； whose artistically embroidered clothing was better than that worn by any inhabitant of Macondo。 Little by little the funereal splendor of the ancient and icy mansion was being transformed into the splendor of the House of Buendía。 “They’ve already sent us the whole family cemetery；？Aureliano Segundo mented one day。 “All we need now are the weeping willows and the tombstones。？Although nothing ever arrived in the boxes that the children could play with； they would spend all year waiting for December because； after all； the antique and always unpredictable gifts were something； new in the house。 On the tenth Christmas； when little Jos？Arcadio was getting ready to go to the seminary； the enormous box from their grandfather arrived earlier than usual； nailed tight and protected with pitch； and addressed in the usual Gothic letters to the Very Distinguished Lady Do？a Fernanda del Carpio de Buendía。 While she read the letter in her room the children hastened to open the box。 Aided as was customary by Aureliano Segundo； they broke the seals； opened the cover； took out the protective sawdust； and found inside a long lead chest closed by copper bolts。 Aureliano Segundo took out the eight bolts as the children watched impatiently； and he barely had time to give a cry and push the children aside when be raised the lead cover and saw Don Fernando； dressed in black and with a crucifix on his chest； his skin broken out in pestilential sores and cooking slowly in a frothy stew with bubbles like live pearls。
A short time after the birth of their daughter； the unexpected jubilee for Colonel Aureliano； Buendía； ordered by the government to celebrate another anniversary of the Treaty of Neerlandia； was announced。 It was a decision so out of line with official policy that the colonel spoke out violently against it and rejected the homage。 “It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of the word ‘jubilee；？？he said。 “But whatever it means； it has to be a trick。？The small goldsmith shop was filled with emissaries。 Much older and more solemn； the lawyers in dark suits who in other days had flapped about the colonel like crows had returned。 When he saw them appear the same as the other time； when they came to put a stop to the war； he could not bear the cynicism of their praise。 He ordered them to leave him in peace； insisting that he was not a hero of the nation as they said but an artisan without memories whose only dream was to die of fatigue in the oblivion and misery of his little gold fishes。 What made him most indignant was the word that the president of the republic himself planned to be present at the ceremonies in Macondo in order to decorate him with the Order of Merit。 Colonel Aureliano； Buendía had him told； word for word； that he was eagerly awaiting that tardy but deserved occasion in order to take a shot at him； not as payment for the arbitrary acts and anachronisms of his regime； but for his lack of respect for an old man who had not done anyone any harm。 Such was the vehemence with which he made the threat that the president of the republic canceled his trip at the last moment and sent the decoration with a personal representative。 Colonel Gerineldo Márquez； besieged by pressures of all kinds； left his bed of a paralytic in order to persuade his former panion in arms。 When the latter saw the rocking chair carried by four men appear and saw the friend who had shared his victories and defeats since youth sitting in it among some large pillows； he did not have a single doubt but that he was making that effort in order to express his solidarity。 But when he discovered the real motive for his visit he had them take him out of the workshop。
“Now I’m convinced too late；？he told him； “that I would have done you a great favor if I’d let them shoot you。？
So the jubilee was celebrated without the attendance of any members of the family。 Chance had it that it also coincided with carnival week； but no one could get the stubborn idea out of Colonel Aureliano Buendía’s head that the coincidence had been foreseen by the government in order to heighten the cruelty of the mockery。 From his lonely workshop he could hear the martial music； the artillery salutes； the tolling of the Te Deum； and a few phrases of the speeches delivered in front of the house as they named the street after him。 His eyes grew moist with indignation； with angry impotence； and for the first time since his defeat it pained him not to have the strength of youth so that he could begin a bloody war that would wipe out the last vestiges of the Conservative regime。 The echoes of the homage had not died down when ？rsula knocked at the workshop door。
“Don’t bother me；？he said。 “I’m busy。？
“Open up；？？rsula insisted in a normal voice。 “This has nothing to do with the celebration。？
Then Colonel Aureliano Buendía took down the bar and saw at the door seventeen men of the most varied appearance； of all types and colors； but all with a solitary air that would have been enough to identify them anywhere on earth。 They were his sons。 Without any previous agreement； without knowing each other； they had arrived from the most distant corners of the coast； captivated by the talk of the jubilee。 They all bore with pride the name Aureliano and the last name of their mothers。 The three days that they stayed in the house； to the satisfaction of ？rsula and the scandal of Fernanda； were like a state war。 Amaranta searched among old papers for the ledger where ？rsula had written down the names and birth and baptism dates of all of them； and beside the space for each one she added his present address。 That list could well have served as a recapitulation of twenty years of war。 From it the nocturnal itinerary of the colonel from the dawn he left Macondo at the head of twenty…one men on his way to a fanciful rebellion until he returned for the last time wrapped in a blanket stiff with blood could have been reconstructed。 Aureliano Segundo did not let the chance go by to regale his cousins with a thunderous champagne and accordion party that was interpreted as a tardy adjustment of accounts with the carnival； which went awry because of the jubilee。 They smashed half of the dishes； they destroyed the rose bushes as they chased a bull they were trying to hog…tie； they killed the hens by shooting them； they made Amaranta dance the sad waltzes of Pietro Crespi； they got Remedios the Beauty to put on a pair of men’s pants and climb a greased pole； and in the dining room they turned loose a pig daubed with lard； which prostrated Fernanda； but no one regretted the destruction because the house shook with a healthy earthquake。 Colonel Aureliano Buendía who at first received them with mistrust and even doubted the parentage of some； was amused by their wildness； and before they left he gave each one a little gold fish。 Even the withdrawn Jos？Arcadio Segundo offered them an afternoon of cockfights； which was at the point of ending in tragedy because several of the Aurelianos were so expert in matters of the cockpit that they spotted Father Antonio Isabel’s tricks at once。 Aureliano Segundo； who saw the limitless prospect of wild times offered by those mad relatives； decided that they should all stay and work for him。 The only one who accepted was Aureliano Triste； a big mulatto with the drive and explorer’s spirit of his grandfather。 He had already tested his fortune in half the world and it did not matter to him where he stayed。 The others； even though they were unmarried； considered their destinies established。 They were all skillful craftsmen； the men of their houses； peace…loving people。 The Ash Wednesday before they went back to scatter out along the coast； Amaranta got them to put on Sunday clothes and acpany her to church。 More amused than devout； they let themselves be led to the altar rail where Father Antonio Isabel made the sign of the cross in ashes on them。 Back at the house； when the youngest tried to clean his forehead； he discovered that the mark was indelible and so were those of his brothers。 They tried soap and water； earth and a scrubbing brush； and lastly a pumice stone and lye； but they could not remove the crosses。 On the other hand； Amaranta and the others