百年孤独(英文版)-第6部分

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　occasion　he　found　the　door　barred；　and　he　knocked　several　times；　knowing　that　if　he　had　the　boldness　to　knock　the　first　time　he　would　have　had　to　knock　until　the　last；　and　after　an　interminable　wait　she　opened　the　door　for　him。　During　the　day；　lying　down　to　dream；　he　would　secretly　enjoy　the　memories　of　the　night　before。　But　when　she　came　into　the　house；　merry；　indifferent；　chatty；　he　did　not　have　to　make　any　effort　to　hide　his　tension；　because　that　woman；　whose　explosive　laugh　frightened　off　the　doves；　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　invisible　power　that　taught　him　how　to　breathe　from　within　and　control　his　heartbeats；　and　that　had　permitted　him　to　understand　why　man　are　afraid　of　death。　He　was　so　wrapped　up　in　himself　that　he　did　not　even　understand　the　joy　of　everyone　when　his　father　and　his　brother　aroused　the　household　with　the　news　that　they　had　succeeded　in　penetrating　the　metallic　debris　and　had　separated　？rsula’s　gold。
　　　They　had　succeeded；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　after　putting　in　plicated　and　persevering　days　at　it。　？rsula　was　happy；　and　she　even　gave　thanks　to　God　for　the　invention　of　alchemy；　while　the　people　of　the　village　crushed　into　the　laboratory；　and　they　served　them　guava　jelly　on　crackers　to　celebrate　the　wonder；　and　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　let　them　see　the　crucible　with　the　recovered　gold；　as　if　he　had　just　invented　it。　Showing　it　all　around；　he　ended　up　in　front　of　his　older　son；　who　during　the　past　few　days　had　barely　put　in　an　appearance　in　the　laboratory。　He　put　the　dry　and　yellowish　mass　in　front　of　his　eyes　and　asked　him：　“What　does　it　look　like　to　you？？Jos？Arcadio　answered　sincerely：
　　　“Dog　shit。？
　　　His　father　gave　him　a　blow　with　the　back　of　his　hand　that　brought　out　blood　and　tears。　That　night　Pilar　Ternera　put　arnica　presses　on　the　swelling；　feeling　about　for　the　bottle　and　cotton　in　the　dark；　and　she　did　everything　she　wanted　with　him　as　long　as　it　did　not　bother　him；　making　an　effort　to　love　him　without　hurting　him。　They　reached　such　a　state　of　intimacy　that　later；　without　realizing　it；　they　were　whispering　to　each　other。
　　　“I　want　to　be　alone　with　you；？he　said。　“One　of　these　days　I’m　going　to　tell　everybody　and　we　can　stop　all　of　this　sneaking　around。？
　　　She　did　not　try　to　calm　him　down。
　　　“That　would　be　fine；？she　said　“If　we’re　alone；　we’ll　leave　the　lamp　lighted　so　that　we　can　see　each　other；　and　I　can　holler　as　much　as　I　want　without　anybody’s　having　to　butt　in；　and　you　can　whisper　in　my　ear　any　crap　you　can　think　of。？
　　　That　conversation；　the　biting　rancor　that　he　felt　against　his　father；　and　the　imminent　possibility　of　wild　love　inspired　a　serene　courage　in　him。　In　a　spontaneous　way；　without　any　preparation；　he　told　everything　to　his　brother。
　　　At　first　young　Aureliano　understood　only　the　risk；　the　immense　possibility　of　danger　that　his　brother’s　adventures　implied；　and　he　could　not　understand　the　fascination　of　the　subject。　Little　by　little　he　became　contaminated　with　the　anxiety。　He　wondered　about　the　details　of　the　dangers；　he　identified　himself　with　the　suffering　and　enjoyment　of　his　brother；　he　felt　frightened　and　happy。　He　would　stay　awake　waiting　for　him　until　dawn　in　the　solitary　bed　that　seemed　to　have　a　bottom　of　live　coals；　and　they　would　keep　on　talking　until　it　was　time　to　get　up；　so　that　both　of　them　soon　suffered　from　the　same　drowsiness；　felt　the　same　lack　of　interest　in　alchemy　and　the　wisdom　of　their　father；　and　they　took　refuge　in　solitude。　“Those　kids　are　out　of　their　heads；？？rsula　said。　“They　must　have　worms。？She　prepared　a　repugnant　potion　for　them　made　out　of　mashed　wormseed；　which　they　both　drank　with　unforeseen　stoicism；　and　they　sat　down　at　the　same　time　on　their　pots　eleven　times　in　a　single　day；　expelling　some　rosecolored　parasites　that　they　showed　to　everybody　with　great　jubilation；　for　it　allowed　them　to　deceive　？rsula　as　to　the　origin　of　their　distractions　and　drowsiness。　Aureliano　not　only　understood　by　then；　he　also　lived　his　brother’s　experiences　as　something　of　his　own；　for　on　one　occasion　when　the　latter　was　explaining　in　great　detail　the　mechanism　of　love；　he　interrupted　him　to　ask：　“What　does　it　feel　like？？Jos？Arcadio　gave　an　immediate　reply：
　　　“It’s　like　an　earthquake。？
　　　One　January　Thursday　at　two　o’clock　in　the　morning；　Amaranta　was　born。　Before　anyone　came　into　the　room；　？rsula　examined　her　carefully。　She　was　light　and　watery；　like　a　newt；　but　all　of　her　parts　were　human：　Aureliano　did　not　notice　the　new　thing　except　when　the　house　became　full　of　people。　Protected　by　the　confusion；　he　went　off　in　search　of　his　brother；　who　had　not　been　in　bed　since　eleven　o’clock；　and　it　was　such　an　impulsive　decision　that　he　did　not　even　have　time　to　ask　himself　how　he　could　get　him　out　of　Pilar　Ternera’s　bedroom。　He　circled　the　house　for　several　hours；　whistling　private　calls；　until　the　proximity　of　dawn　forced　him　to　go　home。　In　his　mother’s　room；　playing　with　the　newborn　little　sister　and　with　a　face　that　drooped　with　innocence；　he　found　Jos？Arcadio。
　　　？rsula　was　barely　over　her　forty　days？rest　when　the　gypsies　returned。　They　were　the　same　acrobats　and　jugglers　that　had　brought　the　ice。　Unlike　Melquíades？tribe；　they　had　shown　very　quickly　that　they　were　not　heralds　of　progress　but　purveyors　of　amusement。　Even　when　they　brought　the　ice　they　did　not　advertise　it　for　its　usefulness　in　the　life　of　man　but　as　a　simple　circus　curiosity。　This　time；　along　with　many　other　artifices；　they　brought　a　flying　carpet。　But　they　did　not　offer　it　as　a　fundamental　contribution　to　the　development　of　transport；　rather　as　an　object　of　recreation。　The　people　at　once　dug　up　their　last　gold　pieces　to　take　advantage　of　a　quick　flight　over　the　houses　of　the　village。　Protected　by　the　delightful　cover　of　collective　disorder；　Jos？Arcadio　and　Pilar　passed　many　relaxing　hours。　They　were　two　happy　lovers　among　the　crowd；　and　they　even　came　to　suspect　that　love　could　be　a　feeling　that　was　more　relaxing　and　deep　than　the　happiness；　wild　but　momentary；　of　their　secret　nights。　Pilar；　however；　broke　the　spell。　Stimulated　by　the　enthusiasm　that　Jos？Arcadio　showed　in　her　panionship；　she　confused　the　form　and　the　occasion；　and　all　of　a　sudden　she　threw　the　whole　world　on　top　of　him。　“Now　you　really　are　a　man；？she　told　him。　And　since　he　did　not　understand　what　she　meant；　she　spelled　it　out　to　him。
　　　“You’re　going　to　be　a　father。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio　did　not　dare　leave　the　house　for　several　days。　It　was　enough　for　him　to　hear　the　rocking　laughter　of　Pilar　in　the　kitchen　to　run　and　take　refuge　in　the　laboratory；　where　the　artifacts　of　alchemy　had　e　alive　again　with　？rsula’s　blessing。　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　received　his　errant　son　with　joy　and　initiated　him　in　the　search　for　the　philosopher’s　stone；　which　he　had　finally　undertaken。　One　afternoon　the　boys　grew　enthusiastic　over　the　flying　carpet　that　went　swiftly　by　the　laboratory　at　window　level　carrying　the　gypsy　who　was　driving　it　and　several　children　from　the　village　who　were　merrily　waving　their　hands；　but　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　did　not　even　look　at　it。　“Let　them　dream；？he　said。　“We’ll　do　better　flying　than　they　are　doing；　and　with　more　scientific　resources　than　a　miserable　bedspread。？In　spite　of　his　feigned　interest；　Jos？Arcadio　must　understood　the　powers　of　the　philosopher’s　egg；　which　to　him　looked　like　a　poorly　blown　bottle。　He　did　not　succeed　in　escaping　from　his　worries。　He　lost　his　appetite　and　he　could　not　sleep。　He　fell　into　an　ill　humor；　the　same　as　his　father’s　over　the　failure　of　his　undertakings；　and　such　was　his　upset　that　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　himself　relieved　him　of　his　duties　in　the　laboratory；　thinking　that　he　had　taken　alchemy　too　much　to　heart。　Aureliano；　of　course；　understood　that　his　brother’s　affliction　did　not　have　its　source　in　the　search　for　the　philosopher’s　stone　but　he　could　not　get　into　his　confidence。　He　had　lost　his　former　spontaneity。　From　an　acplice　and　a　municative　person　he　had　bee　withdrawn　and　hostile。　Anxious　for　solitude；　bitten　by　a　virulent　rancor　against　the　world；　one　night　he　left　his　bed　as　usual；　but　he　did　not　go　to　Pilar　Ternera’s　house；　but　to　mingle　is　the　tumult　of　the　fair。　After　wandering　about　among　all　kinds　of　contraptions　with　out　being　interested　in　any　of　them；　he　spotted　something　that　was　not　a　part　of　it　all：　a　very　young　gypsy　girl；　almost　a　child；　who　was　weighted　down　by　beads　and　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　that　Jos？Arcadio　had　ever　seen　in　his　life。　She　was　in　the　crowd　that　was　witnessing　the　sad　spectacle　of　the　man　who　had　been　turned　into　a　snake　for　having　disobeyed　his　parents。
　　　Jos？Arcadio　paid　no　attention。　While　the　sad　interrogation　of　the　snakeman　was　taking　place；　he　made　his　way　through　the　crowd　up　to　the　front　row；　where　the　gypsy　girl　was；　and　he　stooped　behind　her。　He　pressed　against　her　back。　The　girl　tried　to　separate　herself；　but　Jos？Arcadio　pressed　more　strongly　against　her　back。　Then　she　felt　him。　She　remained　motionless　against　him；　trembling　with　surprise　and　fear；　unable　to　believe　the　evidence；　and　finally　she　turned　her　head　and　looked　at　him　with　a　tremulous　smile。　At　that　instant　two　gypsies　put　the　snakeman　into　his　cage　and　carried　him　into　the　tent。　The　gypsy　who　was　conducting　the　show　announced：
　　　“And　now；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　we　are　going　to　show　the　terrible　test　of　the　woman　who　must　have　her　head　chopped　off　every　night　at　this　time　for　one　hundred　and　fifty　years　as　punishment　for　having　seen　what　she　should　not　have。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio　and　the　gypsy　girl　did　not　witness　the　decapitation。　They　went　to　her　tent；　where　they　kissed　each　other　with　a　desperate　anxiety　while　they　took　off　their　clothes。　The　gypsy　girl　removed　the　starched　lace　corsets　she　had　on　and　there　she　was；　changed　into　practically　nothing。　She　was　a　languid　little　frog；　with　incipient　breasts　and　legs　so　thin　that　they　did　not　even　match　the　size　of　Jos？Arcadio’s　arms；　but　she　had　a　decision　and　a　warmth　that　pensated　for　her　fragility。　Nevertheless；　Jos？Arcadio　could　not　respond　to　her　because　they　were　in　a　kind　of　public　tent　where　the　gypsies　passed　through　with　their　circus　things　and　did　their　business；　and　would　even　tarry　by　the　bed　for　a　game　of　dice。　The　lamp　hanging　from　the　center　pole　lighted　the　whole　place　up。　During　a　pause　in　the　caresses；　Jos？Arcadio　stretched　out　naked　on　the　bed　without　knowing　what　to　do；　while　the　girl　tried　to　inspire　him。　A　gypsy　woman　with　splendid　flesh　came　in　a　short　time　after　acpanied　by　a　man　who　was　not　of　the　caravan　but　who　was　not　from　the　village　either；　and　they　both　began　to　undress　in　front　of　the　bed。　Without　meaning　to；　the　woman　looked　at　Jos？Arcadio　and　examined　his　magnificent　animal　in　repose　with　a　kind　of　pathetic　fervor。
　　　“My　boy；？she　exclaimed；　“may　God　preserve　you　just　as　you　are。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio’s　panion　asked　them　to　leave　them　alone；　and　the　couple　lay　down　on　the　ground；　close　to　the　bed。　The　passion　of　the　others　woke　up　Jos？Arcadio’s　fervor。　On　the　first　contact　the　bones　of　the　girl　seemed　to　bee　disjointed　with　a　disorderly　crunch　like　the　sound　of　a　box　of　dominoes；　and　her　skin　broke　out　into　a　pale　sweat　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears　as　her　whole　body　exhaled　a　lugubrious　lament　and　a　vague　smell　of　mud。　But　she　bore　the　impact　with　a　firmness　of　character　and