Сто лет одиночества

           Theynotonlyarrived,buttheywentfromhousetohouseconfiscatinghuntingweapons,machetes,andevenkitchenknivesbeforetheydistributedamongmalesovertwenty-onetheblueballotswiththenamesoftheConservativecandidatesandtheredballotsthenamesoftheLiberalcandidates.OntheeveoftheelectionsDonApolinarMoscotehimselfreadadecreethatprohibitedthesaleofalcoholicbeveragesandthegatheringtogetherofmorethanthreepeoplewhowerenotofthesamefamily.Theelectionstookplacewithoutincident.Ateighto’clockonSundaymorningawoodenballotboxwassetupinthesquare,whichwaswatchedoverbythesixsoldiers.Thevotingwasabsolutelyfree,asAurelianohimselfwasabletoattestsincehespentalmosttheentiredaywithhisfather-in-lawseeingthatnoonevotedmorethanonce.AtfourintheafternoonarolldrumsinthesquareannouncedtheclosingofthepollsandDonApolinarMoscotesealedtheballotboxwithalabelcrossedbyhissignature.Thatnight,whileheplayeddominoeswithAureliano,heorderedthesergeanttobreakthesealinordertocountthevotes.Therewerealmostasmanyredballotsasblue,butthesergeantleftonlytenredonesmadeupthedifferencewithblueones.Thentheysealedtheboxagainwithanewlabelandthefirstthingonthefollowingdayitwastakentothecapitaloftheprovince."TheLiberalswillgotowar,"Aurelianosaid.DonApolinarconcentratedonhisdominopieces."Ifyou’resayingthatbecauseoftheswitchinballots,theywon’t,"hesaid.