百年孤独(英文版)-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ail　passed。　According　to　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía’s　calculations；　the　only　possibility　of　contact　with　civilization　lay　along　the　northern　route。　So　he　handed　out　clearing　tools　and　hunting　weapons　to　the　same　men　who　had　been　with　him　during　the　founding　of　Macondo。　He　threw　his　directional　instruments　and　his　maps　into　a　knapsack；　and　he　undertook　the　reckless　adventure。
　　　During　the　first　days　they　did　not　e　across　any　appreciable　obstacle。　They　went　down　along　the　stony　bank　of　the　river　to　the　place　where　years　before　they　had　found　the　soldier’s　armor；　and　from　there　they　went　into　the　woods　along　a　path　between　wild　orange　trees。　At　the　end　of　the　first　week　they　killed　and　roasted　a　deer；　but　they　agreed　to　eat　only　half　of　it　and　salt　the　rest　for　the　days　that　lay　ahead。　With　that　precaution　they　tried　to　postpone　the　necessity　of　having　to　eat　macaws；　whose　blue　flesh　had　a　harsh　and　musky　taste。　Then；　for　more　than　ten　days；　they　did　not　see　the　sun　again。　The　ground　became　soft　and　damp；　like　volcanic　ash；　and　the　vegetation　was　thicker　and　thicker；　and　the　cries　of　the　birds　and　the　uproar　of　the　monkeys　became　more　and　more　remote；　and　the　world　became　eternally　sad。　The　men　on　the　expedition　felt　overwhelmed　by　their　most　ancient　memories　in　that　paradise　of　dampness　and　silence；　going　back　to　before　original　sin；　as　their　boots　sank　into　pools　of　steaming　oil　and　their　machetes　destroyed　bloody　lilies　and　golden　salamanders。　For　a　week；　almost　without　speaking；　they　went　ahead　like　sleepwalkers　through　a　universe　of　grief；　lighted　only　by　the　tenuous　reflection　of　luminous　insects；　and　their　lungs　were　overwhelmed　by　a　suffocating　smell　of　blood。　They　could　not　return　because　the　strip　that　they　were　opening　as　they　went　along　would　soon　close　up　with　a　new　vegetation　that。　almost　seemed　to　grow　before　their　eyes。　“It’s　all　right；？Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　would　say。　“The　main　thing　is　not　to　lose　our　bearings。？Always　following　his　pass；　he　kept　on　guiding　his　men　toward　the　invisible　north　so　that　they　would　be　able　to　get　out　of　that　enchanted　region。　It　was　a　thick　night；　starless；　but　the　darkness　was　being　impregnated　with　a　fresh　and　clear　air。　Exhausted　by　the　long　crossing；　they　hung　up　their　hammocks　and　slept　deeply　for　the　first　time　in　two　weeks。　When　they　woke　up；　with　the　sun　already　high　in　the　sky；　they　were　speechless　with　fascination。　Before　them；　surrounded　by　ferns　and　palm　trees；　white　and　powdery　in　the　silent　morning　light；　was　an　enormous　Spanish　galleon。　Tilted　slightly　to　the　starboard；　it　had　hanging　from　its　intact　masts　the　dirty　rags　of　its　sails　in　the　midst　of　its　rigging；　which　was　adorned　with　orchids。　The　hull；　covered　with　an　armor　of　petrified　barnacles　and　soft　moss；　was　firmly　fastened　into　a　surface　of　stones。　The　whole　structure　seemed　to　occupy　its　own　space；　one　of　solitude　and　oblivion；　protected　from　the　vices　of　time　and　the　habits　of　the　birds。　Inside；　where　the　expeditionaries　explored　with　careful　intent；　there　was　nothing　but　a　thick　forest　of　flowers。
　　　The　discovery　of　the　galleon；　an　indication　of　the　proximity　of　the　sea；　broke　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía’s　drive。　He　considered　it　a　trick　of　his　whimsical　fate　to　have　searched　for　the　sea　without　finding　it；　at　the　cost　of　countless　sacrifices　and　suffering；　and　to　have　found　it　all　of　a　sudden　without　looking　for　it；　as　if　it　lay　across　his　path　like　an　insurmountable　object。　Many　years　later　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　crossed　the　region　again；　when　it　was　already　a　regular　mail　route；　and　the　only　part　of　the　ship　he　found　was　its　burned…out　frame　in　the　midst　of　a　field　of　poppies。　Only　then；　convinced　that　the　story　had　not　been　some　product　of　his　father’s　imagination；　did　he　wonder　how　the　galleon　had　been　able　to　get　inland　to　that　spot。　But　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　did　not　concern　himself　with　that　when　he　found　the　sea　after　another　four　days？journey　from　the　galleon。　His　dreams　ended　as　he　faced　that　ashen；　foamy；　dirty　sea；　which　had　not　merited　the　risks　and　sacrifices　of　the　adventure。
　　　“God　damn　it！？he　shouted。　“Macondo　is　surrounded　by　water　on　all　sides。？
　　　The　idea　of　a　peninsular　Macondo　prevailed　for　a　long　time；　inspired　by　the　arbitrary　map　that　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　sketched　on　his　return　from　the　expedition。　He　drew　it　in　rage；　evilly；　exaggerating　the　difficulties　of　munication；　as　if　to　punish　himself　for　the　absolute　lack　of　sense　with　which　he　had　chosen　the　place。　“We’ll　never　get　anywhere；？he　lamented　to　？rsula。　“We’re　going　to　rot　our　lives　away　here　without　receiving　the　benefits　of　science。？That　certainty；　mulled　over　for　several　months　in　the　small　room　he　used　as　his　laboratory；　brought　him　to　the　conception　of　the　plan　to　move　Maeondo　to　a　better　place。　But　that　time　？rsula　had　anticipated　his　feverish　designs。　With　the　secret　and　implacable　labor　of　a　small　ant　she　predisposed　the　women　of　the　village　against　the　flightiness　of　their　husbands；　who　were　already　preparing　for　the　move。　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　did　not　know　at　what　moment　or　because　of　what　adverse　forces　his　plan　had　bee　enveloped　in　a　web　of　pretexts；　disappointments；　and　evasions　until　it　turned　into　nothing　but　an　illusion。　？rsula　watched　him　with　innocent　attention　and　even　felt　some　pity　for　him　on　the　morning　when　she　found　him　in　the　back　room　muttering　about　his　plans　for　moving　as　he　placed　his　laboratory　pieces　in　their　original　boxes。　She　let　him　finish。　She　let　him　nail　up　the　boxes　and　put　his　initials　on　them　with　an　inked　brush；　without　reproaching　him；　but　knowing　now　that　he　knew　（because　she　had　heard　him　say　so　in　his　soft　monologues）　that　the　men　of　the　village　would　not　back　him　up　in　his　undertaking。　Only　when　he　began　to　take　down　the　door　of　the　room　did　？rsula　dare　ask　him　what　he　was　doing；　and　he　answered　with　a　certain　bitterness。　“Since　no　one　wants　to　leave；　we’ll　leave　all　by　ourselves。？？rsula　did　not　bee　upset。
　　　“We　will　not　leave；？she　said。　“We　will　stay　here；　because　we　have　had　a　son　here。？
　　　“We　have　still　not　had　a　death；？he　said。　“A　person　does　not　belong　to　a　place　until　there　is　someone　dead　under　the　ground。？
　　　？rsula　replied　with　a　soft　firmness：
　　　“If　I　have　to　die　for　the　rest　of　you　to　stay　here；　I　will　die。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　had　not　thought　that　his　wife’s　will　was　so　firm。　He　tried　to　seduce　her　with　the　charm　of　his　fantasy；　with　the　promise　of　a　prodigious　world　where　all　one　had　to　do　was　sprinkle　some　magic　liquid　on　the　ground　and　the　plants　would　bear　fruit　whenever　a　man　wished；　and　where　all　manner　of　instruments　against　pain　were　sold　at　bargain　prices。　But　？rsula　was　insensible　to　his　clairvoyance。
　　　“Instead　of　going　around　thinking　about　your　crazy　inventions；　you　should　be　worrying　about　your　sons；？she　replied。　“Look　at　the　state　they’re　in；　running　wild　just　like　donkeys。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio　Buendía　took　his　wife’s　words　literally。　He　looked　out　the　window　and　saw　the　barefoot　children　in　the　sunny　garden　and　he　had　the　impression　that　only　at　that　instant　had　they　begun　to　exist；　conceived　by　？rsula’s　spell；　Something　occurred　inside　of　him　then；　something　mysterious　and　definitive　that　uprooted　him　from　his　own　time　and　carried　him　adrift　through　an　unexplored　region　of　his　memory。　While　？rsula　continued　sweeping　the　house；　which　was　safe　now　from　being　abandoned　for　the　rest　of　her　life；　he　stood　there　with　an　absorbed　look；　contemplating　the　children　until　his　eyes　became　moist　and　he　dried　them　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　exhaling　a　deep　sigh　of　resignation。
　　　“All　right；？he　said。　“Tell　them　to　e　help　me　take　the　things　out　of　the　boxes。？
　　　Jos？Arcadio；　the　older　of　the　children；　was　fourteen。　He　had　a　square　head；　thick　hair；　and　his　father’s　character。　Although　he　had　the　same　impulse　for　growth　and　physical　strength；　it　was　early　evident　that　he　lacked　imagination。　He　had　been　conceived　and　born　during　the　difficult　crossing　of　the　mountains；　before　the　founding　of　Macondo；　and　his　parents　gave　thanks　to　heaven　when　they　saw　he　had　no　animal　features。　Aureliano；　the　first　human　being　to　be　born　in　Macondo；　would　be　six　years　old　in　March。　He　was　silent　and　withdrawn。　He　had　wept　in　his　mother’s　womb　and　had　been　born　with　his　eyes　open。　As　they　were　cutting　the　umbilical　cord；　he　moved　his　head　from　side　to　side；　taking　in　the　things　in　the　room　and　examining　the　faces　of　the　people　with　a　fearless　curiosity。　Then；　indifferent　to　those　who　came　close　to　look　at　him；　he　kept　his　attention　concentrated　on　the　palm　roof；　which　looked　as　if　it　were　about　to　collapse　under　the　tremendous　pressure　of　the　rain。　？rsula　did　not　remember　the　intensity　of　that　look　again　until　one　day　when　little　Aureliano；　at　the　age　of　three；　went　into　the　kitchen　at　the　moment　she　was　taking　a　pot　of　boiling　soup　from　the　stove　and　putting　it　on　the　table。　The　child；　Perplexed；　said　from　the　doorway；　“It’s　going　to　spill。？The　pot　was　firmly　placed　in　the　center　of　the　table；　but　just　as　soon　as　the　child　made　his　announcement；　it　began　an　unmistakable　movement　toward　the　edge；　as　if　impelled　by　some　inner　dynamism；　and　it　fell　and　broke　on　the　floor。　？rsula；　alarmed；　told　her　husband　about　the　episode；　but　he　interpreted　it　as　a　natural　phenomenon。　That　was　the　way　he　always　was　alien　to　the　existence　of　his　sons；　partly　because　he　considered　childhood　as　a　period　of　mental　insufficiency；　and　partly　because　he　was　always　too　absorbed　in　his　fantastic　speculations。
　　　But　since　the　afternoon　when　he　called　the　children　in　to　help　him　unpack　the　things　in　the　laboratory；　he　gave　them　his　best　hours。　In　the　small　separate　room；　where　the　walls　were　gradually　being　covered　by　strange　maps　and　fabulous　drawings；　he　taught　them　to　read　and　write　and　do　sums；　and　he　spoke　to　them　about　the　wonders　of　the　world；　not　only　where　his　learning　had　extended；　but　forcing　the　limits　of　his　imagination　to　extremes。　It　was　in　that　way　that　the　boys　ended　up　learning　that　in　the　southern　extremes　of　Africa　there　were　men　so　intelligent　and　peaceful　that　their　only　pastime　was　to　sit　and　think；　and　that　it　was　possible　to　cross　the　Aegean　Sea　on　foot　by　jumping　from　island　to　island　all　the　way　to　the　port　of　Salonika。　Those　hallucinating　sessions　remained　printed　on　the　memories　of　the　boys　in　such　a　way　that　many　years　later；　a　second　before　the　regular　army　officer　gave　the　firing　squad　the　mand　to　fire；　Colonel　Aureliano　Buendía　saw　once　more　that　warm　March　afternoon　on　which　his　father　had　interrupted　the　lesson　in　physics　and　stood　fascinated；　with　his　hand　in　the　air　and　his　eyes　motionless；　listening　to　the　distant　pipes；　drums；　and　jingles　of　the　gypsies；　who　were　ing　to　the　village　once　more；　announcing　the　latest　and　most　startling　discovery　of　the　sages　of　Memphis。
　　　They　were　new　gypsies；　young　men　and　women　who　knew　only　their　own　language；　handsome　specimens　with　oily　skins　and　intelligent　hands；　whose　dances　and　music　sowed　a　panic　of　uproarious　joy　through　the　streets；　with　parrots　painted　all　colors　reciting　Italian　arias；　and　a　hen　who　laid　a　hundred　golden　eggs　to　the　sound　of　a　tambourine；　and　a　trained　monkey　who　read　minds；　and　the　multi…use　machine　that　could　be　used　at　the　same　time　to　sew　on　buttons　and　reduce　fevers；　and　the　apparatus