百年孤独(英文版)-第61章
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condo。 Aureliano Segundo visited her frequently and he brought her clothing which she would place beside the bed along with the things most indispensable for daily life； so that in a short time she had built up a world within reach of her hand。 She managed to arouse a great love in little Amaranta ？rsula； who was just like her； and whom she taught how to read。 Her lucidity； the ability to be sufficient un herself made one think that she was naturally conquered by the weight of her hundred years； but even though it was obvious that she was having trouble seeing； no one suspected that she was totally blind。 She had so much time at her disposal then and so much interior silence to watch over the life of the house that she was the first to notice Meme’s silent tribulation。
“e here；？she told her。 “Now that were alone； confess to this poor old woman what’s bothering you。？
Meme avoided the conversation with a short laugh。 ？rsula did not insist； but she ended up confirming her suspicions when Meme did not e back to visit her。 She knew that she was getting up earlier than usual； that she did not have a moment’s rest as she waited for the time for her to go out； that she spent whole nights walking back and forth in the adjoining bedroom； and that the fluttering of a butterfly would bother her。 On one occasion she said that she was going to see Aureliano Segundo and ？rsula was surprised that Fernanda’s imagination was so limited when her husband came to the house looking for his daughter。 It was too obvious that Meme was involved in secret matters； in pressing matters； in repressed anxieties long before the night that Fernanda upset the house because she caught her kissing a man in the movies。
Meme was so wrapped up in herself at that time that she accused ？rsula of having told on her。 Actually； she told on herself。 For a long time she had been leaving a trail that would have awakened the most drowsy person and it took Fernanda so long to discover it because she too was befogged； by her relationship with the invisible doctors。 Even so she finally noticed the deep silences； the sudden outbursts； the changes in mood； and the contradictions of her daughter。 She set about on a disguised but implacable vigilance。 She let her go out with her girl friends as always； she helped her get dressed for the Saturday parties； and she never asked an embarrassing question that might arouse her。 She already had a great deal of proof that Meme was doing different things from what she said； and yet she would give no indication of her suspicions； hoping for the right moment。 One night Meme said that she was going to the movies with her father。 A short time later Fernanda heard the fireworks of the debauch and the unmistakable accordion of Aureliano Segundo from the direction of Petra Cotes’s place。 Then she got dressed； went to the movie theater； and in the darkness of the seats she recognized her daughter。 The upsetting feeling of certainty stopped her from seeing the man she was kissing； but she managed to hear his tremulous voice in the midst of the deafening shouts and laughter of the audience。 “I’m sorry； love；？she heard him say； and she took Meme out of the place without saying a word to her； put her through the shame of parading her along the noisy Street of the Turks； and locked her up in her bedroom。
On the following day at six in the afternoon； Fernanda recognized the voice of the man who came to call on her。 He was young； sallow； with dark and melancholy eyes which would not have startled her so much if she had known the gypsies； and a dreamy air that to any woman with a heart less rigid would have been enough to make her understand her daughter’s motives。 He was wearing a shabby linen suit with shoes that showed the desperate defense of superimposed patches of white zinc； and in his hand he was carrying a straw hat he had bought the Saturday before。 In all of his life he could never have been as frightened as at that moment； but he had a dignity and presence that spared him from humiliation and a genuine elegance that was defeated only by tarnished hands and nails that had been shattered by rough work。 Fernanda； however； needed only one look to guess his status of mechanic。 She saw that he was wearing his one Sunday suit and that underneath his shirt he bore the rash of the banana pany。 She would not let him speak。 She would not even let him e through the door； which a moment later she had to close because the house was filled with yellow butterflies。
“Go away；？she told him。 “You’ve got no reason to e calling on any decent person。？
His name was Mauricio Babilonia。 He had been born and raised in Macondo； and he was an apprentice mechanic in the banana pany garage。 Meme had met him by chance one afternoon when she went with Patricia Brown to get a car to take a drive through the groves。 Since the chauffeur was sick they assigned him to take them and Meme was finally able to satisfy her desire to sit next to the driver and see what he did。 Unlike the regular chauffeur； Mauricio Babilonia gave her a practical lesson。 That was during the time that Meme was beginning to frequent Mr。 Brown’s house and it was still considered improper for a lady to drive a car。 So she was satisfied with the technical information and she did not see Mauricio Babilonia again for several months。 Later on she would remember that during the drive her attention had been called to his masculine beauty； except for the coarseness of his hands； but that afterward she had mentioned to Patricia Brown that she had been bothered by his rather proud sense of security。 The first Saturday that she went to the movies with her father she saw Mauricio Babilonia again； with his linen suit； sitting a few seats away from them； and she noticed that he was not paying much attention to the film in order to turn around and look at her。 Meme was bothered by the vulgarity of that。 Afterward Mauricio Babilonia came over to say hello to Aureliano Segundo and only then did Meme find out that they knew each other because he had worked in Aureliano Triste’s early power plant and he treated her father with the air of an employee。 That fact relieved the dislike that his pride had caused in her。 They had never been alone together nor had they spoken except in way of greeting； the night when she dreamed that he was saving her from a shipwreck and she did not feel gratitude but rage。 It was as if she had given him the opportunity he was waiting for； since Meme yearned for just the opposite； not only with Mauricio Babilonia but with any other man who was interested in her。 Therefore she was so indignant after the dream that instead of hating him； she felt an irresistible urge to see him。 The anxiety became more intense during the course of the week and on Saturday it was so pressing that she had to make a great effort for Mauricio Babilonia not to notice that when he greeted her in the movies her heart was in her mouth。 Dazed by a confused feeling of pleasure and rage； she gave him her hand for the first time and only then did Mauricio Babilonia let himself shake hers。 Meme managed to repent her impulse in a fraction of a second but the repentance changed immediately into a cruel satisfaction on seeing that his hand too was sweaty and cold。 That night she realized that she would not have a moment of rest until she showed Mauricio Babilonia the uselessness of his aspiration and she spent the week turning that anxiety about in her mind。 She resorted to all kinds of useless tricks so that Patricia Brown would go get the car with her。 Finally she made use of the American redhead who was spending his vacation in Macondo at that time and with the pretext of learning about new models of cars she had him take her to the garage。 From the moment she saw him Meme let herself be deceived by herself and believed that what was really going on was that she could not bear the desire to be alone with Mauricio Babilonia； and she was made indignant by the certainty that he understood that when he saw her arrive。
“I came to see the new models；？Meme said。
“That’s a fine excuse；？he said。
Meme realized that he was burning in the heat of his pride； and she desperately looked for a way to humiliate him。 But he would not give her any time。 “Don’t get upset；？he said to her in a low voice。 “It’s not the first time that a woman has gone crazy over a man。？She felt so defeated that she left the garage without seeing the new models and she spent the night turning over in bed and weeping with indignation。 The American redhead； who was really beginning to interest her； looked like a baby in diapers。 It was then that she realized that the yellow butterflies preceded the appearances of Mauricio Babilonia。 She had seen them before； especially over the garage； and she had thought that they were drawn by the smell of paint。 Once she had seen them fluttering about her head before she went into the movies。 But when Mauricio Babilonia began to pursue her like a ghost that only she could identify in the crowd； she understood that the butterflies had something to do with him。 Mauricio Babilonia was always in the audience at the concerts； at the movies； at high mass； and she did not have to see him to know t
