he victim’s last wishes； she baptized the girl with the name of Remedios。 I’m sure that was what Arcadio meant；？she alleged。 “We won’t call her ？rsula； because a person suffers too much with that name。？The twins were named Jos？Arcadio Segundo and Aureliano Segundo。 Amaranta took care of them all。 She put small wooden chairs in the living room and established a nursery with other children from neighboring families。 When Colonel Aureliano Buendía returned in the midst of exploding rockets and ringing bells； a children’s chorus weled him to the house。 Aureliano Jos？ tall like his grandfather； dressed as a revolutionary officer； gave him military honors。
Not all the news was good。 A year after the flight of Colonel Aureliano Buendía； Jos？Arcadio and Rebeca went to live in the house Arcadio had built。 No one knew about his intervention to halt the execution。 In the new house； located on the best corner of the square； in the shade of an almond tree that was honored by three nests of redbreasts； with a large door for visitors and four windows for light； they set up a hospitable home。 Rebeca’s old friends； among them four of the Moscote sisters who were still single； once more took up the sessions of embroidery that had been interrupted years before on the porch with the begonias。 Jos？Arcadio continued to profit from the usurped lands； the title to which was recognized by the Conservative government。 Every afternoon he could be seen returning on horseback； with his hunting dogs and his double…barreled shotgun and a string of rabbits hanging from his saddle。 One September afternoon； with the threat of a storm； he returned home earlier than usual。 He greeted Rebeca in the dining room； tied the dogs up in the courtyard； hung the rabbits up in the kitchen to be salted later； and went to the bedroom to change his clothes。 Rebeca later declared that when her husband went into the bedroom she was locked in the bathroom and did not hear anything。 It was a difficult version to believe； but there was no other more plausible； and no one could think of any motive for Rebeca to murder the man who had made her happy。 That was perhaps the only mystery that was never cleared up in Macondo。 As soon as Jos？Arcadio closed the bedroom door the sound of a pistol shot echoed through the house。 A trickle of blood came out under the door； crossed the living room； went out into the street； continued on in a straight line across the uneven terraces； went down steps and climbed over curbs； passed along the Street of the Turks； turned a corner to the right and another to the left； made a right angle at the Buendía house； went in under the closed door； crossed through the parlor； hugging the walls so as not to stain the rugs； went on to the other living room； made a wide curve to avoid the dining…room table； went along the porch with the begonias； and passed without being seen under Amaranta’s chair as she gave an arithmetic lesson to Aureliano Jos？； and went through the pantry and came out in the kitchen； where ？rsula was getting ready to crack thirty…six eggs to make bread。
“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