百年孤独(英文版)-第29部分

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others；　the　most　bitter　ones。　Remedios　the　Beauty　knew　about　Rebeca’s　existence　from　her。　Every　time　they　passed　the　rundown　house　she　would　tell　her　about　an　unpleasant　incident；　a　tale　of　hate；　trying　in　that　way　to　make　her　extended　rancor　be　shared　by　her　niece　and　consequently　prolonged　beyond　death；　but　her　plan　did　not　work　because　Remedios　was　immune　to　any　kind　of　passionate　feelings　and　much　less　to　those　of　others。　？rsula；　on　the　other　hand；　who　had　suffered　through　a　process　opposite　to　Amaranta’s；　recalled　Rebeca　with　a　memory　free　of　impurities；　for　the　image　of　the　pitiful　child　brought　to　the　house　with　the　bag　containing　her　parents？bones　prevailed　over　the　offense　that　had　made　her　unworthy　to　be　connected　to　the　family　tree　any　longer。　Aureliano　Segundo　decided　that　they　would　have　to　bring　her　to　the　house　and　take　care　of　her；　but　his　good　intentions　were　frustrated　by　the　firm　intransigence　of　Rebeca；　who　had　needed　many　years　of　suffering　and　misery　in　order　to　attain　the　privileges　of　solitude　and　who　was　not　disposed　to　renounce　them　in　exchange　for　an　old　age　disturbed　by　the　false　attractions　of　charity。
　　　In　February；　when　the　sixteen　sons　of　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　returned；　still　marked　with　the　cross　of　ashes；　Aureliano　Triste　spoke　to　them　about　Rebeca　in　the　tumult　of　the　celebration　and　in　half　a　day　they　restored　the　appearance　of　the　house；　changing　doors　and　windows；　painting　the　front　with　gay　colors；　bracing　walls　and　pouring　fresh　cement　on　the　floor；　but　they　could　not　get　any　authorization　to　continue　the　work　inside。　Rebeca　did　not　even　e　to　the　door。　She　let　them　finish　the　mad　restoration；　then　calculated　what　it　had　cost　and　sent　Argénida；　her　old　servant　who　was　still　with　her；　to　them　with　a　handful　of　coins　that　had　been　withdrawn　from　circulation　after　the　last　war　and　that　Rebeca　thought　were　still　worth　something　it　was　then　that　they　saw　to　what　a　fantastic　point　her　separation　from　the　world　had　arrived　and　they　understood　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　rescue　her　from　her　stubborn　enclosure　while　she　still　had　a　breath　of　life　in　her。
　　　On　the　second　visit　by　the　sons　of　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　to　Macondo；　another　of　them；　Aureliano　Centeno；　stayed　on　to　work　with　Aureliano　Triste。　He　was　one　of　the　first　who　had　been　brought　to　the　house　for　baptism　and　？rsula　and　Amaranta　remembered　him　very　well　because　in　a　few　hours　he　had　destroyed　every　breakable　object　that　passed　through　his　hands。　Time　had　moderated　his　early　impulse　for　growth　and　he　was　a　man　of　average　height　marked　by　smallpox　scars；　but　his　amazing　power　for　manual　destruction　remained　intact。　He　broke　so　many　plates；　even　without　touching　them；　that　Fernanda　decided　to　buy　him　a　set　of　pewterware　before　he　did　away　with　the　last　pieces　of　her　expensive　china；　and　even　the　resistant　metal　plates　were　soon　dented　and　twisted。　But　to　make　up　for　that　irremediable　power；　which　was　exasperating　even　for　him；　he　had　a　cordiality　that　won　the　immediate　confidence　of　others　and　a　stupendous　capacity　for　work。　In　a　short　time　he　had　increased　the　production　of　ice　to　such　a　degree　that　it　was　too　much　for　the　local　market　and　Aureliano　Triste　had　to　think　about　the　possibility　of　expanding　the　business　to　other　towns　in　the　swamp。　It　was　then　that　he　thought　of　the　decisive　step；　not　only　for　the　modernization　of　his　business　but　to　link　the　town　with　the　rest　of　the　world。
　　　“We　have　to　bring　in　the　railroad；？he　said。
　　　That　was　the　first　time　that　the　word　had　ever　been　heard　in　Macondo。　Looking　at　the　sketch　that　Aureliano　Triste　drew　on　the　table　and　that　was　a　direct　descendent　of　the　plans　with　which　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　had　illustrated　his　project　for　solar　warfare；　？rsula　confirmed　her　impression　that　time　was　going　in　a　circle。　But　unlike　his　forebear；　Aureliano　Triste　did　not　lose　any　sleep　or　appetite　nor　did　he　torment　anyone　with　crises　of　ill　humor；　but　he　considered　the　most　harebrained　of　projects　as　immediate　possibilities；　made　rational　calculations　about　costs　and　dates；　and　brought　them　off　without　any　intermediate　exasperation。　If　Aureliano　Segundo　had　something　of　his　greatgrandfather　in　him　and　lacked　something　of　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía；　it　was　an　absolute　indifference　to　mockery；　and　he　gave　the　money　to　bring　the　railroad　with　the　same　lighthearted　air　with　which　he　had　given　it　for　his　brother’s　absurd　navigation　project。　Aureliano　Triste　consulted　the　calendar　and　left　the　following　Wednesday；　planning　to　return　after　the　rains　had　passed。　There　was　no　more　news　of　him。　Aureliano　Centeno；　overwhelmed　by　the　abundance　of　the　factory；　had　already　begun　to　experiment　with　the　production　of　ice　with　a　base　of　fruit　juices　instead　of　water；　and　without　knowing　it　or　thinking　about　it；　he　conceived　the　essential　fundamentals　for　the　invention　of　sherbet。　In　that　way　he　planned　to　diversify　the　production　of　an　enterprise　he　considered　his　own；　because　his　brother　showed　no　signs　of　returning　after　the　rains　had　passed　and　a　whole　summer　had　gone　by　with　no　news　of　him。　At　the　start　of　another　winter；　however；　a　woman　who　was　washing　clothes　in　the　river　during　the　hottest　time　of　the　day　ran　screaming　down　the　main　street　in　an　alarming　state　of　motion。
　　　“It’s　ing；？she　finally　explained。　“Something　frightful；　like　a　kitchen　dragging　a　village　behind　it。？
　　　At　that　moment　the　town　was　shaken　by　a　whistle　with　a　fearful　echo　and　a　loud；　panting　respiration。　During　the　previous　weeks　they　had　seen　the　gangs　who　were　laying　ties　and　tracks　and　no　one　paid　attention　to　them　because　they　thought　it　was　some　new　trick　of　the　gypsies；　ing　back　with　whistles　and　tambourines　and　their　ageold　and　discredited　song　and　dance　about　the　qualities　of　some　concoction　put　together　by　journeyman　geniuses　of　Jerusalem。　But　when　they　recovered　from　the　noise　of　the　whistles　and　the　snorting；　all　the　inhabitants　ran　out　into　the　street　and　saw　Aureliano　Triste　waving　from　the　lootive；　and　in　a　trance　they　saw　the　flowerbedecked　train　which　was　arriving　for　the　first　time　eight　months　late。　The　innocent　yellow　train　that　was　to　bring　so　many　ambiguities　and　certainties；　so　many　pleasant　and　unpleasant　moments；　so　many　changes；　calamities；　and　feelings　of　nostalgia　to　Macondo。

Chapter　12
DAZZLED　BY　SO　MANY　and　such　marvelous　inventions；　the　people　of　Macondo　did　not　know　where　their　amazement　began。　They　stayed　up　all　night　looking　at　the　pale　electric　bulbs　fed　by　the　plant　that　Aureliano　Triste　had　brought　back　when　the　train　made　its　second　trip；　and　it　took　time　and　effort　for　them　to　grow　accustomed　to　its　obsessive　toomtoom。　They　be。　came　indignant　over　the　living　images　that　the　prosperous　merchant　Bruno　Crespi　projected　in　the　theater　with　the　lionhead　ticket　windows；　for　the　character　who　had　died　and　was　buried　in　one　film　and　for　whose　misfortune　tears　of　affliction　had　been　shed　would　reappear　alive　and　transformed　into　an　Arab　in　the　next　one。　The　audience；　who　paid　two　cents　apiece　to　share　the　difficulties　of　the　actors；　would　not　tolerate　that　outlandish　fraud　and　they　broke　up　the　seats。　The　mayor；　at　the　urging　of　Bruno　Crespi；　explained　in　a　proclamation　that　the　cinema　was　a　machine　of　illusions　that　did　not　merit　the　emotional　outbursts　of　the　audience。　With　that　discouraging　explanation　many　felt　that　they　had　been　the　victims　of　some　new　and　showy　gypsy　business　and　they　decided　not　to　return　to　the　movies；　considering　that　they　already　had　too　many　troubles　of　their　own　to　weep　over　the　actedout　misfortunes　of　imaginary　beings。　Something　similar　happened　with　the　cylinder　phonographs　that　the　merry　matrons　from　France　brought　with　them　as　a　substitute　for　the　antiquated　hand　ans　and　that　for　a　time　had　serious　effects　on　the　livelihood　of　the　band　of　musicians。　At　first　curiosity　increased　the　clientele　on　the　forbidden　street　and　there　was　even　word　of　respectable　ladies　who　disguised　themselves　as　workers　in　order　to　observe　the　novelty　of　the　phonograph　from　first　hand；　but　from　so　much　and　such　close　observation　they　soon　reached　the　conclusion　that　it　was　not　an　enchanted　mill　as　everyone　had　thought　and　as　the　matrons　had　said；　but　a　mechanical　trick　that　could　not　be　pared　with　something　so　moving；　so　human；　and　so　full　of　everyday　truth　as　a　band　of　musicians。　It　was　such　a　serious　disappointment　that　when　phonographs　became　so　popular　that　there　was　one　in　every　house　they　were　not　considered　objects　for　amusement　for　adults　but　as　something　good　for　children　to　take　apart。　On　the　other　hand；　when　someone　from　the　town　had　the　opportunity　to　test　the　crude　reality　of　the　telephone　installed　in　the　railroad　station；　which　was　thought　to　be　a　rudimentary　version　of　the　phonograph　because　of　its　crank；　even　the　most　incredulous　were　upset。　It　was　as　if　God　had　decided　to　put　to　the　test　every　capacity　for　surprise　and　was　keeping　the　inhabitants　of　Macondo　in　a　permanent　alternation　between　excitement　and　disappointment；　doubt　and　revelation；　to　such　an　extreme　that　no　one　knew　for　certain　where　the　limits　of　reality　lay。　It　was　an　intricate　stew　of　truths　and　mirages　that　convulsed　the　ghost　of　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　under　the　chestnut　tree　with　impatience　and　made　him　wander　all　through　the　house　even　in　broad　daylight。　Ever　since　the　railroad　had　been　officially　inaugurated　and　had　begun　to　arrive　with　regularity　on　Wednesdays　at　eleven　o’clock　and　the　primitive　wooden　station　with　a　desk；　a　telephone；　and　a　ticket　window　had　been　built；　on　the　streets　of　Macondo　men　and　women　were　seen　who　had　adopted　everyday　and　normal　customs　and　manners　but　who　really　looked　like　people　out　of　a　circus。　In　a　town　that　had　chafed　under　the　tricks　of　the　gypsies　there　was　no　future　for　those　ambulatory　acrobats　of　merce　who　with　equal　effrontery　offered　a　whistling　kettle　and　a　daily　regime　that　would　assure　the　salvation　of　the　soul　on　the　seventh　day；　but　from　those　who　let　themselves　be　convinced　out　of　fatigue　and　the　ones　who　were　always　unwary；　they　reaped　stupendous　benefits。　Among　those　theatrical　creatures；　wearing　riding　breeches　and　leggings；　a　pith　helmet　and　steelrimmed　glasses；　with　topaz　eyes　and　the　skin　of　a　thin　rooster；　there　arrived　in　Macondo　on　one　of　so　many　Wednesdays　the　chubby　and　smiling　Mr。　Herbert；　who　ate　at　the　house。
　　　No　one　had　noticed　him　at　the　table　until　the　first　bunch　of　bananas　had　been　eaten。　Aureliano　Segundo　had　e　across　him　by　chance　as　he　protested　In　broken　Spanish　because　there　were　no　rooms　at　the　Hotel　Jacob；　and　as　he　frequently　did　with　strangers；　he　took　him　home。　He　was　in　the　captiveballoon　business；　which　had　taken　him　halfway　around　the　world　with　excellent　profits；　but　he　had　not　succeeded　in　taking　anyone　up　in　Macondo　because　they　considered　that　invention　backward　after　having　seen　and　tried　the　gypsies？flying　carpets。　He　was　leaving；　therefore；　on　the　next　train。　When　they　brought　to　the　table　the　tigerstriped　bunch　of　bananas　that　they　were　accustomed　to　hang　in　the　dining　room　during　lunch；　he　picked　the　first　piece　of　fruit　without　great　enthusiasm。　But　he　kept　on　eating　as　he　spoke；　tasting；　chewing；　more　with　the　distraction　of　a　wise　man　than　with　the　delight　of　a　good　eater；　and　when　he　finished　the　first　bunch　he　asked　them　to　bring　him　another。　Then　he　took　a　small　case　with　optical　instruments　out　of　the　toolbox　that　he　always　carried　with　him。　With　the　auspicious　attention　of　a　diamond　merchant　he　examined　the　banana　meticulously；　dissecting　it　with　a　special　scalpel；　weighing　the　pieces　on　a　pharmacist’s　scale；　and　calculating　its　breadth　with　a　gunsmith’s　calipers。　Then　he　took　a　series　of　instruments　out　of　the　chest　with　which　he　measured　the　temperature；　the　level　of　humidity　in　the　atmosphere；　and　the　intensity　of　the　light。　It　was　such　an　intriguing　ceremony　that　no　one　could　eat　in　peace　as　everybody　waited　for　Mr。　Herbert　to　pass　a　final　and　revealing　judgment；　but　he　did　not　say　anything　that　allowed　anyone　to　guess　his　intentions。
　　　On　the　days　that　followed　he　was　seen　with　a　net　and　a　small　basket　hunting　butterflies　on　the　outskirts　of　town。　On　Wednesday　a　group　of　engineers；　agronomists；　hydrologists；　topographers；　and　surveyors　arrived　who　for　several　weeks　explored　the　places　where　Mr。　Herbert　had　hunted　his　butterflies。　Later　on　Mr。　Jack　Brown　arrived　in　an　extra　coach　that　had　been　coupled　onto　the　yellow　train　and　that　was　silverplated　all　over；　with　seats　of　episcopal　velvet；　and　a　roof　of　blue　glass。　Also　arriving　on　the　special　car；　fluttering　around　Mr。　Brown；　were　the　solemn　lawyers　dressed　in　black　who　in　different　times　had　followed　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　everywhere；　and　that　led　the　people　to　think　that　the　agronomists；　hydrologists；　topographers；　and　surveyors；　like　Mr。　Herbert　with　his　captive　balloons　and　his　colored　butterflies　and　Mr。　Brown　with　his　mausoleum　on　wheels　and　his　ferocious　German　shepherd　dogs；　had　something　to　do　with　the　war。　There　was　not　much　time　to　think　about　it；　however；　because　the　suspicious　inhabitants　of　Macondo　barely　began　to　wonder　what　the　devil　was　going　on　when　the　town　had　already　bee　transformed　into　an　encampment　of　wooden　houses　with　zinc　roofs　inhabited　by　foreigners　who　arrived　on　the　train　from　halfway　around　the　world；　riding　not　only　on　the　seats　and　platforms　but　even　on　the　roof　of　the　coaches。　The　gringos；　who　later　on　brought　their　languid　wives　in　muslin　dresses　and　large　veiled　hats；　built　a　separate　town　across　the　railroad　tracks　with　streets　lined　with　palm　trees；　houses　with　screened　windows；　small　white　tables　on　the　terraces；　and　fans　mounted　on　the　ceilings；　and　extensive　blue　lawns　with　peacocks　and　quails。　The　section　was　surrounded　by　a　metal　fence　topped　with　a　band　of　electrified　chicken　wire　which　during　the　cool　summer　mornings　would　be　black　with　roasted　swallows。　No　one　knew　yet　what　they　were　after；　or　whether　they　were　actually　nothing　but　philanthropists；　and　they　had　already　caused　a　colossal　disturbance；　much　more　than　that　of　the　old　gypsies；　but　less　transitory　and　understandable。　Endowed　with　means　that　had　been　reserved　for　Divine　Providence　in　former　times；　they　changed　the　pattern　of　the　rams；　accelerated　the　cycle　of　harvest；　and　moved　the　river　from　where　it　had　always　been　and　put　it　with　its　white　stones　and　icy　currents　on　the　other　side　of　the　town；　behind　the　cemetery。　It　was　at　that　time　that　they　built　a　fortress　of　reinforced　concrete　over　the　faded　tomb　of　Jos？Arcadio；　so　that　the　corpses　smell　of　powder　would　not　contaminate　the　waters。　For　the　foreigners　who　arrived　without　love　they　converted　the　street　of　the　loving　matrons　from　France　into　a　more　extensive　village　than　it　had　been；　and　on　one　glorious　Wednesday　they　brought　in　a　trainload　of　strange　whores；　Babylonish　women　skilled　in　ageold　methods　and　in　possession　of　all　manner　of　unguents　and　devices　to　stimulate　the　unaroused；　to　give　courage　to　the　timid；　to　satiate　the　voracious；　to　exalt　the　modest　man；　to　teach　a　lesson　to　repeaters；　and　to　correct　solitary　people。　The　Street　of　the　Turks；　enriched　by　welllit　stores　with　products　from　abroad；　displacing　the　old　bazaars　with　their　bright　colors；　overflowed　on　Saturday　nights　with　the　crowds　of　adventurers　who　bumped　into　each　other　among　gambling　tables；　shooting　galleries；　the　alley　where　th