell. Let others believe what they will. I am but a messenger of the diocese.”

“Of the devil!” muttered Amelia. “But why do you watch me, Lay-brother Fichi? I am innocently doing my daily chores!” Amelia struck her small clenched fist angrily on her chest. Lay-brother Fichi just smiled his cunning smile and spoke condescendingly, almost affectionately, to the widow.

“Caro Ame1ia,” he smi1ed. “At your age! Don’t you know it’s almost always the innocent who are accused! One rarely gets to see the guilty ones commit their crimes.” And here he chuckled softly and gazed over his shoulder.

“Besides, he added seriously, “times are tight just now.”

“Well, what is it you want, Signor Fichi? To tell me these suspicions of yours?”

Lay-brother Fichi kept one hand in his pocket and with the other lifted the trouser leg of Signor Cacchio’s and let it fall, again and again, slowly, while he appeared to deliberate on Amelia’s question.

Though it may seem strange to you, an educated cosmopolitan, that any accusation of moral impropriety could have repercussions against such a person as Amelia di Cielo, you have to understand village thinking and social structure of that era. The church and its creatures were powerful figures in the communities; they wielded enormous influence on the peasants there. A village population has the collective personality of a single individual: a bit independent, whilst at the same time part of the crowd; a little suspicious, totally trusting; a free thinker a bored conservative . . . All this and more, but at the same time it loves a lurid tale, especially an immoral one.

Lay-brother Fichi was one of the best at dressing up a lurid tale and Amelia was just the sort of innocent victim that such people love to pitch on. Still more, other people love to criticise – and to be ostracised from the community in those times, when in such an impoverished state, was almost equivalent to a sentence of death.

“I want you to be able to keep your little business going, Amelia di Cielo.” He looked slyly at Amelia who remained silent and continued to plunge the clothes into the steaming water of the copper.

“I want people to be able to confidently trust their washer-woman not to stain their personal linen with any sin of impropriety. But of course, I must report to the parish any, er, indiscretion that I witness . . . unless?”

“Unless what, Lay-brother Fichi?” Amelia whispered. Signor Fichi looked slyly over his shoulder, but this was not new ground to him.

“A small amount of liras could keep my lips sealed.”

Amelia froze in her actions for just a second and a puzzled expression came over her face.

“How much?” she asked, automatically curious.

“Oh, I know what you charge and how much you take in. Let us say ten per cent per month.” He smiled as though he had concluded a cunning business deal.

Amelia thought fast, for although Signor Fichi had the criminal’s cunning, Amelia too, was cunning and she had time on her side. It seemed so simple, yet so complicated. All the pros and cons of the situation went into and out of her head. It wasn’t a question of guilt; she was old enough to know how people thought. It was enough in bored people’s minds to be even accused of an impropriety. It was enough for people to savour the luxury of seeing someone else getting it in the neck for them to ostracize her and then she would lose her customer, one by one. Oh yes, a few would stay, but only out of being seen to snub their noses at village convention. But their custom would be like cold charity. No, there was no defence with whining explanations to all too eager ears: “No smoke without fire!” she could hear them say. No, she would have to think of something else to shake this leech off her back.

“All right, Signor Fichi, give me a day . . . no, two! Two days to reconcile myself and I will see you again, but not here. I don’t want people to think the evil that you presume. I will meet you at the trattoria on Thursday and we will conduct any business we have to do there.”

“Very well, widow Amelia, ciao till Thursday.” He lifted the trouser leg of Signor Cacchio’s again with insinuating intent and smiling his cat smile, let it flop down heavily. “Till Thursday morning, and no later.” He turned and slunk away.

“Oh Dio, oh Dio!” Amelia sat down on a small green stool next to the tub that held the wrung clothes, What to do, what to do? She needed time and quiet to think. She finished her washing and hurried off to the church. She enjoyed the dark silence of that building and there she could pray and think.

“Maybe God will find me a way,” she mused.

(Image Credit: Biblioteca Comunale di Trento)

621 thoughts on “Amelia di Cielo and the Blackmailer – Part I”

  2. I came across a lovely new word to describe Bananas today –

    And to be fair, just so no-one thinks i’m biased or anything, this one describes me –

  6. Abbott gave Victoria to Labor with his sulk over the east west tunnel.
    Typical bully boy Taking his bat and ball and going home after not getting his own way.

  8. leonetwo

    Any bank that lent Twiggy money deserves to be burnt. He had hawked around his pet project for many years. It had never been able to attract financial backing. There was a good reason, it was a high cost operation. It only became “viable” when the price rocketed. Anyone who banked on this lasting is an eejit of the first water.

    Gina’s mega project Roy Hill was also hawked around for years and like Twiggy could not find backers for the same reason. She will also take a hit , how sad too bad.

  9. Leone & Kaffeeklatscher,

    There are times when too much Schadenfreude and karma are never enough.

  13. Re Community Cabinets – I was fortunate in attending one of Julia Gillard’s last in 2013 here in Freo!

    “…………….My immediate impression on seeing the PM mingling informally at last night’s fundraiser in Fremantle, was how small she is. So much has been made of her derriere by the media, that I wondered if she had lost weight recently. Even so that shouldn’t affect her overall proportions. She came across as a slightly built woman, modestly dressed in a black trouser suit and sensible shoes, with immaculately groomed hair and stylish glasses which added character to her face, but left it open to scrutiny.

    As she always is of course, unlike the Opposition Leader who walks away from awkward questions. Of course the event was not a press conference, it was a fund raiser billed as ‘The PM in Conversation With Ben Elton.’ Even so, there was some searching questioning along with the light hearted banter, particularly about asylum seekers.

    I haven’t got my thoughts about last night together yet. I woke up this morning to Joe Hockey’s comment about the Prime Minister never having had respect which is laughable. She received a standing ovation on arrival and departure and our local member, Melissa Parkes told me her office receives calls and emails daily reflecting the same feelings of admiration and respect and urging her and other Caucus members to stay loyal………….”

  15. Patricia,

    I well remember your observations after that meeting. Still green with envy.

  20. Kaffeeklatscher,

    Double yuk.

    Ducky,

    Very nice – a proper ship.

    I should explain.

    I’ve finished reading

    and have started the next in the series

    which touches upon Harwich (as it were – as my wonderful maths teacher used to say).

    The first photo I posted was of Harwich, with that abomination dwarfing a charming place.

    The abomination is the Costa Atlantica, which I suppose could be described as a sister ship of the late and infamously-captained Costa Concordia.

  21. Political Animal

    A couple of Aussie sites I know nothing about but they may be worth a look.

    NEW! Rare Blue Pod Capucijner Pea Pisum sativum – 25 Seeds $ 4.81

    A rare versatile beautiful heirloom / heritage vegetable developed in Holland by Franciscan Capucin monks in the 1500s.
    Highly ornamental, produces lovely purple-blue pods and pink and magenta flowers. The young pods can be eaten like snow peas, later as snap peas, and then the dried peas make great mashed peas or soup.

    http://www.ecrater.com.au/p/21506650/rare-blue-pod-capucijner-pea

    PEAS ‘Purple Podded’

    Pisum sativum var. arvense

    This old variety (Capucijner) has delightful fragrant, purple-pink flowers followed by attractive deep purple pods, which are filled with green peas. A strong climber up to 150cm tall. Eat pods fresh when young and tender or use the green peas either cooked or dried. Peas need well drained, limy soil and should be watered well over the summer months. 20 seeds

    $3.50 Heirloom

    http://www.southernharvest.com.au/seed/peas-purple-podded

  25. I’m sure attacking That Woman running Queensland will be at the top of the wife-beater’s agenda. He can dig out all the stuff he used to abuse Julia Gillard.

  26. Abbott, Macfarlane and Abetz will be rubbing their hands.

    Scientists and other staff at the CSIRO will take industrial action following months of stalled negotiation over a new industrial agreement.

    More than 88% of staff polled at the research agency – which has been forced to shed one in five of its employees over the past two years – voted in favour of industrial action, which will begin with work bans but may escalate to strikes.

    http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/apr/16/csiro-scientists-to-take-industrial-action-after-negotiations-stall

  27. We had Julia Gillard. Now we have a sociopathic little prick calling itself prime minister.

  28. Another Campbell Newman triumph

    A controversial Queensland magistrate vacated his country court circuit after he was accused of improperly influencing a case by contacting a witness due to testify before him.

    Stuart Shearer, who was one of a number of contentious legal appointments by the former Newman government, drew the complaint from lawyers representing an Indigenous defendant who faced Woorabinda magistrates court earlier this year.

    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/apr/16/queensland-magistrate-leaves-his-court-circuit-months-early-after-complaint

  30. This little black duck

    “I believe that can be refuted very quickly.”

    A shame for the brussel sprout that in a recent radio interview with a former boss cocky from Manus (?) he said they informed the minister of the abuse 18 months ago.

  31. https://www.crikey.com.au/2015/04/16/revealed-suppressed-government-report-slams-mental-health-services/ paywalled for the first 14 days, but the direct links to the pdfs are below, easily downloaded if you are of so mind

    Click to access NMHCreviewVol1.pdf

    Click to access NMHCVol2.pdf

    Click to access NMHCReviewVol-3.pdf

    Click to access NMHCReviewVol4-Combined-with-Cover.pdf

    http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/swedens-feminist-foreign-minister

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ontario-adopts-cap-and-trade-system-to-reduce-greenhouse-gases-1.3030996 announced 13 April

    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/csiro-staff-pledge-industrial-action/story-e6frgcjx-1227306782210 no paywall

    http://kevinbonham.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/godless-wealthy-greens-too-rich-by-half.html

  33. Geez, how underwhelming.

    Millionaire politican catches train – boasts about it, as if it was some sort of amazing achievement.

  39. Puffy,

    They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

    Well, my little (ex) female miniature schnauzer (and oh what a delightful animal she was) suddenly had full-time canine company when she was five years old – my grandmama’s comparatively recently adopted little (ex) male Australian terrier, who had been terrorized as a pup, and was a very difficult character indeed.

    Within three months of the two of them living in the same place, not only did they get up to all sorts of mischief together – such as becoming adept at escapology (I swear I once saw my little Imp holding back a strand of the chicken wire fence that ran through the pyracanthus hedge on the block’s western boundary with her teeth, while Peter Wilberforce made the hole as wide as he could with his much narrower muzzle) – but Imp started cocking her leg whenever she needed/wanted to urinate.

  40. Kaffeeklatcher
    I have been saving seed from my capucijners for a while now. Diggers and Eden Seeds also stock it. Capucijners dry very easily, no need to freeze them.

  41. Good morning Dawn Patrollers. It’s a bumper edition today!

    Religion’s come a long way since the Middle Ages hasn’t it?
    http://www.smh.com.au/world/muslim-asylum-seekers-throw-christian-passengers-overboard-in-mediterranean-killing-12-20150416-1mmwrh.html
    Waleed Aly comes out jabbing against the nature of the new vaccination policy, He writes very well and persuasively – an excellent journalist.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/in-opposing-the-antivaccination-movement-a-sledgehammer-cannot-win-battle-of-the-needle-20150416-1mm1w8.html
    How long before the banks put out a contract on Adele Ferguson?
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/comment-and-analysis/banks-rotten-financial-planning-structure-is-teetering-20150416-1mmdqw.html
    More strife at the top of the NSW Police tree.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-deputy-commissioner-nick-kaldas-may-face-charges-from-ombudsman-inquiry-20150416-1mmczo.html
    On the face of it the effects of the localised bar lockouts have been contagious.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/lockout-laws-assaults-down-40-per-cent-in-sydney-city-but-no-evidence-we-are-drinking-less-20150416-1mm70x.html
    Mental health experts are dismayed at the government’s response to the report from the Mental Health Commission.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/health-minister-sussan-ley-disturbing-picture-of-mental-health-in-australia-but-experts-slam-her-bureaucratic-response-20150416-1mmn85.html
    Qantas is flying a bit too “efficiently” for comfort and could lose valuable Heathrow landing slots.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviation/qantas-risks-large-fines-losing-slots-at-heathrow-for-late-a380s-internal-memo-20150416-1mmciq.html
    Mark Kenny says blood will be spilt at COAG today as the premiers won’t get sucked in by Abbott’s “unicorns”.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviation/qantas-risks-large-fines-losing-slots-at-heathrow-for-late-a380s-internal-memo-20150416-1mmciq.html
    Michelle Grattan also looks at the COAG agenda and the difficulties Abbott faces.
    https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-gst-and-health-test-abbott-in-fractious-federation-40342
    A judge comes out and tells us that the proposed new laws relating to the operation of detention centres would allow security guards to beat detainees to death. Our government wouldn’t allow that would it?
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/new-law-will-increase-violence-against-asylum-seekers-former-judge-20150416-1mmf56.html

  42. Section 2 . . .

    And Gillian Triggs adds her voice in objection to the proposal.
    https://newmatilda.com/2015/04/16/new-laws-give-serco-guards-power-use-force-less-accountability-police
    Abbott’s energy white paper focuses on fossil fuel favourites.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/abbotts-energy-white-paper-focusses-on-fossil-fuel-favourites,7590
    Surely this proves that Abbott has been deceitful over submarines!
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/major-local-shipbuilding-report-excludes-submarine-costings-20150416-1mmed1.html
    Surely not! But it would be good to see Abbott’s head explode over it.
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kevin-rudd-quietly-campaigning-for-un-secretarygeneral-says-inner-circle-20150416-1mmcfi.html
    Woolies’ advertising agency has copped a very severe backlash.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/carrspace-forced-to-protect-staff-from-online-abuse–after-woolworths-anzac-campaign-20150416-1mmje1.html
    The SMH editorial on this matter says that Aussies can detect bad taste.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/anzac-and-woolworths-australians-can-detect-bad-taste-20150416-1mm6t7.html
    How to take on the intellectual property international tax cheats.
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/australia-must-break-the-shackles-of-intellectual-property-in-ftas-20150416-1mmcnr.html
    “View from the Street” hits out at the hypocrisy of the offer to send asylum seekers to Cambodia.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/view-from-the-street/view-from-the-street-malcolm-turnbull-on-gq-cover-for-definitely-no-reason-20150416-1mmn6f.html
    Abbott paints himself into another tax corner by ruling out changes to negative gearing.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/prime-minister-tony-abbott-rules-out-changes-to-negative-gearing-20150416-1mmibf.html
    It’s in his too hard basket says The Business Spectator.
    http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2015/4/17/property/negative-gearing-abbotts-too-hard-basket

  43. Section 3 . . .

    The Independent Australia examines in detail the Abbott macho cult.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-tony-abbott-red-room-of-pain,7586
    The 29 worst things the Liberals did yesterday
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/04/16/the-twenty-nine-worst-things-the-liberals-did-yesterday-238/
    Richard Ackland says that Cunneen has decimated ICAC but the allegations against her will not go away.
    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/16/cunneen-has-decimated-icacs-authority-but-the-allegations-against-her-wont-go-away
    Could Hockey even contemplate stimulus activity?
    http://thenewdaily.com.au/money/2015/04/16/hockeys-pre-loved-stimulus-plan/
    It’s a taxing time for all but the rich.
    http://theaimn.com/its-a-taxing-time-for-all-but-the-rich/
    Twiggy takes aim at BHP and Rio Tinto.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/andrew-forrest-takes-aim-at-rio-and-bhp-over-plunging-ore-price-20150416-1mmm05.html
    Jimmy Carter is still fighting the good fight for women.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/jimmy-carters-message-the-fight-continues-against-malesanctioned-female-submission-20150416-1mmb0g.html
    The Guardian has a good look at how Dr Karl got sucked in to sprouting the virtues of what is widely regarded as being a political report.
    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/16/want-to-say-austerity-is-as-natural-as-belly-button-fluff-then-hire-dr-karl
    It’s Hilary Clinton against a bad bunch of Republicans.
    http://www.theage.com.au/comment/cheers-for-clinton-the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping-20150416-1mm4nz.html
    US Big Pharma is going into overdrive as the TPP gets close to finalisation. Beware!
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/big-pharma-talks-up-trans-pacific-partnership-but-profits-trump-patients-20150416-1mm8ct.html

  49. jaycee (without all those numbers)

    Yep and don’t forget Annistasia, three good Labor Premiers (sp). They will hopefully have a good win at COAG today.

  50. Brissenden tore Barnett to pieces on RN. this morning..what a beautiful interview.

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