Сто лет одиночества

           Aftercleaningouthisstomachwithemetics,shewrappedhiminhotblanketsandfedhimeggwhitesfortwodaysuntilhisharrowedbodyrecovereditsnormaltemperature.Onthefourthdayhewasoutdanger.Againsthiswill,pressuredbyúrsulaandhisofficers,hestayedinbedforanotherweek.Onlythendidhelearnthathisverseshadnotbeenburned."Ididn’twanttobehasty,"úrsulaexplainedtohim."ThatnightwhenIwenttolighttheovenIsaidtomyselfthatitwouldbebettertowaituntiltheybroughtthebody."Inthehazeconvalescence,surroundedbyRemedios’dustydolls,ColonelAurelianoBuendía,broughtbackthedecisiveperiodsofhisexistencebyreadinghispoetry.Hestartedwritingagain.Formanyhours,balancingontheedgeofthesurprisesofawarwithnofuture,inrhymedverseheresolvedhisexperienceontheshoresofdeath.Thenhisthoughtsbecamesoclearthathewasabletoexaminethemforwardandbackward.OnenightheaskedColonelGerineldoMárquez:

           "Tellmesomething,oldfriend:whyareyoufighting?"

           "Whatotherreasoncouldtherebe?"ColonelGerineldoMárquezanswered."Forthegreatliberalparty."

           "You’reluckybecauseyouknowwhy,"heanswered."AsfarasI’mconcerned,I’vecometorealizeonlyjustnowthatI’mfightingbecauseofpride."

           "That’sbad,"ColonelGerineldoMárquezsaid.ColonelAurelianoBuendíawasamusedathisalarm."Naturally,"hesaid."Butinanycase,it’sbetterthannotknowingwhyyou’refighting."