百年孤独(英文版)-第37部分

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se　the　illusion　of　being　a　queen　when　two　peremptory　raps　of　the　knocker　sounded　at　the　door　and　she　opened　it　to　a　well…groomed　military　officer　with　ceremonious　manners　who　had　a　scar　on　his　cheek　and　a　gold　medal　on　his　chest。　He　closeted　himself　with　her　father　in　the　study。　Two　hours　later　her　father　came　to　get　her　in　the　sewing　room。　“Get　your　things　together；？he　told　her。　“You　have　to　take　a　long　trip。？That　was　how　they　took　her　to　Macondo。　In　one　single　day；　with　a　brutal　slap；　life　threw　on　top　of　her　the　whole　weight　of　a　reality　that　her　parents　had　kept　hidden　from　her　for　many　years。　When　she　returned　home　she　shut　herself　up　in　her　room　to　weep；　indifferent　to　Don　Fernando’s　pleas　and　explanations　as　he　tried　to　erase　the　scars　of　that　strange　joke。　She　had　sworn　to　herself　never　to　leave　her　bedroom　until　she　died　when　Aureliano　Segundo　came　to　get　her。　It　was　an　act　of　impossible　fate；　because　in　the　confusion　of　her　indignation；　in　the　fury　of　her　shame；　she　had　lied　to　him　so　that　he　would　never　know　her　real　identity。　The　only　real　clues　that　Aureliano　Segundo　had　when　he　left　to　look　for　her　were　her　unmistakable　highland　accent　and　her　trade　as　a　weaver　of　funeral　wreaths。　He　searched　for　her　without　cease。　With　the　fierce　temerity　with　which　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　had　crossed　the　mountains　to　found　Macondo；　with　the　blind　pride　with　which　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　had　undertaken　his　fruitless　wars；　with　the　mad　tenacity　with　which　？rsula　watched　over　the　survival　of　the　line；　Aureliano　Segundo　looked　for　Fernanda；　without　a　single　moment　of　respite。　When　he　asked　where　they　sold　funeral　wreaths　they　took　him　from　house　to　house　so　that　he　could　choose　the　best　ones。　When　he　asked　for　the　most　beautiful　woman　who　had　ever　been　seen　on　this　earth；　all　the　women　brought　him　their　daughters。　He　became　lost　in　misty　byways；　in　times　reserved　for　oblivion；　in　labyrinths　of　disappointment。　He　crossed　a　yellow　plain　where　the　echo　repeated　one’s　thoughts　and　where　anxiety　brought　on　premonitory　mirages。　After　sterile　weeks　he　came　to　an　unknown　city　where　all　the　bells　were　tolling　a　dirge。　Although　he　had　never　seen　them　and　no　one　had　ever　described　them　to　him　he　immediately　recognized　the　walls　eaten　away　by　bone　salt；　the　broken…down　wooden　balconies　gutted　by　fungus；　and　nailed　to　the　outside　door；　almost　erased　by　rain；　the　saddest　cardboard　sign　in　the　world：　Funeral　Wreaths　for　Sale。　From　that　moment　until　the　icy　morning　when　Fernanda　left　her　house　under　the　care　of　the　Mother　Superior　there　was　barely　enough　time　for　the　nuns　to　sew　her　trousseau　and　in　six　trunks　put　the　candelabra；　the　silver　service；　and　the　gold　chamberpot　along　with　the　countless　and　useless　remains　of　a　family　catastrophe　that　had　been　two　centuries　late　in　its　fulfillment。　Don　Fernando　declined　the　invitation　to　go　along。　He　promised　to　go　later　when　he　had　cleared　up　his　affairs；　and　from　the　moment　when　he　gave　his　daughter　his　blessing　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　study　again　to　write　out　the　announcements　with　mournful　sketches　and　the　family　coat　of　arms；　which　would　be　the　first　human　contact　that　Fernanda　and　her　father　would　have　had　in　all　their　lives。　That　was　the　real　date　of　her　birth　for　her。　For　Aureliano　Segundo　it　was　almost　simultaneously　the　beginning　and　the　end　of　happiness。
　　　Fernanda　carried　a　delicate　calendar　with　small　golden　keys　on　which　her　spiritual　adviser　had　marked　in　purple　ink　the　dates　of　venereal　abstinence。　Not　counting　Holy　week；　Sundays；　holy　days　of　obligation；　first　Fridays；　retreats；　sacrifices；　and　cyclical　impediments；　her　effective　year　was　reduced　to　forty…two　days　that　were　spread　out　through　a　web　of　purple　crosses。　Aureliano　Segundo；　convinced　that　time　would　break　up　that　hostile　network；　prolonged　the　wedding　celebration　beyond　the　expected　time。　Tired　of　throwing　out　so　many　empty　brandy　and　champagne　bottles　so　that　they　would　not　clutter　up　the　house　and　at　the　same　time　intrigued　by　the　fact　that　the　newlyweds　slept　at　different　times　and　in　separate　rooms　while　the　fireworks　and　music　and　the　slaughtering　of　cattle　went　on；　？rsula　remembered　her　own　experience　and　wondered　whether　Fernanda　might　have　a　chastity　belt　too　which　would　sooner　or　later　provoke　jokes　in　the　town　and　give　rise　to　a　tragedy。　But　Fernanda　confessed　to　her　that　she　was　just　letting　two　weeks　go　by　before　allowing　the　first　contact　with　her　husband。　Indeed；　when　the　period　was　over；　she　opened　her　bedroom　with　a　resignation　worthy　of　an　expiatory　victim　and　Aureliano　Segundo　saw　the　most　beautiful　woman　on　earth；　with　her　glorious　eyes　of　a　frightened　animal　and　her　long；　copper…colored　hair　spread　out　across　the　pillow。　He　was　so　fascinated　with　that　vision　that　it　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　that　Fernanda　was　wearing　a　white　nightgown　that　reached　down　to　her　ankles；　with　long　sleeves　and　with　a　large；　round　buttonhole；　delicately　trimmed；　at　the　level　of　her　lower　stomach。　Aureliano　Segundo　could　not　suppress　an　explosion　of　laughter。
　　　“That’s　the　most　obscene　thing　I’ve　ever　seen　in　my　life；？he　shouted　with　a　laugh　that　rang　through　the　house。　“I　married　a　Sister　of　Charity。？
　　　A　month　later；　unsuccessful　in　getting　his　wife　to　take　off　her　nightgown；　he　had　the　picture　taken　of　Petra　Cotes　dressed　as　a　queen。　Later　on；　when　he　succeeded　in　getting　Fernanda　to　e　back　home；　she　gave　in　to　his　urges　in　the　fever　of　reconciliation；　but　she　could　not　give　him　the　repose　he　had　dreamed　about　when　he　went　to　fetch　her　in　the　city　with　the　thirty…two　belfries。　Aureliano　Segundo　found　only　a　deep　feeling　of　desolation　in　her。　One　night；　a　short　time　before　their　first　child　was　born；　Fernanda　realized　that　her　husband　had　returned　in　secret　to　the　bed　of　Petra　Cotes。
　　　“That’s　what　happened；？he　admitted。　And　he　explained　in　a　tone　of　prostrated　resignation：　“I　had　to　do　it　so　that　the　animals　would　keep　on　breeding。？
　　　He　needed　a　little　time　to　convince　her　about　such　a　strange　expedient；　but　when　he　finally　did　so　by　means　of　proofs　that　seemed　irrefutable；　the　only　promise　that　Fernanda　demanded　from　him　was　that　he　should　not　be　surprised　by　death　in　his　concubine’s　bed。　In　that　way　the　three　of　them　continued　living　without　bothering　each　other。　Aureliano　Segundo；　punctual　and　loving　with　both　of　them。　Petra　Cotes；　strutting　because　of　the　reconciliation；　and　Fernanda；　pretending　that　she　did　not　know　the　truth。
　　　The　pact　did　not　succeed；　however；　in　incorporating　Fernanda　into　the　family。　？rsula　insisted　in　vain　that　she　take　off　the　woolen　ruff　which　she　would　have　on　when　she　got　up　from　making　love　and　which　made　the　neighbors　whisper。　She　could　not　convince　her　to　use　the　bathroom　or　the　night　lavatory　and　sell　the　gold　chamberpot　to　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　so　that　he　could　convert　it　into　little　fishes。　Amaranta　felt　so　unfortable　with　her　defective　diction　and　her　habit　of　using　euphemisms　to　designate　everything　that　she　would　always　speak　gibberish　in　front　of　her。
　　　“Thifisif。？she　would　say；　“ifisif　onefos　ofosif　thofosif　whosufu　cantantant　statantand　thefesef　smufumellu　ofosif　therisir　owfisown　shifisifit。？
　　　One　day；　irritated　by　the　mockery；　Fernanda　wanted　to　know　what　Amaranta　was　saying；　and　she　did　not　use　euphemisms　in　answering　her。
　　　“I　was　saying；？she　told　her；　“that　you’re　one　of　those　people　who　mix　up　their　ass　and　their　ashes。？
　　　From　that　time　on　they　did　not　speak　to　each　other　again。　When　circumstances　demanded　it　they　would　send　notes。　In　spite　of　the　visible　hostility　of　the　family；　Fernanda　did　not　give　up　her　drive　to　impose　the　customs　of　her　ancestors。　She　put　an　end　to　the　custom　of　eating　in　the　kitchen　and　whenever　anyone　was　hungry；　and　she　imposed　the　obligation　of　doing　it　at　regular　hours　at　the　large　table　in　the　dining　room；　covered　with　a　linen　cloth　and　with　silver　candlesticks　and　table　service。　The　solemnity　of　an　act　which　？rsula　had　considered　the　most　simple　one　of　daily　life　created　a　tense　atmosphere　against　which　the　silent　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　rebelled　before　anyone　else。　But　the　custom　was　imposed；　the　same　as　that　of　reciting　the　rosary　before　dinner；　and　it　drew　the　attention　of　the　neighbors；　who　soon　spread　the　rumor　that　the　Buendías　did　not　sit　down　to　the　table　like　other　mortals　but　had　changed　the　act　of　eating　into　a　kind　of　high　mass。　Even　？rsula’s　superstitions；　with　origins　that　came　more　from　an　inspiration　of　the　moment　than　from　tradition；　came　into　conflict　with　those　of　Fernanda；　who　had　inherited　them　from　her　parents　and　kept　them　defined　and　catalogued　for　every　occasion。　As　long　as　？rsula　had　full　use　of　her　faculties　some　of　the　old　customs　survived　and　the　life　of　the　family　kept　some　quality　of　her　impulsiveness；　but　when　she　lost　her　sight　and　the　weight　of　her　years　relegated　her　to　a　corner；　the　circle　of　rigidity　begun　by　Fernanda　from　the　moment　she　arrived　finally　closed　pletely　and　no　one　but　she　determined　the　destiny　of　the　family。　The　business　in　pastries　and　small　candy　animals　that　Santa　Sofía　de　la　Piedad　had　kept　up　because　of　？rsula’s　wishes　was　considered　an　unworthy　activity　by　Fernanda　and　she　lost　no　time　in　putting　a　stop　to　it。　The　doors　of　the　house；　wide　open　from　dawn　until　bedtime；　were　closed　during　siesta　time　under　the　pretext　that　the　sun　heated　up　the　bedrooms　and　in　the　end　they　were　closed　for　good。　The　aloe　branch　and　loaf　of　bread　that　had　been　hanging　over　the　door　since　the　days　of　the　founding　were　replaced　by　a　niche　with　the　Sacred　Heart　of　Jesus。　Colonel　Aureliano；　Buendía　became　aware　somehow　of　those　changes　and　foresaw　their　consequences。　“We’re　being　people　of　quality；？he　protested。　“At　this　rate　we’ll　end　up　fighting　against　the　Conservative　regime　again；　but　this　time　to　install　a　king　in　its　place。？Fernanda　very　tactfully　tried　not　to　cross　his　path。　Within　herself　she　was　bothered　by　his　independent　spirit　his　resistance　to　all　kinds　of　social　rigidity。　She　was　exasperated　by　his　mugs　of　coffee　at　five　in　the　morning；　the　disorder　of　his　workshop；　his　frayed　blanket；　and　his　custom　of　sitting　in　the　street　door　at　dusk。　But　she　had　to　tolerate　that　one　loose　piece　in　the　family　machinery　because　she　was　sure　that　the　old　colonel　was　an　animal　who　had　been　tamed　by　the　years　and　by　disappointment　and　who；　in　a　burst　of　senile　rebellion；　was　quite　capable　of　uprooting　the　foundations　of　the　house。　When　her　husband　decided　to　give　their　first　son　the　name　of　his　great…grandfather；　she　did　not　dare　oppose　him　because　she　had　been　there　only　a　year。　But　when　the　first　daughter　was　bom　she　expressed　her　unreserved　determination　to　name　her　Renata　after　her　mother。　？rsula　had　decided　to　call　her　Remedios。　After　a　tense　argument；　in　which　Aureliano　Segundo　acted　as　the　laughing　go…between；　they　baptized　her　with　the　name　Renata　Remedios；　but　Fernanda　went　on　calling　her　just　Renata　while　her　husband’s　family　and　everyone　in　town　called　her　Meme；　a　diminutive　of　Remedios。
　　　At　first　Fernanda　did　not　talk　about　her　family；　but　in　time　she　began　to　idealize　her　father。　She　spoke　of　him　at　the　table　as　an　exceptional　being　who　had　renounced　all　forms　of　vanity　and　was　on　his　way　to　being　a　saint。　Aureliano　Segundo；　startled　at　that　unbridled　glorification