百年孤独(英文版)-第68部分
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r things among the poor and had left on the severe coffin of unfinished boards only the change of clothing and the simple cloth slippers that she would wear in death。 She did not neglect that precaution because she remembered that when Colonel Aureliano Buendía died they had to buy a pair of new shoes for him because all he had left were the bedroom slippers that he wore in the workshop。 A little before five Aureliano Segundo came to fetch Meme for the concert and was surprised that the house was prepared for the funeral。 if anyone seemed alive at the moment it was the serene Amaranta； who had even had enough time to cut her corns。 Aureliano Segundo and Meme took leave of her with mocking farewells and promised her that on the following Saturday they would have a big resurrection party。 Drawn by the public talk that Amaranta Buendía was receiving letters for the dead； Father Antonio Isabel arrived at five o’clock for the last rites and he had to wait for more than fifteen minutes for the recipient to e out of her bath。 When he saw her appear in a madapollam nightshirt and with her hair loose over her shoulders； the decrepit parish priest thought that it was a trick and sent the altar boy away。 He thought however； that he would take advantage of the occasion to have Amaranta confess after twenty years of reticence。 Amaranta answered simply that she did not need spiritual help of any kind because her conscience was clean。 Fernanda was scandalized。 Without caring that people could hear her she asked herself aloud what horrible sin Amaranta had mitted to make her prefer an impious death to the shame of confession。 Thereupon Amaranta lay down and made ？rsula give public testimony as to her virginity。
“Let no one have any illusions；？she shouted so that Fernanda would hear her。 “Amaranta Buendía is leaving this world just as she came into it。
She did not get up again。 Lying on cushions； as if she really were ill； she braided her long hair and rolled it about her ears as death had told her it should be on her bier。 Then she asked ？rsula for a mirror and for the first time in more than forty years she saw her face； devastated by age and martyrdom； and she was surprised at how much she resembled the mental image that she had of herself。 ？rsula understood by the silence in the bedroom that it had begun to grow dark。
“Say goodbye to Fernanda；？she begged her。 One minute of reconciliation is worth more than a whole life of friendship。？
“It’s of no use now；？Amaranta replied。
Meme could not help thinking about her when they turned on the lights on the improvised stage and she began the second part of the program。 In the middle of the piece someone whispered the news in her ear and the session stopped。 When he arrived home； Aureliano Segundo had to push his way through the crowd to see the corpse of the aged virgin； ugly and discolored； with the black bandage on her hand and wrapped in the magnificent shroud。 She was laid out in the parlor beside the box of letters。
？rsula did not get up again after the nine nights of mourning for Amaranta； Santa Sofía de la Piedad took care of her。 She took her meals to her bedroom and annatto water for her to wash in and she kept her up to date on everything that happened in Macondo。 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
