百年孤独(英文版)-第42部分

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house；　with　a　lazy；　idolatrous；　libertine　husband　who　lay　on　his　back　waiting　for　bread　to　rain　down　from　heaven　while　she　was　straining　her　kidneys　trying　to　keep　afloat　a　home　held　together　with　pins　where　there　was　so　much　to　do；　so　much　to　bear　up　under　and　repair　from　the　time　God　gave　his　morning　sunlight　until　it　was　time　to　go　to　bed　that　when　she　got　there　her　eyes　were　full　of　ground　glass；　and　yet　no　one　ever　said　to　her；　“Good　morning；　Fernanda；　did　you　sleep　well？？Nor　had　they　asked　her；　even　out　of　courtesy；　why　she　was　so　pale　or　why　she　awoke　with　purple　rings　under　her　eyes　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　she　expected　it；　of　course；　from　a　family　that　had　always　considered　her　a　nuisance；　an　old　rag；　a　booby　painted　on　the　wall；　and　who　were　always　going　around　saying　things　against　her　behind　her　back；　calling　her　church　mouse；　calling　her　Pharisee；　calling　her　crafty；　and　even　Amaranta；　may　she　rest　in　peace；　had　said　aloud　that　she　was　one　of　those　people　who　could　not　tell　their　rectums　from　their　ashes；　God　have　mercy；　such　words；　and　she　had　tolerated　everything　with　resignation　because　of　the　Holy　Father；　but　she　had　not　been　able　to　tolerate　it　any　more　when　that　evil　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　said　that　the　damnation　of　the　family　had　e　when　it　opened　its　doors　to　a　stuckup　highlander；　just　imagine；　a　bossy　highlander；　Lord　save　us；　a　highlander　daughter　of　evil　spit　of　the　same　stripe　as　the　highlanders　the　government　sent　to　kill　workers；　you　tell　me；　and　he　was　referring　to　no　one　but　her；　the　godchild　of　the　Duke　of　Alba；　a　lady　of　such　lineage　that　she　made　the　liver　of　presidents？wives　quiver；　a　noble　dame　of　fine　blood　like　her；　who　had　the　right　to　sign　eleven　peninsular　names　and　who　was　the　only　mortal　creature　in　that　town　full　of　bastards　who　did　not　feel　all　confused　at　the　sight　of　sixteen　pieces　of　silverware；　so　that　her　adulterous　husband　could　die　of　laughter　afterward　and　say　that　so　many　knives　and　forks　and　spoons　were　not　meant　for　a　human　being　but　for　a　centipede；　and　the　only　one　who　could　tell　with　her　eyes　closed　when　the　white　wine　was　served　and　on　what　side　and　in　which　glass　and　when　the　red　wine　and　on　what　side　and　in　which　glass；　and　not　like　that　peasant　of　an　Amaranta；　may　she　rest　in　peace；　who　thought　that　white　wine　was　served　in　the　daytime　and　red　wine　at　night；　and　the　only　one　on　the　whole　coast　who　could　take　pride　in　the　fact　that　she　took　care　of　her　bodily　needs　only　in　golden　chamberpots；　so　that　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía；　may　he　rest　in　peace；　could　have　the　effrontery　to　ask　her　with　his　Masonic　Ill　humor　where　she　had　received　that　privilege　and　whether　she　did　not　shit　shit　but　shat　sweet　basil；　just　imagine；　with　those　very　words；　and　so　that　Renata；　her　own　daughter；　who　through　an　oversight　had　seen　her　stool　in　the　bedroom；　had　answered　that　even　if　the　pot　was　all　gold　and　with　a　coat　of　arms；　what　was　inside　was　pure　shit；　physical　shit；　and　worse　even　than　any　other　kind　because　it　was　stuckup　highland　shit；　just　imagine；　her　own　daughter；　so　that　she　never　had　any　illusions　about　the　rest　of　the　family；　but　in　any　case　she　had　the　right　to　expect　a　little　more　consideration　from　her　husband　because；　for　better　or　for　worse；　he　was　her　consecrated　spouse　her　helpmate；　her　legal　despoiler；　who　took　upon　himself　of　his　own　free　and　sovereign　will　the　grave　responsibility　of　taking　her　away　from　her　paternal　home；　where　she　never　wanted　for　or　suffered　from　anything；　where　she　wove　funeral　wreaths　as　a　pastime；　since　her　godfather　had　sent　a　letter　with　his　signature　and　the　stamp　of　his　ring　on　the　sealing　wax　simply　to　say　that　the　hands　of　his　goddaughter　were　not　meant　for　tasks　of　this　world　except　to　play　the　clavichord；　and；　nevertheless；　her　insane　husband　had　taken　her　from　her　home　with　all　manner　of　admonitions　and　warnings　and　had　brought　her　to　that　frying　pan　of　hell　where　a　person　could　not　breathe　because　of　the　heat；　and　before　she　had　pleted　her　Pentecostal　fast　he　had　gone　off　with　his　wandering　trunks　and　his　wastrel’s　accordion　to　loaf　in　adultery　with　a　wretch　of　whom　it　was　only　enough　to　see　her　behind；　well；　that’s　been　said；　to　see　her　wiggle　her　mare’s　behind　in　order　to　guess　that　she　was　a；　that　she　was　a；　just　the　opposite　of　her；　who　was　a　lady　in　a　palace　or　a　pigsty；　at　the　table　or　in　bed；　a　lady　of　breeding；　Godfearing；　obeying　His　laws　and　submissive　to　His　wishes；　and　with　whom　he　could　not　perform；　naturally；　the　acrobatics　and　trampish　antics　that　he　did　with　the　other　one；　who；　of　course；　was　ready　for　anything　like　the　French　matrons；　and　even　worse；　if　one　considers　well；　because　they　at　least　had　the　honesty　to　put　a　red　light　at　their　door；　swinishness　like　that；　just　imagine；　and　that　was　all　that　was　needed　by　the　only　and　beloved　daughter　of　Do？a　Renata　Argote　and　Don　Fernando　del　Carpio；　and　especially　the　latter；　an　upright　man；　a　fine　Christian；　a　Knight　of　the　Order　of　the　Holy　Sepulcher；　those　who　receive　direct　from　God　the　privilege　of　remaining　intact　in　their　graves　with　their　skin　smooth　like　the　cheeks　of　a　bride　and　their　eyes　alive　and　clear　like　emeralds。
　　　“That’s　not　true；？Aureliano　Segundo　interrupted　her。　“He　was　already　beginning　to　smell　when　they　brought　him　here。？
　　　He　had　the　patience　to　listen　to　her　for　a　whole　day　until　he　caught　her　in　a　slip。　Fernanda　did　not　pay　him　any　mind；　but　she　lowered　her　voice。　That　night　at　dinner　the　exasperating　buzzing　of　the　singsong　had　conquered　the　sound　of　the　rain。　Aureliano；　Segundo　ate　very　little；　with　his　head　down；　and　he　went　to　his　room　early。　At　breakfast　on　the　following　day　Fernanda　was　trembling；　with　a　look　of　not　having　slept　well；　and　she　seemed　pletely　exhausted　by　her　rancor。　Nevertheless；　when　her　husband　asked　if　it　was　not　possible　to　have　a　softboiled　egg；　she　did　not　answer　simply　that　they　had　run　out　of　eggs　the　week　before；　but　she　worked　up　a　violent　diatribe　against　men　who　spent　their　time　contemplating　their　navels　and　then　had　the　gall　to　ask　for　larks？livers　at　the　table。　Aureliano　Segundo　took　the　children　to　look　at　the　encyclopedia；　as　always；　and　Fernanda　pretended　to　straighten　out　Meme’s　room　just　so　that　he　could　listen　to　her　muttering；　of　course；　that　it　certainly　took　cheek　for　him　to　tell　the　poor　innocents　that　there　was　a　picture　of　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　in　the　encyclopedia。　During　the　afternoon；　while　the　children　were　having　their　nap；　Aureliano　Segundo　sat　on　the　porch　and　Fernanda　pursued　him　even　there；　provoking　him；　tormenting　him；　hovering　about　him　with　her　implacable　horsefly　buzzing；　saying　that；　of　course；　while　there　was　nothing　to　eat　except　stones；　her　husband　was　sitting　there　like　a　sultan　of　Persia；　watching　it　rain；　because　that　was　all　he　was；　a　slob；　a　sponge；　a　goodfornothing；　softer　than　cotton　batting；　used　to　living　off　women　and　convinced　that　he　had　married　Jonah’s　wife；　who　was　so　content　with　the　story　of　the　whale。　Aureliano　Segundo　listened　to　her　for　more　than　two　hours；　impassive；　as　if　he　were　deaf。　He　did　not　interrupt　her　until　late　in　the　afternoon；　when　he　could　no　longer　bear　the　echo　of　the　bass　drum　that　was　tormenting　his　head。
　　　“Please　shut　up；？he　begged。
　　　Fernanda；　quite　the　contrary；　raised　her　pitch。　“I　don’t　have　any　reason　to　shut　up；？she　said。　“Anyone　who　doesn’t　want　to　listen　to　me　can　go　someplace　else。？Then　Aureliano　Segundo　lost　control。　He　stood　up　unhurriedly；　as　if　he　only　intended　to　stretch；　and　with　a　perfectly　regulated　and　methodical　fury　he　grabbed　the　pots　with　the　begonias　one　after　the　other；　those　with　the　ferns；　the　oregano；　and　one　after　the　　other　he　smashed　them　onto　the　floor。　Fernanda　was　frightened　because　until　then　she　had　really　not　had　a　clear　indication　of　the　tremendous　inner　force　of　her　singsong；　but　it　was　too　late　for　any　attempt　at　rectification。　Intoxicated　by　the　uncontained　torrent　of　relief；　Aureliano　Segundo　broke　the　glass　on　the　china　closet　and　piece　by　piece；　without　hurrying；　he　took　out　the　chinaware　and　shattered　it　on　the　floor。　Systematically；　serenely；　in　the　same　parsimonious　way　in　which　he　had　papered　the　house　with　banknotes；　he　then　set　about　smashing　the　Bohemian　crystal　ware　against　the　walls；　the　handpainted　vases；　the　pictures　of　maidens　in　flowerladen　boats；　the　mirrors　in　their　gilded　frames；　everything　that　was　breakable；　from　parlor　to　pantry；　and　he　finished　with　the　large　earthen　jar　in　the　kitchen；　which　exploded　in　the　middle　of　the　courtyard　with　a　hollow　boom。　Then　he　washed　his　hands；　threw　the　oilcloth　over　himself；　and　before　midnight　he　returned　with　a　few　strings　of　dried　meat；　several　bags　of　rice；　corn　with　weevils；　and　some　emaciated　bunches　of　bananas。　From　then　on　there　was　no　more　lack　of　food。
　　　Amaranta　？rsula　and　little　Aureliano　would　remember　the　rains　as　a　happy　time。　In　spite　of　Fernanda’s　strictness；　they　would　splash　in　the　puddles　in　the　courtyard；　catch　lizards　and　dissect　them；　and　pretend　that　they　were　poisoning　the　soup　with　dust　from　butterfly　wings　when　Santa　Sofía　de　la　Piedad　was　not　looking　？rsula　was　their　most　amusing　plaything。　They　looked　upon　her　as　a　big；。　brokendown　doll　that　they　carried　back　and　forth　from　one　corner　to　another　wrapped　in　colored　cloth　and　with　her　face　painted　with　soot　and　annatto；　and　once　they　were　on　the　point　of　plucking　out　her　eyes　with　the　pruning　shears　as　they　had　done　with　the　frogs。　Nothing　gave　them　as　much　excitement　as　the　wanderings　of　her　mind。　Something；　indeed；　must　have　happened　to　her　mind　during　the　third　year　of　the　rain；　for　she　was　gradually　losing　her　sense　of　reality　and　confusing　present　time　with　remote　periods　of　her　life　to　the　point　where；　on　one　occasion；　she　spent　three　days　weeping　deeply　over　the　death　of　Petronila　Iguarán；　her　greatgrandmother；　buried　for　over　a　century。　She　sank　into　such　an　insane　state　of　confusion　that　she　thought　little　Aureliano　was　her　son　the　colonel　during　the　time　he　was　taken　to　see　ice；　and　that　the　Jos？Arcadio　who　was　at　that　time　in　the　seminary　was　her　firstborn　who　had　gone　off　with　the　gypsies。　She　spoke　so　much　about　the　family　that　the　children　learned　to　make　up　imaginary　visits　with　beings　who　had　not　only　been　dead　for　a　long　time；　but　who　had　existed　at　different　times。　Sitting　on　the　bed；　her　hair　covered　with　ashes　and　her　face　wrapped　in　a　red　kerchief；　？rsula　was　happy　in　the　midst　of　the　unreal　relatives　whom　the　children　described　in　all　detail；　as　if　they　had　really　known　them。　？rsula　would　converse　with　her　forebears　about　events　that　took　place　before　her　own　existence；　enjoying　the　news　they　gave　her；　and　she　would　weep　with　them　over　deaths　that　were　much　more　recent　than　the　guests　themselves。　The　children　did　not　take　long　to　notice　that　in　the　course　of　those　ghostly　visits　？rsula　would　always　ask　a　question　destined　to　establish　the　one　who　had　brought　a　lifesize　plaster　Saint　Joseph　to　the　house　to　be　kept　until　the　rains　stopped。　It　was　in　that　way　that　Aureliano　Segundo　remembered　the　fortune　buried　in　some　place　that　only　？rsula　knew；　but　the　questions　and　astute　maneuvering　that　occurred　to　him　were　of　no　use　because　in　the　labyrinth　of　her　madness　she　seemed　to　preserve　enough　of　a　margin　of　lucidity　to　keep　the　secret　which　she　would　reveal　only　to　the　one　who　could　prove　that　he　was　the　real　owner　of　the　buried　gold。　She　was　so　skillful　and　strict　that　when　Aureliano　Segundo　instructed　one　of　his　carousing　panions　to　pass　himself　off　as　the　owner　of　the　fortune；　she　got　him　all　caught　up　in　a　minute　interrogation　sown　with　subtle　traps。
　　　Convinced　that　？rsula　would　carry　the　secret　to　her　grave；　Aureliano　Segundo　hired　a　crew　of　diggers　under　the　pretext　that　they　were　making　some　drainage　canals　in　the　courtyard　and　the　backyard；　and　he　himself　took　soundings　in　the　earth　with　iron　bars　and　all　manner　of　metaldetectors　without　finding　anything　that　resembled　gold　in　three　months　of　exhaustive　exploration。　Later　on　he　went　to　Pilar　Ternera　with　the　hope　that　the　cards　would　we　more　than　the　diggers；　but　she　began　by　explaining　that　any　attempt　would　be　useless　unless　？rsula　cut　the　cards。　On　the　other　hand；　she　confirmed　the　existence　of　the　treasure　with　the　precision　of　its　consisting　of　seven　thousand　two　hundred　fourteen　coins　buried　in　three　canvas　sacks　reinforced　with　copper　wire　within　a　circle　with　a　radius　of　three　hundred　eightyeight　feet　with　？rsula’s　bed　as　the　center；　but　she　warned　that　it　would　not　be　found　until　it　stopped　raining　and　the　suns　of　three　consecutive　Junes　had　changed　the　piles　of　mud　into　dust。　The　profusion　and　meticulous　vagueness　of　the　information　seemed　to　Aureliano　Segundo　so　similar　to　the　tales　of　spiritualists　that　he　kept　on　with　his　enterprise　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　they　were　in　August　and　they　would　have　to　wait　at　least　three　years　in　order　to　satisfy　the　conditions　of　the　prediction。　The　first　thing　that　startled　him；　even　though　it　increased　his　confusion　at　the　same　time；　was　the　fact　that　it　was　precisely　three　hundred　eightyeight　feet　from　？rsula’s　bed　to　the　backyard　wall。　Fernanda　feared　that　he　was　as　crazy　as　his　twin　brother　when　she　saw　him　taking　the　measurements；　and　even　more　when　he　told　the　digging　crew　to　make　the　ditches　three　feet　deeper。　Overe　by　an　exploratory　delirium　parable　only　to　that　of　his　greatgrandfather　when　he　was　searching　for　the　route　of　inventions；　Aureliano　Segundo　lost　the　last　layers　of　fat　that　he　had　left　and　the　old　resemblance　to　his　twin　brother　was　being　accentuated　again；　not　only　because　of　his　slim　figure；　but　also　because　of　the　distant　air　and　the　withdrawn　attitude。　He　no　longer　bothered　with　the　children。　He　ate　at　odd　hours；　muddled　from　head　to　toe；　and　he　did　so　in　a　corner　in　the　kitchen；　barely　answering　the　occasional　questions　asked　by　Santa　Sofía　de　la　Piedad。　Seeing　him　work　that　way；　as　she　had　never　dreamed　him　capable　of　doing；　Fernanda　thought　that　his　stubbornness　was　diligence；　his　greed　abnegation；　and　his　thickheadedness　perseverance；　and　her　insides　tightened　with　remorse　over　the　virulence　with　which　she　had　attacked　his　idleness。　But　Aureliano　Segundo　was　in　no　mood　for　merciful　reconciliations　at　that　time。　Sunk　up　to　his　neck　in　a　morass　of　dead　brandies　and　rotting　flowers；　he　flung　the　dirt　of　the　garden　all　about　after　having　finished　with　the　courtyard　and　the　backyard；　and　he　excavated　so　deeply　under　the　foundations　of　the　east　wing　of　the　house　that　one　night　they　woke　up　in　terror　at　what　seemed　to　be　an　earthquake；　as　much　because　of　the　trembling　as　the　fearful　underground　creaking。　Three　of　the　rooms　were　collapsing　and　a　frightening　crack　had　opened　up　from　the　porch　to　Fernanda’s　room。　Aureliano　Segundo　did　not　give　up　the　search　because　of　that。　Even　when　his　last　hopes　had　been　extinguished　and　the　only　thing　that　seemed　to　make　any　sense　was　what　the　cards　had　predicted；　he　reinforced　the　jagged　foundation；　repaired　the　crack　with　mortar；　and　continued　on　the　side　to　the　west。　He　was　still　there　on　the　second　week　of　the　following　June　when　the　rain　began　to　abate　and　the　clouds　began　to　lift　and　it　was　obvious　from　one　moment　to　the　next　that　it　was　going　to　clear。　That　was　what　happened。　On　Friday　at　two　in　the　afternoon　the　world　lighted　up　with　a　crazy　crimson　sun　as　harsh　as　brick　dust　and