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in Roque Carnicero was touched； because he thought he was praying。 When the squad took aim； the rage had materialized into a viscous and bitter substance that put his tongue to sleep and made him close his eyes。 Then the aluminum glow of dawn disappeared and he saw himself again in short pants； wearing a tie around his neck； and he saw his father leading him into the tent on a splendid afternoon； and he saw the ice。 When he heard the shout he thought that it was the final mand to the squad。 He opened his eyes with a shudder of curiosity； expecting to meet the incandescent trajectory of the bullets； but he only saw Captain Roque Carnicero with his arms in the air and Jos？Arcadio crossing the street with his fearsome shotgun ready to go off。
“Don’t shoot；？the captain said to Jos？Arcadio。 “You were sent by Divine Providence。？
Another war began right there。 Captain Roque Carnicero and his six men left with Colonel Aureliano Buendía to free the revolutionary general Victorio Medina； who had been condemned to death in Riohacha。 They thought they could save time by crossing the mountains along the trail that Jos？Arcadio Buendía had followed to found Macondo； but before a week was out they were convinced that it was an impossible undertaking。 So they had to follow the dangerous route over the outcroppings； with no other munitions but what the firing squad had。 They would camp near the towns and one of them； with a small gold fish in his hand； would go in disguise in broad daylight to contact the dormant Liberals； who would go out hunting on the following morning and never return。 When they saw Riohacha from a ridge in the mountains； General Victorio Medina had been shot。 Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s men proclaimed him chief of the revolutionary forces of the Caribbean coast with the rank of general。 He assumed the position but refused the promotion and took the stand that he would never accept it as long as the Conservative regime was in power。 At the end of three months they had succeeded in arming more than a thousand men； but they were wiped out。 The survivors reached the eastern frontier。 The next thing that was heard of them was that they had landed on Cabo de la Vela； ing from the smaller islands of the Antilles； and a message from the government was sent all over by telegraph and included in jubilant proclamations throughout the country announcing the death of Colonel Aureliano Buendía。 But two days later a multiple telegram which almost overtook the previous one announced another uprising on the southern plains。 That was how the legend of the ubiquitous Colonel Aureliano Buendía； began。 Simultaneous and contradictory information declared him victorious in Villanueva。 defeated in Guacamayal； devoured by Motilón Indians； dead in a village in the swamp； and up in arms again in Urumita。 The Liberal leaders； who at that moment were negotiating for participation in the congress； branded him in adventurer who did not represent the party。 The national government placed him in the category of a bandit and put a price of five thousand pesos on his head。 After sixteen defeats； Colonel Aureliano Buendía left Guajira with two thousand wellarmed Indians and the garrison； which was taken by surprise as it slept； abandoned Riohacha。 He established his headquarters there and proclaimed total war against the regime。 The first message he received from the government was a threat to shoot Colonel Gerineldo Márquez within fortyeight hours if he did not withdraw with his forces to the eastern frontier。 Colonel Roque Carnicero； who was his chief of staff then； gave him the telegram with a look of consternation； but he read it with unforeseen joy。
“How wonderful！？he exclaimed。 “We have a telegraph office in Macondo now。？
His reply was definitive。 In three months he expected to establish his headquarters in Macondo。 If he did not find Colonel Gerineldo Márquez alive at that time he would shoot out of hand all of the officers he held prisoner at that moment starting with the generals； and he would give orders to his subordinates to do the same for the rest of the war。 Three months later； when he entered Macondo in triumph； the first embrace he received on the swamp road was that of Colonel Gerineldo Márquez。
The house was full of children。 ？rsula had taken in Santa Sofía de la Piedad with her older daughter and a pair of twins； who had been born five months after Arcadio had been shot。 Contrary to the 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 doublebarreled 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 diningroom 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 thirtysix 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； fetting 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