t 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 well…armed 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 forty…eight 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 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