百年孤独(英文版)-第43章
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The saddest part of his drama was that Remedios the Beauty did not notice him not even when he appeared in church dressed like a prince。 She accepted the yellow rose without the least bit of malice； amused； rather； by the extravagance of the act； and she lifted her shawl to see his face better； not to show hers。
Actually； Remedios the Beauty was not a creature of this world。 Until she was well along in puberty Santa Sofía de la。 Piedad had to bathe and dress her； and even when she could take care of herself it was necessary to keep an eye on her so that she would not paint little animals on the walls with a stick daubed in her own excrement。 She reached twenty without knowing how to read or write； unable to use the silver at the table； wandering naked through the house because her nature rejected all manner of convention。 When the young mander of the guard declared his love for her； she rejected him simply because his frivolity startled her。 “See how simple he is；？she told Amaranta。 “He says that he’s dying because of me； as if I were a bad case of colic。？When； indeed； they found him dead beside her window； Remedios the Beauty confirmed her first impression。
“You see；？she mented。 “He was a plete Simpleton。？
It seemed as if some penetrating lucidity permitted her to see the reality of things beyond any formalism。 That at least was the point of view of Colonel Aureliano Buendía； for whom Remedios the Beauty was in no way mentally retarded； as was generally believed； but quite the opposite。 “It’s as if she’s e back from twenty years of war；？he would say。 ？rsula； for her part； thanked God for having awarded the family with a creature of exceptional purity； but at the same time she was disturbed by her beauty； for it seemed a contradictory virtue to her； a diabolical trap at the center of her innocence。 It was for that reason that she decided to keep her away from the world； to protect her from all earthly temptation； not knowing that Remedios the Beauty； even from the time when she was in her mother’s womb； was safe from any contagion。 It never entered her head that they would elect her beauty queen of the carnival pandemonium。 But Aureliano； Segundo； excited at the caprice of disguising himself as a tiger； brought Father Antonio Isabel to the house in order to convince ？rsula that the carnival was not a pagan feast； as she said； but a Catholic tradition。 Finally convinced； even though reluctantly； she consented to the coronation。
The news that Remedios Buendía was going to be the sovereign ruler of the festival went beyond the limits of the swamp in a few hours； reached distant places where the prestige of her beauty was not known； and it aroused the anxiety of those who still thought of her last name as a symbol of subversion。 The anxiety was baseless。 If anyone had bee harmless at that time it was the aging and disillusioned Colonel Aureliano Buendía； who was slowly losing all contact with the reality of the nation。 Enclosed in his workshop； his only relationship with the rest of the world was his business in little gold fishes。 One of the soldiers who had guarded his house during the first days of peace would go sell them in the villages of the swamp and return loaded down with coins and news。 That the Conservative government； he would say； with the backing of the Liberals； was reforming the calendar so that every president could remain in power for a hundred years。 That the concordat with the Holy See had finally been signed and a cardinal had e from Rome with a crown of diamonds and a throne of solid gold； and that the Liberal ministers had had their pictures taken on their knees in the act of kissing his ring。 That the leading lady of a Spanish pany passing through the capital had been kidnapped by a band of masked highwaymen and on the following Sunday she had danced in the nude at the summer house of the president of the republic。 “Don’t talk to me about politics；？the colonel would tell him。 “Our business is selling little fishes。？The rumor that he did not want to hear anything about the situation in the country because he was growing rich in his workshop made ？rsula laugh when it reached her ears。 With her terrible practical sense she could not understand the colonel’s business as he exchanged little fishes for gold coins and then converted the coins into little fishes； and so on； with the result that he had to work all the harder with the more he sold in order to satisfy an exasperating vicious circle。 Actually； what interested him was not the business but the work。 He needed so much concentration to link scales； fit minute rubies into the eyes； laminate gills； and put on fins that there was not the smallest empty moment left for him to fill with his disillusionment of the war。 So absorbing was the attention required by the delicacy of his artistry that in a short time he had aged more than during all the years of the war； and his position had twisted his spine and the close work had used up his eyesight； but the implacable concentration awarded him with a peace of the spirit。 The last time he was seen to take an interest in some matter related to the war was when a group of veterans from both parties sought his support for the approval of lifetime pensions； which had always been promised and were always about to be put into effect。 “Forget about it；？he told them。 “You can see how I refuse my pension in order to get rid of the torture of waiting for it until the day I died。？At first Colonel Gerineldo Márquez would visit him at dusk and they would both sit in the street door and talk about the past。 But Amaranta could not bear the memories that that man； whose baldness had plunged him into the abyss of premature old age； aroused in her； and she would torment him with snide remarks until he did not e back except on special occasions and he finally disappeared； extinguished by paralysis。 Taciturn； silent； insensible to the new breath of vitality that was shaking the house； Colonel Aureliano Buendía could understand only that the secret of a good old age is simply an honorable pact with solitude。 He would get up at five in the morning after a light sleep； have his eternal mug of bitter coffee in the kitchen； shut himself up all day in the workshop； and at four in the afternoon he would go along the porch dragging a stool； not even noticing the fire of the rose bushes or the brightness of the hour or the persistence of Amaranta； whose melancholy made the noise of a boiling pot； which was perfectly perceptible at dusk； and he would sit in the street door as long as the mosquitoes would allow him to。 Someone dared to disturb his solitude once。
“How are you； Colonel？？he asked in passing。
“Right here；？he answered。 “Waiting for my funeral procession to pass。？
So that the anxiety caused by the public reappearance of his family name； having to do with the coronation of Remedios the Beauty； was baseless。 Many people did not think that way； however。 Innocent of the tragedy that threatened it； the town poured into the main square in a noisy explosion of merriment。 The carnival had reached its highest level of madness and Aureliano Segundo had satisfied at last his dream of dressing up like a tiger and was walking along the wild throng； hoarse from so much roaring； when on the swamp road a parade of several people appeared carrying in a gilded litter the most fascinating woman that imagination could conceive。 For a moment the inhabitants of Macondo took off their masks in order to get a better look at the dazzling creature with a crown of emeralds and an ermine cape； who seemed invested with legitimate authority； and was not merely a sovereign of bangles and crepe paper。 There were many people who had sufficient insight to suspect that it was a question of provocation。 But Aureliano Segundo immediately conquered his perplexity and declared the new arrivals to be guests of honor； and with the wisdom of Solomon he seated Remedios the Beauty and the intruding queen on the same dais。 Until midnight the strangers； disguised as bedouins； took part in the delirium and even enriched it with sumptuous fireworks and acrobatic skills that made one think of the art of the gypsies。 Suddenly； during the paroxysm of the celebration； someone broke the delicate balance。
“Long live the Liberal party！？he shouted。 “Long live Colonel Aureliano Buendía！？
The rifle shots drowned out the splendor of the fireworks and the cries of terror drowned out the music and joy turned into panic。 Many years later there were those who still insisted that the royal guard of the intruding queen was a squad of regular army soldiers who were concealing government…issue rifles under their rich Moorish robes。 The government denied the charge in a special proclamation and promised a plete investigation of the bloody episode。 But the truth never came to light； and the version always prevailed that the royal guard； without provocation of any kind； took up bat positions upon a signal from their mander and opened fire without pity on the crowd。 When calm was restored； not one of the false bedouins remained in town and there were many dead and wounded lying on the square： nine clowns； four Columbines； seventeen playing…card kings； on
