百年孤独(英文版)-第33部分

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n　in　the　rest　of　the　house。　Everything　was　so　recent　that　several　weeks　later；　when　？rsula　went　into　the　room　with　a　pail　of　water　and　a　brush　to　wash　the　floor；　there　was　nothing　for　her　to　do。　Aureliano　Segundo　was　deep　in　the　reading　of　a　book。　Although　it　had　no　cover　and　the　title　did　not　appear　anywhere；　the　boy　enjoyed　the　story　of　a　woman　who　sat　at　a　table　and　ate　nothing　but　kernels　of　rice；　which　she　picked　up　with　a　pin；　and　the　story　of　the　fisherman　who　borrowed　a　weight　for　his　net　from　a　neighbor　and　when　he　gave　him　a　fish　in　payment　later　it　had　a　diamond　in　its　stomach；　and　the　one　about　the　lamp　that　fulfilled　wishes　and　about　flying　carpets。　Surprised；　he　asked　？rsula　if　all　that　was　true　and　she　answered　him　that　it　was；　that　many　years　ago　the　gypsies　had　brought　magic　lamps　and　flying　mats　to　Macondo。
　　　“What’s　happening；？she　sighed；　“is　that　the　world　is　slowly　ing　to　an　end　and　those　things　don’t　e　here　any　more。？
　　　When　he　finished　the　book；　in　which　many　of　the　stories　had　no　endings　because　there　were　pages　missing；　Aureliano　Segundo　set　about　deciphering　the　manuscripts。　It　was　impossible。　The　letters　looked　like　clothes　hung　out　to　dry　on　a　line　and　they　looked　more　like　musical　notation　than　writing。　One　hot　noontime；　while　he　was　poring　over　the；　manuscripts；　he　sensed　that　he　was　not　alone　in　the　room。　Against　the　light　from　the　window；　sitting　with　his　hands　on　his　knees；　was　Melquíades。　He　was　under　forty　years　of　age。　He　was　wearing　the　same　old…fashioned　vest　and　the　hat　that　looked　like　a　raven’s　wings；　and　across　his　pale　temples　there　flowed　the　grease　from　his　hair　that　had　been　melted　by　the　heat；　just　as　Aureliano　and　Jos？Arcadio　had　seen　him　when　they　were　children。　Aureliano　Segundo　recognized　him　at　once；　because　that　hereditary　memory　had　been　transmitted　from　generation　to　generation　and　had　e　to　him　through　the　memory　of　his　grandfather。
　　　“Hello；？Aureliano　Segundo　said。
　　　“Hello；　young　man；？said　Melquíades。
　　　From　then　on；　for　several　years；　they　saw　each　other　almost　every　afternoon。　Melquíades　talked　to　him　about　the　world；　tried　to　infuse　him　with　his　old　wisdom；　but　he　refused　to　translate　the　manuscripts。　“No　one　must　know　their　meaning　until　he　has　reached　one　hundred　years　of　age；？he　explained。　Aureliano　kept　those　meetings　secret　forever。　On　one　occasion　he　felt　that　his　private　world　had　fallen　apart　because　？rsula　came　in　when　Melquíades　was　in　the　room。　But　she　did　not　see　him。
　　　“Who　were　you　talking　to？？she　asked　him。
　　　“Nobody；？Aureliano　Segundo　said。
　　　“That’s　what　your　great…grandfather　did；？？rsula；　said。　“He　used　to　talk　to　himself　too。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo；　in　the　meantime；　had　satisfied　his　wish　to　see　a　shooting。　For　the　rest　of　his　life　he　would　remember　the　livid　flash　of　the　six　simultaneous　shots…and　the　echo　of　the　discharge　as　it　broke　against　the　hills　and　the　sad　smile　and　perplexed　eyes　of　the　man　being　shot；　who　stood　erect　while　his　shirt　became　soaked　with　blood；　and　who　was　still　smiling　even　when　they　untied　him　from　the　post　and　put　him　in　a　box　filled　with　quicklime。　“He’s　alive；？he　thought。　“They’re　going　to　bury　him　alive。？It　made　such　an　impression　on　him　that　from　then　on　he　detested　military　practices　and　war；　not　because　of　the　executions　but　because　of　the　horrifying　custom　of　burying　the　victims　alive。　No　one　knew　then　exactly　when　he　began　to　ring　the　bells　in　the　church　tower　and　assist　Father　Antonio　Isabel；　the　successor　to　“The　Pup；？at　mass；　and　take　can　of　the　fighting　cocks　in　the　courtyard　of　the　parish　house。　When　Colonel　Gerineldo　Márquez　found　out　he　scolded　him　strongly　for　learning　occupations　repudiated　by　the　Liberals。　“The　fact　is；？he　answered；　“I　think　I’ve　turned　out　to　be　a　Conservative。？He　believed　it　as　if　it　had　been　determined　by　fate。　Colonel　Gerineldo　Márquez；　scandalized；　told　？rsula　about　it。
　　　“It’s　better　that　way；？she　approved。　“Let’s　hope　that　he　bees　a　priest　so　that　God　will　finally　e　into　this　house。？
　　　It　was　soon　discovered　that　Father　Antonio　Isabel　was　preparing　him　for　his　first　munion。　He　was　teaching　him　the　catechism　as　he　shaved　the　necks　of　his　roosters。　He　explained　to　him　with　simple　examples；　as　he　put　the　brooding　hens　into　their　nests；　how　it　had　occurred　to　God　on　the　second　day　of　creation　that　chickens　would　be　formed　inside　of　an　egg。　From　that　time　on　the　parish　priest　began　to　show　the　signs　of　senility　that　would　lead　him　to　say　years　later　that　the　devil　had　probably　won　his　rebellion　against　God；　and　that　he　was　the　one　who　sat　on　the　heavenly　throne；　without　revealing　his　true　identity　in　order　to　trap　the　unwary。　Warmed　up　by　the　persistence　of　his　mentor；　in　a　few　months　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　came　to　be　as　adept　in　theological　tricks　used　to　confuse　the　devil　as　he　was　skilled　in　the　tricks　of　the　cockpit。　Amaranta　made　him　a　linen　suit　with　a　collar　and　tie；　bought　him　a　pair　of　white　shoes；　and　engraved　his　name　in　gilt　letters　on　the　ribbon　of　the　candle。　Two　nights　before　the　first　munion；　Father　Antonio　Isabel　closeted　himself　with　him　in　the　sacristy　to　hear　his　confession　with　the　help　of　a　dictionary　of　sins。　It　was　such　a　long　list　that　the　aged　priest；　used　to　going　to　bed　at　six　o’clock；　fell　asleep　in　his　chair　before　it　was　over。　The　interrogation　was　a　revelation　for　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo。　It　did　not　surprise　him　that　the　priest　asked　him　if　he　had　done　bad　things　with　women；　and　he　honestly　answered　no；　but　he　was　upset　with　the　question　as　to　whether　he　had　done　them　with　animals。　The　first　Friday　in　May　he　received　munion；　tortured　by　curiosity。　Later　on　he　asked　Petronio；　the　sickly　sexton　who　lived　in　the　belfry　and　who；　according　to　what　they　said；　fed　himself　on　bats；　about　it；　and　Petronio；　answered　him：　“There　are　some　corrupt　Christians　who　do　their　business　with　female　donkeys。？Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　still　showed　so　much　curiosity　and　asked　so　many　questions　that　Petronio　lost　his　patience。
　　　“I　go　Tuesday　nights；？he　confessed。　“if　you　promise　not　to　tell　anyone　I’ll　take　you　next　Tuesday。？
　　　Indeed；　on　the　following　Tuesday　Petronio　came　down　out　of　the　tower　with　a　wooden　stool　which　until　then　no　one　had　known　the　use　of；　and　he　took　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　to　a　nearby　pasture。　The　boy　became　so　taken　with　those　nocturnal　raids　that　it　was　a　long　time　before　he　was　seen　at　Catarino’s。　He　became　a　cockfight　man。　“Take　those　creatures　somewhere　else；？？rsula　ordered　him　the　first　time　she　saw　him　e　in　with　his　fine　fighting　birds。　“Roosters　have　already　brought　too　much　bitterness　to　this　house　for　you　to　bring　us　any　more。？Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　took　them　away　without　any　argument；　but　he　continued　breeding　them　at　the　house　of　Pilar　Ternera；　his　grandmother；　who　gave　him　everything　he　needed　in　exchange　for　having　him　in　her　house。　He　soon　displayed　in　the　cockpit　the　wisdom　that　Father　Antonio　Isabel　had　given　him；　and　he　made　enough　money　not　only　to　enrich　his　brood　but　also　to　look　for　a　man’s　satisfactions。　？rsula　pared　him　with　his　brother　at　that　time　and　could　not　understand　how　the　twins；　who　looked　like　the　same　person　in　childhood；　had　ended　up　so　differently。　Her　perplexity　did　not　last　very　long；　for　quite　soon　Aureliano　Segundo　began　to　show　signs　of　laziness　and　dissipation。　While　he　was　shut　up　in　Melquíades？room　he　was　drawn　into　himself　the　way　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　had　been　in　his　youth。　But　a　short　time　after　the　Treaty　of　Neerlandia；　a　piece　of　chance　took　him　out　of　his　withdrawn　self　and　made　him　face　the　reality　of　the　world。　A　young　woman　who　was　selling　numbers　for　the　raffle　of　an　accordion　greeted　him　with　a　great　deal　of　familiarity。　Aureliano　Segundo　was　not　surprised；　for　he　was　frequently　confused　with　his　brother。　But　he　did　not　clear　up　the　mistake；　not　even　when　the　girl　tried　to　soften　his　heart　with　sobs；　and　she　ended　taking　him　to　her　room。　She　liked　him　so　much　from　that　first　meeting　that　she　fixed　things　so　that　he　would　win　the　accordion　in　the　raffle。　At　the　end　of　two　weeks　Aureliano　Segundo　realized　that　the　woman　had　been　going　to　bed　alternately　with　him　and　his　brother；　thinking　that　they　were　the　same　man；　and　instead　of　making　things　clear；　he　arranged　to　prolong　the　situation。　He　did　not　return　to　Melquíades？room。　He　would　spend　his　afternoons　in　the　courtyard；　learning　to　play　the　accordion　by　ear　over　the　protests　of　？rsula；　who　at　that　time　had　forbidden　music　in　the　house　because　of　the　mourning　and　who；　in　addition；　despised　the　accordion　as　an　instrument　worthy　only　of　the　vagabond　heirs　of　Francisco　the　Man。　Nevertheless；　Aureliano　Segundo　became　a　virtuoso　on　the　accordion　and　he　still　was　after　he　had　married　and　had　children　and　was　one　of　the　most　respected　men　in　Macondo。
　　　For　almost　two　months　he　shared　the　woman　with　his　brother。　He　would　watch　him；　mix　up　his　plans；　and　when　he　was　sure　that　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　was　not　going　to　visit　their　mon　mistress　that　night；　he　would　go　and　sleep　with　her。　One　morning　he　found　that　he　was　sick。　Two　days　later　he　found　his　brother　clinging　to　a　beam　in　the　bathroom；　soaked　in　sweat　and　with　tears　pouring　down；　and　then　he　understood。　His　brother　confessed　to　him　that　the　woman　had　sent　him　away　because　he　had　given　her　what　she　called　a　low…life　sickness。　He　also　told　him　how　Pilar　Ternera　had　tried　to　cure　him。　Aureliano　Segundo　submitted　secretly　to　the　burning　baths　of　permanganate　and　to　diuretic　waters；　and　both　were　cured　separately　after　three　months　of　secret　suffering。　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　did　not　see　the　woman　again。　Aureliano　Segundo　obtained　her　pardon　and　stayed　with　her　until　his　death。
　　　Her　name　was　Petra　Cotes。　She　had　arrived　in　Macondo　in　the　middle　of　the　war　with　a　chalice　husband　who　lived　off　raffles；　and　when　the　man　died　she　kept　up　the　business。　She　was　a　clean　young　mulatto　woman　with　yellow　almond…shaped　eyes　that　gave　her　face　the　ferocity　of　a　panther；　but　she　had　a　generous　heart　and　a　magnificent　vocation　for　love。　When　？rsula　realized　that　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　was　a　cockfight　man　and　that　Aureliano　Segundo　played　the　accordion　at　his　concubine’s　noisy　parties；　she　thought　she　would　go　mad　with　the　bination。　It　was　as　if　the　defects　of　the　family　and　none　of　the　virtues　had　been　concentrated　in　both。　Then　she　decided　that　no　one　again　would　be　called　Aureliano　or　Jos？Arcadio。　Yet　when　Aureliano　Segundo　had　his　first　son　she　did　not　dare　go　against　his　will。
　　　“All　right；？？rsula　said；　“but　on　one　condition：　I　will　bring　him　up。？
　　　Although　she　was　already　a　hundred　years　old　and　on　the　point　of　going　blind　from　cataracts；　she　still　had　her　physical　dynamism；　her　integrity　of　character；　and　her　mental　balance　intact。　No　one　would　be　better　able　than　she　to　shape　the　virtuous　man　who　would　restore　the　prestige　of　the　family；　a　man　who　would　never　have　heard　talk　of　war；　fighting　cocks；　bad　women；　or　wild　undertakings；　four　calamities　that；　according　to　what　？rsula　thought；　had　determined　the　downfall。　of　their　line。　“This　one　will　be　a　priest；？she　promised　solemnly。　“And　if　God　gives　me　life　he’ll　be　Pope　someday。？They　all　laughed　when　they　heard　her；　not　only　in　the　bedroom　but　all　through　the　house；　where　Aureliano　Segundo’s　rowdy　friends　were　gathered。　The　w