百年孤独(英文版)-第13部分
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of joy。 It was Melquíades。
While Macondo was celebrating the recovery of its memory； Jos？Arcadio Buendía and Melquíades dusted off their old friendship。 The gypsy was inclined to stay in the town。 He really had been through death； but he had returned because he could not bear the solitude。 Repudiated by his tribe； having lost all of his supernatural faculties because of his faithfulness to life； he decided to take refuge in that corner of the world which had still not been discovered by death； dedicated to the operation of a daguerreotype laboratory。 Jos？Arcadio Buendía had never heard of that invention。 But when he saw himself and his whole family fastened onto a sheet of iridescent metal for an eternity； he was mute with stupefaction。 That was the date of the oxidized daguerreotype in which Jos？Arcadio Buendía appeared with his bristly and graying hair； his card board collar attached to his shirt by a copper button； and an expression of startled solemnity； whom ？rsula described； dying with laughter； as a “frightened general。？Jos？Arcadio Buendía was； in fact； frightened on that dear December morning when the daguerreotype was made； for he was thinking that people were slowly wearing away while his image would endure an a metallic plaque。 Through a curious reversal of custom； it was ？rsula who got that idea out of his head； as it was also she who fot her ancient bitterness and decided that Melquíades would stay on in the house； although she never permitted them to make a daguerreotype of her because （according to her very words） she did not want to survive as a laughingstock for her grandchildren。 That morning she dressed the children in their best clothes； powdered their faces； and gave a spoonful of marrow syrup to each one so that they would all remain absolutely motionless during the nearly two minutes in front of Melquíades fantastic camera。 In the family daguerreotype； the only one that ever existed； Aureliano appeared dressed in black velvet between Amaranta and Rebeca。 He had the same languor and the same clairvoyant look that he would have years later as he faced the firing squad。 But he still had not sensed the premonition of his fate。 He was an expert silversmith； praised all over the swampland for the delicacy of his work。 In the workshop； which he shared with Melquíades？mad laboratory； he could barely be heard breathing。 He seemed to be taking refuge in some other time； while his father and the gypsy with shouts interpreted the predictions of Nostradamus amidst a noise of flasks and trays and the disaster of spilled acids and silver bromide that was lost in the twists and turns it gave at every instant。 That dedication to his work； the good judgment with which he directed his attention； had allowed Aureliano to earn in a short time more money than ？rsula had with her delicious candy fauna； but everybody thought it strange that he was now a fullgrown man and had not known a woman。 It was true that he had never had one。
Several months later saw the return of Francisco the Man； as ancient vagabond who was almost two hundred years old and who frequently passed through Macondo distributing songs that he posed himself。 In them Francisco the Man told in great detail the things that had happened in the towns along his route； from Manaure to the edge of the swamp； so that if anyone had a message to send or an event to make public； he would pay him two cents to include it in his repertory。 That was how ？rsula learned of the death of her mother； as a simple consequence of listening to the songs in the hope that they would say something about her son Jos？Arcadio。 Francisco the Man； called that because he had once defeated the devil in a duel of improvisation； and whose real name no one knew； disappeared from Macondo during the insomnia plague and one night he appeared suddenly in Catarino’s store。 The whole town went to listen to him to find out what had happened in the world。 On that occasion there arrived with him a woman who was so fat that four Indians had to carry her in a rocking chair； and an adolescent mulatto girl with a forlorn look who protected her from the sun with an umbrella。 Aureliano went to Catarino’s store that night。 He found Francisco the Man； like a monolithic chameleon； sitting in the midst of a circle of bystanders。 He was singing the news with his old； outoftune voice； acpanying himself with the same archaic accordion that Sir Walter Raleigh had given him in the Guianas and keeping time with his great walking feet that were cracked from saltpeter。 In front of a door at the rear through which men were going and ing； the matron of the rocking chair was sitting and fanning herself in silence。 Catarino； with a felt rose behind his ear； was selling the gathering mugs of fermented cane juice； and he took advantage of the occasion to go over to the men and put his hand on them where he should not have。 Toward midnight the heat was unbearable。 Aureliano listened to the news to the end without hearing anything that was of interest to his family。 He was getting ready to go home when the matron signaled him with her hand。
“You go in too。？she told him。 “It only costs twenty cents。？
Aureliano threw a coin into the hopper that the matron had in her lap and went into the room without knowing why。 The adolescent mulatto girl； with her small bitch’s teats； was naked on the bed。 Before Aureliano sixtythree men had passed through the room that night。 From being used so much； kneaded with sweat and sighs； the air in the room had begun to turn to mud。 The girl took off the soaked sheet and asked Aureliano to hold it by one side。 It was as heavy as a piece of canvas。 They squeezed it； twisting it at the ends until it regained its natural weight。 They turned over the mat and the sweat came out of the other side。 Aureliano was anxious for that operation never to end。 He knew the theoretical mechanics of love； but he could not stay on his feet because of the weakness of his knees； and although he had goose pimples on his burning skin he could not resist the urgent need to expel the weight of his bowels。 When the girl finished fixing up the bed and told him to get undressed； he gave her a confused explanation： “They made me e in。 They told me to throw twenty cents into the hopper and hurry up。？The girl understood his confusion。 “If you throw in twenty cents more when you go out； you can stay a little longer；？she said softly。 Aureliano got undressed； tormented by shame； unable to get rid of the idea thathis nakedness could not stand parison with that of his brother。 In spite of the girl’s efforts he felt more and more indifferent and terribly alone。 “I’ll throw in other twenty cents；？he said with a desolate voice。 The girl thanked him in silence。 Her back was raw。 Her skin was stuck to her ribs and her breathing was forced because of an immeasurable exhaustion。 Two years before； far away from there； she had fallen asleep without putting out the candle and had awakened surrounded by flames。 The house where she lived with the grandmother who had raised her was reduced to ashes。 Since then her grandmother carried her from town to town； putting her to bed for twenty cents in order to make up the value of the burned house。 According to the girl’s calculations； she still had ten years of seventy men per night； because she also had to pay the expenses of the trip and food for both of them as well as the pay of the Indians who carried the rocking chair。 When the matron knocked on the door the second time； Aureliano left the room without having done anything； troubled by a desire to weep。 That night he could not sleep； thinking about the girl； with a mixture of desire and pity。 He felt an irresistible need to love her and protect her。 At dawn； worn out by insomnia and fever； he made the calm decision to marry her in order to free her from the despotism of her grandmother and to enjoy all the nights of satisfaction that she would give the seventy men。 But at ten o’clock in the morning； when he reached Catarino’s store； the girl had left town。
Time mitigated his mad proposal； but it aggravated his feelings of frustration。 He took refuge in work。 He resigned himself to being a womanless man for all his l
