百年孤独(英文版)-第31部分

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e　abandoned　her　to　her　fate；　trusting　that　sooner　or　later　a　miracle　would　take　place　and　that　in　this　world　of　everything　there　would　also　be　a　man　with　enough　sloth　to　put　up　with　her。　For　a　long　time　already　Amaranta　had　given　up　trying　to　make　her　into　a　useful　woman。　Since　those　fotten　afternoons　when　her　niece　barely　had　enough　interest　to　turn　the　crank　on　the　sewing　machine；　she　had　reached　the　conclusion　that　she　was　simpleminded。　“Were　going　to　have　to　raffle　you　off；？she　would　tell　her；　perplexed　at　the　fact　that　men’s　words　would　not　penetrate　her。　Later　on；　when　？rsula　insisted　that　Remedios　the　Beauty　go　to　mass　with　her　face　covered　with　a　shawl；　Amaranta　thought　that　a　mysterious　recourse　like　that　would　turn　out　to　be　so　provoking　that　soon　a　man　would　e　who　would　be　intrigued　enough　to　search　out　patiently　for　the　weak　point　of　her　heart。　But　when　she　saw　the　stupid　way　in　which　she　rejected　a　pretender　who　for　many　reasons　was　more　desirable　than　a　prince；　she　gave　up　all　hope。　Fernanda　did　not　even　make　any　attempt　to　understand　her。　When　she　saw　Remedios　the　Beauty　dressed　as　a　queen　at　the　bloody　carnival　she　thought　that　she　was　an　extraordinary　creature。　But　when　she　saw　her　eating　with　her　hands；　incapable　of　giving　an　answer　that　was　not　a　miracle　of　simplemindedness；　the　only　thing　that　she　lamented　was　the　fact　that　the　idiots　in　the　family　lived　so　long。　In　spite　of　the　fact　that　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　kept　on　believing　and　repeating　that　Remedios　the　Beauty　was　in　reality　the　most　lucid　being　that　he　had　ever　known　and　that　she　showed　it　at　every　moment　with　her　startling　ability　to　put　things　over　on　everyone；　they　let　her　go　her　own　way。　Remedios　the　Beauty　stayed　there　wandering　through　the　desert　of　solitude；　bearing　no　cross　on　her　back；　maturing　in　her　dreams　without　nightmares；　her　interminable　baths；　her　unscheduled　meals；　her　deep　and　prolonged　silences　that　had　no　memory　until　one　afternoon　in　March；　when　Fernanda　wanted　to　fold　her　brabant　sheets　in　the　garden　and　asked　the　women　in　the　house　for　help。　She　had　just　begun　when　Amaranta　noticed　that　Remedios　the　Beauty　was　covered　all　over　by　an　intense　paleness。
　　　“Don’t　you　feel　well？？she　asked　her。
　　　Remedios　the　Beauty；　who　was　clutching　the　sheet　by　the　other　end；　gave　a　pitying　smile。
　　　“Quite　the　opposite；？she　said；　“I　never　felt　better。？
　　　She　had　just　finished　saying　it　when　Fernanda　felt　a　delicate　wind　of　light　pull　the　sheets　out　of　her　hands　and　open　them　up　wide。　Amaranta　felt　a　mysterious　trembling　in　the　lace　on　her　petticoats　and　she　tried　to　grasp　the　sheet　so　that　she　would　not　fall　down　at　the　instant　in　which　Remedios　the　Beauty　began　to　rise。　？rsula；　almost　blind　at　the　time；　was　the　only　person　who　was　sufficiently　calm　to　identify　the　nature　of　that　determined　wind　and　she　left　the　sheets　to　the　mercy　of　the　light　as　she　watched　Remedios　the　Beauty　waving　goodbye　in　the　midst　of　the　flapping　sheets　that　rose　up　with　her；　abandoning　with　her　the　environment　of　beetles　and　dahlias　and　passing　through　the　air　with　her　as　four　o’clock　in　the　afternoon　came　to　an　end；　and　they　were　lost　forever　with　her　in　the　upper　atmosphere　where　not　even　the　highestflying　birds　of　memory　could　reach　her。
　　　The　outsiders；　of　course；　thought　that　Remedios　the　Beauty　had　finally　succumbed　to　her　irrevocable　fate　of　a　queen　bee　and　that　her　family　was　trying　to　save　her　honor　with　that　tale　of　levitation。　Fernanda；　burning　with　envy；　finally　accepted　the　miracle；　and　for　a　long　time　she　kept　on　praying　to　God　to　send　her　back　her　sheets。　Most　people　believed　in　the　miracle　and　they　even　lighted　candles　and　celebrated　novenas。　Perhaps　there　might　have　been　talk　of　nothing　else　for　a　long　time　if　the　barbarous　extermination　of　the　Aurelianos　had　not　replaced　amazement　with　honor。　Although　he　had　never　thought　of　it　as　an　omen；　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　had　foreseen　the　tragic　end　of　his　sons　in　a　certain　way。　When　Aureliano　Serrador　and　Aureliano　Arcaya；　the　two　who　arrived　during　the　tumult；　expressed　a　wish　to　stay　in　Macondo；　their　father　tried　to　dissuade　them。　He　could　not　understand　what　they　were　going　to　do　in　a　town　that　had　been　transformed　into　a　dangerous　place　overnight。　But　Aureliano　Centeno　and　Aureliano　Triste；　backed　by　Aureliano　Segundo。　gave　them　work　in　their　businesses。　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　had　reasons　that　were　still　very　confused　and　were　against　that　determination。　When　he　saw　Mr。　Brown　in　the　first　automobile　to　reach　Macondo—an　orange　convertible　with　a　horn　that　frightened　dogs　with　its　bark—the　old　soldier　grew　indignant　with　the　servile　excitement　of　the　people　and　he　realized　that　something　had　changed　in　the　makeup　of　the　men　since　the　days　when　they　would　leave　their　wives　and　children　and　toss　a　shotgun　on　their　shoulders　to　go　off　to　war。　The　local　authorities；　after　the　armistice　of　Neerlandia；　were　mayors　without　initiative；　decorative　judges　picked　from　among　the　peaceful　and　tired　Conservatives　of　Macondo。　“This　is　a　regime　of　wretches；？Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　would　ment　when　he　saw　the　barefoot　policemen　armed　with　wooden　clubs　pass。　“We　fought　all　those　wars　and　all　of　it　just　so　that　we　didn’t　have　to　paint　our　houses　blue。？When　the　banana　pany　arrived；　however；　the　local　functionaries　were　replaced　by　dictatorial　foreigners　whom　Mr。　Brown　brought　to　live　in　the　electrified　chicken　yard　so　that　they　could　enjoy；　as　he　explained　it；　the　dignity　that　their　status　warranted　and　so　that　they　would　not　suffer　from　the　heat　and　the　mosquitoes　and　the　countless　disforts　and　privations　of　the　town。　The　old　policemen　were　replaced　by　hired　assassins　with　machetes。　Shut　up　in　his　workshop；　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　thought　about　those　changes　and　for　the　first　time　in　his　quiet　years　of　solitude　he　was　tormented　by　the　definite　certainty　that　it　had　been　a　mistake　not　to　have　continued　the　war　to　its　final　conclusion。　During　that　time　a　brother　of　the　fotten　Colonel　Magnífico　Visbal　was　taking　his　sevenyearold　grandson　to　get　a　soft　drink　at　one　of　the　pushcarts　on　the　square　and　because　the　child　accidentally　bumped　into　a　corporal　of　police　and　spilled　the　drink　on　his　uniform；　the　barbarian　cut　him　to　pieces　with　his　machete；　and　with　one　stroke　he　cut　off　the　head　of　the　grandfather　as　he　tried　to　stop　him。　The　whole　town　saw　the　decapitated　man　pass　by　as　a　group　of　men　carried　him　to　his　house；　with　a　woman　dragging　the　head　along　by　its　hair；　and　the　bloody　sack　with　the　pieces　of　the　child。
　　　For　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　it　meant　the　limits　of　atonement。　He　suddenly　found　himself　suffering　from　the　same　indignation　that　he　had　felt　in　his　youth　over　the　body　of　the　woman　who　had　been　beaten　to　death　because　she　had　been　bitten　by　a　rabid　dog。　He　looked　at　the　groups　of　bystanders　in　front　of　the　house　and　with　his　old　stentorian　voice；　restored　by　a　deep　disgust　with　himself；　he　unloaded　upon　them　the　burden　of　hate　that　he　could　no　longer　bear　in　his　heart。
　　　“One　of　these　days；？he　shouted；　I’m　going　to　arm　my　boys　so　we　can　get　rid　of　these　shitty　gringos！？
　　　During　the　course　of　that　week；　at　different　places　along　the　coast；　his　seventeen　sons　were　hunted　down　like　rabbits　by　invisible　criminals　who　aimed　at　the　center　of　their　crosses　of　ash。　Aureliano　Triste　was　leaving　the　house　with　his　mother　at　seven　in　the　evening　when　a　rifle　shot　came　out　of　the　darkness　and　perforated　his　forehead。　Aureliano　Centeno　was　found　in　the　hammock　that　he　was　accustomed　to　hang　up　in　the　factory　with　an　icepick　between　his　eyebrows　driven　in　up　to　the　handle。　Aureliano　Serrador　had　left　his　girl　friend　at　her　parents？house　after　having　taken　her　to　the　movies　and　was　returning　through　the　welllighted　Street　of　the　Turks　when　someone　in　the　crowd　who　was　never　identified　fired　a　revolver　shot　which　knocked　him　over　into　a　caldron　of　boiling　lard。　A　few　minutes　later　someone　knocked　at　the　door　of　the　room　where　Aureliano　Arcaya　was　shut　up　with　a　woman　and　shouted　to　him：　“Hurry　up；　they’re　killing　your　brothers。？The　woman　who　was　with　him　said　later　that　Aureliano　Arcaya　jumped　out　of　bed　and　opened　the　door　and　was　greeted　with　the　discharge　of　a　Mauser　that　split　his　head　open。　On　that　night　of　death；　while　the　house　was　preparing　to　hold　a　wake　for　the　four　corpses；　Fernanda　ran　through　the　town　like　a　madwoman　looking　for　Aureliano　Segundo；　whom　Petra　Cotes　had　locked　up　in　a　closet；　thinking　that　the　order　of　extermination　included　all　who　bore　the　colonel’s　name。　She　would　not　let　him　out　until　the　fourth　day；　when　the　telegrams　received　from　different　places　along　the　coast　made　it　clear　that　the　fury　of　the　invisible　enemy　was　directed　only　at　the　brothers　marked　with　the　crosses　of　ash。　Amaranta　fetched　the　ledger　where　she　had　written　down　the　facts　about　her　nephews　and　as　the　telegrams　arrived　she　drew　lines　through　the　names　until　only　that　of　the　eldest　remained。　They　remembered　him　very　well　because　of　the　contrast　between　his　dark　skin　and　his　green　eyes。　His　name　was　Aureliano　Amador　and　he　was　a　carpenter；　living　in　a　village　hidden　in　the　foothills。　After　waiting　two　weeks　for　the　telegram　telling　of　his　death；　Aureliano　Segundo　sent　a　messenger　to　him　in　order　to　warn　him；　thinking　that　he　might　not　know　about　the　threat　that　hung　over　him。　The　emissary　returned　with　the　news　that　Aureliano　Amador　was　safe。　The　night　of　the　extermination　two　men　had　gone　to　get　him　at　his　house　and　had　shot　at　him　with　their　revolvers　but　they　had　missed　the　cross　of　ashes。　Aureliano　Amador　had　been　able　to　leap　over　the　wall　of　the　courtyard　and　was　lost　in　the　labyrinth　of　the　mountains；　which　he　knew　like　the　back　of　his　hand　thanks　to　the　friendship　he　maintained　with　the　Indians；　from　whom　he　bought　wood。　Nothing　more　was　heard　of　him。
　　　Those　were　dark　days　for　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía。　The　president　of　the　republic　sent　him　a　telegram　of　condolence　in　which　he　promised　an　exhaustive　investigation　and　paid　homage　to　the　dead　men。　At　his　mand；　the　mayor　appeared　at　the　services　with　four　funeral　wreaths；　which　he　tried　to　place　on　the　coffins；　but　the　colonel　ordered　him　into　the　street。　After　the　burial　he　drew　up　and　personally　submitted　to　the　president　of　the　republic　a　violent　telegram；　which　the　telegrapher　refused　to　send。　Then　he　enriched　it　with　terms　of　singular　aggressiveness；　put　it　in　an　envelope；　and　mailed　it。　As　had　happened　with　the　death　of　his　wife；　as　had　happened　to　him　so　many　times　during　the　war　with　the　deaths　of　his　best　friends；　he　did　not　have　a　feeling　of　sorrow　but　a　blind　and　directionless　rage；　a　broad　feeling　of　impotence。　He　even　accused　Father　Antonio　Isabel　of　plicity　for　having　marked　his　sons　with　indelible　ashes　so　that　theycould　be　identified　by　their　enemies。　The　decrepit　priest；　who　could　no　longer　string　ideas　together　and　who　was　beginning　to　startle　his　parishioners　with　the　wild　interpretations　he　gave　from　the　pulpit；　appeared　one　afternoon　at　the　house　with　the　goblet　in　which　he　had　prepared　the　ashes　that　Wednesday　and　he　tried　to　anoint　the　whole　family　with　them　to　show　that　they　could　be　washed　off　with　water。　But　the　horror　of　the　misfortune　had　penetrated　so　deeply　that　not　even　Fernanda　would　let　him　experiment　on　her　and　never　again　was　a　Buendía　seen　to　kneel　at　the　altar　rail　on　Ash　Wednesday。
　　　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　did　not　recover　his　calm　for　a　long　time。　He　abandoned　the　manufacture　of　little　fishes；　ate　with　great　difficulty；　and　wandered　all　through　the　house　as　if　walking　in　his　sleep；　dragging　his　blanket　and　chewing　on　his　quiet　rage。　At　the　end　of　three　months　his　hair　was　ashen；　his　old　waxed　mustache　poured　down　beside　his　colorless　lips；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　his　eyes　were　once　more　the　burning　coals　that　had　startled　those　who　had　seen　him　born　and　that　in　other　days　had　made　chairs　rock　with　a　simple　glance。　In　the　fury　of　his　torment　he　tried　futilely　to　rouse　the　omens　that　had　guided　his　youth　along　dangerous　paths　into　the　desolate　wasteland　of　glory。　He　was　lost；　astray　in　a　strange　house　where　nothing　and　no　one　now　stirred　in　him　the　slightest　vestige　of　affection。　Once　he　opened　Melquíades？room；　looking　for　the　traces　of　a　past　from　before　the　war；　and　he　found　only　rubble；　trash；　piles　of　waste　accumulated　over　all　the　years　of　abandonment。　Between　the　covers　of　the　books　that　no　one　had　ever　read　again；　in　the　old　parchments　damaged　by　dampness；　a　livid　flower　had　prospered；　and　in　the　air　that　had　been　the　purest　and　brightest　in　the　house　an　unbearable　smell　of　rotten　memories　floated。　One　morning　he　found　？rsula　weeping　under　the　chestnut　tree　at　the　knees　of　her　dead　husband。　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　was　the　only　inhabitant　of　the　house　who　still　did　not　see　the　powerful　old　man　who　had　been　beaten　down　by　half　a　century　in　the　open　air。　“Say　hello　to　your　father；？？rsula　told　him。　He　stopped　for　an　instant　in　front　of　the　chestnut　tree　and　once　again　he　saw　that　the　empty　space　before　him　did　not　arouse　an　affection　either。
　　　“What　does　he　say？？he　asked。
　　　“He’s　very　sad；？？rsula　answered；　“because　he　thinks　that　you’re　going　to　die。？
　　　“Tell　him；？the　colonel　said；　smiling；　“that　a　person　doesn’t　die　when　he　should　but　when　he　can。？
　　　The　omen　of　the；　dead　father　stirred　up　the　last　remnant　of　pride　that　was　left　in　his　heart；　but　he　confused　it　with　a　sudden　gust　of　strength。　It　was　for　that　reason　that　he　hounded　？rsula　to　tell　him　where　in　the　courtyard　the　gold　coins　that　they　had　found　inside　the　plaster　Saint　Joseph　were　buried。　“You’ll　never　know；？she　told　him　with　a　firmness　inspired　by　an　old　lesson。　“One　day；？she　added；　“the　owner　of　that　fortune　will　appear　and　only　he　can　dig　it　up。？No　one　knew　why　a　man　who　had　always　been　so　generous　had　begun　to　covet　money　with　such　anxiety；　and　not　the　modest　amounts　that　would　have　been　enough　to　resolve　an　emergency；　but　a　fortune　of　such　mad　size　that　the　mere　mention　of　it　left　Aureliano　Segundo　awash　in　amazement。　His　old　fellow　party　members；　to　whom　he　went　asking　for　help；　hid　so　as　not　to　receive　him。　It　was　around　that　time　that　he　was　heard　to　say。　“The　only　difference　today　between　Liberals　and　Conservatives　is　that　the　Liberals　go　to　mass　at　five　o’clock　and　the　Conservatives　at　eight。？Nevertheless　he　insisted　with　such　perseverance；　begged　in　such　a　way；　broke　his　code　of　dignity　to　such　a　degree；　that　with　a　little　help　from　here　and　a　little　more　from　there；　sneaking　about　everywhere；　with　a　slippery　diligence　and　a　pitiless　perseverance；　he　managed　to　put　together　in　eight　months　more　money　than　？rsula　had　buried。　Then　he　visited　the　ailing　Colonel　Gerineldo　Márquez　so　that　he　would　help　him　start　the　total　war。
　　　At　a　certain　time　Colonel　Gerineldo　Márquez　was　really　the　only　one　who　could　have　pulled；　even　from　his　paralytics　chair；　the　musty　strings　of　rebellion。　After　the　armistice　of　Neerlandia；　while　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　took　refuge　with　his　little　gold　fishes；　he　kept　in　touch　with　the　rebel　officers　who　had　been　faithful　to　him　until　the　defeat。　With　them　he　waged　the　sad　war　of　daily　humiliation；　of　entreaties　and　petitions；　of　ebacktomorrow；　of　anytimenow；　of　we’restudyingyourcasewiththeproperattention；　the　war　hopelessly　lost　against　the　many　yoursmosttrulys　who　should　have