百年孤独(英文版)-第41部分

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e　fireworks　and　music　and　the　slaughtering　of　cattle　went　on；　？rsula　remembered　her　own　experience　and　wondered　whether　Fernanda　might　have　a　chastity　belt　too　which　would　sooner　or　later　provoke　jokes　in　the　town　and　give　rise　to　a　tragedy。　But　Fernanda　confessed　to　her　that　she　was　just　letting　two　weeks　go　by　before　allowing　the　first　contact　with　her　husband。　Indeed；　when　the　period　was　over；　she　opened　her　bedroom　with　a　resignation　worthy　of　an　expiatory　victim　and　Aureliano　Segundo　saw　the　most　beautiful　woman　on　earth；　with　her　glorious　eyes　of　a　frightened　animal　and　her　long；　copper…colored　hair　spread　out　across　the　pillow。　He　was　so　fascinated　with　that　vision　that　it　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　that　Fernanda　was　wearing　a　white　nightgown　that　reached　down　to　her　ankles；　with　long　sleeves　and　with　a　large；　round　buttonhole；　delicately　trimmed；　at　the　level　of　her　lower　stomach。　Aureliano　Segundo　could　not　suppress　an　explosion　of　laughter。
　　　“That’s　the　most　obscene　thing　I’ve　ever　seen　in　my　life；？he　shouted　with　a　laugh　that　rang　through　the　house。　“I　married　a　Sister　of　Charity。？
　　　A　month　later；　unsuccessful　in　getting　his　wife　to　take　off　her　nightgown；　he　had　the　picture　taken　of　Petra　Cotes　dressed　as　a　queen。　Later　on；　when　he　succeeded　in　getting　Fernanda　to　e　back　home；　she　gave　in　to　his　urges　in　the　fever　of　reconciliation；　but　she　could　not　give　him　the　repose　he　had　dreamed　about　when　he　went　to　fetch　her　in　the　city　with　the　thirty…two　belfries。　Aureliano　Segundo　found　only　a　deep　feeling　of　desolation　in　her。　One　night；　a　short　time　before　their　first　child　was　born；　Fernanda　realized　that　her　husband　had　returned　in　secret　to　the　bed　of　Petra　Cotes。
　　　“That’s　what　happened；？he　admitted。　And　he　explained　in　a　tone　of　prostrated　resignation：　“I　had　to　do　it　so　that　the　animals　would　keep　on　breeding。？
　　　He　needed　a　little　time　to　convince　her　about　such　a　strange　expedient；　but　when　he　finally　did　so　by　means　of　proofs　that　seemed　irrefutable；　the　only　promise　that　Fernanda　demanded　from　him　was　that　he　should　not　be　surprised　by　death　in　his　concubine’s　bed。　In　that　way　the　three　of　them　continued　living　without　bothering　each　other。　Aureliano　Segundo；　punctual　and　loving　with　both　of　them。　Petra　Cotes；　strutting　because　of　the　reconciliation；　and　Fernanda；　pretending　that　she　did　not　know　the　truth。
　　　The　pact　did　not　succeed；　however；　in　incorporating　Fernanda　into　the　family。　？rsula　insisted　in　vain　that　she　take　off　the　woolen　ruff　which　she　would　have　on　when　she　got　up　from　making　love　and　which　made　the　neighbors　whisper。　She　could　not　convince　her　to　use　the　bathroom　or　the　night　lavatory　and　sell　the　gold　chamberpot　to　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　so　that　he　could　convert　it　into　little　fishes。　Amaranta　felt　so　unfortable　with　her　defective　diction　and　her　habit　of　using　euphemisms　to　designate　everything　that　she　would　always　speak　gibberish　in　front　of　her。
　　　“Thifisif。？she　would　say；　“ifisif　onefos　ofosif　thofosif　whosufu　cantantant　statantand　thefesef　smufumellu　ofosif　therisir　owfisown　shifisifit。？
　　　One　day；　irritated　by　the　mockery；　Fernanda　wanted　to　know　what　Amaranta　was　saying；　and　she　did　not　use　euphemisms　in　answering　her。
　　　“I　was　saying；？she　told　her；　“that　you’re　one　of　those　people　who　mix　up　their　ass　and　their　ashes。？
　　　From　that　time　on　they　did　not　speak　to　each　other　again。　When　circumstances　demanded　it　they　would　send　notes。　In　spite　of　the　visible　hostility　of　the　family；　Fernanda　did　not　give　up　her　drive　to　impose　the　customs　of　her　ancestors。　She　put　an　end　to　the　custom　of　eating　in　the　kitchen　and　whenever　anyone　was　hungry；　and　she　imposed　the　obligation　of　doing　it　at　regular　hours　at　the　large　table　in　the　dining　room；　covered　with　a　linen　cloth　and　with　silver　candlesticks　and　table　service。　The　solemnity　of　an　act　which　？rsula　had　considered　the　most　simple　one　of　daily　life　created　a　tense　atmosphere　against　which　the　silent　Jos？Arcadio　Segundo　rebelled　before　anyone　else。　But　the　custom　was　imposed；　the　same　as　that　of　reciting　the　rosary　before　dinner；　and　it　drew　the　attention　of　the　neighbors；　who　soon　spread　the　rumor　that　the　Buendías　did　not　sit　down　to　the　table　like　other　mortals　but　had　changed　the　act　of　eating　into　a　kind　of　high　mass。　Even　？rsula’s　superstitions；　with　origins　that　came　more　from　an　inspiration　of　the　moment　than　from　tradition；　came　into　conflict　with　those　of　Fernanda；　who　had　inherited　them　from　her　parents　and　kept　them　defined　and　catalogued　for　every　occasion。　As　long　as　？rsula　had　full　use　of　her　faculties　some　of　the　old　customs　survived　and　the　life　of　the　family　kept　some　quality　of　her　impulsiveness；　but　when　she　lost　her　sight　and　the　weight　of　her　years　relegated　her　to　a　corner；　the　circle　of　rigidity　begun　by　Fernanda　from　the　moment　she　arrived　finally　closed　pletely　and　no　one　but　she　determined　the　destiny　of　the　family。　The　business　in　pastries　and　small　candy　animals　that　Santa　Sofía　de　la　Piedad　had　kept　up　because　of　？rsula’s　wishes　was　considered　an　unworthy　activity　by　Fernanda　and　she　lost　no　time　in　putting　a　stop　to　it。　The　doors　of　the　house；　wide　open　from　dawn　until　bedtime；　were　closed　during　siesta　time　under　the　pretext　that　the　sun　heated　up　the　bedrooms　and　in　the　end　they　were　closed　for　good。　The　aloe　branch　and　loaf　of　bread　that　had　been　hanging　over　the　door　since　the　days　of　the　founding　were　replaced　by　a　niche　with　the　Sacred　Heart　of　Jesus。　Colonel　Aureliano；　Buendía　became　aware　somehow　of　those　changes　and　foresaw　their　consequences。　“We’re　being　people　of　quality；？he　protested。　“At　this　rate　we’ll　end　up　fighting　against　the　Conservative　regime　again；　but　this　time　to　install　a　king　in　its　place。？Fernanda　very　tactfully　tried　not　to　cross　his　path。　Within　herself　she　was　bothered　by　his　independent　spirit　his　resistance　to　all　kinds　of　social　rigidity。　She　was　exasperated　by　his　mugs　of　coffee　at　five　in　the　morning；　the　disorder　of　his　workshop；　his　frayed　blanket；　and　his　custom　of　sitting　in　the　street　door　at　dusk。　But　she　had　to　tolerate　that　one　loose　piece　in　the　family　machinery　because　she　was　sure　that　the　old　colonel　was　an　animal　who　had　been　tamed　by　the　years　and　by　disappointment　and　who；　in　a　burst　of　senile　rebellion；　was　quite　capable　of　uprooting　the　foundations　of　the　house。　When　her　husband　decided　to　give　their　first　son　the　name　of　his　great…grandfather；　she　did　not　dare　oppose　him　because　she　had　been　there　only　a　year。　But　when　the　first　daughter　was　bom　she　expressed　her　unreserved　determination　to　name　her　Renata　after　her　mother。　？rsula　had　decided　to　call　her　Remedios。　After　a　tense　argument；　in　which　Aureliano　Segundo　acted　as　the　laughing　go…between；　they　baptized　her　with　the　name　Renata　Remedios；　but　Fernanda　went　on　calling　her　just　Renata　while　her　husband’s　family　and　everyone　in　town　called　her　Meme；　a　diminutive　of　Remedios。
　　　At　first　Fernanda　did　not　talk　about　her　family；　but　in　time　she　began　to　idealize　her　father。　She　spoke　of　him　at　the　table　as　an　exceptional　being　who　had　renounced　all　forms　of　vanity　and　was　on　his　way　to　being　a　saint。　Aureliano　Segundo；　startled　at　that　unbridled　glorification　of　his　father…in…law；　could　not　resist　the　temptation　to　make　small　jokes　behind　his　wife’s　back。　The　rest　of　the　family　followed　his　example。　Even　？rsula；　who　was　extremely　careful　to　preserve　family　harmony　and　who　suffered　in　secret　from　the　domestic　friction；　once　allowed　herself　the　liberty　of　saying　that　her　little　great…great…grandson　had　his　pontifical　future　assured　because　he　was　“the　grandson　of　a　saint　and　the　son　of　a　queen　and　a　rustler。？In　spite　of　that　conspiracy　of　smiles；　the　children　became　accustomed　to　think　of　their　grandfather　as　a　legendary　being　who　wrote　them　pious　verses　in　his　letters　and　every　Christmas　sent　them　a　box　of　gifts　that　barely　fitted　through　the　outside　door。　Actually　they　were　the　last　remains　of　his　lordly　inheritance。　They　used　them　to　build　an　altar　of　life…size　saints　in　the　children’s　bedroom；　saints　with　glass　eyes　that　gave　them　a　disquietingly　lifelike　look；　whose　artistically　embroidered　clothing　was　better　than　that　worn　by　any　inhabitant　of　Macondo。　Little　by　little　the　funereal　splendor　of　the　ancient　and　icy　mansion　was　being　transformed　into　the　splendor　of　the　House　of　Buendía。　“They’ve　already　sent　us　the　whole　family　cemetery；？Aureliano　Segundo　mented　one　day。　“All　we　need　now　are　the　weeping　willows　and　the　tombstones。？Although　nothing　ever　arrived　in　the　boxes　that　the　children　could　play　with；　they　would　spend　all　year　waiting　for　December　because；　after　all；　the　antique　and　always　unpredictable　gifts　were　something；　new　in　the　house。　On　the　tenth　Christmas；　when　little　Jos？Arcadio　was　getting　ready　to　go　to　the　seminary；　the　enormous　box　from　their　grandfather　arrived　earlier　than　usual；　nailed　tight　and　protected　with　pitch；　and　addressed　in　the　usual　Gothic　letters　to　the　Very　Distinguished　Lady　Do？a　Fernanda　del　Carpio　de　Buendía。　While　she　read　the　letter　in　her　room　the　children　hastened　to　open　the　box。　Aided　as　was　customary　by　Aureliano　Segundo；　they　broke　the　seals；　opened　the　cover；　took　out　the　protective　sawdust；　and　found　inside　a　long　lead　chest　closed　by　copper　bolts。　Aureliano　Segundo　took　out　the　eight　bolts　as　the　children　watched　impatiently；　and　he　barely　had　time　to　give　a　cry　and　push　the　children　aside　when　be　raised　the　lead　cover　and　saw　Don　Fernando；　dressed　in　black　and　with　a　crucifix　on　his　chest；　his　skin　broken　out　in　pestilential　sores　and　cooking　slowly　in　a　frothy　stew　with　bubbles　like　live　pearls。
　　　A　short　time　after　the　birth　of　their　daughter；　the　unexpected　jubilee　for　Colonel　Aureliano；　Buendía；　ordered　by　the　government　to　celebrate　another　anniversary　of　the　Treaty　of　Neerlandia；　was　announced。　It　was　a　decision　so　out　of　line　with　official　policy　that　the　colonel　spoke　out　violently　against　it　and　rejected　the　homage。　“It’s　the　first　time　I’ve　ever　heard　of　the　word　‘jubilee；？？he　said。　“But　whatever　it　means；　it　has　to　be　a　trick。？The　small　goldsmith　shop　was　filled　with　emissaries。　Much　older　and　more　solemn；　the　lawyers　in　dark　suits　who　in　other　days　had　flapped　about　the　colonel　like　crows