lace glove held up and remained like that with her ring finger ready until the bridegroom managed to stop the ring with his foot before it rolled to the door； and came back blushing to the altar。 Her mother and sisters suffered so much from the fear that the child would do something wrong during the ceremony that in the end they were the ones who mitted the impertinence of picking her up to kiss her。 From that day on the sense of responsibility； the natural grace； the calm control that Remedios would have in the face of adverse circumstances was revealed。 It was she who； on her own initiative； put aside the largest piece that she had cut from the wedding cake and took it on a plate with a fork to Jos？Arcadio Buendía。 Tied to the trunk of the chestnut tree； huddled on a wooden stool underneath the palm shelter； the enormous old man； discolored by the sun and rain； made a vague smile of gratitude and at the piece of cake with his fingers； mumbling an unintelligible psalm。 The only unhappy person in that noisy celebration； which lasted until dawn on Monday； was Rebeca Buendía。 It was her own frustrated party。 By an arrangement of ？rsula’s； her marriage was to be celebrated on the same day； but that Friday Pietro Crespi received a letter with the news of his mother’s imminent death。 The wedding was postponed。 Pietro Crespi left for the capital of the province an hour after receiving the letter； and on the road he missed his mother； who arrived punctually Saturday night and at Aureliano’s wedding sang the sad aria that she had prepared for the wedding of her son。 Pietro Crespi returned on Sunday midnight to sweep up the ashes of the party； after having worn out five horses on the road in an attempt to be in time for his wedding。 It was never discovered who wrote the letter。 Tormented by ？rsula； Amaranta wept with indignation and swore her innocence in front of the altar； which the carpenters had not finished dismantling。
Father Nicanor Reyna—whom Don Apolinar Moscote had brought from the swamp to officiate at the wedding—was an old man hardened by the ingratitude of his ministry。 His skin was sad； with the bones almost exposed； and he had a pronounced round stomach and the expression of an old angel； which came more from； simplicity than from goodness。 He had planned to return to his pariah after the wedding； but he was appalled at the hardness of the inhabitants of Macondo； who were prospering in the midst of scandal； subject to the natural law； without baptizing their children or sanctifying their festivals。 Thinking that no land needed the seed of God so much； he decided to stay on for another week to Christianize both circumcised and gentile； legalize concubinage； and give the sacraments to the dying。 But no one paid any attention to him。 They would answer him that they had been many years without a priest； arranging the business of their souls directly with God； and that they had lost the evil of original sin。 Tired of preaching in the open； Father Nicanor decided to undertake the building of a church； the largest in the world； with life…size saints and stained…glass windows on the sides； so that people would e from Rome to honor God in the center of impiety。 He went everywhere begging alms with a copper dish。 They gave him a large amount； but he wanted more； because the church had to have a bell that would raise the drowned up to the surface of the water。 He pleaded so much that he lost his voice。 His bones began to fill with sounds。 One Saturday； not even having collected the price of the doors； he fell into a desperate confusion。 He improvised an altar in the square and on Sunday he went through the town with a small bell； as in the days of insomnia； calling people to an open…air mass。 Many went out of curiosity。 Others from nostalgia。 Others so that God would not take the disdain for His intermediary as a personal insult。 So that at eight in the morning half the town was in the square； where Father Nicanor chanted the gospels in a voice that had been lacerated by his pleading。 At the end； when the congregation began to break up； he raised his arms signaling for attention。
“Just a moment；？he said。 “Now we shall witness an undeniable proof of the infinite power of God。？
The boy who had helped him with the mass brought him a cup of thick and steaming chocolate； which he drank without pausing to breathe。 Then he wiped his lips with a handkerchief that he drew from his sleeve； extended his arms； and closed his eyes。 Thereupon Father Nicanor rose six inches above the level of the ground。 It was a convincing measure。 He went among the houses for several days repeating the demonstration of levitation by means of chocolate while the acolyte collected so much money in a bag that in less than a month he began the construction of the church。 No one doubted the divine origin of the demonstration except Jos？Arcadio Buendía； who without changing expression watched the troop of people who gathered around the chestnut tree one morning to witness the revelation once more。 He merely stretched on his stool a little and shrugged his shoulders when Father Nicanor began to rise up from the ground along with the chair he was sitting on。
“Hoc est simplicissimus；？Jos？Arcadio Buendía said。 “Homo iste statum quartum materiae invenit。？
Father Nicanor raised his hands and the four legs of the chair all landed on the ground at the same time。 “Nego；？he said。 “Factum hoc existentiam Dei probat sine dubio。？
Thus it was discovered that Jos？Arcadio Buendía’s devilish jargon was Latin。 Father Nicanor took advantage of the circumstance of his being the only person who had been able to municate with him to try to inject the faith into his twisted mind。 Every afternoon he would sit by the chestnut tree preaching in Latin； but Jos？Arcadio Buendía insisted on rejecting rhetorical tricks and the transmutation of chocolate； and he demanded the daguerreotype of God as the only proof。 Father Nicanor then brought him medals and pictures and even a reproduction of the Veronica； but Jos？Arcadio Buendía rejected them as artistic objects without any scientific basis。 He was so stubborn that Father Nicanor gave up his attempts at evangelization and continued visiting him out of humanitarian feelings。 But then it was Jos？Arcadio Buendía who took the lead and tried to break down the priest’s faith with rationalist tricks。 On a certain occasion when Father Nicanor brought a checker set to the chestnut tree and invited him to a game； Jos？Arcadio Buendía would not accept； because according to him he could never understand the sense of a contest in which the two adversaries have agreed upon the rules。 Father Nicanor； who had never seen checkers played that way； could not play it again。 Ever more startled at Jos？Arcadio Buendía’s lucidity； he asked him how it was possible that they had him tied to a tree。
“Hoc est simplicissimus；？he replied。 “Because I’m Crazy。？
From then on； concerned about his own faith； the priest did not e back to visit him and dedicated himself to hurrying along the building of the church。 Rebeca felt her hopes being reborn。 Her future was predicated on the pletion of the work； for one Sunday when Father Nicanor was lunching at the house and the whole family sitting at the table spoke of the solemnity and splendor that religious ceremonies would acquire when the church was built； Amaranta said： “The luckiest one will be Rebeca。？And since Rebeca did not understand what she meant； she explained it to her with an innocent smile：
“You’re going to be the one who will inaugurate the church with your wedding。？
Rebeca tried to forestall any ments。 The way the construction was going the church would not be built before another ten years。 Father Nicanor did not agree： the growing generosity of the faithful permitted him to make more optimistic calculations。 To the mute Indignation of Rebeca； who could not finish her lunch； ？rsula celebrated Amaranta’s idea and contributed a considerable sum for the work to move faster。 Father Nicanor felt that with another contribution like that the church would be ready within three years。 From then on Rebeca did not say another word to Amaranta； convinced that her initia