百年孤独(英文版)-第44部分

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rbuncle　just　when　all　of　the　numbers　in　the　raffle　had　already　been　sold。　Those　rites　of　poverty　were　so　pure　that　they　nearly　always　set　aside　the　largest　share　for　Fernanda；　and　they　did　not　do　so　out　of　remorse　or　charity；　but　because　her　wellbeing　was　more　important　to　them　than　their　own。　What　was　really　happening　to　them；　although　neither　of　them　realized　it；　was　that　they　both　thought　of　Fernanda　as　the　daughter　that　they　would　have　liked　to　have　and　never　did；　to　the　point　where　on　a　certain　occasion　they　resigned　themselves　to　eating　crumbs　for　three　days；　so　that　she　could　buy　a　Dutch　tablecloth。　Nevertheless；　no　matter　how　much　they　killed　themselves　with　work；　no　matter　how　much　money　they　eked　out；　and　no　matter　how　many　schemes　they　thought　of；　their　guardian　angels　were　asleep　with　fatigue　while　they　put　in　coins　and　took　them　out　trying　to　get　just　enough　to　live　with。　During　the　waking　hours　when　the　accounts　were　bad。　they　wondered　what　had　happened　in　the　world　for　the　animals　not　to　breed　with　the　same　drive　as　before；　why　money　slipped　through　their　fingers；　and　why　people　who　a　short　time　before　had　burned　rolls　of　bills　in　the　carousing　considered　it　highway　robbery　to　charge　twelve　cents　for　a　raffle　of　six　hens。　Aureliano　Segundo　thought　without　saying　so　that　the　evil　was　not　in　the　world　but　in　some　hidden　place　in　the　mysterious　heart　of　Petra　Cotes；　where　something　had　happened　during　the　deluge　that　had　turned　the　animals　sterile　and　made　money　scarce。　Intrigued　by　that　enigma；　he　dug　so　deeply　into　her　sentiments　that　in　search　of　interest　he　found　love；　because　by　trying　to　make　her　love　him　he　ended　up　falling　in　love　with　her。　Petra　Cotes；　for　her　part；　loved　him　more　and　more　as　she　felt　his　love　increasing；　and　that　was　how　in　the　ripeness　of　autumn　she　began　to　believe　once　more　in　the　youthful　superstition　that　poverty　was　the　servitude　of　love。　Both　looked　back　then　on　the　wild　revelry；　the　gaudy　wealth；　and　the　unbridled　fornication　as　an　annoyance　and　they　lamented　that　it　had　cost　them　so　much　of　their　lives　to　fund　the　paradise　of　shared　solitude。　Madly　in　love　after　so　many　years　of　sterile　plicity；　they　enjoyed　the　miracle　of　loving　each　other　as　much　at　the　table　as　in　bed；　and　they　grew　to　be　so　happy　that　even　when　they　were　two　wornout　old　people　they　kept　on　blooming　like　little　children　and　playing　together　like　dogs。
　　　The　raffles　never　got　very　far。　At　first　Aureliano　Segundo　would　spend　three　days　of　the　week　shut　up　in　what　had　been　his　rancher’s　office　drawing　ticket　after　ticket；　Painting　with　a　fair　skill　a　red　cow；　a　green　pig；　or　a　group　of　blue　hens；　according　to　the　animal　being　raffled；　and　he　would　sketch　out　a　good　imitation　of　printed　numbers　and　the　name　that　Petra　Cotes　thought　good　to　call　the　business：　Divine　Providence　Raffles。　But　with　time　he　felt　so　tired　after　drawing　up　to　two　thousand　tickets　a　week　that　he　had　the　animals；　the　name；　and　the　numbers　put　on　rubber　stamps；　and　then　the　work　was　reduced　to　moistening　them　on　pads　of　different　colors。　In　his　last　years　it　occurred　to　him　to　substitute　riddles　for　the　numbers　so　that　the　prize　could　be　shared　by　all　of　those　who　guessed　it；　but　the　system　turned　out　to　be　so　plicated　and　was　open　to　so　much　suspicion　that　he　gave　it　up　after　the　second　attempt。
　　　Aureliano　Segundo　was　so　busy　trying　to　maintain　the　prestige　of　his　raffles　that　he　barely　had　time　to　see　the　children。　Fernanda　put　Amaranta　？rsula　in　a　small　private　school　where　they　admitted　only　six　girls；　but　she　refused　to　allow　Aureliano　to　go　to　public　school。　She　considered　that　she　had　already　relented　too　much　in　letting　him　leave　the　room。　Besides；　the　schools　in　those　days　accepted　only　the　legitimate　offspring　of　Catholic　marriages　and　on　the　birth　certificate　that　had　been　pinned　to　Aureliano’s　clothing　when　they　brought　him　to　the　house　he　was　registered　as　a　foundling。　So　he　remained　shut　In　at　the　mercy　of　Santa　Sofía　de　la　Piedad’s　loving　eyes　and　？rsula’s　mental　quirks；　learning　in　the　narrow　world　of　the　house　whatever　his　grandmothers　explained　to　him。　He　was　delicate；　thin；　with　a　curiosity　that　unnerved　the　adults；　but　unlike　the　inquisitive　and　sometimes　clairvoyant　look　that　the　colonel　had　at　his　age；　his　look　was　blinking　and　somewhat　distracted。　While　Amaranta　？rsula　was　in　kindergarten；　he　would　hunt　earthworms　and　torture　insects　in　the　garden。　But　once　when　Fernanda　caught　him　putting　scorpions　in　a　box　to　put　in　？rsula’s　bed；　she　locked　him　up　in　Meme’s　old　room；　where　he　spent　his　solitary　hours　looking　through　the　pictures　in　the　encyclopedia。　？rsula　found　him　there　one　afternoon　when　she　was　going　about　sprinkling　the　house　with　distilled　water　and　a　bunch　of　nettles；　and　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　she　had　been　with　him　many　times　she　asked　him　who　he　was。
　　　“I’m　Aureliano　Buendía；？he　said。
　　　“That’s　right？she　replied。　“And　now　it’s　time　for　you　to　start　learning　how　to　be　a　silversmith。？
　　　She　had　confused　him　with　her　son　again；　because　the　hot　wind　that　came　after　the　deluge　and　had　brought　occasional　waves　of　lucidity　to　？rsula’s　brain　had　passed。　She　never　got　her　reason　back。　When　she　went　into　the　bedroom　she　found　Petronila　Iguarán　there　with　the　bothersome　crinolines　and　the　beaded　jacket　that　she　put　on　for　formal　visits；　and　she　found　Tranquilina　Maria　Miniata　Alacoque　Buendía；　her　grandmother；　fanning　herself　with　a　peacock　feather　in　her　invalid’s　rocking　chair；　and　her　greatgrandfather　Aureliano　Arcadio　Buendía；　with　his　imitation　dolman　of　the　viceregal　guard；　and　Aureliano　Iguarán；　her　father；　who　had　invented　a　prayer　to　make　the　worms　shrivel　up　and　drop　off　cows；　and　her　timid　mother；　and　her　cousin　with　the　pig’s　tail；　and　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía；　and　her　dead　sons；　all　sitting　in　chairs　lined　up　against　the　wall　as　if　it　were　a　wake　and　not　a　visit。　She　was　tying　a　colorful　string　of　chatter　together；　menting　on　things　from　many　separate　places　and　many　different　times；　so　that　when　Amaranta　？rsula　returned　from　school　and　Aureliano　grew　tired　of　the　encyclopedia；　they　would　find　her　sitting　on　her　bed；　talking　to　herself　and　lost　in　a　labyrinth　of　dead　people。　“Fire！？she　shouted　once　in　terror　and　for　an　instant　panic　spread　through　the　house；　but　what　she　was　telling　about　was　the　burning　of　a　barn　that　she　had　witnessed　when　she　was　four　years　old。　She　finally　mixed　up　the　past　with　the　present　in　such　a　way　that　in　the　two　or　three　waves　of　lucidity　that　she　had　before　she　died；　no　one　knew　for　certain　whether　she　was　speaking　about　what　she　felt　or　what　she　remembered。　Little　by　little　she　was　shrinking；　turning　into　a　fetus；　being　mummified　in　life　to　the　point　that　in　her　last　months　she　was　a　cherry　raisin　lost　inside　of　her　nightgown；　and　the　arm　that　she　always　kept　raised　looked　like　the　paw　of　a　marimonda　monkey。　She　was　motionless　for　several　days；　and　Santa　Sofía　de　la　Piedad　had　to　shake　her　to　convince　herself　that　she　was　alive　and　sat　her　on　her　lap　to　feed　her　a　few　spoonfuls　of　sugar　water。　She　looked　like　a　newborn　old　woman。　Amaranta　？rsula　and　Aureliano　would　take　her　in　and　out　of　the　bedroom；　they　would　lay　her　on　the　altar　to　see　if　she　was　any　larger　than　the　Christ　child；　and　one　afternoon　they　hid　her　in　a　closet　in　the　Pantry　where　the　rats　could　have　eaten　her。　One　Palm　Sunday　they　went　into　the　bedroom　while　Fernanda　was　in　church　and　carried　？rsula　out　by　the　neck　and　ankles。
　　　“Poor　greatgreatgrandmother；？Amaranta　？rsula　said。　“She　died　of　old　age。？
　　　？rsula　was　startled。
　　　“I’m　alive！？she　said。
　　　“You　can　see。？Amaranta　？rsula　said；　suppressing　her　laughter；　“that　she’s　not　even　breathing。？
　　　“I’m　talking！？？rsula　shouted。
　　　“She　can’t　even　talk；？Aureliano　said。　“She　died　like　a　little　cricket。？
　　　Then　？rsula　gave　in　to　the　evidence。　“My　God；？she　exclaimed　in　a　low　voice。　“So　this　is　what　it’s　like　to　be　dead。？She　started　an　endless；　stumbling；　deep　prayer　that　lasted　more　than　two　days；　and　that　by　Tuesday　had　degenerated　into　a　hodgepodge　of　requests　to　God　and　bits　of　practical　advice　to　stop　the　red　ants　from　bringing　the　house　down；　to　keep　the　lamp　burning　by　Remedios？daguerreotype；　and　never　to　let　any　Buendía　marry　a　person　of　the　same　blood　because　their　children　would　be　born　with　the　tail　of　a　pig。　Aureliano　Segundo　tried　to　take　advantage　of　her　delirium　to　get　her　to　ten　him　where　the　gold　was　buried；　but　his　entreaties　were　useless　once　more　“When　the　owner　appears；？？rsula　said；　“God　will　illuminate　him　so　that　he　will　find　it。？Santa　Sofía　de　la　Piedad　had　the　certainty　that　they　would　find　her　dead　from　one　moment　to　the　next；　because　she　noticed　during　those　days　a　certain　confusion　in　nature：　the　roses　smelled　like　goosefoot；　a　pod　of　chick　peas　fell　down　and　the　beans　lay　on　the　ground　in　a　perfect　geometrical　pattern　in　the　shape　of　a　starfish　and　one　night　she　saw　a　row　of　luminous　orange　disks　pass　across　the　sky。
　　　They　found　her　dead　on　the　morning　of　Good　Friday。　The　last　time　that　they　had　helped　her　calculate　her　age；　during　the　time　of　the　banana　pany；　she　had　estimated　it　as　between　one　hundred　fifteen　and　one　hundred　twentytwo。　They　buried　her　in　a　coffin　that　was　not　much　larger　than　the　basket　in　which　Aureliano　had　arrived；　and　very　few　people　were　at　the　funeral；　partly　because　there　wet　not　many　left　who　remembered　her；　and　partly　because　it　was　so　hot　that　noon　that　the　birds　in　their　confusion　were　running　into　walls　like　day　pigeons　and　breaking　through　screens　to　die　in　the　bedrooms。
　　　At　first　they　thought　it　was　a　plague。　Housewives　were　exhausted　from　sweeping　away　so　many　dead　birds；　especially　at　siesta　time；　and　the　men　dumped　them　into　the　river　by　the　cartload。　On　Easter　Sunday　the　hundredyearold　Father　Antonio　Isabel　stated　from　the　pulpit　that　the　death　of　the　birds　was　due　to　the　evil　influence　of　the　Wandering　Jew；　whom　he　himself　had　seen　the　night　before。　He　described　him　as　a　cross　between　a　billy　goat　and　a　female　heretic；　an　infernal　beast　whose　breath　scorched　the　air　and　whose　look　brought　on　the　birth　of　monsters　in　newlywed　women。　There　were　not　many　who　paid　attention　to　his　apocalyptic　talk；　for　the　town　was　convinced　that　the　priest　was　rambling　because　of　his　age。　But　one　woman　woke　everybody　up　at　dawn　on　Wednesday　because　she　found　the　tracks　of　a　biped　with　a　cloven　hoof。　They　were　so　clear　and　unmistakable　that　those　who　went　to　look　at　them　had　no　doubt　about　the　existence　of　a　fearsome　creature　similar　to　the　one　described　by　the　parish　priest　and　they　got　together　to　set　traps　in　their　courtyards。　That　was　how　they　managed　to　capture　it。　Two　weeks　after　？rsula’s　death；　Petra　Cotes　and　Aureliano　Segundo　woke　up　frightened　by　the　especially　loud　bellowing　of　a　calf　that　was　ing　from　nearby。　When　they　got　there　a　group　of　men　were　already　pulling　the　monster　off　the　sharpened　stakes　they　had　set　in　the　bottom　of　a　pit　covered　with　dry　leaves；　and　it　stopped　lowing。　It　was　as　heavy　as　an　ox　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　it　was　no　taller　than　a　young　steer；　and　a　green　and　greasy　liquid　flowed　from　its　wounds。　Its　body　was　covered　with　rough　hair；　plagued　with　small　ticks；　and　the　skin　was　hardened　with　the　scales　of　a　remora　fish；　but　unlike　the　priest’s　description；　its　human　parts　were　more　like　those　of　a　sickly　angel　than　of　a　man；　for　its　hands　were　tense　and　agile；　its　eyes　large　and　gloomy；　and　on　its　shoulder　blades　it　had　the　scarredover　and　calloused　stumps　of　powerful　wings　which　must　have　been　chopped　off　by　a　woodsman’s　ax。　They　hung　it　to　an　almond　tree　in　the　square　by　its　ankles　so　that　everyone　could　see　it；　and　when　it　began　to　rot　they　burned　it　in　a　bonfire；　for　they　could　not　determine　whether　its　bastard　nature　was　that　of　an　animal　to　be　thrown　into　the　river　or　a　human　being　to　be　buried。　It　was　never　established　whether　it　had　really　caused　the　death　of　the　birds；　but　the　newly　married　women　did　not　bear　the　predicted　monsters；　nor　did　the　intensity　of　the　heat　decrease。
　　　Rebeca　died　at　the　end　of　that　year。　Argénida；　her　lifelong　servant；　asked　the　authorities　for　help　to　knock　down　the　door　to　the　bedroom　where　her　mistress　had　been　locked　in　for　three　days；　and　they　found　her；　on　her　solitary　bed；　curled　up　like　a　shrimp；　with　her　head　bald　from　ringworm　and　her　finger　in　her　mouth。　Aureliano　Segundo　took　charge　of　the　funeral　and　tried　to　restore　the　house　in　order　to　sell　it；　but　the　destruction　was　so　far　advanced　in　it　that　the　walls　became　scaly　as　soon　as　they　were　painted　and　there　was　not　enough　mortar　to　stop　the　weeds　from　cracking　the　floors　and　the　ivy　from　rotting　the　beams。
　　　That　was　how　everything　went　after　the　deluge。　The　indolence　of　the　people　was　in　contrast　to　the　voracity　of　oblivion；　which　little　by　little　was　undermining　memories　in　a　pitiless　way；　to　such　an　extreme　that　at　that　time；　on　another　anniversary　of　the　Treaty　of　Neerlandia；　some　emissaries　from　the　president　of　the　republic　arrived　in　Macondo　to　award　at　last　the　decoration　rejected　several　times　by　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía；　and　they　spent　a　whole　afternoon　looking　for　someone　who　could　tell　them　where　they　could　find　one　of　his　descendants。　Aureliano　Segundo　was　tempted　to　accept　it；　thinking　that　it　was　a　medal　of　solid　gold；　but　Petra　Cotes　convinced　him　that　it　was　not　proper　when　the　emissaries　already　had　some　proclamations　and　speeches　ready　for　the　ceremony。　It　was　also　around　that　time　that　the　gypsies　returned；　the　last　heirs　to　Melquíades？science；　and　they　found　the　town　so　defeated　and　its　inhabitants　so　removed　from　the　rest　of　the　world　that　once　more　they　went　through　the　houses　dragging　magnetized　ingots　as　if　that　really　were　the　Babylonian　wise　men’s　latest　discovery；　and　once　again　they　concentrated　the　sun’s　rays　with　the　giant　magnifying　glass；　and　there　was　no　lack　of　people　standing　openmouthed　watching　kettles　fall　and　pots　roll　and　who　paid　fifty　cents　to　be　startled　as　a　gypsy　woman　put　in　her　false　teeth　and　took　them　out　again。　A　brokendown　yellow　train　that　neither　brought　anyone　in　nor　took　anyone　out　and　that　scarcely　paused　at　the　deserted　station　was　the　only　thing　that　was　left　of　the　long　train　to　which　Mr。　Brown　would　couple　his　glasstopped　coach　with　the　episcopal　lounging　chairs　and　of　the　fruit　trains　with　one　hundred　twenty　cars　which　took　a　whole　afternoon　to　pass　by。　The　ecclesiastical　delegates　who　had　e　to　investigate　the　report　of　the　strange　death　of　the　birds　and　the　sacrifice　of　the　Wandering　Jew　found　Father　Antonio　Isabel　playing　blind　man’s　buff　with　the　children；　and　thinking　that　his　report　was　the　product　of　a　hallucination；　they　took　him　off　to　an　asylum。　A　short　time　later　they　sent　Father　Augusto　Angel；　a　crusader　of　the　new　breed；　intransigent；　audacious；　daring；　who　personally　rang　the　bells　several　times　a　day　so　that　the　peoples　spirits　would　not　get　drowsy；　and　who　went　from　house　to　house　waking　up　the　sleepers　to　go　to　mass　but　before　a　year　was　out　he　too　was　conquered　by　the　negligence　that　one　breathed　in　with　the　air；　by　the　hot　dust　that　made　everything　old　and　clogged　up；　and　by　the　drowsiness　caused　by　lunchtime　meatballs　in　the　unbearable　heat　of　siesta　time。
　　　With　？rsula’s　death　the　house　again　fell　into　a　neglect　from　which　it　could　not　be　rescued　even　by　a　wi