Сто лет одиночества
Chapter 3
Butthesystemdemandedsomuchvigilanceandmoralstrengththatmanysuccumbedtothespellofanimaginaryreality,oneinventedbythemselves,whichwaslesspracticalforthembutmorecomforting.PilarTernerawastheonewhocontributedmosttopopularizethatmystificationwhensheconceivedthetrickofreadingthepastincardsasshehadreadthefuturebefore.Bymeansofthatrecoursetheinsomniacsbegantoliveinaworldbuiltontheuncertainalternativesofthecards,whereafatherwasrememberedfaintlyasthedarkmanwhohadarrivedatthebeginningofAprilandamotherwasrememberedonlyasthedarkwomanwhoworeagoldringonherlefthand,andwhereabirthdatewasreducedtothelastTuesdayonwhichalarksanginthelaureltree.Defeatedbythosepracticesofconsolation,JoséArcadioBuendíathendecidedtobuildthememorymachinethathehaddesiredonceinordertorememberthemarvelousinventionsofthegypsies.Theartifactwasbasedonthepossibilityofreviewingeverymorning,frombeginningtoend,thetotalityofknowledgeacquiredduringone’slife.Heconceivedofitasaspinningdictionarythatapersonplacedontheaxiscouldoperatebymeansofalever,sothatinaveryfewhourstherewouldpassbeforehiseyesthenotionsmostnecessaryforlife.Hehadsucceededinwritingalmostfourteenthousandentrieswhenalongtheroadfromtheswampastrange-lookingoldmanwiththesadsleepers’bellappeared,carryingabulgingsuitcasetiedwitharopeandpullingacartcoveredwithblackcloth.
