百年孤独(英文版)-第73部分

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ace　for　me；　because　I　don’t　expect　ever　to　see　him　again。？
　　　That　night　he　was　captured　when　he　tried　to　escape　from　Macondo；　after　writing　a　long　letter　to　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　in　which　he　reminded　him　of　their　mon　aim　to　humanize　the　war　and　he　wished　him　a　final　victory　over　the　corruption　of　the　militarists　and　the　ambitions　of　the　politicians　in　both　parties。　On　the　following　day　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　had　lunch　with　him　in　？rsula’s　house；　where　he　was　being　held　until　a　revolutionary　court…martial　decided　his　fate。　It　was　a　friendly　gathering。　But　while　the　adversaries　forgot　the　war　to　remember　things　of　the　past；　？rsula　had　the　gloomy　feeling　that　her　son　was　an　intruder。　She　had　felt　it　ever　since　she　saw　him　e　in　protected　by　a　noisy　military　retinue；　which　turned　the　bedrooms　inside　out　until　they　were　convinced　there　was　no　danger。　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　not　only　accepted　it　but　he　gave　strict　orders　that　no　one　should　e　closer　than　ten　feet；　not　even　？rsula；　while　the　members　of　his　escort　finished　placing　guards　about　the　house。　He　was　wearing　an　ordinary　denim　uniform　with　no　insignia　of　any　kind　and　high　boots　with　spurs　that　were　caked　with　mud　and　dried　blood。　On　his　waist　he　wore　a　holster　with　the　flap　open　and　his　hand；　which　was　always　on　the　butt　of　the　pistol；　revealed　the　same　watchful　and　resolute　tension　as　his　look。　His　head；　with　deep　recessions　in　the　hairline　now；　seemed　to　have　been　baked　in　a　slow　oven。　His　face；　tanned　by　the　salt　of　the　Caribbean；　had　acquired　a　metallic　hardness。　He　was　preserved　against　imminent　old　age　by　a　vitality　that　had　something　to　do　with　the　coldness　of　his　insides。　He　was　taller　than　when　he　had　left；　paler　and　bonier；　and　he　showed　the　first　symptoms　of　resistance　to　nostalgia。　“Good　Lord；？？rsula　said　to　herself。　“Now　he　looks　like　a　man　capable　of　anything。？He　was。　The　Aztec　shawl　that　he　brought　Amaranta；　the　remembrances　he　spoke　of　at　lunch；　the　funny　stories　her　told　were　simple　leftovers　from　his　humor　of　a　different　time。　As　soon　as　the　order　to　bury　the　dead　in　a　mon　grave　was　carried　out；　he　assigned　Colonel　Roque　Carnicero　the　minion　of　setting　up　courts…martial　and　he　went　ahead　with　the　exhausting　task　of　imposing　radical　reforms　which　would　not　leave　a　stone　of　the　reestablished　Conservative　regime　in　place。　“We　have　to　get　ahead　of　the　politicians　in　the　party；？he　said　to　his　aides。　“When　they　open　their　eyes　to　reality　they’ll　find　acplished　facts。？It　was　then　that　he　decided　to　review　the　titles　to　land　that　went　back　a　hundred　years　and　he　discovered　the　legalized　outrages　of　his　brother；　Jos？Arcadio。　He　annulled　the　registrations　with　a　stroke　of　the　pen。　As　a　last　gesture　of　courtesy；　he　left　his　affairs　for　an　hour　and　visited　Rebeca　to　bring　her　up　to　date　on　what　he　was　determined　to　do。
　　　In　the　shadows　of　her　house；　the　solitary　widow　who　at　one　time　had　been　the　confidante　of　his　repressed　loves　and　whose　persistence　had　saved　his　life　was　a　specter　out　of　the　past。　Encased　in　black　down　to　her　knuckles；　with　her　heart　turned　to　ash；　she　scarcely　knew　anything　about　the　war。　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　had　the　impression　that　the　phosphorescence　of　her　bones　was　showing　through　her　skin　and　that　she　moved　in　an　atmosphere　of　Saint　Elmo’s　fire；　in　a　stagnant　air　where　one　could　still　note　a　hidden　smell　of　gunpowder。　He　began　by　advising　her　to　moderate　the　rigor　of　her　mourning；　to　ventilate　the　house；　to　forgive　the　world　for　the　death　of　Jos？Arcadio。　But　Rebeca　was　already　beyond　any　vanity。　After　searching　for　it　uselessly　in　the　taste　of　earth；　in；　the　perfumed　letters　from　Pietro　Crespi；　in　the　tempestuous　bed　of　her　husband；　she　had　found　peace　in　that　house　where　memories　materialized　through　the　strength　of　implacable　evocation　and　walked　like　human　beings　through　the　cloistered　rooms；　Leaning　back　in　her　wicker　rocking　chair；　looking　at　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　as　if　he　were　the　one　who　looked　like　a　ghost　out　of　the　past；　Rebeca　was　not　even　upset　by　the　news　that　the　lands　usurped　by　Jos？Arcadio　would　be　returned　to　their　rightful　owners。
　　　“Whatever　you　decide　will　be　done；　Aureliano；？she　sighed。　“I　always　thought　and　now　I　have　the　proof　that　you’re　a　renegade。？
　　　The　revision　of　the　deeds　took　place　at　the　same　time　as　the　summary　courts…martial　presided　over　by　Colonel　Gerineldo　Márquez；　which　ended　with　the　execution　of　all　officers　of　the　regular　army　who　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　revolutionaries。　The　last　court…martial　was　that　of　Jos？Raquel　Moncada。　？rsula　intervened。　‘”His　government　was　the　best　we’ve　ever　had　in　Macondo；？she　told　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía。　“I　don’t　have　to　tell　you　anything　about　his　good　heart；　about　his　affection　for　us；　because　you　know　better　than　anyone。？Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　gave　her　a　disapproving　look。
　　　“I　can’t　take　over　the　job　of　administering　justice；？he　replied。　“If　you　have　something　to　say；　tell　it　to　the　court…martial。？
　　　？rsula　not　only　did　that　she　also　brought　all　of　the　mothers　of　the　revolutionary　officers　who　lived　in　Macondo　to　testify。　One　by　one　the　old　women　who　had　been　founders　of　the　town；　several　of　whom　had　taken　part　in　the　daring　crossing　of　the　mountains；　praised　the　virtues　of　General　Moncada。　？rsula　was　the　last　in　line。　Her　gloomy　digni