百年孤独(英文版)-第18部分

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nize　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。　In　reality　he　was　a　charlatan。　Behind　his　innocent　fa？ade　of　a　doctor　without　prestige　there　was　hidden　a　terrorist　who　with　his　short　legged　boots　covered　the　scars　that　five　years　in　the　stocks　had　left　on　his　legs。　Taken　prisoner　during　the　first　federalist　adventure；　he　managed　to　escape　to　Cura？ao　disguised　in　the　garment　he　detested　most　in　this　world：　a　cassock。　At　the　end　of　a　prolonged　exile；　stirred　up　by　the　exciting　news　that　exiles　from　all　over　the　Caribbean　brought　to　Cura？ao；　he　set　out　in　a　smuggler’s　schooner　and　appeared　in　Riohacha　with　the　bottles　of　pills　that　were　nothing　but　refined　sugar　and　a　diploma　from　the　University　of　Leipzig　that　he　had　forged　himself。　He　wept　with　disappointment。　The　federalist　fervor；　which　the　exiles　had　pictured　as　a　powder　keg　about　to　explode；　had　dissolved　into　a　vague　electoral　illusion。　Embittered　by　failure；　yearning　for　a　safe　place　where　he　could　await　old　age；　the　false　homeopath　took　refuge　in　Macondo。　In　the　narrow　bottle…crowded　room　that　he　rented　on　one　side　of　the　square；　he　lived　several　years　off　the　hopelessly　ill　who；　after　having　tried　everything；　consoled　themselves　with　sugar　pills。　His　instincts　of　an　agitator　remained　dormant　as　long　as　Don　Apolinar　Moscote　was　a　figurehead。　He　passed　the　time　remembering　and　fighting　against　asthma。　The　　approach　of　the　elections　was　the　thread　that　led　him　once　more　to　the　skein　of　subversion。　He　made　contact　with　the　young　people　in　the　town；　who　lacked　political　knowledge；　and　he　embarked　on　a　stealthy　campaign　of　instigation。　The　numerous　red　ballots　that　appeared　is　the　box　and　that　were　attributed　by　Don　Apolinar　Moscote　to　the　curiosity　that　came　from　youth　were　part　of　his　plan：　he　made　his　disciples　vote　in　order　to　show　them　that　elections　were　a　farce。　“The　only　effective　thing；？he　would　say；　“is　violence。？The　majority　of　Aureliano’s　friends　were　enthusiastic　over　the　idea　of　liquidating　the　Conservative　establishment；　but　no　one　had　dared　include　him　in　the　plans；　not　only　because　of　his　ties　with　the　magistrate；　but　because　of　his　solitary　and　elusive　character。　It　was　known；　furthermore；　that　he　had　voted　blue　at　his　father…in…law’s　direction。　So　it　was　a　simple　matter　of　chance　that　he　revealed　his　political　sentiments；　and　it　was　purely　a　matter　of　curiosity；　a　caprice；　that　brought　him　to　visit　the　doctor　for　the　treatment　of　a　pain　that　he　did　not　have。　In　the　den　that　smelled　of　camphorated　cobwebs　he　found　himself　facing　a　kind　of　dusty　iguana　whose　lungs　whistled　when　he　breathed。　Before　asking　him　any　questions　the　doctor　took　him　to　the　window　and　examined　the　inside　of　his　lower　eyelid。　“It’s　not　there；？Aureliano　said；　following　what　they　told　him。　He　pushed　the　tips　of　his　fingers　into　his　liver　and　added：　“Here’s　where　I　have　the　pain　that　won’t　let　me　sleep。？Then　Dr。　Noguera　closed　the　window　with　the　pretext　that　there　was　too　much　sun；　and　explained　to　him　in　simple　terms　that　it　was　a　patriotic　duty　to　assassinate　Conservatives。　For　several　days　Aureliano　carried　a　small　bottle　of　pills　in　his　shirt　pocket。　He　would　take　it　out　every　two　hours；　put　three　pills　in　the　palm　of　his　hand；　and　pop　them　into　his　mouth　for　them　to　be　slowly　dissolved　on　his　tongue。　Don　Apolinar　Moscote　made　fun　of　his　faith　in　homeopathy；　but　those　who　were　in　on　the　plot　recognized　another　one　of　their　people　in　him。　Almost　all　of　the　sons　of　the　founders　were　implicated；　although　none　of　them　knew　concretely　what　action　they　were　plotting。　Nevertheless；　the　day　the　doctor　revealed　the　secret　to　Aureliano；　the　latter　elicited　the　whole　plan　of　the　conspiracy。　Although　he　was　convinced　at　that　time　of　the　urgency　of　liquidating　the　Conservative　regime；　the　plot　horrified　him。　Dr。　Noguera　had　a　mystique　of　personal　assassination。　His　system　was　reduced　to　coordinating　a　series　of　individual　actions　which　in　one　master　stroke　covering　the　whole　nation　would　liquidate　the　functionaries　of　the　regime　along　with　their　respective　families；　especially　the　children；　in　order　to　exterminate　Conservatism　at　its　roots。　Don　Apolinar　Moscote；　his　wife；　and　his　six　daughters；　needless　to　say；　were　on　the　list。
　　　“You’re　no　Liberal　or　anything　else；？Aureliano　told　him　without　getting　excited。　“You’re　nothing　but　a　butcher。？
　　　“In　that　case；？the　doctor　replied　with　equal　calm；　“give　me　back　the　bottle。　You　don’t　need　it　any　more。？
　　　Only　six　months　later　did　Aureliano　learn　that　the　doctor　had　given　up　on　him　as　a　man　of　action　because　he　was　a　sentimental　person　with　no　future；　with　a　passive　character；　and　a　definite　solitary　vocation。　They　tried　to　keep　him　surrounded；　fearing　that　he　would　betray　the　conspiracy。　Aureliano　calmed　them　down：　he　would　not　say　a　word；　but　on　the　night　they　went　to　murder　the　Moscote　family　they　would　find　him　guarding　the　door。　He　showed　such　a　convincing　decision　that　the　plan　was　postponed　for　an　indefinite　date。　It　was　during　those　days　that　？rsula　asked　his　opinion　about　the　marriage　between　Pietro　Crespi　and　Amaranta；　and　he　answered　that　these　were　not　times　to　be　thinking　about　such　a　thing。　For　a　week　he　had　been　carrying　an　old…fashioned　pistol　under　his　shirt。　He　kept　his　eyes　on　his　friends。　In　the　afternoon　he　would　go　have　coffee　with　Jos？Arcadio　and　Rebeca；　who　had　begun　to　put　their　house　in　order；　and　from　seven　o’clock　on　he　would　play　dominoes　with　his　father…in…law。　At　lunchtime　he　was　chatting　with　Arcadio；　who　was　already　a　huge　adolescent；　and　he　found　him　more　and　more　excited　over　the　imminence　of　war。　In　school；　where　Arcadio　had　pupils　older　than　himself　mixed　in　with　children　who　were　barely　beginning　to　talk；　the　Liberal　fever　had　caught　on。　There　was　talk　of　shooting　Father　Nicanor；　of　turning　the　church　into　a　school；　of　instituting　free　love。　Aureliano　tried　to　calm　down　his　drive。　He　remended　discretion　and　prudence　to　him。　Deaf　to　his　calm　reasoning；　to　his　sense　of　reality；　Arcadio　reproached　him　in　public　for　his　weakness　of　character。　Aureliano　waited。　Finally；　in　the　beginning　of　December；　？rsula　burst　into　the　workshop　all　upset。
　　　“War’s　broken　out！？
　　　War；　in　fact；　had　broken　out　three　months　before。　Martial　law　was　in　effect　in　the　whole　country。　The　only　one　who　knew　it　immediately　was　Don　Apolinar　Moscote；　but　he　did　not　give　the　news　even　to　his　wife　while　the　army　platoon　that　was　to　occupy　the　town　by　surprise　was　on　its　way。　They　entered　noiselessly　before　dawn；　with　two　pieces　of　light　artillery　drawn　by　mules；　and　they　set　up　their　headquarters　in　the　school。　A　6　P。M。　curfew　was　established。　A　more　drastic　search　than　the　previous　one　was　undertaken；　house　by　house；　and　this　time　they　even　took　farm　implements。　They　dragged　out　Dr。　Noguera；　tied　him　to　a　tree　in　the　square；　and　shot　him　without　any　due　process　of　law。　Father　Nicanor　tried　to　impress　the　military　authorities　with　the　miracle　of　levitation　and　had　his　head　split　open　by　the　butt　of　a　soldier’s　rifle。　The　Liberal　exaltation　had　been　extinguished　into　a　silent　terror。　Aureliano；　pale；　mysterious；　continued　playing　dominoes　with　his　father…in…law。　He　understood　that　in　spite　of　his　present　title　of　civil　and　military　leader　of　the　town；