百年孤独(英文版)-第61部分
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odbye to him； languid and serious； without shedding a tear； as she had taught him； sweltering in the heat in the green corduroy suit with copper buttons and a starched bow around his neck。 He left the dining room impregnated with the penetrating fragrance of rose water that she had sprinkled on his head so that she could follow his tracks through the house。 While the farewell lunch was going on； the family concealed its nervousness with festive expressions and they celebrated with exaggerated enthusiasm the remarks that Father Antonio Isabel made。 But when they took out the trunk bound in velvet and with silver corners； it was as if they had taken a coffin out of the house。 The only one who refused to take part in the farewell was Colonel Aureliano Buendía。
“That’s all we need；？he muttered。 “A Pope！？
Three months later Aureliano Segundo and Fernanda took Meme to school and came back with a clavichord； which took the place of the pianola。 It was around that time that Amaranta started sewing her own shroud。 The banana fever had calmed down。 The old inhabitants of Macondo found themselves surrounded by newers and working hard to cling to their precarious resources of times gone by； but forted in any case by the sense that they had survived a shipwreck。 In the house they still had guests for lunch and the old routine was never really set up again until the banana pany left years later。 Nevertheless； there were radical changes in the traditional sense of hospitality because at that time it was Fernanda who imposed her rules。 With ？rsula relegated to the shadows and with Amaranta absorbed In the work of her winding cloth； the former apprentice queen had the freedom to choose the guests and impose on them the rigid norms that her parents had taught her。 Her severity made the house a redoubt of old customs in a town convulsed by the vulgarity with which the outsiders squandered their easy fortunes。 For her； with no further questions asked； proper people were those who had nothing to do with the banana pany。 Even Jos？Arcadio Segundo； her brotherinlaw； was the victim of her discriminatory jealousy because during the excitement of the first days he gave up his stupendous fighting cocks again and took a job as foreman with the banana pany。
“He won’t ever e into this house again；？Fernanda said； “as long as he carries the rash of the foreigners。？
Such was the narrowness imposed in the house that Aureliano Segundo felt more fortable at Petra Cotes’s。 First； with the pretext of taking the burden off his wife； he transferred his parties。 Then； with the pretext that the animals were losing their fertility； he transferred his barns and stables。 Finally； with the pretext that it was cooler in his concubine’s house； he transferred the small office in which he handled his business。 When Fernanda realized that she was a widow whose husband had still not died； it was already too late for things to return to their former state。 Aureliano Segundo barely ate at home and the only appearances he put in； such as to sleep with his wife； were not enough to convince anyone。 One night； out of carelessness； morning found him in Petra Cotes’s bed。 Fernanda； contrary to expectations； did not reproach him in the least or give the slightest sigh of resentment； but on the same day she sent two trunks with his clothing to the house of his concubine。 She sent them in broad daylight and with instructions that they be carried through the middle of the street so that everyone could see them； thinking that her straying husband would be unable to bear the shame and would return to the fold with his head hung low。 But that heroic gesture was just one more proof of how poorly Fernanda knew not only the character of her husband but the character of a munity that had nothing to do with that of her parents； for everyone who saw the trunks pass by said that it was the natural culmination of a story whose intimacies were known to everyone； and Aureliano Segundo celebrated the freedom he had received with a party that lasted for three days。 To the greater disadvantage of his wife； as she was entering into a sad maturity with her somber long dresses； her oldfashioned medals； and her outofplace pride； the concubine seemed to be bursting with a second youth； clothed in gaudy dresses of natural silk and with her eyes tigerstriped with a glow of vindication。 Aureliano Segundo gave himself over to her again with the fury of adolescence； as before； when Petra Cotes had not loved him for himself but because she had him mixed up with his twin brother and as she slept with both of them at the same time she thought that God had given her the good fortune of having a man who could make love like two。 The restored passion was so pressing that on more than one occasion they would look each other in the eyes as they were getting ready to eat and without saying anything they would cover their plates and go into the bedroom dying of hunger and of love。 Inspired by the things he had seen on his furtive visits to the French matrons； Aureliano Segundo bought Petra Cotes a bed with an archiepiscopal canopy； put velvet curtains on the windows； and covered the ceiling and the walls of the bedroom with large rockcrystal mirrors。 At the same time he was more of a carouser and spendthrift than ever。 On the train； which arrived every day at eleven o’clock； he would receive cases and more cases of champagne and brandy。 On the way back from the station he would drag the improvised cumbiamba along in full view of all the people on the way； natives or outsiders； acquaintances or people yet to be known； without distinctions of any kind。 Even the slippery Mr。 Brown； who talked only in a strange tongue； let himself be seduced by the tempting signs that Aureliano Segundo made him and several times he got dead drunk in Petra Cotes’s house and he even made the fierce German shepherd dogs that went everywhere with him dance to some Texas songs that he himself mumbled in one way or another to the acpaniment of the accordion。
“Cease； cows；？Aureliano Segundo shouted at the height of the party。 “Cease； because life is short。？
He never looked better； nor had he been loved more； nor had the breeding of his animals been wilder。 There was a slaughtering of so many cows； pigs； and chickens for the endless parties that the ground in the courtyard turned black and muddy with so much blood。 It was an eternal execution ground of bones and innards； a mud pit of leftovers； and they had to keep exploding dynamite bombs all the time so that the buzzards would not pluck out the guests？eyes。 Aureliano Segundo grew fat； purplecolored； turtleshaped； because of an appetite parable only to that of Jos？Arcadio when he came back from traveling around the world。 The prestige of his outlandish voracity； of his immense capacity as a spendthrift； of his unprecedented hospitality went beyond the borders of the swamp and attracted the bestqualified gluttons from all along the coast。 Fabulous eaters arrived from everywhere to take part in the irrational tourneys of capacity and resistance that were anized in the house of Petra Cotes。 Aureliano Segundo was the unconquered eater until the luckless Saturday when Camila Sagastume appeared； a totemic female known all through the land by the good name of “The Elephant。？The duel lasted until dawn on Tuesday。 During the first twentyfour hours； having dispatched a dinner of veal； with cassava； yams； and fried bananas； and a case and a half of champagne in addition； Aureliano Segundo was sure of victory。 He seemed more enthusiastic； more vital than his imperturbable adversary； who possessed a style that was obviously more professional； but at the same time less emotional for the large crowd that filled the house。 While Aureliano Segundo ate with great bites； overe by the anxiety of victory； The Elephant was slicing her meat with the art of a surgeon and eating it unhurriedly and even with a certain pleasure。 She was gigantic and sturdy； but over her colossal form a tenderness of femininity prevailed and she had a face that was so beautiful； hands so fine and well cared for； and such an irresistible personal charm that when Aureliano Segundo saw her enter the house he mented in a
