百年孤独(英文版)-第77部分
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ting hammering and the constant noise of wooden lathings ceased in a silence that was startled at the order and neatness of the music。 They all ran to the parlor。 Jos？Arcadio Buendía was as if struck by lightning； not because of the beauty of the melody； but because of the automatic working of the keys of the pianola； and he set up Melquíades？camera with the hope of getting a daguerreotype of the invisible player。 That day the Italian had lunch with them。 Rebeca and Amaranta； serving the table； were intimidated by the way in which the angelic man with pale and ringless hands manipulated the utensils。 In the living room； next to the parlor； Pietro Crespi taught them how to dance。 He showed them the steps without touching them； keeping time with a metronome； under the friendly eye of ？rsula； who did not leave the room for a moment while her daughters had their lesson。 Pietro Crespi wore special pants on those days； very elastic and tight； and dancing slippers； “You don’t have to worry so much；？Jos？Arcadio Buendía told her。 “The man’s a fairy。？But she did not leave off her vigilance until the apprenticeship was over and the Italian left Macondo。 Then they began to organize the party。 ？rsula drew up a strict guest list； in which the only ones invited were the descendants of the founders； except for the family of Pilar Ternera； who by then had had two more children by unknown fathers。 It was truly a high…class list； except that it was determined by feelings of friendship； for those favored were not only the oldest friends of Jos？Arcadio Buendía’s house since before they undertook the exodus and the founding of Macondo； but also their sons and grandsons； who were the constant panions of Aureliano and Arcadio since infancy； and their daughters； who were the only ones who visited the house to embroider with Rebeca and Amaranta。 Don Apolinar Moscote； the benevolent ruler whose activity had been reduced to the maintenance from his scanty resources of two policemen armed with wooden clubs； was a figurehead。 In older to support the household expenses his daughters had opened a sewing shop； where they made felt flowers as well as guava delicacies； and wrote love notes to order。 But in spite of being modest and hard…working； the most beautiful girls in Iowa； and the most skilled at the new dances； they did not manage to be considered for the party。
While ？rsula and the girls unpacked furniture； polished silverware； and hung pictures of maidens in boats full of roses； which gave a breath of new life to the naked areas that the masons had built； Jos？Arcadio Buendía stopped his pursuit of the image of God； convinced of His nonexistence； and he took the pianola apart in order to decipher its magical secret。 Two days before the party； swamped in a shower of leftover keys and hammers； bungling in the midst of a mix…up of strings that would unroll in one direction and roll up again in the other； he succeeded in a fashion in putting the instrument back together。 There had never been as many surprises and as much dashing about as in those days； but the new pitch lamps were lighted on the designated day and hour。 The house was opened； still smelling of resin and damp whitewash； and the children and grandchildren of the founders saw the porch with ferns and begonias； the quiet rooms； the garden saturated with the fragrance of the roses； and they gathered together in the parlor； facing the unknown invention that had been covered with a white sheet。 Those who were familiar with the piano； popular in other towns in the swamp； felt a little disheartened； but more bitter was ？rsula’s disappointment when she put in the first roll so that Amaranta and Rebeca could begin the dancing and the mechanism did not work。 Melquíades； almost blind by then； crumbling with decrepitude； used the arts of his timeless wisdom in an attempt to fix it。 Finally Jos？Arcadio Buendía managed； by mistake； to move a device that was stuck and the music came out； first in a burst and then in a flow of mixed…up notes。 Beating against the strings that had been put in without order or concert and had been tuned with temerity； the hammers let go。 But the stubborn descendants of the twenty…one intrepid people who plowed through the mountains in search of the sea to the west avoided the reefs of the melodic mix…up and the dancing went on until dawn。
Pietro Crespi came back to repair the pianola。 Rebeca and Amaranta helped him put the strings in order and helped him with their laughter at the mix…up of the melodies。 It was extremely pleasant and so chaste in its way that ？rsula ceased her vigilance。 On the eve of his departure a farewell dance for him was improvised with the pianola and with Rebeca he put on a skillful demonstration of modern dance； Arcadio and Amaranta matched them in grace and skill。 But the exhibition was interrupted because Pilar Ternera； who was at the door with the onlookers； had a fight； biting and hair pulling； with a woman who had dared to ment that Arcadio had a woman’s behind。 Toward midnight Pietro Crespi took his leave with a sentimental little speech； and he promised to return very soon。 Rebeca acpanied him to the door； and having closed up the house and put out the lamps； she went to her room to weep。 It was an inconsolable weeping that lasted for several days； the cause of which was not known even by Amaranta。 Her hermetism was not odd。 Although she seemed expansive and cordial； she had a solitary character and an impenetrable heart。 She was a splendid adolescent with long and firm bones； but she still insisted on using the small wooden rocking chair with which she had arrived at the house； reinforced many times and with the arms gone。 No one had discovered that even at that age she still had the habit of sucking her finger。 That was why she would not lose an opportunity to lock herself in the bathroom and had acquired the habit of sleeping with her face to the wall。 On rainy afternoons； embroidering with a group of friends on the begonia porch； she would lose the thread of the conversation and a tear of nostalgia would salt her palate when she saw the strips of damp earth and the piles of mud that the earthworms had pushed up in the garden。 Those secret tastes； defeated in the past by oranges and rhubarb； broke out into an irrepressible urge when she began to weep。 She went back to eating earth。 The first time she did it almost out of curiosity； sure that the bad taste would be the best cure for the temptation。 And； in fact； she could not bear the earth in her mouth。 But she persevered； overe by the growing anxiety； and little by little she was getting back her ancestral appetite； the taste of primary minerals； the unbridled satisfaction of what was the original food。 She would put handfuls of earth in her pockets； and ate them in small bits without being seen； with a confused feeling of pleasure and rage； as she instructed her girl friends in the most difficult needlepoint and spoke about other men； who did not deserve the sacrifice of having one eat the whitewash on the walls because of them。 The handfuls of earth made the only man who deserved that show of degradation less remote and more certain； as if the ground that he walked on with his fine patent leather boots in another part of the world were transmitting to her the weight and the temperature of his blood in a mineral savor that left a harsh aftertaste in her mouth and a sediment of peace in her heart。 One afternoon； for no reason； Amparo Moscote asked permission to see the house。 Amaranta and Rebeca； disconcerted by the unexpected visit； attended her with a stiff formality。 They showed her the remodeled mansion； they had her listen to the rolls on the pianola； and they offered her orange marmalade and crackers。 Amparo gave a lesson in dignity； personal charm； and good manners that impressed ？rsula in the few moments that she was present during the visit。 After two hours； when the conversation was beginning to wane； Amparo took advantage of Amaranta’s distraction and gave Rebeca a letter。 She was able to see the name of the Estimable Se？orita Rebeca Buendía； written in the same methodical hand； with the same green ink； and the same delicacy of words with which the instructions for
