Сто лет одиночества

           Ononeoccasionontheeveoftheelections,DonApolinarMoscotereturnedfromoneofhisfrequenttripsworriedaboutthepoliticalsituationinthecountry.TheLiberalsweredeterminedtogotowar.SinceAurelianoatthattimehadveryconfusednotionsaboutthedifferencebetweenConservativesandLiberals,hisfather-in-lawgavehimsomeschematiclessons.TheLiberals,hesaid,wereFreemasons,badpeople,wantingtohangpriests,toinstitutecivilmarriageanddivorce,torecognizetherightsofillegitimatechildrenasequaltothoseoflegitimateones,andtocutthecountryupintoafederalsystemthatwouldtakepowerawayfromthesupremeauthority.TheConservatives,ontheotherhand,whohadreceivedtheirpowerdirectlyfromGod,proposedtheestablishmentpublicorderandfamilymorality.TheywerethedefendersofthefaithofChrist,oftheprincipleofauthority,andwerenotpreparedtopermitthecountrytobebrokendownintoautonomousentities.BecauseofhishumanitarianfeelingsAurelianosympathizedwiththeLiberalattitudewithrespecttotherightsofnaturalchildren,butinanycase,hecouldnotunderstandhowpeoplearrivedattheextremeofwagingwaroverthingsthatcouldnotbetouchedwiththehand.Itseemedanexaggerationtohimthatfortheelectionshisfather-in—lawhadthemsendsixsoldiersarmedwithriflesunderthecommasergeanttoatownwithnopoliticalpassions.