“Holy Mother of God！？？rsula shouted。
She followed the thread of blood back along its course； and in search of its origin she went through the pantry； along the begonia porch where Aureliano Jos？was chanting that three plus three is six and six plus three is nine； and she crossed the dining room and the living rooms and followed straight down the street； and she turned first to the right and then to the left to the Street of the Turks； forgetting that she was still wearing her baking apron and her house slippers； and she came out onto the square and went into the door of a house where she had never been； and she pushed open the bedroom door and was almost suffocated by the smell of burned gunpowder； and she found Jos？Arcadio lying face down on the ground on top of the leggings he had just taken off； and she saw the starting point of the thread of blood that had already stopped flowing out of his right ear。 They found no wound on his body nor could they locate the weapon。 Nor was it possible to remove the smell of powder from the corpse。 First they washed him three times with soap and a scrubbing brush； and they rubbed him with salt and vinegar； then with ashes and lemon； and finally they put him in a barrel of lye and let him stay for six hours。 They scrubbed him so much that the arabesques of his tattooing began to fade。 When they thought of the desperate measure of seasoning him with pepper； cumin seeds； and laurel leaves and boiling him for a whole day over a slow fire； he had already begun to depose and they had to bury him hastily。 They sealed him hermetically in a special coffin seven and a half feet long and four feet wide； reinforced inside with iron plates and fastened together with steel bolts； and even then the smell could be perceived on the streets through which the funeral procession passed。 Father Nicanor； with his liver enlarged and tight as a drum； gave him his blessing from bed。 Although in the months that followed they reinforced the grave with walls about it； between which they threw pressed ash； sawdust； and quicklime； the cemetery still smelled of powder for many years after； until the engineers from the banana pany covered the grave over with a shell of concrete。 As soon as they took the body out； Rebeca closed the doors of her house and buried herself alive； covered with a thick crust of disdain that no earthly temptation was ever able to break。 She went out into the street on one occasion； when she was very old； with shoes the color of old silver and a hat made of tiny flowers； during the time that the Wandering Jew passed through town and brought on a heat wave that was so intense that birds broke through window screens to e to die in the bedrooms。 The last time anyone saw her alive was when with one shot she killed a thief who was trying to force the door of her house。 Except for Argénida； her servant and confidante； no one ever had any more contact with her after that。 At one time it was discovered that she was writing letters to the Bishop； whom she claimed as a first cousin。 but it was never said whether she received any reply。 The town forgot about her。
In spite of his triumphal return； Colonel Aureliano Buendía was not enthusiastic over the looks of things。 The government troops abandoned their positions without resistance and that aroused an illusion of victory among the Liberal population that it was not right to destroy； but the revolutionaries knew the truth； Colonel Aureliano Buendía better than any of them。 Although at that moment he had more than five thousand men under his mand and held two coastal states； he had the feeling of being hemmed in against the sea and caught in a situation that was so confused that when he ordered the restoration of the church steeple； which had been knocked down by army cannon fire； Father Nicanor mented from his sickbed： “This is silly； the defenders of the faith of Christ destroy the church and the Masons order it rebuilt。？Looking for a loophole through which he could escape； he spent hours on end in the telegraph office conferring with the manders of other towns； and every time he would emerge with the firmest impression that the war was at a stalemate。 When news of fresh liberal victories was received it was celebrated with jubilant proclamations； but he would measure the real extent of them on the map and could see that his forces were penetrating into the jungle； defending themselves against malaria and mosquitoes； advancing in the opposite direction from reality。 “We’re wasting time；？he would plain to his officers。 “We’re wasting time while the bastards in the party are begging for seats in congress。？Lying awake at night； stretched out on his back in a hammock in the same room where he had awaited death； he would evoke the image of lawyers dressed in black leaving the presidential palace in the icy cold of early morning with their coat collars turned up about their ears； rubbing their hands； whispering； taking refuge in dreary early…morning cafés to speculate over what the president had meant when he said yes； or what he had meant when he said no； and even to imagine what the president was thinking when he said something quite different； as he chased away mosquitoes at a temperature of ninety…five degrees； feeling the approach of the fearsome dawn when he would have to give his men the mand to jump into the sea。
One night of uncertainty； when Pilar Ternera was singing in the courtyard with the soldiers； he asked her to read the future in her cards。 “Watch out for your mouth；？was all that Pilar Ternera brought out after spreading and picking up the cards three times。 “I don’t know what it means； but the sign is very clear。 Watch out for your mouth。？Two days later someone gave an orderly a mug of black coffee and the orderly passed it on to someone else and that one to someone else until； hand to hand； it reached Colonel Aureliano Buendía office。 He had not asked for any coffee； but since it was there the colonel drank it。 It had a dose of nux vomica strong enough to kill a horse。 When they took him home he was stiff and arched and his tongue was sticking out between his teeth。 ？rsula fought against death over him。 After cleaning out his stomach with emetics； she wrapped him in hot blankets and fed him egg whites for two days until his harrowed body recovered its normal temperature。 On the fourth day he was out of danger。 Against his will； pressured by ？rsula and his officers； he stayed in bed for another week。 Only then did he learn that his verses had not been burned。 “I didn’t want to be hasty；？？rsula explained to him。 “That night when I went to light the oven I said to myself that it would be better to wait until they brought the body。？In the haze of convalescence； surrounded by Remedios？dusty dolls； Colonel Aureliano Buendía； brought back the decisive periods of his existence by reading his poetry。 He started writing again。 For many hours； balancing on the edge of the surprises of a war with no future； in rhymed verse he resolved his experience on the shores of death。 Then his thoughts became so clear that he was able to examine them forward and backward。 One night he asked Colonel Gerineldo Márquez：
“Tell me something； old friend： why are you fighting？？
“What other reason could there be？？Colonel Gerineldo Márquez answered。 “For the great liberal party。？
“You’re lucky because you know why；？he answered。 “As far as I’m concerned； I’ve e to realize only just now that I’m fighting because of pride。？
“That’s bad；？Colonel Gerineldo Márquez said。 Colonel Aureliano Buendía was amused at his alarm。 “Naturally；？he said。 “But in any case； it’s better than not knowing why you’re fighting。？He looked him in the eyes and added with a smile：
“Or fighting； like you； for something that doesn’t have any meaning for anyone。？
His pride had prevented him from making contact with the armed groups in the interior of the country until the leaders of the party publicly rectified their declaration that he was a bandit。 He knew； however； that as soon as he put those scruples aside he would break the vicious circle of the war。 Convalescence gave him time to reflect。 Then he succeeded in getting ？rsula to give