rned the weapons。 A group of women spoke with Aureliano so that he could obtain the return of their kitchen knives from his father…in…law。 Don Apolinar Moscote explained to him； in strictest confidence； that the soldiers had taken the weapons off as proof that the Liberals were preparing for war。 The cynicism of the remark alarmed him。 He said nothing； but on a certain night when Gerineldo Márquez and Magnífico Visbal were speaking with some other friends about the incident of the knives； they asked him if he was a Liberal or a Conservative。 Aureliano did not hesitate。
“If I have to be something I’ll be a Liberal；？he said； “because the Conservatives are tricky。？
On the following day； at the urging of his friends； he went to see Dr。 Alirio Noguera to be treated for a supposed pain in his liver。 He did not even understand the meaning of the subterfuge。 Dr。 Alirio Noguera had arrived in Macondo a few years before with a medicine chest of tasteless pills and a medical motto that convinced no one： One nail draws another。 In reality he was a charlatan。 Behind his innocent fa？ade of a doctor without prestige there was hidden a terrorist who with his short legged boots covered the scars that five years in the stocks had left on his legs。 Taken prisoner during the first federalist adventure； he managed to escape to Cura？ao disguised in the garment he detested most in this world： a cassock。 At the end of a prolonged exile； stirred up by the exciting news that exiles from all over the Caribbean brought to Cura？ao； he set out in a smuggler’s schooner and appeared in Riohacha with the bottles of pills that were nothing but refined sugar and a diploma from the University of Leipzig that he had forged himself。 He wept with disappointment。 The federalist fervor； which the exiles had pictured as a powder keg about to explode； had dissolved into a vague electoral illusion。 Embittered by failure； yearning for a safe place where he could await old age； the false homeopath took refuge in Macondo。 In the narrow bottle…crowded room that he rented on one side of the square； he lived several years off the hopelessly ill who； after having tried everything； consoled themselves with sugar pills。 His instincts of an agitator remained dormant as long as Don Apolinar Moscote was a figurehead。 He passed the time remembering and fighting against asthma。 The approach of the elections was the thread that led him once more to the skein of subversion。 He made contact with the young people in the town； who lacked political knowledge； and he embarked on a stealthy campaign of instigation。 The numerous red ballots that appeared is the box and that were attributed by Don Apolinar Moscote to the curiosity that came from youth were part of his plan： he made his disciples vote in order to show them that elections were a farce。 “The only effective thing；？he would say； “is violence。？The majority of Aureliano’s friends were enthusiastic over the idea of liquidating the Conservative establishment； but no one had dared include him in the plans； not only because of his ties with the magistrate； but because of his solitary and elusive character。 It was known； furthermore； that he had voted blue at his father…in…law’s direction。 So it was a simple matter of chance that he revealed his political sentiments； and it was purely a matter of curiosity； a caprice； that brought him to visit the doctor for the treatment of a pain that he did not have。 In the den that smelled of camphorated cobwebs he found himself facing a kind of dusty iguana whose lungs whistled when he breathed。 Before asking him any questions the doctor took him to the window and examined the inside of his lower eyelid。 “It’s not there；？Aureliano said； following what they told him。 He pushed the tips of his fingers into his liver and added： “Here’s where I have the pain that won’t let me sleep。？Then Dr。 Noguera closed the window with the pretext that there was too much sun； and explained to him in simple terms that it was a patriotic duty to assassinate Conservatives。 For several days Aureliano carried a small bottle of pills in his shirt pocket。 He would take it out every two hours； put three pills in the palm of his hand； and pop them into his mouth for them to be slowly dissolved on his tongue。 Don Apolinar Moscote made fun of his faith in homeopathy； but those who were in on the plot recognized another one of their people in him。 Almost all of the sons of the founders were implicated； although none of them knew concretely what action they were plotting。 Nevertheless； the day the doctor revealed the secret to Aureliano； the latter elicited the whole plan of the conspiracy。 Although he was convinced at that time of the urgency of liquidating the Conservative regime； the plot horrified him。 Dr。 Noguera had a mystique of personal assassination。 His system was reduced to coordinating a series of individual actions which in one master stroke covering the whole nation would liquidate the functionaries of the regime along with their respective families； especially the children； in order to exterminate Conservatism at its roots。 Don Apolinar Moscote； his wife； and his six daughters； needless to say； were on the list。
“You’re no Liberal or anything else；？Aureliano told him without getting excited。 “You’re nothing but a butcher。？
“In that case；？the doctor replied with equal calm； “give me back the bottle。 You don’t need it any more。？
Only six months later did Aureliano learn that the doctor had given up on him as a man of action because he was a sentimental person with no future； with a passive character； and a definite solitary vocation。 They tried to keep him surrounded； fearing that he would betray the conspiracy。 Aureliano calmed them down： he would not say a word； but on the night they went to murder the Moscote family they would find him guarding the door。 He showed such a convincing decision that the plan was postponed for an indefinite date。 It was during those days that ？rsula asked his opinion about the marriage between Pietro Crespi and Amaranta； and he answered that these were not times to be thinking about such a thing。 For a week he had been carrying an old…fashioned pistol under his shirt。 He kept his eyes on his friends。 In the afternoon he would go have coffee with Jos？Arcadio and Rebeca； who had begun to put their house in order； and from seven o’clock on he would play dominoes with his father…in…law。 At lunchtime he was chatting with Arcadio； who was already a huge adolescent； and he found him more and more excited over the imminence of war。 In school； where Arcadio had pupils older than himself mixed in with children who were barely beginning to talk； the Liberal fever had caught on。 There was talk of shooting Father Nicanor； of turning the church into a school； of instituting free love。 Aureliano tried to calm down his drive。 He remended discretion and prudence to him。 Deaf to his calm reasoning； to his sense of reality； Arcadio reproached him in public for his weakness of character。 Aureliano waited。 Finally； in the beginning of December； ？rsula burst into the workshop all upset。
“War’s broken out！？
War； in fact； had broken out three months before。 Martial law was in effect in the whole country。 The only one who knew it immediately was Don Apolinar Moscote； but he did not give the news even to his wife while the army platoon that was to occupy the town by surprise was on its way。 They entered noiselessly before dawn； with two pieces of light artillery drawn by mules； and they set up their headquarters in the school。 A 6 P。M。 curfew was established。 A more drastic search than the previous one was undertaken； house by house； and this time they even took farm implements。 They dragged out Dr。 Noguera； tied him to a tree in the square； and shot him without any due process of law。 Father Nicanor tried to impress the military authorities with the miracle of levitation and had his head split open by the butt of a soldier’s rifle。 The Liberal exaltation had been extinguished into a silent terror。 Aureliano； pale； mysterious； continued playing dominoes with his father…in…law。 He understood that in spite of his present title of civil and military leader of the town； Don Apolinar Moscote was once more a figurehead。 The decisions were made by the army captain； who each morning collected an extraordinary levy for the defense of public order。 Four soldiers under his mand snatched a woman who had been bitten by a mad dog from her family and killed her with their rifle butts。 One Sunday； two weeks after the occupation； Aureliano entered Gerineldo Márquez’s house and with his usual terseness asked for a mug of coffee without sugar。 When the two of them were alone in the kitchen； Aureliano gave his voice an authority that had never been heard before。 “Get the boys ready；？he said。 “We’re going to war。？Gerineldo Márquez did not believe him。
“With what weapons？？he asked。
“With theirs；？Aureliano replied。
Tuesday at midnight in a mad operation； twenty…one men under the age of thirty manded by Aureliano Buendía； armed with table knives and sharpened tools； took the garrison by surprise； seized the weapons； and in the courtyard executed the captain and the four soldiers who had killed the woman。
That same night； while the sound of the firing squad could be heard； Arcadio was named civil and military leader of the town。 The married rebels barely had time to take leave of their wives； whom they left to their our devices。 They left at dawn； cheered by the people who had been liberated from the terror； to join the forces of the revolutionary general Victorio Medina； who； according to the latest reports； was on his way to Manaure。 Before leaving； Aureliano brought Don Apolinar Moscote out of a closet。 “Rest easy； father…in…law；？he told him。 “The new government guarantees on its word of honor your personal safety and that of your family。？Don Apolinar Moscote had trouble identifying that conspirator in high boots and with a rifle slung over his shoulder with the person he had played dominoes with until nine in the evening。
“This is madness； Aurelito；？he exclaimed。
“Not madness；？Aureliano said。 “War。 And don’t call me Aurelito any more。 Now I’m Colonel Aure