百年孤独(英文版)-第72部分

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Amaranta’s　room。　She　rejected　him　with　an　inflexible　and　unmistakable　determination；　and　she　barred　the　door　of　her　bedroom　forever。
　　　A　few　months　after　the　return　of　Aureliano　Jos？an　exuberant　woman　perfumed　with　jasmine　appeared　at　the　house　with　a　boy　of　five。　She　stated　that　he　was　the　son　of　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　and　that　she　had　brought　him　to　？rsula　to　be　baptized。　No　one　doubted　the　origins　of　that　nameless　child：　he　looked　exactly　like　the　colonel　at　the　time　he　was　taken　to　see　ice　for　the　first　time。　The　woman　said　that　he　had　been　born　with　his　eyes　open；　looking　at　people　with　the　judgment　of　an　adult；　and　that　she　was　frightened　by　his　way　of　staring　at　things　without　blinking。　“He’s　identical；？？rsula　said。　“The　only　thing　missing　is　for　him　to　make　chairs　rock　by　simply　looking　at　them。？They　christened　him　Aureliano　and　with　his　mother’s　last　name；　since　the　law　did　not　permit　a　person　to　bear　his　father’s　name　until　he　had　recognized　him。　General　Moncada　was　the　godfather。　Although　Amaranta　insisted　that　he　be　left　so　that　she　could　take　over　his　upbringing；　his　mother　was　against　it。　？rsula　at　that　time　did　not　know　about　the　custom　of　sending　virgins　to　the　bedrooms　of　soldiers　in　the　same　way　that　hens　are　turned　loose　with　fine　roosters；　but　in　the　course　of　that　year　she　found　out：　nine　more　sons　of　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　were　brought　to　the　house　to　be　baptized。　The　oldest；　a　strange　dark　boy　with　green　eyes；　who　was　not　at　all　like　his　father’s　family；　was　over　ten　years　old。　They　brought　children　of　all　ages；　all　colors；　but　all　males　and　all　with　a　look　of　solitude　that　left　no　doubt　as　to　the　relationship。　Only　two　stood　out　in　the　group。　One；　large　for　his　age；　made　smithereens　out　of　the　flowerpots　and　china　because　his　hands　seemed　to　have　the　property　of　breaking　everything　they　touched。　The　other　was　a　blond　boy　with　the　same　light　eyes　as　his　mother；　whose　hair　had　been　left　to　grow　long　and　curly　like　that　of　a　woman。　He　entered　the　house　with　a　great　deal　of　familiarity；　as　if　he　had　been　raised　there；　and　he　went　directly　to　a　chest　in　？rsula’s　bedroom　and　demanded；　“I　want　the　mechanical　ballerina。？？rsula　was　startled。　She　opened　the　chest；　searched　among　the　ancient　and　dusty　articles　left　from　the　days　of　Melquíades；　and　wrapped　in　a　pair　of　stockings　she　found　the　mechanical　ballerina　that　Pietro　Crespi　had　brought　to　the　house　once　and　that　everyone　had　forgotten　about。　In　less　than　twelve　years　they　baptized　with　the　name　Aureliano　and　the　last　name　of　the　mother　all　the　sons　that　the　colonel　had　implanted　up　and　down　his　theater　of　war：　seventeen。　At　first　？rsula　would　fill　their　pockets　with　money　and　Amaranta　tried　to　have　them　stay。　But　they　finally　limited　themselves　to　giving　them　presents　and　serving　as　godmothers。　“We’ve　done　our　duty　by　baptizing　them；？？rsula　would　say；　jotting　down　in　a　ledger　the　name　and　address　of　the　mother　and　the　place　and　date　of　birth　of　the　child。　“Aureliano　needs　well…kept　accounts　so　that　he　can　decide　things　when　he　es　back。？During　lunch；　menting　with　General　Moncada　about　that　disconcerting　proliferation；　she　expressed　the　desire　for　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　to　e　back　someday　and　gather　all　of　his　sons　together　in　the　house。
　　　“Don’t　worry；　dear　friend；？General　Moncada　said　enigmatically。　“He’ll　e　sooner　than　you　suspect。？
　　　What　General　Moncada　knew　and　what　he　did　not　wish　to　reveal　at　lunch　was　that　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　was　already　on　his　way　to　head　up　the　most　prolonged；　radical；　and　bloody　rebellion　of　all　those　he　had　started　up　till　then。
　　　The　situation　again　became　as　tense　as　it　had　been　during　the　months　that　preceded　the　first　war。　The　cockfights；　instituted　by　the　mayor　himself；　were　suspended。　Captain　Aquiles　Ricardo；　the　mander　of　the　garrison；　took　over　the　exercise　of　municipal　power。　The　Liberals　looked　upon　him　as　a　provocateur。　“Something　terrible　is　going　to　happen；？？rsula　would　say　to　Aureliano　Jos？　“Don’t　go　out　into　the　street　after　six　o’clock。？The　entreaties　were　useless。　Aureliano　Jos？　just　like　Arcadio　in　other　times；　had　ceased　to　belong　to　her。　It　was　as　if　his　return　home；　the　possibility　of　existing　without　concerning　himself　with　everyday　necessities；　had　awakened　in　him　the　lewd　and　lazy　leanings　of　his　uncle　Jos？Arcadio。　His　passion　for　Amaranta　had　been　extinguished　without　leaving　any　scars。　He　would　drift　around；　playing　pool；　easing　his　solitude　with　occasional　women；　sacking　the　hiding　places　where　？rsula　had　forgotten　her　money。　He　ended　up　ing　home　only　to　change　his　clothes。　“They’re　all　alike；？？rsula　lamented。　“At　first　they　behave　very　well；　they’re　obedient　and　prompt　and　they　don’t　seem　capable　of　killing　a　fly；　but　as　soon　as　their　beards　appear　they　go　to　ruin。？Unlike　Arcadio；　who　had　never　known　his　real　origins；　he　found　out　that　he　was　the　son　of　Pilar　Ternera；　who　had　hung　up　a　hammock　so　that　he　could　take　his　siesta　in　her　house。　More　than　mother　and　son；　they　were　acplices　in　solitude。　Pilar　Ternera　had　lost　the　trail　of　all　hope。　Her　laugh　had　taken　on　the　tones　of　an　organ；　her　breasts　had　succumbed　to　the　tedium　of　endless　caressing；　her　stomach　and　her　thighs　had　been　the　victims　of　her　irrevocable　fate　as　a　shared　woman；　but　her　heart　grew　old　without　bitterness。　Fat；　talkative；　with　the　airs　of　a　matron　in　disgrace；　she　renounced　the　sterile　illusions　of　her　cards　and　found　peace　and　consolation　in　other　people’s　loves。　In　the　house　where　Aureliano　Jos？took　his　siesta；　the　girls　from　the　neighborhood　would　receive　their　casual　lovers。　“Lend　me　your　room；　Pilar；？they　would　simply　say　when　they　were　already　inside。　“Of　course；？Pilar　would　answer。　And　if　anyone　was　present　she　would　explain：
　　　“I’m　happy　knowing　that　people　are　happy　in　bed。？
　　　She　never　charged　for　the　service。　She　never　refused　the　favor；　just　as　she　never　refused　the　countless　men　who　sought　her　out；　even　in　the　twilight　of　her　maturity；　without　giving　her　money　or　love　and　only　occasionally　pleasure。　Her　five　daughters；　who　inherited　a　burning　seed；　had　been　lost　on　the　byways　of　life　since　adolescence。　Of　the　two　sons　she　managed　to　raise；　one　died　fighting　in　the　forces　of　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　and　the　other　was　wounded　and　captured　at　the　age　of　fourteen　when　he　tried　to　steal　a　crate　of　chickens　in　a　town　in　the　swamp。　In　a　certain　way；　Aureliano　Jos？was　the　tall；　dark　man　who　had　been　promised　her　for　half　a　century　by　the　king　of　hearts；　and　like　all　men　sent　by　the　cards　he　reached　her　heart　when　he　was　already　stamped　with　the　mark　of　death。　She　saw　it　in　the　cards。
　　　“Don’t　go　out　tonight；？she　told　him。　“Stay　and　sleep　here　because　Carmelita　Montiel　is　getting　tired　of　asking　me　to　put　her　in　your　room。？
　　　Aureliano　Jos？did　not　catch　the　deep　feeling　of　begging　that　was　in　the　offer。
　　　“Tell　her　to　wait　for　me　at　midnight？he　said。　He　went　to　the　theater；　where　a　Spanish　pany　was　putting　on　The　Dagger　of　the　Fox；　which　was　really　Zorzilla’s　play　with　the　title　changed　by　order　of　Captain　Aquiles　Ricardo；　because　the　Liberals　called　the　Conservatives　Goths。　Only　when　he　handed　in　his　ticket　at　the　door　did　Aureliano　Jos？realize　that　Captain　Aquiles　Ricardo　and　two　soldiers　armed　with　rifles　were　searching　the　audience。
　　　“Be　careful；　captain；？Aureliano　Jos？warned　him。　“The　man　hasn’t　been　born　yet　who　can　lay　hands　on　me。？The　captain　tried　to　search　him　forcibly　and　Aureliano　Jos？　who　was　unarmed；　began　to　run。　The　soldiers　disobeyed　the　order　to　shoot。　“He’s　a　Buendía；？one　of　them　explained。　Blind　with　rage；　the　captain　then　snatched　away　the　rifle；　stepped　into　the　center　of　the　street；　and　took　aim。？
　　　“Cowards！？he　shouted。　“I　only　wish　it　was　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía。？
　　　Carmelita　Montiel；　a　twenty…year…old　virgin；　had　just　bathed　in　orange…blossom　water　and　was　strewing　rosemary　leaves　on　Pilar　Ternera’s　bed　when　the　shot　rang　out。　Aureliano　Jos？had　been　destined　to　find　with　her　the　happiness　that　Amaranta　had　denied　him；　to　have　seven　children；　and　to　die　in　her　arms　of　old　age；　but　the　bullet　that　entered　his　back　and　shattered　his　chest　had　been　directed　by　a　wrong　interpretation　of　the　cards。　Captain　Aquiles　Ricardo；　who　was　really　the　one　destined　to　die　that　night；　did　indeed　die；　four　hours　before　Aureliano　Jos？　As　won　as　the　shot　was　heard　he　was　brought　down　by　two　simultaneous　bullets　whose　origin　was　never　established　and　a　shout　of　many　voices　shook　the　night。
　　　“Long　live　the　Liberal　party！　Long　live　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía！？
　　　At　twelve　o’clock；　when　Aureliano；　Jos？had　bled　to　death　and　Carmelita　Montiel　found　that　the　cards　showing　her　future　were　blank；　more　than　four　hundred　men　had　filed　past　the　theater　and　discharged　their　revolvers　into　the　abandoned　body　of　Captain　Aquiles　Ricardo。　A　patrol　had　to　use　a　wheelbarrow　to　carry　the　body；　which　was　heavy　with　lead　and　fell　apart　like　a　water…soaked　loaf　of　bread。
　　　Annoyed　by　the　outrages　of　the　regular　army；　General　Jos？Raquel　Moncada　used　his　political　influence；　put　on　his　uniform　again；　and　assumed　the　civil　and　military　leadership　of　Macondo。　He　did　not　expect；　however；　that　his　conciliatory　attitude　would　be　able　to　prevent　the　inevitable。　The　news　in　September　was　contradictory。　While　the　government　announced　that　it　was　maintaining　control　throughout　the　country；　the　Liberals　were　receiving　secret　news　of　armed　uprisings　in　the　interior。　The　regime　would　not　admit　a　state　of　war　until　it　was　proclaimed　in　a　decree　that　had　followed　a　court…martial　which　had　condemned　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　to　death　in　absentia。　The　first　unit　that　captured　him　was　ordered　to　carry　the　sentence　out。　“This　means　he’s　e　back；？？rsula　said　joyfully　to　General　Moncada。　But　he　himself　knew　nothing　about　it。
　　　Actually；　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　had　been　in　the　country　for　more　than　a　month。　He　was　preceded　by　conflicting　rumors；　supposed　to　be　in　the　most　distant　places　at　the　same　time；　and　even　General　Moncada　did　not　believe　in　his　return　until　it　was　officially　announced　that　he　had　seized　two　states　on　the　coast。　“Congratulations；　dear　friend；？he　told　？rsula；　showing　her　the　telegram。　“You’ll　soon　have　him　here。？？rsula　was　worried　then　for　the　first　time。　“And　what　will　you　do？？she　asked。　General　Moncada　had　asked　himself　that　same　question　many　times。
　　　“The　same　as　he；　my　friend；？he　answered。　“I’ll　do　my　duty。？
　　　At　dawn　on　the　first　of　October　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　attacked　Macondo　with　a　thousand　well…armed　men　and　the　garrison　received　orders　to　resist　to　the　end。　At　noon；　while　General　Moncada　was　lunching　with　？rsula；　a　rebel　cannon　shot　that　echoed　in　the　whole　town　blew　the　front　of　the　municipal　treasury　to　dust。　“They’re　as　well　armed　as　we　are；？General　Moncada　sighed；　“but　besides　that　they’re　fighting　because　they　want　to。？At　two　o’clock　in　the　afternoon；　while　the　earth　trembled　with　the　artillery　fire　from　both　sides；　he　took　leave　of　？rsula　with　the　certainty　that　he　was　fighting　a　losing　battle。
　　　“I　pray　to　God　that　you　won’t　have　Aureliano　in　the　house　tonight；？he　said。　“If　it　does　happen　that　way；　give　him　an　embrace　for　me；　because　I　don’t　expect　ever　to　see　him　again。？
　　　That　night　he　was　captured　when　he　t