百年孤独(英文版)-第78部分
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dical hand； with the same green ink； and the same delicacy of words with which the instructions for the operation of the pianola were written； and she folded the letter with the tips of her fingers and hid it in her bosom； looking at Amparo Moscote with an expression of endless and unconditional gratitude and a silent promise of plicity unto death。
The sudden friendship between Amparo Moscote and Rebeca Buendía awakened the hopes of Aureliano。 The memory of little Remedios had not stopped tormenting him； but he had not found a chance to see her。 When he would stroll through town with his closest friends； Magnífico Visbal and Gerineldo Márquez—the sons of the founders of the same names—he would look for her in the sewing shop with an anxious glance； but he saw only the older sisters。 The presence of Amparo Moscote in the house was like a premonition。 “She has to e with her；？Aureliano would say to himself in a low voice。 “She has to e。？He repeated it so many times and with such conviction that one afternoon when he was putting together a little gold fish in the work shop； he had the certainty that she had answered his call。 Indeed； a short time later he heard the childish voice； and when he looked up his heart froze with terror as he saw the girl at the door； dressed in pink organdy and wearing white boots。
“You can’t go in there； Remedios； Amparo Moscote said from the hall。 They’re working。？
But Aureliano did not give her time to respond。 He picked up the little fish by the chain that came through its mouth and said to her。
“e in。？
Remedios went over and asked some questions about the fish that Aureliano could not answer because he was seized with a sudden attack of asthma。 He wanted to stay beside that lily skin forever； beside those emerald eyes； close to that voice that called him “sir？with every question。 showing the same respect that she gave her father。 Melquíades was in the corner seated at the desk scribbling indecipherable signs。 Aureliano hated him。 All he could do was tell Remedios that he was going to give her the little fish and the girl was so startled by the offer that she left the workshop as fast as she could。 That afternoon Aureliano lost the hidden patience with which he had waited for a chance to see her。 He neglected his work。 In several desperate efforts of concentration he willed her to appear but Remedios did not respond。 He looked for her in her sisters？shop； behind the window shades in her house； in her father’s office； but he found her only in the image that saturated his private and terrible solitude。 He would spend whole hours with Rebeca in the parlor listening to the music on the pianola。 She was listening to it because it was the music with which Pietro Crespi had taught them how to dance。 Aureliano listened to it simply because everything； even music； reminded him of Remedios。
The house became full of loves Aureliano expressed it in poetry that had no beginning or end。 He would write it on the harsh pieces of parchment that Melquíades gave him； on the bathroom walls； on the skin of his arms； and in all of it Remedios would appear transfigured： Remedios in the soporific air of two in the afternoon； Remedios in the soft breath of the roses； Remedios in the water…clock secrets of the moths； Remedios in the steaming morning bread； Remedios everywhere and Remedios forever。 Rebeca waited for her love at four in the afternoon； embroidering by the window。 She knew that the mailman’s mule arrived only every two weeks； but she always waited for him； convinced that he was going to arrive on some other day by mistake。 It happened quite the opposite： once the mule did not e on the usual day。 Mad with desperation； Rebeca got up in the middle of the night and ate handfuls of earth in the garden with a suicidal drive； weeping with pain and fury； chewing tender earthworms and chipping her teeth on snail shells。 She vomited until dawn。 She fell into a state of feverish prostration； lost consciousness； and her heart went into a shameless delirium。 ？rsula； scandalized； forced the lock on her trunk and found at the bottom； tied together with pink ribbons； the sixteen perfumed letters and the skeletons of leaves and petals preserved in old books and the dried butterflies that turned to powder at the touch。
Aureliano was the only one capable of understanding such desolation。 That afternoon； while ？rsula was trying to rescue Rebeca from the slough of delirium； he went with Magnífico Visbal and Gerineldo Márquez to Catarino’s store。 The establishment had been expanded with a gallery of wooden rooms where single women who smelled of dead flowers lived。 A group made up of an accordion and drums played the songs of Francisco the Man； who had not been seen in Macondo for several years。 The three friends drank fermented cane juice。 Magnífico and Gerineldo； contemporaries of Aureliano but more skilled in the ways of the world； drank methodically with the women seated on their laps。 One of the women； withered and with goldwork on her teeth； gave Aureliano a caress that made him shudder。 He rejected her。 He had discovered that the more he drank the more he thought about Remedios； but he could bear the torture of his recollections better。 He did not know exactly when he began to float。 He saw his friends and the women sailing in a radiant glow； without weight or mass； saying words that did not e out of their mouths and making mysterious signals that did not correspond to their expressions。 Catarino put a hand on his shoulder and said to him： “It’s going on eleven。？Aureliano turned his head； saw the enormous disfigured face with a felt flower behind the ear； and then he lost his memory； as during the times of forgetfulness； and he recovered it on a strange dawn and in a room that was pletely foreign； where Pilar Ternera stood in her slip； barefoot； her hair down； holding a lamp over him； startled with disbelief。
“Aureliano！？
Aureliano checked his feet and raised his head。 He did not know how he had e there； but he knew what his aim was； because he had carried it hidden since infancy in an inviolable backwater of his heart。
“I’ve e to sleep with you；？he said。
His clothes were smeared with mud and vomit。 Pilar Ternera； who lived alone at that time with her two younger children； did not ask him any questions。 She took him to the bed。 She cleaned his face with a damp cloth； took of his clothes； and then got pletely undressed and lowered the mosquito netting so that her children would not see them if they woke up。 She had bee tired of waiting for the man who would stay； of the men who left； of the countless men who missed the road to her house； confused by the uncertainty of the cards。 During the wait her skin had bee wrinkled； her breasts had withered； the coals of her heart had gone out。 She felt for Aureliano in the darkness； put her hand on his stomach and kissed him on the neck with a maternal tenderness。 “My poor child；？she murmured。 Aureliano shuddered。 With a calm skill； without the slightest misstep； he left his accumulated grief behind and found Remedios changed into a swamp without horizons； smelling of a raw animal and recently ironed clothes。 When he came to the surface he was weeping。 First they were involuntary and broken sobs。 Then he emptied himself out in an unleashed flow； feeling that something swollen and painful had burst inside of him。 She waited； snatching his head with the tips of her fingers； until his body got rid of the dark material that would not let him live。 They Pilar Ternera asked him： “Who is it？？And Aureliano told her。 She let out a laugh that in other times frightened the doves and that now did not even wake up the children。 “You’ll have to raise her first；？she mocked； but underneath the mockery Aureliano found a reservoir of understanding。 When he went out of the room； leaving behind not only his doubts about his virility but also the bitter weight that his heart had borne for so many months； Pilar Ternera made him a spontaneous promise。
“I’m going to talk to the girl；？she told him； “and you’ll see what I’ll serve her on the tray。？
She kept her promise。 But it was a bad moment； because the house had lost its peace of for
