百年孤独(英文版)-第17部分

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ey　assigned　him　and　slept　for　three　days。　When　he　woke　up；　after　eating　sixteen　raw　eggs；　he　went　directly　to　Catarino’s　store；　where　his　monumental　size　provoked　a　panic　of　curiosity　among　the　women。　He　called　for　music　and　cane　liquor　for　everyone；　to　be　put　on　his　bill。　He　would　Indian…wrestle　with　five　men　at　the　same　time。　“It　can’t　be　done；？they　said；　convinced　that　they　would　not　be　able　to　move　his　arm。　“He　has　ni？os…en…cruz。？Catarino；　who　did　not　believe　in　magical　tricks　of　strength；　bet　him　twelve　pesos　that　he　could　not　move　the　counter。　Jos？Arcadio　pulled　it　out　of　its　place；　lifted　it　over　his　head；　and　put　it　in　the　street。　It　took　eleven　men　to　put　it　back。　In　the　heat　of　the　party　he　exhibited　his　unusual　masculinity　on　the　bar；　pletely　covered　with　tattoos　of　words　in　several　languages　intertwined　in　blue　and　red。　To　the　women　who　were　besieging　him　and　coveting　him　he　put　the　question　as　to　who　would　pay　the　most。　The　one　who　had　the　most　money　offered　him　twenty　pesos。　Then　he　proposed　raffling　himself　off　among　them　at　ten　pesos　a　chance。　It　was　a　fantastic　price　because　the　most　sought…after　woman　earned　eight　pesos　a　night；　but　they　all　accepted。　They　wrote　their　names　on　fourteen　pieces　of　paper　which　they　put　into　a　hat　and　each　woman　took　one　out。　When　there　were　only　two　pieces　left　to　draw；　it　was　established　to　whom　they　belonged。
　　　“Five　pesos　more　from　each　one；？Jos？Arcadio　proposed；　“and　I’ll　share　myself　with　both。
　　　He　made　his　living　that　way。　He　had　been　around　the　world　sixty…five　times；　enlisted　in　a　crew　of　sailors　without　a　country。　The　women　who　went　to　bed　with　him　that　night　in　Catarino’s　store　brought　him　naked　into　the　dance　salon　so　that　people　could　see　that　there　was　not　a　square　inch　of　his　body　that　was　not　tattooed；　front　and　back；　and　from　his　neck　to　his　toes。　He　did　not　succeed　in　being　incorporated　into　the　family。　He　slept　all　day　and　spent　the　night　in　the　red…light　district；　making　bets　on　his　strength。　On　the　rare　occasions　when　？rsula　got　him　to　sit　down　at　the　table；　he　gave　signs　of　radiant　good　humor；　especially　when　he　told　about　his　adventures　in　remote　countries。　He　had　been　shipwrecked　and　spent　two　weeks　adrift　in　the　Sea　of　Japan；　feeding　on　the　body　of　a　rade　who　had　succumbed　to　sunstroke　and　whose　extremely　salty　flesh　as　it　cooked　in　the　sun　had　a　sweet　and　granular　taste。　Under　a　bright　noonday　sun　in　the　Gulf　of　Bengal　his　ship　had　killed　a　sea　dragon；　in　the　stomach　of　which　they　found　the　helmet；　the　buckles；　and　the　weapons　of　a　Crusader。　In　the　Caribbean　he　had　seen　the　ghost　of　the　pirate　ship　of　Victor　Hugues；　with　its　sails　torn　by　the　winds　of　death；　the　masts　chewed　by　sea　worms；　and　still　looking　for　the　course　to　Guadeloupe。　？rsula　would　weep　at　the　table　as　if　she　were　reading　the　letters　that　had　never　arrived　and　in　which　Jos？Arcadio　told　about　his　deeds　and　misadventures。　“And　there　was　so　much　of　a　home　here　for　you；　my　son；？she　would　sob；　“and　so　much　food　thrown　to　the　hogs！？But　underneath　it　an　she　could　not　conceive　that　the　boy　the　gypsies　took　away　was　the　same　lout　who　would　eat　half　a　suckling　pig　for　lunch　and　whose　flatulence　withered　the　flowers。　Something　similar　took　place　with　the　rest　of　the　family。　Amaranta　could　not　conceal　the　repugnance　that　she　felt　at　the　table　because　of　his　bestial　belching。　Arcadio；　who　never　knew　the　secret　of　their　relationship；　scarcely　answered　the　questions　that　he　asked　with　the　obvious　idea　of　gaining　his　affection。　Aureliano　tried　to　relive　the　times　when　they　slept　in　the　same　room；　tried　to　revive　the　plicity　of　childhood；　but　Jos？Arcadio　had　forgotten　about　it；　because　life　at　sea　had　saturated　his　memory　with　too　many　things　to　remember。　Only　Rebeca　succumbed　to　the　first　impact。　The　day　that　she　saw　him　pass　by　her　bedroom　she　thought　that　Pietro　Crespi　was　a　sugary　dandy　next　to　that　protomale　whose　volcanic　breathing　could　be　heard　all　over　the　house。　She　tried　to　get　near　him　under　any　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　countr