ump into it； and there they put it； very carefully； and there it’s been ever since because they never came back for it。？Later on； ？rsula had put candles on it and had prostrated herself before it； not suspecting that instead of a saint she was adoring almost four bundled pounds of gold。 The tardy evidence of her involuntary paganism made her even more upset。 She spat on the spectacular pile of coins； put them in three canvas sacks； and buried them in a secret place； hoping that sooner or later the three unknown men would e to reclaim them。 Much later； during the difficult years of her decrepitude； ？rsula would intervene in the conversations of the many travelers who came by the house at that time and ask them if they had left a plaster Saint Joseph there during the war to be taken care of until the rains passed。
Things like that which gave ？rsula such consternation； were monplace in those days。 Macondo was swamped in a miraculous prosperity。 The adobe houses of the founders had been replaced by brick buildings with wooden blinds and cement floors which made the suffocating heat of two o’clock in the afternoon more bearable。 All that remained at that time of Jos？Arcadio Buendía’s ancient village were the dusty almond trees； destined to resist the most arduous of circumstances； and the river of clear water whose prehistoric stones had been pulverized by the frantic hammers of Jos？Arcadio Segundo when he set about opening the channel in order to establish a boat line。 It was a mad dream； parable to those of his great…grandfather； for the rocky riverbed and the numerous rapids prevented navigation from Macondo to the sea。 But Jos？Arcadio Segundo； in an unforeseen burst of temerity； stubbornly kept on with the project。 Until then he had shown no sign of imagination。 Except for his precarious adventure with Petra Cotes； he had never known a woman。 ？rsula had considered him the quietest example the family had ever produced in all its history； incapable of standing out even as a handler of fighting cocks； when Colonel Aureliano Buendía told him the story of the Spanish galleon aground eight miles from the sea； the carbonized frame of which he had seen himself during the war。 The story； which for so many years had seemed fantastic to so many people； was a revelation for Jos？Arcadio Segundo。 He auctioned off his roosters to the highest bidder； recruited men； bought tools； and set about the awesome task of breaking stones； digging canals； clearing away rapids； and even harnessing waterfalls。 “I know all of this by heart；？？rsula would shout。 “It’s as if time had turned around and we were back at the beginning。？When he thought that the river was navigable； Jos？Arcadio Segundo gave his brother a detailed account of his plans and the latter gave him the money he needed for the enterprise。 He disappeared for a long time。 It had been said that his plan to buy a boat was nothing but a trick to make off with his brother’s money when the news spread that a strange craft was approaching the town。 The inhabitants of Macondo； who no longer remembered the colossal undertakings of Jos？Arcadio Buendía； ran to the riverbank and saw with eyes popping in disbelief the arrival of the first and last boat ever to dock in the town。 It was nothing but a log raft drawn by thick ropes pulled by twenty men who walked along the bank。 In the prow； with a glow of satisfaction in his eyes； Jos？Arcadio Segundo was directing the arduous maneuver。 There arrived with him a rich group of splendid matrons who were protecting themselves from the burning sun with gaudy parasols； and wore on their shoulders fine silk kerchiefs； with colored creams on their faces and natural flowers in their hair and golden serpents on their arms and diamonds in their teeth。 The log raft was the only vessel that Jos？Arcadio Segundo was able to bring to Macondo； and only once； but he never recognized the failure of his enterprise； but proclaimed his deed as a victory of will power。 He gave a scrupulous accounting to his brother and very soon plunged back into the routine of cockfights。 The only thing that remained of that unfortunate venture was the breath of renovation that the matrons from France brought； as their magnificent arts transformed traditional methods of love and their sense of social well…being abolished Catarino’s antiquated place and turned the street into a bazaar of Japanese lanterns and nostalgic hand organs。 They were the promoters of the bloody carnival that plunged Macondo into delirium for three days and whose only lasting consequence was having given Aureliano Segundo the opportunity to meet Fernanda del Carpio。
Remedios the Beauty was proclaimed queen。 ？rsula； who shuddered at the disquieted beauty of her great…granddaughter； could not prevent the choice。 Until then she had succeeded in keeping her off the streets unless it was to go to mass with Amaranta； but she made her cover her face with a black shawl。 The most impious men； those who would disguise themselves as priests to say sacrilegious masses in Catarino’s store； would go to church with an aim to see； if only for an instant； the face of Remedios the Beauty； whose legendary good looks were spoken of with alarming excitement throughout the swamp。 It was a long time before they were able to do so； and it would have been better for them if they never had； because most of them never recovered their peaceful habits of sleep。 The man who made it possible； a foreigner； lost his serenity forever； became involved in the sloughs of abjection and misery； and years later was cut to pieces by a train after he had fallen asleep on the tracks。 From the moment he was seen in the church； wearing a green velvet suit and an embroidered vest； no one doubted that he came from far away； perhaps from some distant city outside of the country； attracted by the magical fascination of Remedios the Beauty。 He was so handsome； so elegant and dignified； with such presence； that Pietro Crespi would have been a mere fop beside him and many women whispered with spiteful smiles that he was the one who really should have worn the shawl。 He did not speak to anyone in Macondo。 He appeared at dawn on Sunday like a prince in a fairy tale； riding a horse with silver stirrups and a velvet blanket； and he left town after mass。
The power of his presence was such that from the first time he was seen in the church everybody took it for granted that a silent and tense duel had been established between him and Remedios the Beauty； a secret pact； an irrevocable challenge that would end not only in love but also in death。 On the sixth Sunday the gentleman appeared with a yellow rose in his hand。 He heard mass standing； as he always did； and at the end he stepped in front of Remedios the Beauty and offered her the solitary rose。 She took it with a natural gesture； as if she had been prepared for that homage； and then she uncovered her face and gave her thanks with a smile。 That was all she did。 Not only for the gentleman； but for all the men who had the unfortunate privilege of seeing her； that was an eternal instant。
From then on the gentleman had a band of musicians play beside the window of Remedios the Beauty； sometimes until dawn。 Aureliano Segundo was the only one who felt a cordial passion for him and he tried to break his perseverance。 “Don’t waste your time any more；？he told him one night。 “The women in this house are worse than mules。？He offered him his friendship； invited him to bathe in champagne； tried to make him understand that the females of his family had insides made of flint； but he could not weaken his obstinacy。 Exasperated by the interminable nights of music； Colonel Aureliano Buendía threatened to cure his affliction with a few pistol shots。 Nothing made him desist except his own lamentable state of demoralization。 From a well…dressed and neat individual he became filthy and ragged。 It was rumored that he had abandoned power and fortune in his distant nation； although his origins were actually never known。 He became argumentative； a barroom brawler； and he would wake up rolling in his own filth in Catarino’s store。 The saddest part of his drama was that Remedios the Beauty did not notice him not even when he appeared in church dressed like a prince。 She accepted the yellow rose without the least bit of malice； amused； rather； by the extravagance of the act； and she lifted her shawl to see his face better； not to show hers。
Actually； Remedios the Beauty was not a creature of this world。 Until she was well along in puberty Santa Sofía de la。 Piedad had to bathe and dress her； and even when she could take care of herself it was necessary to keep an eye on her so that she would not paint little animals on the walls with a stick daubed in her own excrement。 She reached twenty without knowing how to read or write； unable to use the silver at the table； wandering naked through the house because her nature rejected all manner of convention。 When the young mander of the guard declared his love for her； she rejected him simply because his frivolity startled her。 “See how simple he is；？she told Amaranta。 “He says that he’s dying because of me； as if I were a bad case of colic。？When； indeed； they found him dead beside her window； Remedios the Beauty confirmed her first impression。
“You see；？she mented。 “He was a plete Simpleton。？
It seemed as if some penetrating lucidity permitted her to see the reality of things beyond any formalism。 That at least was the point of view of Colonel Aureliano Buendía； for whom Remedios the Beauty was in no way mentally retarded； as was generally believed； but quite the opposite。 “It’s as if she’s e back from twenty years of war；？he would say。 ？rsula； for her part； thanked God for having awarded the family with a creature of exceptional purity； but at the same time she was disturbed by her beauty； for it seemed a contradictory virtue to her； a diabolical trap at the center of her innocence。 It was for that reason that she decided to keep her away from the world； to protect her from all earthly temptation； not knowing that Remedios the Beauty； even from the time when she was in her mother’s womb； was safe from any contagion。 It never entered her head that they would elect her beaut