Chapter 1

           Manyyearslaterashefacedthefiringsquad,ColonelAurelianoBuendfawastorememberthatdistantafternoonwhenhisfathertookhimtodiscoverice.AtthattimeMacondowasavillageoftwentyadobehouses,builtonthebankofariverofclearwaterthatranalongabedofpolishedstones,whichwerewhiteandenormous,likeprehistoriceggs.Theworldwassorecentthatmanythingslackednames,andinordertoindicatethemitwasnecessarytopoint.EveryyearduringthemonthofMarchafamilyofraggedgypsieswouldsetuptheirtentsnearthevillage,andwithagreatuproarofpipesandkettledrumstheywoulddisplaynewinventions.Firsttheybroughtthemagnet.Aheavygypsywithanuntamedbeardandsparrowhands,whointroducedhimselfasMelqufades,putonaboldpublicdemonstrationofwhathehimselfcalledtheeighthwonderofthelearnedal-chemistsofMacedonia.Hewentfromhousetohousedraggingtwometalingotsandeverybodywasamazedtoseepots,pans,tongs,andbrazierstumbledownfromtheirplacesandbeamscreakfromthedesperationofnailsandscrewstryingtoemerge,andevenobjectsthathadbeenlostforalongtimeappearedfromwheretheyhadbeensearchedformostandwentdraggingalonginturbulentconfusionbehindMelqufades’magicalirons."Thingshavealifeoftheirown,"thegypsyproclaimedwithaharshaccent."It’ssimplyamatterofwakinguptheirsouls."JoseArcadioBuendfa,whoseunbridledimaginationalwayswentbeyondthegeniusofnatureandevenbeyondmiraclesandmagic,thoughtthatitwouldbepossibletomakeuseofthatuselessinventiontoextractgoldfromthebowelsoftheearth.Melqufades,whowasanhonestman,warnedhim:"Itwon’tworkforthat."ButJoseArcadioBuendfaatthattimedidnotbelieveinthehonestyofgypsies,sohetradedhismuleandapairofgoatsforthetwomagnetizedingots.