Сто лет одиночества

           Astheywerecuttingtheumbilicalcord,hemovedhisheadfromsidetoside,takinginthethingsintheroomandexaminingthefacesofthepeoplewithafearlesscuriosity.Then,indifferenttothosewhocameclosetolookathim,hekepthisattentionconcentratedonthepalmroof,whichlookedasifitwereabouttocollapseunderthetremendouspressureoftherain.OrsuladidnotremembertheintensityofthatlookagainuntilonedaywhenlittleAureliano,attheageofthree,wentintothekitchenatthemomentshewastakingapotofboilingsoupfromthestoveandputtingitonthetable.Thechild,Perplexed,saidfromthedoorway,"It’sgoingtospill."Thepotwasfirmlyplacedinthecenterofthetable,butjustassoonasthechildmadehisannouncement,itbegananunmistakablemovementtowardtheedge,asifimpelledbysomeinnerdynamism,anditfellandbrokeonthefloor.

           Orsula,alarmed,toldherhusbandabouttheepisode,butheinterpreteditasanaturalphenomenon.Thatwasthewayhealwayswasalientotheexistenceofhissons,partlybecauseheconsideredchildhoodasaperiodofmentalinsufficiency,andpartlybecausehewasalwaystooabsorbedinhisfantasticspeculations.Butsincetheafternoonwhenhecalledthechildrenintohelphimunpackthethingsinthelaboratory,hegavethemhisbesthours.Inthesmallseparateroom,wherethewallsweregraduallybeingcoveredbystrangemapsandfabulousdrawings,hetaughtthemtoreadandwriteanddosums,andhespoketothemaboutthewondersoftheworld,notonlywherehislearninghadextended,butforcingthelimitsofhisimaginationtoextremes.ItwasinthatwaythattheboysendeduplearningthatinthesouthernextremesofAfricathereweremensointelligentandpeacefulthattheironlypastimewastositandthink,andthatitwaspossibletocrosstheAegeanSeaonfootbyjumpingfromislandtoislandallthewaytotheportofSalonika.