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ved through a dose of strychnine in his coffee that was enough to kill a horse。 He refused the Order of Merit； which the President of the Republic awarded him。 He rose to be mander in Chief of the revolutionary forces； with jurisdiction and mand from one border to the other； and the man most feared by the government； but he never let himself be photographed。 He declined the lifetime pension offered him after the war and until old age he made his living from the little gold fishes that he manufactured in his workshop in Macondo。 Although he always fought at the head of his men； the only wound that he received was the one he gave himself after signing the Treaty of Neerlandia； which put an end to almost twenty years of civil war。 He shot himself in the chest with a pistol and the bullet came out through his back without damaging any vital an。 The only thing left of all that was a street that bore his name in Macondo。 And yet； as he declared a few years before he died of old age； he had not expected any of that on the dawn he left with his twentyone men to join the forces of General Victorio Medina。
“We leave Macondo in your care。？was all that he said to Arcadio before leaving。 “We leave it to you in good shape； try to have it in better shape when we return。？
Arcadio gave a very personal interpretation to the instructions。 He invented a uniform with the braid and epaulets of a marshal； inspired by the prints in one of Melquíades？books； and around his waist he buckled the saber with gold tassels that had belonged to the executed captain。 He set up the two artillery pieces at the entrance to town； put uniforms on his former pupils； who had been amused by his fiery proclamations； and let them wander through the streets armed in order to give outsiders an impression of invulnerability。 It was a doubleedged deception； for the government did not dare attack the place for ten months； but when it did it unleashed such a large force against it that resistance was liquidated in a half hour。 From the first day of his rule Arcadio revealed his predilection for decrees。 He would read as many as four a day in order to decree and institute everything that came into his head。 He imposed obligatory military service for men over eighteen； declared to be public property any animals walking the streets after six in the evening； and made men who were overage wear red armbands。 He sequestered Father Nicanor in the parish house under pain of execution and prohibited him from saying mass or ringing the bells unless it was for a Liberal victory。 In order that no one would doubt the severity of his aims； he ordered a firing squad anized in the square and had it shoot at a scarecrow。 At first no one took him seriously。 They were； after all； schoolchildren playing at being grownups。 But one night； when Arcadio went into Catarino’s store； the trumpeter in the group greeted him with a fanfare that made the customers laugh and Arcadio had him shot for disrespect for the authorities。 People who protested were put on bread and water with their ankles in a set of stocks that he had set up in a schoolroom。 “You murderer！？？rsula would shout at him every time she learned of some new arbitrary act。 “When Aureliano finds out he’s going to shoot you and I’ll be the first one to be glad。？But it was of no use。 Arcadio continued tightening the tourniquet with unnecessary rigor until he became the cruelest ruler that Macondo had ever known。 “Now let them suffer the difference；？Don Apolinar Moscote said on one occasion。 “This is the Liberal paradise。？Arcadio found out about it。 At the head of a patrol he assaulted the house； destroyed the furniture； flogged the daughters； and dragged out Don Apolinar Moscote。 When ？rsula burst into the courtyard of headquarters； after having gone through the town shouting shame and brandishing with rage a pitchcovered whip； Arcadio himself was preparing to give the squad the mand to fire。
“I dare you to； bastard！？？rsula shouted。
Before Arcadio had time to read she let go with the first blow of the lash。 “I dare you to； murderer！？she shouted。 “And kill me too； son of an evil mother。 That way I won’t have the eyes to weep for the shame of having raised a monster。？Whipping him without mercy； she chased him to the back of the courtyard； where Arcadio curled up like a snail in its shell。 Don Apolinar Moscote was unconscious； tied to the post where previously they had had the scarecrow that had been cut to pieces by shots fired in fun。 The boys in the squad scattered； fearful that ？rsula would go after them too。 But she did not even look at them。 She left Arcadio with his uniform torn； roaring with pain and rage； and she untied Don Apolinar Moscote and took him home。 Before leaving the headquarters she released the prisoners from the stocks。
From that time on she was the one who ruled in the town。 She reestablished Sunday masses； suspended the use of red armbands； and abrogated the harebrained decrees。 But in spite of her strength； she still wept over her unfortunate fate。 She felt so much alone that she sought the useless pany of her husband； who had been fotten under the chestnut tree。 “Look what we’ve e to；？she would tell him as the June rains threatened to knock the shelter down。 “Look at the empty house； our children scattered all over the world； and the two of us alone again； the same as in the beginning。？Jos？Arcadio Buendía； sunk in an abyss of unawareness； was deaf to her lamentations。 At the beginning of his madness he would announce his daily needs with urgent Latin phrases。 In fleeting clear spells of lucidity； when Amaranta would bring him his meals he would tell her what bothered him most and would accept her sucking glasses and mustard plasters in a docile way。 But at the time when ？rsula went to lament by his side he had lost all contact with reality。 She would bathe him bit by bit as he sat on his stool while she gave him news of the family。 “Aureliano went to war more than four months ago and we haven’t heard anything about him；？she would say； scrubbing his back with a soaped brush。 “Jos？Arcadio came back a big man； taller than you； and all covered with needlework； but he only brought shame to our house。？She thought she noticed； however； that her husband would grow sad with the bad news。 Then she decided to lie to him。 ‘Rou won’t believe what I’m going to tell you；？she said as she threw ashes over his excrement in order to pick it up with the shovel。 “God willed that Jos？Arcadio and Rebeca should get married； and now they’re very happy。？She got to be so sincere in the deception that she ended up by consoling herself with her own lies。 “Arcadio is a serious man now；？she said； “and very brave； and a finelooking young man with his uniform and saber。？It was like speaking to a dead man； for Jos？Arcadio Buendía was already beyond the reach of any worry。 But she insisted。 He seemed so peaceful； so indifferent to everything that she decided to release him。 He did not even move from his stool。 He stayed there； exposed to the sun and the rain； as if the thongs were unnecessary； for a dominion superior to any visible bond kept him tied to the trunk of the chestnut tree。 Toward August； when winter began to last forever； ？rsula was finally able to give him a piece of news that sounded like the truth。
“Would you believe it that good luck is still pouring down on us？？she told him。 “Amaranta and the pianola Italian are going to get married。？
Amaranta and Pietro Crespi had； in fact； deepened their friendship； protected by ？rsula； who this time did not think it necessary to watch over the visits。 It was a twilight engagement。 The Italian would arrive at dusk； with a gardenia in his buttonhole； and he would translate Petrarch’s sonnets for Amaranta。 They would sit on the porch； suffocated by the oregano and the roses； he reading and she sewing lace cuffs； indifferent to the shocks and bad news of the war； until the mosquitoes made them take refuge in the parlor。 Amaranta’s sensibility； her discreet but enveloping tenderness had been wearing an invisible web about her fianc？ which he had to push aside materially with his pale and ringless fingers in order to leave the house at eight o’clock。 They