百年孤独(英文版)-第8部分
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They had succeeded； as a matter of fact； after putting in plicated and persevering days at it。 ？rsula was happy； and she even gave thanks to God for the invention of alchemy； while the people of the village crushed into the laboratory； and they served them guava jelly on crackers to celebrate the wonder； and Jos？Arcadio Buendía let them see the crucible with the recovered gold； as if he had just invented it。 Showing it all around； he ended up in front of his older son； who during the past few days had barely put in an appearance in the laboratory。 He put the dry and yellowish mass in front of his eyes and asked him： “What does it look like to you？？Jos？Arcadio answered sincerely：
“Dog shit。？
His father gave him a blow with the back of his hand that brought out blood and tears。 That night Pilar Ternera put arnica presses on the swelling； feeling about for the bottle and cotton in the dark； and she did everything she wanted with him as long as it did not bother him； making an effort to love him without hurting him。 They reached such a state of intimacy that later； without realizing it； they were whispering to each other。
“I want to be alone with you；？he said。 “One of these days I’m going to tell everybody and we can stop all of this sneaking around。？
She did not try to calm him down。
“That would be fine；？she said “If we’re alone； we’ll leave the lamp lighted so that we can see each other； and I can holler as much as I want without anybody’s having to butt in； and you can whisper in my ear any crap you can think of。？
That conversation； the biting rancor that he felt against his father； and the imminent possibility of wild love inspired a serene courage in him。 In a spontaneous way； without any preparation； he told everything to his brother。
At first young Aureliano understood only the risk； the immense possibility of danger that his brother’s adventures implied； and he could not understand the fascination of the subject。 Little by little he became contaminated with the anxiety。 He wondered about the details of the dangers； he identified himself with the suffering and enjoyment of his brother； he felt frightened and happy。 He would stay awake waiting for him until dawn in the solitary bed that seemed to have a bottom of live coals； and they would keep on talking until it was time to get up； so that both of them soon suffered from the same drowsiness； felt the same lack of interest in alchemy and the wisdom of their father； and they took refuge in solitude。 “Those kids are out of their heads；？？rsula said。 “They must have worms。？She prepared a repugnant potion for them made out of mashed wormseed； which they both drank with unforeseen stoicism； and they sat down at the same time on their pots eleven times in a single day； expelling some rosecolored parasites that they showed to everybody with great jubilation； for it allowed them to deceive ？rsula as to the origin of their distractions and drowsiness。 Aureliano not only understood by then； he also lived his brother’s experiences as something of his own； for on one occasion when the latter was explaining in great detail the mechanism of love； he interrupted him to ask： “What does it feel like？？Jos？Arcadio gave an immediate reply：
“It’s like an earthquake。？
One January Thursday at two o’clock in the morning； Amaranta was born。 Before anyone came into the room； ？rsula examined her carefully。 She was light and watery； like a newt； but all of her parts were human： Aureliano did not notice the new thing except when the house became full of people。 Protected by the confusion； he went off in search of his brother； who had not been in bed since eleven o’clock； and it was such an impulsive decision that he did not even have time to ask himself how he could get him out of Pilar Ternera’s bedroom。 He circled the house for several hours； whistling private calls； until the proximity of dawn forced him to go home。 In his mother’s room； playing with the newborn little sister and with a face that drooped with innocence； he found Jos？Arcadio。
？rsula was barely over her forty days？rest when the gypsies returned。 They were the same acrobats and jugglers that had brought the ice。 Unlike Melquíades？tribe； they had shown very quickly that they were not heralds of progress but purveyors of amusement。 Even when they brought the ice they did not advertise it for its usefulness in the life of man but as a simple circus curiosity。 This time； along with many other artifices； they brought a flying carpet。 But they did not offer it as a fundamental contribution to the development of transport； rather as an object of recreation。 The people at once dug up their last gold pieces to take advantage of a quick flight over the houses of the village。 Protected by the delightful cover of collective disorder； Jos？Arcadio and Pilar passed many relaxing hours。 They were two happy lovers among the crowd； and they even came to suspect that love could be a feeling that was more relaxing and deep than the happiness； wild but momentary； of their secret nights。 Pilar； however； broke the spell。 Stimulated by the enthusiasm that Jos？Arcadio showed in her panionship； she confused the form and the occasion； and all of a sudden she threw the whole world on top of him。 “Now you really are a man；？she told him。 And since he did not understand what she meant； she spelled it out to him。
“You’re going to be a father。？
Jos？Arcadio did not dare leave the house for several days。 It was enough for him to hear the rocking laughter of Pilar in the kitchen to run and take refuge in the laboratory； where the artifacts of alchemy had e alive again with ？rsula’s blessing。 Jos？Arcadio Buendía received his errant son with joy and initiated him in the search for the philosopher’s stone； which he had finally undertaken。 One afternoon the boys grew enthusiastic over the flying carpet that went swiftly by the laboratory at window level carrying the gypsy who was driving it and several children from the village who were merrily waving their hands； but Jos？Arcadio Buendía did not even look at it。 “Let them dream；？he said。 “We’ll do better flying than they are doing； and with more scientific resources than a miserable bedspread。？In spite of his feigned interest； Jos？Arcadio must understood the powers of the philosopher’s egg； which to him looked like a poorly blown bottle。 He did not succeed in escaping from his worries。 He lost his appetite and he could not sleep。 He fell into an ill humor； the same as his father’s over the failure of his undertakings； and such was his upset that Jos？Arcadio Buendía himself relieved him of his duties in the laboratory； thinking that he had taken alchemy too much to heart。 Aureliano； of course； understood that his brother’s affliction did not have its source in the search for the philosopher’s stone but he could not get into his confidence。 He had lost his former spontaneity。 From an acplice and a municative person he had bee withdrawn and hostile。 Anxious for solitude； bitten by a virulent rancor against the world； one night he left his bed as usual； but he did not go to Pilar Ternera’s house； but to mingle is the tumult of the fair。 After wandering about among all kinds of contraptions with out being interested in any of them； he spotted something that was not a part of it all： a very young gypsy girl； almost a child； who was weighted down by beads and was the most beautiful woman that Jos？Arcadio had ever seen in his life。 She was in the crowd that was witnessing the sad spectacle of the man who had been turned into a snake for having disobeyed his parents。
Jos？Arcadio paid no attention。 While the sad interrogation of the snakeman was taking place； he made his way through the crowd up to the front row； where the gypsy girl was； and he stooped behind her。 He pressed against her back。 The girl tried to separate herself； but Jos？Arcadio pressed more strongly against her back。 Then she felt him。 She remained motionless against him； trembling with surprise and fear； unable to believe the evidence； and finally she turned her head and looked at him with a tremulous smile。 At that instant two gypsies put the snakeman into his cage and carried him i
