百年孤独(英文版)-第51部分

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down　at　the　same　time　on　their　pots　eleven　times　in　a　single　day；　expelling　some　rose…colored　parasites　that　they　showed　to　everybody　with　great　jubilation；　for　it　allowed　them　to　deceive　？rsula　as　to　the　origin　of　their　distractions　and　drowsiness。　Aureliano　not　only　understood　by　then；　he　also　lived　his　brother’s　experiences　as　something　of　his　own；　for　on　one　occasion　when　the　latter　was　explaining　in　great　detail　the　mechanism　of　love；　he　interrupted　him　to　ask：　“What　does　it　feel　like？？Jos？Arcadio　gave　an　immediate　reply：
　　　“It’s　like　an　earthquake。？
　　　One　January　Thursday　at　two　o’clock　in　the　morning；　Amaranta　was　born。　Before　anyone　came　into　the　room；　？rsula　examined　her　carefully。　She　was　light　and　watery；　like　a　newt；　but　all　of　her　parts　were　human：　Aureliano　did　not　notice　the　new　thing　except　when　the　house　became　full　of　people。　Protected　by　the　confusion；　he　went　off　in　search　of　his　brother；　who　had　not　been　in　bed　since　eleven　o’clock；　and　it　was　such　an　impulsive　decision　that　he　did　not　even　have　time　to　ask　himself　how　he　could　get　him　out　of　Pilar　Ternera’s　bedroom。　He　circled　the　house　for　several　hours；　whistling　private　calls；　until　the　proximity　of　dawn　forced　him　to　go　home。　In　his　mother’s　room；　playing　with　the　newborn　little　sister　and　with　a　face　that　drooped　with　innocence；　he　found　Jos？Arcadio。
　　　？rsula　was　barely　over　her　forty　days？rest　when　the　gypsies　returned。　They　were　the　same　acrobats　and　jugglers　that　had　brought　the　ice。　Unlike　Melquíades？tribe；　they　had　shown　very　quickly　that　they　were　not　heralds　of　progress　but　purveyors　of　amusement。　Even　when　they　brought　the　ice　they　did　not　advertise　it　for　its　usefulness　in　the　life　of　man　but　as　a　simple　circus　curiosity。　This　time；　along　with　many　other　artifices；　they　brought　a　flying　carpet。　But　they　did　not　offer　it　as　a　fundamental　contribution　to　the　development　of　transport；　rather　as　an　object　of　recreation。　The　people　at　once　dug　up　their　last　gold　pieces　to　take　advantage　of　a　quick　flight　over　the　houses　of　the　village。　Protected　by　the　delightful　cover　of　collective　disorder；　Jos？Arcadio　and　Pilar　passed　many　relaxing　hours。　They　were　two　happy　lovers　among　the　crowd；　and　they　even　came　to　suspect　that　love　could　be　a　feeling　that　was　more　relaxing　and　deep　than　the　happiness；　wild　but　momentary；　of　their　secret　nights。　Pilar；　however；　broke　the　spell。　Stimulated　by　the　enthusiasm　that　Jos？Arcadio　showed　in　her　panionship；　she　confused　the　form　and　the　occasion；　and　all　of　a　sudden　she　threw　the　whole　world　on　top　of　him。　“Now　you　really　are　a　man；？she　told　him。　And　since　he　did　not　understand　what　she　meant；　she　spelled　it　out　to　him。
　　　“You’re　going　to　be　a　father。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio　did　not　dare　leave　the　house　for　several　days。　It　was　enough　for　him　to　hear　the　rocking　laughter　of　Pilar　in　the　kitchen　to　run　and　take　refuge　in　the　laboratory；　where　the　artifacts　of　alchemy　had　e　alive　again　with　？rsula’s　blessing。　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　received　his　errant　son　with　joy　and　initiated　him　in　the　search　for　the　philosopher’s　stone；　which　he　had　finally　undertaken。　One　afternoon　the　boys　grew　enthusiastic　over　the　flying　carpet　that　went　swiftly　by　the　laboratory　at　window　level　carrying　the　gypsy　who　was　driving　it　and　several　children　from　the　village　who　were　merrily　waving　their　hands；　but　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　did　not　even　look　at　it。　“Let　them　dream；？he　said。　“We’ll　do　better　flying　than　they　are　doing；　and　with　more　scientific　resources　than　a　miserable　bedspread。？In　spite　of　his　feigned　interest；　Jos？Arcadio　must　understood　the　powers　of　the　philosopher’s　egg；　which　to　him　looked　like　a　poorly　blown　bottle。　He　did　not　succeed　in　escaping　from　his　worries。　He　lost　his　appetite　and　he　could　not　sleep。　He　fell　into　an　ill　humor；　the　same　as　his　father’s　over　the　failure　of　his　undertakings；　and　such　was　his　upset　that　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　himself　relieved　him　of　his　duties　in　the　laboratory；　thinking　that　he　had　taken　alchemy　too　much　to　heart。　Aureliano；　of　course；　understood　that　his　brother’s　affliction　did　not　have　its　source　in　the　search　for　the　philosopher’s　stone　but　he　could　not　get　into　his　confidence。　He　had　lost　his　former　spontaneity。　From　an　acplice　and　a　municative　person　he　had　bee　withdrawn　and　hostile。　Anxious　for　solitude；　bitten　by　a　virulent　rancor　against　the　world；　one　night　he　left　his　bed　as　usual；　but　he　did　not　go　to　Pilar　Ternera’s　house；　but　to　mingle　is　the　tumult　of　the　fair。　After　wandering　about　among　all　kinds　of　contraptions　with　out　being　interested　in　any　of　them；　he　spotted　something　that　was　not　a　part　of　it　all：　a　very　young　gypsy　girl；　almost　a　child；　who　was　weighted　down　by　beads　and　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　that　Jos？Arcadio　had　ever　seen　in　his　life。　She　was　in　the　crowd　that　was　witnessing　the　sad　spectacle　of　the　man　who　had　been　turned　into　a　snake　for　having　disobeyed　his　parents。
　　　Jos？Arcadio　paid　no　attention。　While　the　sad　interrogation　of　the　snake…man　was　taking　place；　he　made　his　way　through　the　crowd　up　to　the　front　row；　where　the　gypsy　girl　was；　and　he　stooped　behind　her。　He　pressed　against　her　back。　The　girl　tried　to　separate　herself；　but　Jos？Arcadio　pressed　more　strongly　against　her　back。　Then　she　felt　him。　She　remained　motionless　against　him；　trembling　with　surprise　and　fear；　unable　to　believe　the　evidence；　and　finally　she　turned　her　head　and　looked　at　him　with　a　tremulous　smile。　At　that　instant　two　gypsies　put　the　snake…man　into　his　cage　and　carried　him　into　the　tent。　The　gypsy　who　was　conducting　the　show　announced：
　　　“And　now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　we　are　going　to　show　the　terrible　test　of　the　woman　who　must　have　her　head　chopped　off　every　night　at　this　time　for　one　hundred　and　fifty　years　as　punishment　for　having　seen　what　she　should　not　have。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio　and　the　gypsy　girl　did　not　witness　the　decapitation。　They　went　to　her　tent；　where　they　kissed　each　other　with　a　desperate　anxiety　while　they　took　off　their　clothes。　The　gypsy　girl　removed　the　starched　lace　corsets　she　had　on　and　there　she　was；　changed　into　practically　nothing。　She　was　a　languid　little　frog；　with　incipient　breasts　and　legs　so　thin　that　they　did　not　even　match　the　size　of　Jos？Arcadio’s　arms；　but　she　had　a　decision　and　a　warmth　that　pensated　for　her　fragility。　Nevertheless；　Jos？Arcadio　could　not　respond　to　her　because　they　were　in　a　kind　of　public　tent　where　the　gypsies　passed　through　with　their　circus　things　and　did　their　business；　and　would　even　tarry　by　the　bed　for　a　game　of　dice。　The　lamp　hanging　from　the　center　pole　lighted　the　whole　place　up。　During　a　pause　in　the　caresses；　Jos？Arcadio　stretched　out　naked　on　the　bed　without　knowing　what　to　do；　while　the　girl　tried　to　inspire　him。　A　gypsy　woman　with　splendid　flesh　came　in　a　short　time　after　acpanied　by　a　man　who　was　not　of　the　caravan　but　who　was　not　from　the　village　either；　and　they　both　began　to　undress　in　front　of　the　bed。　Without　meaning　to；　the　woman　looked　at　Jos？Arcadio　and　examined　his　magnificent　animal　in　repose　with　a　kind　of　pathetic　fervor。
　　　“My　boy；？she　exclaimed；　“may　God　preserve　you　just　as　you　are。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio’s　panion　asked　them　to　leave　them　alone；　and　the　couple　lay　down　on　the　ground；　close　to　the　bed。　The　passion　of　the　others　woke　up　Jos？Arcadio’s　fervor。　On　the　first　contact　the　bones　of　the　girl　seemed　to　bee　disjointed　with　a　disorderly　crunch　like　the　sound　of　a　box　of　dominoes；　and　her　skin　broke　out　into　a　pale　sweat　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears　as　her　whole　body　exhaled　a　lugubrious　lament　and　a　vague　smell　of　mud。　But　she　bore　the　impact　with　a　firmness　of　character　and　a　bravery　that　were　admirable。　Jos？Arcadio　felt　himself　lifted　up　into　the　air　toward　a　state　of　seraphic　inspiration；　where　his　heart　burst　forth　with　an　outpouring　of　tender　obscenities　that　entered　the　girl　through　her　ears　and　came　out　of　her　mouth　translated　into　her　language。　It　was　Thursday。　On　Saturday　night；　Jos？Arcadio　wrapped　a　red　cloth　around　his　head　and　left　with　the　gypsies。
　　　When　？rsula　discovered　his　absence　she　searched　for　him　all　through　the　village。　In　the　remains　of　the　gypsy　camp　there　was　nothing　but　a　garbage　pit　among　the　still　smoking　ashes　of　the　extinguished　campfires。　Someone　who　was　there　looking　for　beads　among　the　trash　told　？rsula　that　the　night　before　he　had　seen　her　son　in　the　tumult　of　the　caravan　pushing　the　snake…man’s　cage　on　a　cart。　“He’s　bee　a　gypsy？she　shouted　to　her　husband；　who　had　not　shown　the　slightest　sign　of　alarm　over　the　disappearance。
　　　“I　hope　it’s　true；？Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　said；　grinding　in　his　mortar　the　material　that　had　been　ground　a　thousand　times　and　reheated　and　ground　again。　“That　way　he’ll　learn　to　be　a　man。？？rsula　asked　where　the　gypsies　had　gone。　She　went　along　asking　and　following　the　road　she　had　been　shown；　thinking　that　she　still　had　time　to　catch　up　to　them。　She　kept　getting　farther　away　from　the　village　until　she　felt　so　far　away　that　she　did　not　think　about　returning。　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　did　not　discover　that　his　wife　was　missing　until　eight　o’clock　at　night；　when　he　left　the　material　warming　in　a　bed　of　manure　and　went　to　see　what　was　wrong　with　little　Amaranta；　who　was　getting　hoarse　from　crying。　In　a　few　hours　he　gathered　a　group　of　well…equipped　men；　put　Amaranta　in　the　hands　of　a　woman　who　offered　to　nurse　her；　and　was　lost　on　invisible　paths　in　pursuit　of　？rsula。　Aureliano　went　with　them。　Some　Indian　fishermen；　whose　language　they　could　not　understand；　told　them　with　signs　that　they　had　not　seen　anyone　pass。　After　three　days　of　useless　searching　they　returned　to　the　village。
　　　For　several　weeks　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　let　himself　be　overe　by　consternation。　He　took　care　of　little　Amaranta　like　a　mother。　He　bathed　and　dressed　her；　took　her　to　be　nursed　four　times　a　day；　and　even　sang　to　her　at　night　the　songs　that　？rsula　never　knew　how　to　sing。　On　a　certain　occasion　Pilar　Ternera　volunteered　to　do　the　household　chores　until　？rsula　came　back。　Aureliano；　whose　mysterious　intuition　had　bee　sharpened　with　the　misfortune；　felt　a　glow　of　clairvoyance　when　he　saw　her　e　in。　Then　he　knew　that　in　some　inexplicable　way　she　was　to　blame　for　his　brother’s　flight　and　the　consequent　disappearance　of　his　mother；　and　he　harassed　her　with　a　silent　and　implacable　hostility　in　such　a　way　that　the　woman　did　not　return　to　the　house。
　　　Time　put　things　in　their　place。　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　and　his　son　did　not　know　exactly　when　they　returned　to　the　laboratory；　dusting　things；　lighting　the　water　pipe；　involved　once　more　in　the　patient　manipulation　of　the　material　that　had　been　sleeping　for　several　months　in　its　bed　of　manure。　Even　Amaranta；　lying　in　a　wicker　basket；　observed　with　curiosity　the　absorbing　work　of　her　father　and　her　brother　in　the　small　room　where　the　air　was　rarefied　by　mercury　vapors。　On　a　certain　occasion；　months　after　？rsula’s　departure；　strange　things　began　to　happen。　An　empty　flask　that　had　been　forgotten　in　a　cupboard　for　a　long　time　became　so　heavy　that　it　could　not　be　moved。　A　pan　of　water　on　the　worktable　boiled　without　any　fire　under　it　for　a　half　hour　until　it　pletely　evaporated。　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　and　his　son　observed　those　phenomena　with　startled　excitement；　unable　to　explain　them　but　interpreting　them　as　predictions