Chapter 4

           Thenewhouse,white,likeadove,wasinauguratedwithadance.úrsulahadgotthatideafromtheafternoonwhenshesawRebecaandAmarantachangedintoadolescents,anditcouldalmosthavebeensaidthatthemainreasonbehindtheconstructionwasadesiretohaveaproperplaceforthegirlstoreceivevisitors.Inorderthatnothingwouldbelackinginsplendorsheworkedlikeagalleyslaveastherepairswereunderway,sothatbeforetheywerefinishedshehadorderedcostlynecessitiesforthedecorations,thetableservice,andthemarvelousinventionthatwastoarousetheastonishmentofthetownandthejubilationoftheyoungpeople:thepianola.Theydelivereditbrokendown,packedinseveralboxesthatwereunloadedalongwiththeViennesefurniture,theBohemiancrystal,thetableservicefromtheIndiesCompany,thetableclothsfromHolland,andarichvarietyoflampsandcandlesticks,hangingsanddrapes.TheimporthousesentalongatitsownexpenseanItalianexpert,PietroCrespi,toassembleandtunethepianola,toinstructthepurchasersinitsfunctioning,toteachthemhowtodancethelatestmusicprintedonitssixpaperrolls.

           PietroCrespiwasyoungandblond,themosthandsomeandwellmanneredmanwhohadeverbeenseeninMacondo,soscrupulousinhisdressthatinspiteofthesuffocatingheathewouldworkinhisbrocadevestandheavycoatofdarkcloth.Soakedinsweat,keepingareverentdistancefromtheownersthehouse,hespentseveralweeksshutupistheparlorwithadedicationmuchlikethatofAurelianoinhissilverwork.