百年孤独(英文版)-第62部分

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　pretext。　On　a　certain　occasion　Jos？Arcadio　looked　at　her　body　with　shameless　attention　and　said　to　her　“You’re　a　woman；　little　sister。？Rebeca　lost　control　of　herself。　She　went　back　to　eating　earth　and　the　whitewash　on　the　walls　with　the　avidity　of　previous　days；　and　she　sucked　her　finger　with　so　much　anxiety　that　she　developed　a　callus　on　her　thumb。　She　vomited　up　a　green　liquid　with　dead　leeches　in　it。　She　spent　nights　awake　shaking　with　fever；　fighting　against　delirium；　waiting　until　the　house　shook　with　the　return　of　Jos？Arcadio　at　dawn。　One　afternoon；　when　everyone　was　having　a　siesta；　she　could　no　longer　resist　and　went　to　his　bedroom。　She　found　him　in　his　shorts；　lying　in　the　hammock　that　he　had　hung　from　the　beams　with　a　ship’s　hawser。　She　was　so　impressed　by　his　enormous　motley　nakedness　that　she　felt　an　impulse　to　retreat。　“Excuse　me；？she　said；　“I　didn’t　know　you　were　here。？But　she　lowered　her　voice　so　as　not　to　wake　anyone　up。　“e　here；？he　said。　Rebeca　obeyed。　She　stopped　beside　the　hammock　in　an　icy　sweat；　feeling　knots　forming　in　her　intestines；　while　Jos？Arcadio　stroked　her　ankles　with　the　tips　of　his　fingers；　then　her　calves；　then　her　thighs；　murmuring：　“Oh；　little　sister；　little　sister。？She　had　to　make　a　supernatural　effort　not　to　die　when　a　startlingly　regulated　cyclonic　power　lifted　her　up　by　the　waist　and　despoiled　her　of　her　intimacy　with　three　clashes　of　its　claws　and　quartered　her　like　a　little　bird。　She　managed　to　thank　God　for　having　been　born　before　she　lost　herself　in　the　inconceivable　pleasure　of　that　unbearable　pain；　splashing　in　the　steaming　marsh　of　the　hammock　which　absorbed　the　explosion　of　blood　like　a　blotter。
　　　Three　days　later　they　were　married　during　the　five…o’clock　mass。　Jos？Arcadio　had　gone　to　Pietro　Crespi’s　store　the　day　before。　He　found　him　giving　a　zither　lesson　and　did　not　draw　him　aside　to　speak　to　him。　“I’m　going　to　marry　Rebeca；？he　told　him。　Pietro　Crespi　turned　pale；　gave　the　zither　to　one　of　his　pupils；　and　dismissed　the　class。　When　they　were　alone　in　the　room　that　was　crowded　with　musical　instruments　and　mechanical　toys；　Pietro　Crespi　said：
　　　“She’s　your　sister。？
　　　“I　don’t　care；？Jos？Arcadio　replied。
　　　Pietro　Crespi　mopped　his　brow　with　the　handkerchief　that　was　soaked　in　lavender。
　　　“It’s　against　nature；？he　explained；　“and　besides；　it’s　against　the　law。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio　grew　impatient；　not　so　much　at　the　argument　as　over　Pietro　Crespi’s　paleness。
　　　“Fuck　nature　two　times　over；？he　said。　“And　I’ve　e　to　tell　you　not　to　bother　going　to　ask　Rebeca　anything。？
　　　But　his　brutal　deportment　broke　down　when　he　saw　Pietro　Crespi’s　eyes　grow　moist。
　　　“Now；？he　said　to　him　in　a　different　tone；　“if　you　really　like　the　family；　there’s　Amaranta　for　you。？
　　　Father　Nicanor　revealed　in　his　Sunday　sermon　that　Jos？Arcadio　and　Rebeca　were　not　brother　and　sister。　？rsula　never　forgave　what　she　considered　an　inconceivable　lack　of　respect　and　when　they　came　back　from　church　she　forbade　the　newlyweds　to　set　foot　in　the　house　again。　For　her　it　was　as　if　they　were　dead。　So　they　rented　a　house　across　from　the　cemetery　and　established　themselves　there　with　no　other　furniture　but　Jos？Arcadio’s　hammock。　On　their　wedding　night　a　scorpion　that　had　got　into　her　slipper　bit　Rebeca　on　the　foot。　Her　tongue　went　to　sleep；　but　that　did　not　stop　them　from　spending　a　scandalous　honeymoon。　The　neighbors　were　startled　by　the　cries　that　woke　up　the　whole　district　as　many　as　eight　times　in　a　single　night　and　three　times　during　siesta；　and　they　prayed　that　such　wild　passion　would　not　disturb　the　peace　of　the　dead。
　　　Aureliano　was　the　only　one　who　was　concerned　about　them。　He　bought　them　some　furniture　and　gave　them　some　money　until　Jos？Arcadio　recovered　his　sense　of　reality　and　began　to　work　the　no…man’s…land　that　bordered　the　courtyard　of　the　house。　Amaranta；　on　the　other　hand；　never　did　overe　her　rancor　against　Rebeca；　even　though　life　offered　her　a　satisfaction　of　which　she　had　not　dreamed：　at　the　initiative　of　？rsula；　who　did　not　know　how　to　repair　the　shame；　Pietro　Crespi　continued　having　lunch　at　the　house　on　Tuesdays；　rising　above　his　defeat　with　a　serene　dignity。　He　still　wore　the　black　ribbon　on　his　hat　as　a　sign　of　respect　for　the　family；　and　he　took　pleasure　in　showing　his　affection　for　？rsula　by　bringing　her　exotic　gifts：　Portuguese　sardines；　Turkish　rose　marmalade；　and　on　one　occasion　a　lovely　Manila　shawl。　Amaranta　looked　after　him　with　a　loving　diligence。　She　anticipated　his　wants；　pulled　out　the　threads　on　the　cuffs　of　his　shirt；　and　embroidered　a　dozen　handkerchiefs　with　his　initials　for　his　birthday。　On　Tuesdays；　after　lunch；　while　she　would　embroider　on　the　porch；　he　would　keep　her　happy　pany。　For　Pietro　Crespi；　that　woman　whom　he　always　had　considered　and　treated　as　a　child　was　a　revelation。　Although　her　temperament　lacked　grace；　she　had　a　rare　sensibility　for　appreciating　the　things　of　the　world　and　had　a　secret　tenderness。　One　Tuesday；　when　no　one　doubted　that　sooner　or　later　it　had　to　happen；　Pietro　Crespi　asked　her　to　marry　him。　She　did　not　stop　her　work。　She　waited　for　the　hot　blush　to　leave　her　ears　and　gave　her　voice　a　serene　stress　of　maturity。
　　　“Of　course；　Crespi；？she　said。　“But　when　we　know　each　other　better。　It’s　never　good　to　be　hasty　in　things。？
　　　？rsula　was　confused。　In　spite　of　the　esteem　she　had　for　Pietro　Crespi；　she　could　not　tell　whether　his　decision　was　good　or　bad　from　the　moral　point　of　view　after　his　prolonged　and　famous　engagement　to　Rebeca。　But　she　finally　accepted　it　as　an　unqualified　fact　because　no　one　shared　her　doubts。　Aureliano；　who　was　the　man　of　the　house；　confused　her　further　with　his　enigmatic　and　final　opinion：
　　　“These　are　not　times　to　go　around　thinking　about　weddings。？
　　　That　opinion；　which　？rsula　understood　only　some　months　later；　was　the　only　sincere　one　that　Aureliano　could　express　at　that　moment；　not　only　with　respect　to　marriage；　but　to　anything　that　was　not　war。　He　himself；　facing　a　firing　squad；　would　not　understand　too　well　the　concatenation　of　the　series　of　subtle　but　irrevocable　accidents　that　brought　him　to　that　point。　The　death　of　Remedios　had　not　produced　the　despair　that　he　had　feared。　It　was；　rather；　a　dull　feeling　of　rage　that　grades　ally　dissolved　in　a　solitary　and　passive　frustration　similar　to　the　one　he　had　felt　during　the　time　he　was　resigned　to　living　without　a　woman。　He　plunged　into　his　work　again；　but　he　kept　up　the　custom　of　playing　dominoes　with　his　father…in…law。　In　a　house　bound　up　in　mourning；　the　nightly　conversations　consolidated　the　friendship　between　the　two　men。　“Get　married　again。　Aurelito；？his　father…in…law　would　tell　him。　“I　have　six　daughters　for　you　to　choose　from。？On　one　occasion　on　the　eve　of　the　elections；　Don　Apolinar　Moscote　returned　from　one　of　his　frequent　trips　worried　about　the　political　situation　in　the　country。　The　Liberals　were　determined　to　go　to　war。　Since　Aureliano　at　that　time　had　very　confused　notions　about　the　difference　between　Conservatives　and　Liberals；　his　father…in…law　gave　him　some　schematic　lessons。　The　Liberals；　he　said；　were　Freemasons；　bad　people；　wanting　to　hang　priests；　to　institute　civil　marriage　and　divorce；　to　recognize　the　rights　of　illegitimate　children　as　equal　to　those　of　legitimate　ones；　and　to　cut　the　country　up　into　a　federal　system　that　would　take　power　away　from　the　supreme　authority。　The　Conservatives；　on　the　other　hand；　who　had　received　their　power　directly　from　God；　proposed　the　establishment　of　public　order　and　family　morality。　They　were　the　defenders　of　the　faith　of　Christ；　of　the　principle　of　authority；　and　were　not　prepared　to　permit　the　country　to　be　broken　down　into　autonomous　entities。　Because　of　his　humanitarian　feelings　Aureliano　sympathized　with　the　Liberal　attitude　with　respect　to　the　rights　of　natural　children；　but　in　any　case；　he　could　not　understand　how　people　arrived　at　the　extreme　of　waging　war　over　things　that　could　not　be　touched　with　the　hand。　It　seemed　an　exaggeration　to　him　that　for　the　elections　his　father…in…law　had　them　send　six　soldiers　armed　with　rifles　under　the　mand　of　a　sergeant　to　a　town　with　no　political　passions。　They　not　only　arrived；　but　they　went　from　house　to　house　confiscating　hunting　weapons；　machetes；　and　even　kitchen　knives　before　they　distributed　among　males　over　twenty…one　the　blue　ballots　with　the　names　of　the　Conservative　candidates　and　the　red　ballots　with　the　names　of　the　Liberal　candidates。　On　the　eve　of　the　elections　Don　Apolinar　Moscote　himself　read　a　decree　that　prohibited　the　sale　of　alcoholic　beverages　and　the　gathering　together　of　more　than　three　people　who　were　not　of　the　same　family。　The　elections　took　place　without　incident。　At　eight　o’clock　on　Sunday　morning　a　wooden　ballot　box　was　set　up　in　the　square；　which　was　watched　over　by　the　six　soldiers。　The　voting　was　absolutely　free；　as　Aureliano　himself　was　able　to　attest　since　he　spent　almost　the　entire　day　with　his　father…in…law　seeing　that　no　one　voted　more　than　once。　At　four　in　the　afternoon　a　roll　of　drums　in　the　square　announced　the　closing　of　the　polls　and　Don　Apolinar　Moscote　sealed　the　ballot　box　with　a　label　crossed　by　his　signature。　That　night；　while　he　played　dominoes　with　Aureliano；　he　ordered　the　sergeant　to　break　the　seal　in　order　to　count　the　votes。　There　were　almost　as　many　red　ballots　as　blue；　but　the　sergeant　left　only　ten　red　ones　and　made　up　the　difference　with　blue　ones。　Then　they　sealed　the　box　again　with　a　new　label　and　the　first　thing　on　the　following　day　it　was　taken　to　the　capital　of　the　province。　“The　Liberals　will　go　to　war；？Aureliano　said。　Don　Apolinar　concentrated　on　his　domino　pieces。　“If　you’re　saying　that　because　of　the　switch　in　ballots；　they　won’t；？he　said。　“We　left　a　few　red　ones　in　so　there　won’t　be　any　plaints。？Aureliano　understood　the　disadvantages　of　being　in　the　opposition。　“If　I　were　a　Liberal；？he　said；　“I’d　go　to　war　because　of　those　ballots。？His　father…in…law　looked　at　him　over　his　glasses。
　　　“e　now；　Aurelito；？he　said；　“if　you　were　a　Liberal；　even　though　you’re　my　son…in…law；　you　wouldn’t　have　seen　the　switching　of　the　ballots。？
　　　What　really　caused　indignation　in　the　town　was。　not　the　results　of　the　elections　but　the　fact　that　the　soldiers　had　not　returned　the　weapons。　A　group　of　women　spoke　with　Aureliano　so　that　he　could　obtain　the　return　of　their　kitchen　knives　from　his　father…in…law。　Don　Apolinar　Moscote　explained　to　him；　in　strictest　confidence；　that　the　soldiers　had　taken　the　weapons　off　as　proof　that　the　Liberals　were　preparing　for　war。　The　cynicism　of　the　remark　alarmed　him。　He　said　nothing；　but　on　a　certain　night　when　Gerineldo　Márquez　and　Magnífico　Visbal　were　speaking　with　some　other　friends　about　the　incident　of　the　knives；　they　asked　him　if　he　was　a　Liberal　or　a　Conservative。　Aureliano　did　not　hesitate。
　　　“If　I　have　to　be　something　I’ll　be　a　Liberal；？he　said；　“because　the　Conservatives　are　tricky。？
　　　On　the　following　day；　at　the　urging　of　his　friends；　he　went　to　see　Dr。　Alirio　Noguera　to　be　treated　for　a　supposed　pain　in　his　liver。　He　did　not　even　understand　the　meaning　of　the　subterfuge。　Dr。　Alirio　Noguera　had　arrived　in　Macondo　a　few　years　before　with　a　medicine　chest　of　tasteless　pills　and　a　medical　motto　that　convinced　no　one：　One　nail　draws　another。　I