百年孤独(英文版)-第91部分
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r body； ？rsula tried to drag him toward the house。
“e along in the name of God；？she shouted at him。 “There’s been enough madness！？
The soldiers aimed at them。
“Let go of that man； ma’am；？one of them shouted； “or we won’t be responsible！？
Arcadio pushed ？rsula toward the house and surrendered。 A short time later the shooting stopped and the bells began to toll。 The resistance had been wiped out in less than half an hour。 Not a single one of Arcadio’s men had survived the attack； but before dying they had killed three hundred soldiers。 The last stronghold was the barracks。 Before being attacked； the supposed Colonel Gregorio Stevenson had freed the prisoners and ordered his men to go out and fight in the street。 The extraordinary mobility and accurate aim with which he placed his twenty cartridges gave the impression that the barracks was well…defended； and the attackers blew it to pieces with cannon fire。 The captain who directed the operation was startled to find the rubble deserted and a single dead man in his undershorts with an empty rifle still clutched in an arm that had been blown pletely off。 He had a woman’s full head of hair held at the neck with a b and on his neck a chain with a small gold fish。 When he turned him over with the tip of his boot and put the light on his face； the captain was perplexed。 “Jesus Christ；？he exclaimed。 Other officers came over。
“Look where this fellow turned up；？the captain said。 “It’s Gregorio Stevenson。？
At dawn； after a summary court martial； Arcadio was shot against the wall of the cemetery。 In the last two hours of his life he did not manage to understand why the fear that had tormented him since childhood had disappeared。 Impassive。 without even worrying about making a show of his recent bravery； he listened to the interminable charges of the accusation。 He thought about ？rsula； who at that hour must have been under the chestnut tree having coffee with Jos？Arcadio Buendía。 He thought about his eight…month…old daughter； who still had no name； and about the child who was going to be born in August。 He thought about Santa Sofía de la Piedad； whom he had left the night before salting down a deer for next day’s lunch； and he missed her hair pouring over her shoulders and her eyelashes； which looked as if they were artificial。 He thought about his people without sentimentality； with a strict dosing of his accounts with life； beginning to understand how much he really loved the people he hated most。 The president of the court…martial began his final speech when Arcadio realized that two hours had passed。 “Even if the proven charges did not have merit enough；？the president was saying； “the irresponsible and criminal boldness with which the accused drove his subordinates on to a useless death would be enough to deserve capital punishment。？In the shattered schoolhouse where for the first time he had felt the security of power； a few feet from the room where he had e to know the uncertainty of love； Arcadio found the formality of death ridiculous。 Death really did not matter to him but life did； and therefore the sensation he felt when they gave their decision was not a feeling of fear but of nostalgia。 He did not speak until they asked him for his last request。
“Tell my wife；？he answered in a well…modulated voice； “to give the girl the name of ？rsula。？He paused and said it again： “？rsula； like her grandmother。 And tell her also that if the child that is to be born is a boy； they should name him Jos？Arcadio； not for his uncle； but for his grandfather。？
Before they took him to the execution wall Father Nicanor tried to attend him。 “I have nothing to repent；？Arcadio said； and he put himself under the orders of the squad after drinking a cup of black coffee。 The leader of the squad； a specialist in summary executions； had a name that had much more about it than chance： Captain Roque Carnicero； which meant butcher。 On the way to the cemetery； under the persistent drizzle； Arcadio saw that a radiant Wednesday was breaking out on the horizon。 His nostalgia disappeared with the mist and left an immense curiosity in its place。 Only when they ordered him to put his back to the wall did Arcadio see Rebeca； with wet hair and a pink flowered dress； opening wide the door。 He made an effort to get her to recognize him。 And Rebeca did take a casual look toward the wall and was paralyzed with stupor； barely able to react and wave good…bye to Arcadio。 Arcadio answered her the same way。 At that instant the smoking mouths of the rifles were aimed at him and letter by letter he heard the encyclicals that Melquíades had chanted and he heard the lost steps of Santa Sofía de la Piedad； a virgin； in the classroom； and in his nose he felt the same icy hardness that had drawn his attention in the nostrils of the corpse of Remedios。 “Oh； God damn it！？he managed to think。 “I forgot to say that if it was a girl they should name her Remedios。？Then； all accumulated in the rip of a claw； he felt again all the terror that had tormented him in his life。 The captain gave the order to fire。 Arcadio barely had time to put out his chest and raise his head； not understanding where the hot liquid that burned his thighs was pouring from。
“Bastards！？he shouted。 “Long live the Liberal Party！？
Chapter 7
THE WAR was over in May。 Two weeks before the government made the official announcement in a high…sounding proclamation； which promised merciless punishment for those who had started the rebellion； Colonel Aureliano Buendía fell prisoner just as he was about to reach the western frontier disguised as an Indian witch doctor。 Of the twenty…one men who had followed him to war； fourteen fell in bat； six were wounded； and only one acpanied him at the moment of final defeat： Colonel Gerineldo Márquez。 The news of his capture was announced in Macondo with a special proclamation。 “He’s alive；？？rsula told her husband。 “Let’s pray to God for his enemies to show him clemency。？After three days of weeping； one afternoon as she was stirring some sweet milk candy in the kitchen she heard her son’s voice clearly in her ear。 “It was Aureliano； ？she shouted； running toward the chestnut tree to tell her husband the news。 “I don’t know how the miracle took place； but he’s alive and we’re going to see him very soon。？She took it for granted。 She had the floors of the house scrubbed and changed the position of the furniture。 One week later a rumor from somewhere that was not supported by any proclamation gave dramatic confirmation to the prediction。 Colonel Aureliano Buendía had been condemned to death and the sentence would be carried out in Macondo as a lesson to the population。 On Monday； at ten…thirty in the morning； Amaranta was dressing Aureliano Jos？when she heard the sound of a distant troop and the blast of a cornet one second before ？rsula burst into the room with the shout： “They’re bringing him now！？The troop struggled to subdue the overflowing crowd with their rifle butts。 ？rsula and Amaranta ran to the corner； pushing their way through； and then they saw him。 He looked like a beggar。 His clothing was torn； his hair and beard were tangled； and he was barefoot。 He was walking without feeling the burning dust； his hands tied behind his back with a rope that a mounted officer had attached to the head of his horse。 Along with him； also ragged and defeated； they were bringing Colonel Gerineldo Márquez。 They were not sad。 They seemed more disturbed by the crowd that was shouting all kinds of insults at the troops。
“My son！？？rsula shouted in the midst of the uproar； and she slapped the soldier who tried to hold her back。 The officer’s horse reared。 Then Colonel Aureliano Buendía stopped； tremulous； avoided the arms of his mother； and fixed a stern look on her eyes。
“Go home； Mama；？he said。 “Get permission from the authorities to e see me in jail。？
He looked at Amaranta； who stood indecisively two steps behind ？rsula； and he smiled as he asked her； “What happened to your hand？？Amaranta raised the hand with the black bandage。 “A burn；？she said； and took ？rsula away so that the horses would not run her down。 The troop took off。 A special guard surrounded the prison
