Imogen Robertson - Anatomy of Murder

“It gives their voices a power unparalleled,” he said. “They were used instead of women when the fairer sex giving voice on stage or in church was regarded as an offense against God, and they have been at the heart of Italian opera ever since.”

Harriet was impatient with the explanation and snapped her toast into indignant crumbs.

“But how could God be less offended by the practice of maiming His creatures in childhood?” she demanded. “Graves, you cannot approve of the fact that these children are operated on in such a way. It must be the ruin of their lives, whatever the success that some achieve. Though you may envy their training I doubt you would change places with them. And they become so. . strange as a result.”

Graves shifted in his seat rather uncomfortably at the mention of the operation.

“I believe, Mrs. Westerman,” he said, adjusting his coat, “that there is a polite fiction that these boys were damaged in their. . lower parts. . and that disease or accident rendered it necessary to. .”

On seeing Harriet roll her eyes and attack the preserves, Crowther put down his newspaper and took over.

“It is of interest what the removal of the testicles before puberty does to a child, though I agree that morally, it seems indefensible.” He had Harriet’s attention, but apparently she had also noticed Graves twist in discomfort again, and was amused. Crowther continued, “The voice does still alter as the subject ages, but retains its high register.”

“I have never heard a castrato speak, rather than sing,” she said. “Describe it.” Then bit down on her breakfast.

Crowther watched the movement of the muscles of her jaw for a moment before replying; “The speaking voice of a castrato is rather pleasant, if a little strange. It is rounder than a woman’s and not shrill, but rather has a sort of cooing. It recalls the pigeons in the Square outside here.”

Crowther had thought this information would suffice, but Mrs. Westerman did not seem to agree. Apparently she would shake all the facts out of him, as a terrier shakes the life out of a rabbit when it has it by the neck. Dabbing at her lips, she returned to her coffee, giving him a slight wave.

“Say on, Crowther. I have my prejudices, I know, and come to you for enlightenment. You cannot refuse a pupil.” It was an encouraging indication that having something more to occupy her mind than her husband’s recovery was improving her health and spirits already. However, a man is generous indeed who can take delight in such things so early in the day.

Crowther knitted his fingers together as he gathered his thoughts. “Physically, the operation has several effects that are not yet fully comprehended,” he began. “Development is hampered and altered as the child becomes adult in ways other than those that affect the vocal cords.” He coughed slightly. “I had the privilege of attending the autopsy of a renowned castrato in Milan some years ago. He serves as my example.”

Harriet interrupted: “How came you ghouls-sorry, gentlemen of science-by such a body? I thought any known castrato must have money enough for a lead-lined coffin and a man or two to stand guard by his grave while he rotted in peace.”

Crowther was not disposed this morning to find Mrs. Westerman entertaining. He snapped, “The gentleman in question was a man of means, indeed, and a great friend of one of the professors of anatomy at the university. He suggested that his friend would like to examine his corpse long before he died, and repeated the offer on his deathbed in front of other witnesses. He was glad to be of use to his friends at a time when mortality has normally robbed us of the pleasure of doing service.”

Harriet wrinkled her nose. “Very well. Though I cannot imagine making a similar offer myself-even to you, Crowther.”

“No matter, Mrs. Westerman. I doubt the examination would produce any scientifically significant results.” Harriet, in spite of herself, looked a little put out at that. He continued smoothly on. “Many of the castrati grow unusually tall-why, we cannot say. The bones of the gentleman I examined were sound, however, so their height does not seem to weaken them physically. Their thyroid cartilage does not grow as pronounced as in ordinary men. .” He paused on seeing her raise an eyebrow. “Their Adam’s apple is small, madam.” Again she gestured him to carry on, then renewed her attack on Mrs. Martin’s jam. “And of course they have a tendency to collect soft matter in a manner unusual for their sex, and somewhat more like a woman. The gentleman I examined was unusually fleshy around his chest and hips, though that of course is not guaranteed by the operation. Manzerotti is, as we have seen, rather slender, for instance. In summation, the effect can be highly unusual. I remember walking into a drawing room where a castrato was present among the fashionable crowd. To see this mountain of a man, some six feet tall perhaps and covered in soft fat under his finery, holding forth in that strange fluting tone was. .” he paused and looked up at Graves’s ceiling rose for inspiration “. . odd.”

Harriet considered the picture he had drawn for a moment. “I have heard questions as to their temperament,” she said, making Crowther consider his fingernails.

“It would be a foolish man who would venture a concrete opinion on the results the procedure has on the character of a growing boy. We are formed, I think, by a mixture of many factors, though such a violent operation and its aftereffects are likely to have complex consequences.”

At that moment, Graves stood and began to prepare to leave for the shop in Tichfield Street, gathering up the sheaf of papers that had been his study over breakfast.

“I have met a number of castrati in my time in music,” he told them, “and have found them as mixed in character, I think, as any group of men. Some have been all that is good and generous; others have been like violent children and thoroughly unpleasant to deal with, vain and demanding and very tiresome.” He shrugged. “But whether that is because of some physical effect of the operation, or because their fame and talents tend to mean they are so thoroughly indulged. .”

Crowther was still watching his fingertips as he replied, “I suppose these beings are kept by the operation in a sort of half childhood, never allowed to mature physically along the path nature intended for them, never forced into adulthood by having children of their own-though they can still enjoy intimate relations. Perhaps it is to be expected they can remind us of infants at times.”

Harriet shuddered. “It is a monstrous practice.”

Graves was still juggling his pile of papers. Some slipped onto the floor, as many objects that Graves tried to carry tended to do. He bent to pick them up then became very still and looked up at his companions.

“I would agree. But those voices, Mrs. Westerman-the voices of the best of them, at any rate. They are a blend of boy, man and woman. I do not think there has ever been a sound on earth quite like it. When I heard Manzerotti sing on Saturday evening, I was sure that such is the voice an angel might have.”

Harriet watched him quizzically, his young face still lit by the memory. It was an expression she associated normally with those of a religious bent. “It is strange you mention angels, Graves. The only time I thought of angels in the opera house was when we glanced in at the scene room and saw that strange gentleman dressed in brown.”

Graves at last had control of his belongings and stood again with a jerk. “You mean Johannes? The new genius of the stage machinery! The man who makes yellow roses bloom, water turn to gold dust and the Furies to fly. He is a castrato too, you know, and a particular companion of Manzerotti: they always travel together. Every production where Manzerotti has been primo umo , Johannes has been in charge of the scenery.”