s 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 him the rest of her buried inheritance and her substantial savings。 He named Colonel Gerineldo Márquez civil and military leader of Macondo and he went off to make contact with the rebel groups in the interior。
Colonel Gerineldo Márquez was not only the man closest to Colonel Aureliano Buendía； but ？rsula received him as a member of the family。 Fragile； timid； with natural good manners； he was； however； better suited for war than for government。 His political advisers easily entangled him in theoretical labyrinths； But he succeeded in giving Macondo the atmosphere of rural peace that Colonel Aureliano； Buendía dreamed of so that he could die of old age making little gold fishes。 Although he lived in his parents？house he would have lunch at ？rsula’s two or three times a week。 He initiated Aureliano Jos？in the use of firearms； gave him early military instruction； and for several months took him to live in the barracks； with ？rsula’s consent； so that he could bee