百年孤独(英文版)-第46部分
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Macondo。
For almost two months he shared the woman with his brother。 He would watch him； mix up his plans； and when he was sure that Jos？Arcadio Segundo was not going to visit their mon mistress that night； he would go and sleep with her。 One morning he found that he was sick。 Two days later he found his brother clinging to a beam in the bathroom； soaked in sweat and with tears pouring down； and then he understood。 His brother confessed to him that the woman had sent him away because he had given her what she called a lowlife sickness。 He also told him how Pilar Ternera had tried to cure him。 Aureliano Segundo submitted secretly to the burning baths of permanganate and to diuretic waters； and both were cured separately after three months of secret suffering。 Jos？Arcadio Segundo did not see the woman again。 Aureliano Segundo obtained her pardon and stayed with her until his death。
Her name was Petra Cotes。 She had arrived in Macondo in the middle of the war with a chalice husband who lived off raffles； and when the man died she kept up the business。 She was a clean young mulatto woman with yellow almondshaped eyes that gave her face the ferocity of a panther； but she had a generous heart and a magnificent vocation for love。 When ？rsula realized that Jos？Arcadio Segundo was a cockfight man and that Aureliano Segundo played the accordion at his concubine’s noisy parties； she thought she would go mad with the bination。 It was as if the defects of the family and none of the virtues had been concentrated in both。 Then she decided that no one again would be called Aureliano or Jos？Arcadio。 Yet when Aureliano Segundo had his first son she did not dare go against his will。
“All right；？？rsula said； “but on one condition： I will bring him up。？
Although she was already a hundred years old and on the point of going blind from cataracts； she still had her physical dynamism； her integrity of character； and her mental balance intact。 No one would be better able than she to shape the virtuous man who would restore the prestige of the family； a man who would never have heard talk of war； fighting cocks； bad women； or wild undertakings； four calamities that； according to what ？rsula thought； had determined the downfall。 of their line。 “This one will be a priest；？she promised solemnly。 “And if God gives me life he’ll be Pope someday。？They all laughed when they heard her； not only in the bedroom but all through the house； where Aureliano Segundo’s rowdy friends were gathered。 The war； relegated to the attic of bad memories； was momentarily recalled with the popping of champagne bottles。
“To the health of the Pope；？Aureliano Segundo toasted。
The guests toasted in a chorus。 Then the man of the house played the accordion； fireworks were set off； and drums celebrated the event throughout the town。 At dawn the guests； soaked in champagne； sacrificed six cows and put them in the street at the disposal of the crowd。 No one was scandalized。 Since Aureliano Segundo had taken charge of the house those festivities were a mon thing； even when there was no motive as proper as the birth of a Pope。 In a few years； without effort； simply by luck； he had accumulated one of the largest fortunes in the swamp thanks to the supernatural proliferation of his animals。 His mares would bear triplets； his hens laid twice a day； and his hogs fattened with such speed that no one could explain such disorderly fecundity except through the use of black magic。 “Save something now；？？rsula would tell her wild greatgrandson。 “This luck is not going to last all your life。？But Aureliano Segundo paid no attention to her。 The more he opened champagne to soak his friends； the more wildly his animals gave birth and the more he was convinced that his lucky star was not a matter of his conduct but an influence of Petra Cotes； his concubine； whose love had the virtue of exasperating nature。 So convinced was he that this was the origin of his fortune that he never kept Petra Cotes far away from his breeding grounds and even when he married and had children he continued living with her with the consent of Fernanda。 Solid； monumental like his grandfathers； but with a joie de vivre and an irresistible good humor that they did not have； Aureliano Segundo scarcely had time to look after his animals。 All he had to do was to take Petra Cores to his breeding grounds and have her ride across his land in order to have every animal marked with his brand succumb to the irremediable plague of proliferation。
Like all the good things that occurred in his long life； that tremendous fortune had its origins in chance。 Until the end of the wars Petra Cotes continued to support herself with the returns from her raffles and Aureliano Segundo was able to sack ？rsula’s savings from time to time。 They were a frivolous couple； with no other worries except going to bed every night； even on forbidden days； and frolicking there until dawn。 “That woman has been your ruination；？？rsula would shout at her greatgrandson when she saw him ing into the house like a sleepwalker。 “She’s got you so bewitched that one of these days I’m going to see you twisting around with colic and with a toad in your belly。？Jos？Arcadio Segundo； who took a long time to discover that he had been supplanted； was unable to understand his brother’s passion。 He remembered Petra Cotes as an ordinary woman； rather lazy in bed； and pletely lacking in any resources for lovemaking。 Deaf to ？rsula’s clamor and the teasing of his brother； Aureliano Segundo only thought at that time of finding a trade that would allow him to maintain a house for Petra Cotes； and to die with her； on top of her and underneath her； during a night of feverish license。 When Colonel Aureliano Buendía opened up his workshop again； seduced at last by the peaceful charms of old age； Aureliano Segundo thought that it would be good business to devote himself to the manufacture of little gold fishes。 He spent many hours in the hot room watching how the hard sheets of metal； worked by the colonel with the inconceivable patience of disillusionment； were slowly being converted into golden scales。 The work seemed so laborious to him and the thought of Petra Cotes was so persistent and pressing that after three weeks he disappeared from the workshop。 It was during that time that it occurred to Petra Cotes to raffle off rabbits。 They reproduced and grew up so fast that there was barely time to sell the tickets for the raffle。 At first Aureliano Segundo did not notice the alarming proportions of the proliferation。 But one night； when nobody in town wanted to hear about the rabbit raffle any more； he heard a noise by the courtyard door。 “Don’t get worried；？Petra； Cotes said。 “It’s only the rabbits。？They could not sleep； tormented by the uproar of the animals。 At dawn Aureliano Segundo opened the door and saw the courtyard paved with rabbits； blue in the glow of dawn。 Petra Cotes； dying with laughter； could not resist the temptation of teasing him。
“Those are the ones who were born last night；？she aid。
“Oh my God！？he said。 “Why don’t you raffle off cows？？
A few days later； in an attempt to clean out her courtyard； Petra Cotes exchanged the rabbits for a cow； who two months later gave birth to triplets。 That was how things began。 Overnight Aureliano Segundo be。 came the owner of land and livestock and he barely had time to enlarge his overflowing barns and pigpens。 It was a delirious prosperity that even made him laugh； and he could not help doing crazy things to release his good humor。 “Cease； cows； life is short；？he would shout。 ？rsula wondered what entanglements he had got into； whether he might be stealing； whether he had bee a rustler； and every time she saw him uncorking champagne just for the pleasure of pouring the foam over his head； she would shout at him and scold him for the waste。 It annoyed him so much that one day when he awoke in a merry mood； Aureliano Segundo appeared with a chest full of money； a can of paste； and a brush； and singing at the top of his lungs the old songs of Francisco the Man； he papered the house inside and out and from top to bottom； with onepeso banknotes。 The old mansion； painted white since the time
