百年孤独(英文版)-第27部分

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　intended　wearing　the　black　bandage　on　her　hand；　for　she　interpreted　it　as　an　allusion　to　her　virginity。　When　he　arrived；　she　barred　the　door　of　her　bedroom；　but　she　heard　his　peaceful　snoring　in　the　next　room　for　so　many　nights　that　she　forgot　about　the　precaution。　Early　one　morning；　almost　two　months　after　his　return；　she　heard　him　e　into　the　bedroom。　Then；　instead　of　fleeing；　instead　of　shouting　as　she　had　thought　she　would；　she　let　herself　be　saturated　with　a　soft　feeling　of　relaxation。　She　felt　him　slip　in　under　the　mosquito　netting　as　he　had　done　when　he　was　a　child；　as　he　had　always　done；　and　she　could　not　repress　her　cold　sweat　and　the　chattering　of　her　teeth　when　she　realized　that　he　was　pletely　naked。　“Go　away；？she　whispered；　suffocating　with　curiosity。　“Go　away　or　I’ll　scream。？But　Aureliano　Jos？knew　then　what　he　had　to　do；　because　he　was　no　longer　a　child　but　a　barracks　animal。　Starting　with　that　night　the　dull；　inconsequential　battles　began　again　and　would　go　on　until　dawn。　“I’m　your　aunt；？Amaranta　murmured；　spent。　“It’s　almost　as　if　I　were　your　mother；　not　just　because　of　my　age　but　because　the　only　thing　I　didn’t　do　for　you　was　nurse　you。？Aureliano　would　escape　at　dawn　and　e　back　early　in　the　morning　on　the　next　day；　each　time　more　excited　by　the　proof　that　she　had　not　barred　the　door。　He　had　nit　stopped　desiring　her　for　a　single　instant。　He　found　her　in　the　dark　bedrooms　of　captured　towns；　especially　in　the　most　abject　ones；　and　he　would　make　her　materialize　in　the　smell　of　dry　blood　on　the　bandages　of　the　wounded；　in　the　instantaneous　terror　of　the　danger　of　death；　at　all　times　and　in　all　places。　He　had　fled　from　her　in　an　attempt　to　wipe　out　her　memory；　not　only　through　distance　but　by　means　of　a　muddled　fury　that　his　panions　at　arms　took　to　be　boldness；　but　the　more　her　image　wallowed　in　the　dunghill　of　the　war；　the　more　the　war　resembled　Amaranta。　That　was　how　he　suffered　in　exile；　looking　for　a　way　of　killing　her　with；　his　own　death；　until　he　heard　some　old　man　tell　the　tale　of　the　man　who　had　married　his　aunt；　who　was　also　his　cousin；　and　whose　son　ended　up　being　his　own　grandfather。
　　　“Can　a　person　marry　his　own　aunt？？he　asked；　startled。
　　　“He　not　only　can　do　that；　a　soldier　answered　him。　“but　we’re　fighting　this　war　against　the　priests　so　that　a　person　can　marry　his　own　mother。？
　　　Two　weeks　later　he　deserted。　He　found　Amaranta　more　withered　than　in　his　memory；　more　melancholy　and　shy；　and　now　really　turning　the　last　corner　of　maturity；　but　more　feverish　than　ever　in　the　darkness　of　her　bedroom　and　more　challenging　than　ever　in　the　aggressiveness　of　her　resistance。　“You’re　a　brute；？Amaranta　would　tell　him　as　she　was　harried　by　his　hounds。　“You　can’t　do　that　to　a　poor　aunt　unless　you　have　a　special　dispensation　from　the　Pope。？Aureliano；　Jos？promised　to　go　to　Rome；　he　promised　to　go　across　Europe　on　his　knees　to　kiss　the　sandals　of　the　Pontiff　just　so　that　she　would　lower　her　drawbridge。
　　　“It’s　not　just　that；？Amaranta　retorted。　“Any　children　will　be　born　with　the　tail　of　a　pig。？
　　　Aureliano　Jos？was　deaf　to　all　arguments。
　　　“I　don’t　care　if　they’re　born　as　armadillos；？he　begged。
　　　Early　one　morning；　vanquished　by　the　unbearable　pain　of　repressed　virility；　he　went　to　Catarino’s。　He　found　a　woman　with　flaccid　breasts；　affectionate　and　cheap；　who　calmed　his　stomach　for　some　time。　He　tried　to　apply　the　treatment　of　disdain　to　Amaranta。　He　would　see　her　on　the　porch　working　at　the　sewing　machine；　which　she　had　learned　to　operate　with　admirable　skill；　and　he　would　not　even　speak　to　her。　Amaranta　felt　freed　of　a　reef；　and　she　herself　did　not　understand　why　she　started　thinking　again　at　that　time　about　Colonel　Gerineldo　Márquez；　why　she　remembered　with　such　nostalgia　the　afternoons　of　Chinese　checkers；　and　why　she　even　desired　him　as　the　man　in　her　bedroom。　Aureliano；　Jos？did　not　realize　how　much　ground　he　had　lost　on；　the　night　he　could　no　longer　bear　the　farce　of　indifference　and　went　back　to　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　audien