Chapter 8 Chapter VII

My sole purpose in doing this was to make this continent a single, united country, and I never contradicted myself, nor had I ever had the slightest doubt about it. I am old, sick, and tired all over the body, and all my thoughts are lost. I am surrounded by enemies, slandered, and revenged. General Urdaneta had seized power on September 5, and the Constituent Assembly had expired, with no effective institution to legitimize the results of his coup; During the period of power, he was an agent of the regime.Thus Venezuelan soldiers and officers stationed in New Grenada successfully staged a mutiny, backed by rural church forces and small estate owners on the steppes, and defeated the armed forces of the government, the first of its kind in the Republic of Colombia. The coup, the first of the 49 civil wars that we would endure for the rest of the century.President Joaquín Mosquera and Vice-President Caicedo relinquished their posts amid desertion, and Urdaneta picked up power from the ground up.As one of his first acts in power, he sent a private delegation to Cartagena to appoint the general as President of the Republic.

Jose Palacios could not remember a time when his master's health had been as stable as it had been in those days, with headaches and evening fevers disappearing as soon as news of the military coup was received.But he did not see a greater improvement in his mood.Montilla was very worried about this, and in the end he conspired with Brother Sebastian Desigense and asked him to give the general unobtrusive help.The friar gladly accepted the suggestion, and did it flawlessly.On those hot afternoons waiting for the arrival of Urdaneta's emissary, he made the general win consecutive games.

The general had learned to play chess during his second trip to Europe, and during those dead nights during the war in Peru, he often played against General Oleari and almost became a master.But he didn't feel that he could still make greater progress. "Chess is not a pastime, but an infusion of single-minded emotion," he said. "I like other things that are more daring." Yet in his public education program, chess is still listed as something that should be taught in schools. One of the legitimate and salutary amusements.In fact, he has never insisted on practicing chess, because his nerves are not suitable for such a careful game, and the energy spent in playing chess will be used to deal with more serious matters.

When Brother Sebastian went to him, he found him swinging on the bed, which was tied and hung outside the door facing the street, so that he could keep an eye out for the scorching heat that would be raised on the road when the messenger from Urdaneta arrived. dust. "Oh, priest," he called out when he saw the monk approaching, "you never learn your lesson." He hardly sat down when moving the chess pieces, because every time he made a good move, while the monk was thinking, he would stand up. "Your Excellency, do not distract me," replied the monk, "I will eat you alive."

The general replied: "He who is proud at lunch will be ashamed at dinner." Oleari stopped at the table from time to time to ponder the situation on the chessboard and give some advice to the general, but he angrily refused.On the contrary, whenever he won, he went up to the officers who were playing cards in the courtyard, and told them about his powers.In the middle of a game of chess, Brother Sebastian asked him if he was going to write some memoirs. "I would never write," he said. "Memoirs are a deadly thing." Waiting for the mail, which had been one of his main interests, had become an ordeal.Especially during the weeks when the situation was chaotic and he was looking forward to news, the mail from Santa Fe was late and the contacts from the post station were exhausting.Yet the secret emails are coming in more and faster than in the past.In this way, the general had the latest news long before the letter arrived from the post office, giving him ample time to think deeply about the decision he was going to take.

When he heard that the messenger was about to arrive, on September 17 he ordered Carreno and Oleari to wait on the way to Turbaco.Colonels Vicente Pinheres and Julian Santamaria, who delivered the letter, were first surprised by the good mood of the General, who had already been talking about this hopeless patient.A grand welcome ceremony was held in the residence, with the participation of important figures in the military and political circles, who delivered timely speeches and toasted the motherland.After the ceremony, he left the emissary behind, and each confided in the other.Colonel Santa Maria, who always amused himself with surprising remarks, pushed the conversation to a climax, saying that if the general did not accept his order, there would be irremediable anarchism in the country, and the general avoided the subject.

"The first constitution exists, and then it is revised," he said. "Only when the political situation becomes clear can we know whether the motherland exists or not. " Colonel Santa Maria did not understand the sentence. "I would say that the most pressing issue is the unification of the country by force," the general explained, "but the end of the line is not here, it is in Venezuela." From this moment on, from the beginning, it will be his unwavering thought, for he knows that the enemy is not outside, but at home.The oligarchic governments of both countries declared their death-defying opposition to the idea of ​​unification, as it was incompatible with their insistence on the local privileges of the aristocratic families, and in New Granada the oligarchies were represented by the Santanderists and the Santander myself.

"That's the real and only reason for this separatist war that's killing us," said the general, "and the saddest thing is that when they think they're changing the world, they're actually perpetuating Spanish backwardness ’” He went on in one breath: “I know they’re laughing at me, because in the same letter to the same person on the same day, I said something and then denied it, I’m in favor of the monarchy program, but against it, or because in another place, I agree with both positions, both for and against.” He was accused of being erratic in the way he judged men and navigated history, that he was both against Fernando VII. He embraced Morillo and accused him of being an important advocate of the Spanish spirit while fighting a desperate battle with Spain. He won the war by it, blamed him for being a defender of the Church, having been a Freemason and reading Voltaire at the time of the Miracle; married a French princess: reprimanded him for frivolity, hypocrisy, and even treachery, for flattering his friends to his face and slandering him behind his back. "Well, all of that is true, but that's improvisation," he said, "because my sole purpose in doing this is to make this continent a single, unified Where there was a contradiction, there was never an iota of doubt." He ended the conversation with a true Caribbean phrase: "Everything else is bullshit!"

Two days later, in a letter to General Briceño Mendez he wrote: "I did not agree to accept the command that the minutes gave me because I did not want to be seen as the leader of the rebels. , and was entrusted militarily by the victorious side." But on the same evening, in dictating to Fernando two letters addressed to General Rafael Urdaneta, he took care not to speak so thoroughly. . The first letter was a formal reply letter. From the fact that the address of the letter was "Mr. Your Excellency", one can clearly see the solemnity of the tone.In it he defended the coup on the grounds that the republic had been left in a state of neglect and anarchy following the dissolution of the previous government."The people will not be fooled under the circumstances," he wrote, without signaling any possibility that he would accept the presidency.The only thing he can promise is that he is ready to return to Santa Fe and serve the new regime as an ordinary soldier.

The other, written in a private capacity, is evident in the opening line of this letter: "My dear general."The letter was long and clear, leaving no doubt about the reasons for his hesitation.Because Joaquin Mosquera has not renounced the title of President, maybe tomorrow he will be recognized as the legitimate President, and if so, he will be placed in the position of usurper.He reiterated the above point in that formal letter that it was impossible for him to come to power without the above board mandate derived from legal rights. The two letters were taken by the same postman, along with an original copy of his speech in which he asked the nation to forget his passion for politics and called for support for the new government.But he avoided making any promises. "Although it seems that I have promised many things, in fact I have promised nothing." He later commented on his speech like this.He admitted to writing some polite remarks.Its sole purpose is to please those who place their hopes in him.

What is most significant in the second letter is the commanding tone, which is unexpected in a man without any power.He asked for a promotion to the rank of Colonel Florencio Jimenez so that he could march west with enough troops and equipment to deal with both José Maria Obando and José Hilario López. Generals who are playing passive warfare against the central government. "He killed Sucre," he insisted in the letter.He also recommended several other officers for various senior positions. "Watch this side," he wrote to Urdaneta. "I am in charge of the Magdalena River to this part of Venezuela, including the province of Boyaca." Santa Fe helped restore public order there and consolidate the new government. After this, he did not hear from Urdaneta directly for 42 days.However, during this long period of more than a month, he still continued to write letters to Udaneta through various channels, and issued a large number of military orders.Regular cruises came and went, and he never seriously talked about his past travels to Europe, although he did bring it up, but only as a way of exerting political pressure. Popazu's residence became the national stronghold, and in those months few military decisions were not made or made by him in his hammock.Step by step, almost without hope for himself, he was finally drawn into a decision far beyond the military circle.He even worried about trivial things, such as getting a job for his friend Mr. Tatis in the post office and getting General José Urcos recalled to active duty.The general could no longer bear the tranquility of the court. In those days, he repeated his old saying again and again: "I am old, sick, and tired all over the body. I have lost all hope and encountered enemies everywhere. I was slandered by others, and I was rewarded with revenge." However, anyone who saw him would not believe his words.While it appears that he is only playing cat-like tricks to consolidate the new government, he is actually carefully designing, with the authority and authority of a commander-in-chief, a well-structured military machine through which to retaliate against Venezuela first, And from there to rally and rebuild the world's greatest national alliance. A better time than this cannot be imagined.New Granada was credible in Urdaneta's hands, the Liberals were crumbling, and Santander was stranded in Paris.Ecuador is controlled by Flores, the ambitious, trouble-loving Venezuelan local powerhouse who split Quito and Guayaquil from Colombia to create a new republic, but the general is sure that, after cleaning up After killing Sucre's killer, he was able to avenge Ecuador to advance his cause.In Bolivia there is Marshal Santa Cruz, who is absolutely reliable, and who has just proposed to the general to be his diplomatic representative to the Holy See.In this way, the most urgent goal is to seize the regime of General Pais in one fell swoop and control Venezuela. The military plan conceived by the general seemed to be to launch a grand attack from Cúcuta, while General Pais concentrated his forces on the defense of Maracaibo.However, on the first day of September, Riohacha province dismissed the supreme commander of the local army, did not recognize the authority of the Cartagena authorities, and declared that it belonged to Venezuela.Maracaibo not only immediately gave support, but also sent General Pedro Carujo, the leader of the coup d'état on September 25, who escaped legal sanctions only under the protection of the Venezuelan government. Montilla hastened to the general as soon as he received the above news, but he already knew it, and was ecstatic with joy.Because the Riohacha rebellion provided him with an excuse to mobilize excellent troops from other directions to attack Maracaibo. "Besides," he said, "Karujo's in our hands." Locked up in the room that night, he and his officers sketched the undulations of the relevant terrain, studied the movement of troops by moving chess pieces, determined which enemy's least expected targets to attack first, and formulated very precise strategic plan.Academically, he was less educated than any of his officers, since most of them were educated in the best military academies in Spain, but he could see the big picture, even down to its most intimate details.His photographic memory is amazing, and he can name a certain obstacle he saw many years ago. Although he cannot be called a master of the art of controlling war, as far as military inspiration is concerned, it is difficult for anyone. Looking forward to his neck. At dawn, a plan was drawn up, down to the least noticeable detail, and it was a thoughtful and brutal plan.But the plans were so unrealistic that the attack on Maracaibo was scheduled for late November or, in the worst case, early December.At eight o'clock in the morning, the plan was finally revised, and it was a rainy Tuesday.Montilla reminded him that a Granada general was missing from the plan. "None of the New Granada generals are worth it," he said. "They're either fools or rogues." Montilla quickly eased the subject: "How about you, General, where are you going?" "For me now, it doesn't matter if I go to Cúcuta or to Riohacha," he said. When he turned to leave, General Carreno's frown reminded him of the promise he had broken many times.In fact he wanted to keep him by his side no matter what, but the date of fulfilling his wish could not be put off any longer.As usual, he patted him lightly on the shoulder and said, "It's a deal, Carreno, you go too." The expeditionary force, consisting of 2,000 men, chose to sail from Cartagena on the seemingly symbolic day of September 25th.Mariano Montilla, José Felix Blanco and José Maria Carreno were in charge of commanding this army. The mission of the country house allows him to keep a close eye on the development of the battle while he recovers.The general wrote to a friend: "In two days I will go to Santa Marta. The purpose of this trip is to exercise my body. To get rid of the life I am tired of now and to cultivate my temperament." , set off on October 1st. On 2 October, while still en route, the general put it more bluntly in a letter to Justo Bricegno: "I am going to Santa Marta with the purpose of giving myself to the troops that are going to Maracaibo. Make a little impact." On the same day, he wrote to Udaneta: "I went to Santa Marta to see that place, which I've never been, and to see if I could make some The enemy of public opinion wakes up." Only then did he reveal the purpose of his trip to him: "I will be able to see the military operation against Riohacha close by, I want to be close to Maracaibo, close to the troops, In order to see if I can play a role in some major battles." From the positive point of view, he is no longer a pensioner who is about to flee to another country after a defeat, but a general who gallops on the battlefield to command operations. On the eve of leaving Cartagena, the battle situation was very tense, so there was no time to hold a formal farewell ceremony. A few friends had given them a message in advance.According to his instructions, Fernando and Josepa Lacios left half of his luggage in the care of friends and several firms, in order not to be a useless burden for an uncertain war.10 boxes of personal documents were handed over to local businessman Juan Pavahiaou and asked him to send them to Paris. The specific address will be notified to him separately.The receipt of the consignment of the luggage stipulated that if the owner of the boxes could not make a claim on his stored items due to irresistible reasons, Mr. Pavakhiau would burn all the boxes deposited. Fernando deposited 200 Spanish gold coins in the Bush Share Bank, which was discovered at the last minute in his uncle's stationery, and no one knows its origins.A jewelry box containing 35 gold medals was deposited with Juan Francisco; two velvet pockets, one containing 294 large silver medals, 77 small silver medals, 96 medium silver medals; One contains 40 silver and gold medals, some of which also bear the profile of the general himself.The gold tableware brought from Mompox was packed in an old wine chest, also stored at Juan Francisco, along with some worn-out bedding, two boxes of books, a A diamond-studded saber and a shotgun that doesn't work.Amongst the many small objects stored, these clutter left over from the past, are a few pairs of anamorphic glasses that are no longer in use.At the age of 39, the general found that his eyes were a little presbyopic, and he had difficulty shaving his face, and finally he couldn't even read with his arms straight. Jose.Palacios entrusted Juan de Dios with a suitcase that he carried from east to west for several years, and Amador kept it, but no one knew what it contained.These were some of the general's personal belongings, amassed at a certain moment in his life by an irresistible possessive desire for something unimaginable or someone of mediocre value, and after a time had to be put away. They're always on my back and I don't know how to get rid of them.The box was brought from Lima to Santa Fe in 1826, and he still took it with him when he returned to the South after the September 25 murders to prepare for the last war. "We can't throw it away when we don't know if it's ours," he said.When he returned to Santa Fe for the last time to present his final resignation to the Constituent Assembly, it was among the few pieces of former imperial luggage he carried with him that case.It was decided to open it later in Cartagena, when the General's property was fully dealt with, and it turned out to be a disjointed mass of personal things that had been thought lost.There are 415 gold ounces minted in Columbia, a portrait of George Washington and a tuft of the mane of Washington's mount, a gold snuff box presented by the King of England, a gold casket with diamond keys containing a reliquary And that diamond-encrusted Bolivian Superstar medal.Jose Palacios deposited all these things with DeFrancisco.Martin's mansion, and made a description and registration of the stored items, and asked him to issue a receipt in compliance with the regulations.In this way, the volume of the luggage is reduced to a reasonable level, although there are three more boxes for changing clothes, one more box containing 10 old cotton and linen tablecloths and one box containing several styles. Boxes of silver and gold cutlery, which the General neither wanted to throw away nor sell, but to set the table in case of future guests.He has been suggested many times to dispose of these things at a low price to increase his financial resources, but he has always refused on the grounds that "this is state property". The general and his party arrived in Turbaco on the first day with light clothes.The next day when we were on the road, the weather was quite good, but before noon, it suddenly rained, and we had to take shelter under a naked mahogany tree, and stayed under the tree at night to let the rain pour and the wind in the swamp blowing.The general groaned with pain in his arms and liver. Jose Palacios immediately made him a decoction according to the French medical manual, but the pain became more severe and his body temperature rose.By daybreak, he was in such poor health that he was unconscious when he was carried to the small town of Soledad.An old friend of the general in town, Pedro Juan Bisbal, took him up in his home.Due to the unbearable rain in October, the general was in severe pain and discomfort, and ended up staying here for more than a month. The name Soledad is very apt.There are only four hot, desolate, poor and run-down streets in the whole town.It is only a dozen kilometers away from the ancient St. Nicholas Canyon. In a few years, St. Nicholas will become the most prosperous and hospitable city in the country.The General would have been hard-pressed to find a quieter place, a better-for-his-body residence if he hadn't come here: a house with six sun-drenched Andalusian balconies and a well-groomed courtyard , the general can think deeply under the century-old kapok tree.Through the window of the bedroom, one can see the deserted small square and its surrounding houses with bitter palm leaves as roofs and walls as colorful as Christmas gifts, as well as the dilapidated church. The tranquility of his dwelling had done little to restore his health.He passed out once during the first night, but he refused to admit that this was a new sign of physical exhaustion.According to the French medical manual, he described his illness as an exacerbation of black bile disease caused by a severe cold and a relapse of rheumatism caused by eating and sleeping in the open.The results of multiple diagnoses of illness exacerbated his old habit of opposing the simultaneous administration of several different drugs for different diseases, because, he said, drugs that were beneficial for some diseases were harmful for others.But he also admitted that there is no good medicine for those who do not take the medicine. In addition, he complains every day that there is no good doctor. At the same time, he does not let so many doctors sent to see him. Colonel Wilson wrote in a letter to his father in those days that the General might die at any moment, but that he refused the doctors not out of contempt for them, but out of his own sanity .Disease, Wilson wrote, was virtually the only enemy the general feared, and he refused to deal with it so as not to distract him from the greatest enterprise of his life. "Taking care of a sickness is like being employed on a ship," the General once said to him.In Lima four years ago, Oleari suggested that he undergo a thorough medical treatment while preparing Bolivia's constitution, and his flat answer was: "You can't do two things at the same time." He seemed convinced that continuous activity and reliance on one's own faculties was the magic spell against disease.Fernanda Barriga has a habit. When serving him a meal, first tie a bib on him, and then put the food into his mouth spoon by spoon like feeding a child, and he chews quietly , until swallowed, and then open the mouth.During these days, however, he seized dishes and spoons.With no bibs and DIY meals, he made it clear that he didn't need anyone.Jose Palacios was heartbroken when he tried to do the chores that had always been done by servants or orderlies and adjutants.It was with infinite poignancy to see him trying to fill an inkwell and spilling it all in a large bottle.It's really unusual, even when he was at his worst, his hands didn't tremble, his wrists were still so strong, he still cut his nails once a week, filed his nails once a week, and shaved his beard once a day. surprise. Once, in his church in Peru, he spent a blissful evening with a Bedouin girl whose every corner was covered with straight hairs.After getting up in the morning, while he was shaving, he looked at the naked girl on the bed, and his thoughts wandered in the peaceful dream of a satisfied woman. Already tempted.So he lathered her from head to toe, held the razor in his hand, and shaved her all over with the joy of love, using his right hand now and his left hand, shaving little by little until The eyebrows made her body, which was as beautiful as when she was just born, be naked twice.The girl asked him excitedly if he really loved her, and he replied with the words that have nourished the hearts of so many women unsparingly in his life: "I have never loved anyone in the world like you. " In the small town of Soledad, he made the same sacrifice once while he was shaving.At first, as if driven by childish psychology, a drooping gray strand of the already thin hair was shaved off.Then I consciously shaved off another pinch, and then, without any order, like mowing grass, I shaved off all the hair.While shaving his hair, he recited with his throat his favorite passage from the epic poem "Araucana."That's when Jose Palacios walked into his bedroom, trying to see who he was talking to, and it was his lathered hair that had been shaved.He has a big shaved head. Exorcism did not bring him relief.During the day, he wore a silk hat on his head, and at night, a little red riding hood, but this did not improve his depression.In the dark, he got out of bed and walked in the big moonlit room, but he was no longer naked, but wrapped in a blanket so as not to shiver in the hot night. Plus the red hat. He was so irritated by the intrigues of the soldiers and the misconduct of the politicians that one afternoon he slammed the table and decided he would tolerate none of them any more. "Tell them not to come to me again, I'm consumptive," he cried.He made the harsh decision to forbid the wearing of military uniforms around him and the practice of military decorum at home.But, without these, he struggled to pass the day, consoling summons and futile conclave, which, despite his own orders, continued as usual.At this time, he felt that his physical condition was extremely bad, and finally agreed to a doctor to see him, on the condition that he would not examine him or ask about his pain.Don't try to make him drink any medicine. "Just chatting." He said. The doctor who was not selected seemed to be more in line with his wishes.The doctor's name was Hercules Gastelfondo. He was an old man radiating with happiness, with a broad frame and a peaceful temper. With his lawyer's patience, he can alleviate other people's pain.Throughout the coast, he was skeptical of everything and was known for his scientific daring.He administered chocolate and cheese ointment to people with biliary disorders, he advised people to have sex while digesting after a meal, saying it was a good way to live longer, and he smoked those handlebar drugs one by one. Cigarettes rolled in paper wrappers, and prescribed this wonderful remedy to his patients for various physical ailments.Patients who received his treatment said that they were never completely cured of their illnesses, but that his eloquent conversation could relieve boredom and diversion.He let out a vulgar laugh at this. "At my hands as many patients die as at the hands of other doctors," he said, "but die more happily here." He came to the General's residence in the car of Master Bartolome Molinales. It is stipulated that no one is allowed to visit unless invited.The old doctor was wearing a white linen shirt that had not been ironed, several pockets were full of food, and he was holding an old umbrella in the rain, which was not so much used for shelter as it was for shelter from the rain. Used to pray for rain.After the polite greetings, the first thing to do was to ask the General to forgive the stench of his half-smoked cigarette.The general was not only then, but has never been a person who can't stand the smell of smoke, but he forgave him. "I'm used to it," he said, "Manuela smokes cigarettes that smell worse than yours, even in bed, and it goes without saying that she blows smoke much closer to me than you do. " Dr. Gastelvondorf immediately seized on a topic that was burning his soul. "By the way," he said, "how is she?" "Who are you asking?" "Donna Manuela." The general replied dryly, "It's fine." He changed the subject without concealment, and the doctor laughed to cover up his abruptness.The General knew, and doubtless, that none of his affairs escaped the backs of his entourage.He never boasted of his affairs, but they were so many and so common that the privacy of his bed had become an open secret.It took three months for an ordinary letter to travel from Lima to Caracas, but the rumors about his sexual affairs seemed to fly like flying.Scandal stalked him like another figure, his mistresses were marked forever by gray crosses on their faces, while he was still fulfilling his vain duty to keep secrets of love affairs protected by the holy code, and none of them It was heard that he had been unfaithful to a woman he had been with, except, of course, José Palacios, who was complicit in everything the General did.Even with regard to Dr. Gastelvondorf's innocent curiosity, he did not reveal a word. The doctor was referring to Manuela Saenz. Not much can be kept private. Apart from this brief interlude, Dr. Gastelvondorf's arrival seemed to the general a divine arrangement.He lifted his spirits with learned madness, and he shared pockets of baubles, dairy confectionery, and cassava-chocolate bonbons.He said the General accepted his advice out of humility, and that the General shared the food with him for amusement.One day, the general complained that the delicacies of these sarongs could only be used to satisfy hunger, but not to restore weight, which was what the general hoped for. "Don't worry, sir," replied the doctor, "what goes in your mouth makes you fat, and what comes out of your mouth makes you lose your dignity." His theory so amused the general that he agreed Drank a glass of old wine with him and drank a glass of sago coconut juice. However, the temper which the doctor had so carefully cured him for, turned sour upon hearing the unpleasant news.Someone told him that the owners of the family in which he lived in Cartagena, for fear of contagion, burned his cot, mattresses and sheets, and everything else he touched during his stay.He ordered Don Juan de Dios Amador to take a certain amount out of the money he had in his possession, and to pay for the things that had been burned as if they were new, in addition to paying the rent for the house.However, despite this, it did not alleviate the bitterness in his heart. A few days later, he felt even worse when he learned that Joaquin Mosquera had passed by on his way to America, but had not deigned to visit him.He made no secret of his inner anxiety, asked people one after another, and finally found out that Mosquera had indeed stayed in the seaside area for more than a week while waiting for the ship, visited many mutual friends with the general, and visited several The general's political opponents, and expressed his displeasure to all those who commented on the general as ungrateful.When he had boarded the boat on which he was sailing, and before the ship set sail, he summarized his fixed views to those who rushed to see him off: "Please keep in mind that this fellow does not like anyone. .” Jose Palacios knew how sensitive the general was to such accusations.Nothing can annoy and irritate him more than when someone doubts his feelings, and with that amazing charm he can cleave mountains, move seas, and even convince doubters that doubts are wrong, and that in his honour. At the peak of his career, Angostura's beauty, Delfina Guardiola, was extremely annoyed by his erratic style and shut him down. "General, you are a fine man that no one can compare to," she said to him, "but you are not qualified for love." He slipped in through the kitchen window and stayed with her for three whole days. God, the result not only almost led to the defeat of a battle, but also almost lost his life, until finally he gained Delfina's complete trust in him. At this time, Moskra was far away from the place where he was temporarily staying, but whenever he met someone he could talk to, he would vent his resentment.他不停地反问，一个允许用官方照会把委内瑞拉遣责和流放他的决定通告于他的人，有什么权利来谈论人的爱心。 “他该感到高兴。因为我没有给他复信而使他免除了一次历史性的惩罚。”他高声叫道。他回顾了为他所做的一切，如何帮助他成为后来那样的人物，如何忍受了他那农民的自我陶醉的无知行为。最后，他给一个普通的朋友写了一封绝望的长信，目的是不管莫斯克拉在世界的什么地方，都能使他痛苦的呼声送到他的耳边。 相反，那些尚没有收到的消息象一团看不见的迷雾把他包裹在里面。乌达内塔仍然没有给他回信。他在委内瑞拉的心腹布里塞尼奥?门德斯给他寄来了一封信和他非常爱吃的牙买加水果，但送信的人，却淹死了。他安排在东部边境的胡斯托?布里塞尼奥，那慢慢吞吞的行动把他急死了。乌达内塔的沉默给全国罩上了阴影。而他在伦敦的联系人费尔南德斯?马德里的去世，则给世界罩上了阴影。 将军有所不知的是，当他得不到乌达内塔的一点消息时，这一位却与他的随行军官们保持积极的联系，试图让他们从将军嘴里掏出一个明确无误的答复。乌达内塔在给奥莱亚里的信上写道：“我需要彻底地知道将军接受还是不接受总统的职务，还是我们一生都得跟在一个可望而不可及的幻影后面奔跑。”不仅奥莱亚里，他周围的其他一些人都企图得到他对此事的答复，以便通知乌达内塔，但是将军的搪塞手腕无法破突。 终于接到了来自里奥阿查的消息，情况远比通常的不祥之兆更为严重。正如原先预计的那样，曼努埃尔?巴尔德斯将军于10 月20日夺取了里奥阿查城，没有遇到任何抵抗；但在紧接着的下一个星期，卡鲁霍歼灭了巴尔德斯的两个侦察连。巴尔德斯向蒙蒂利亚提出了辞呈，并企图说成是高尚的举动，而蒙蒂利亚却认为他的辞职丢尽了脸。“这个无赖被吓死了。”他说，“根据原订的计划，距攻克马拉开波只剩15 天了，然而单是控制里奥阿查，也成为无法实现的梦想了。” “娘的！”将军大声嚷道，“我这位将军里最出类拔萃的英雄，连一场兵营的骚乱都平息不了。” 然而，对他刺激最大的消息是、政府军到哪儿，哪儿的居民就四散奔逃，因为他们把军队与将军看作一丘之貉，他们认为他就是杀害里奥阿查人民所祟拜的偶像，本地出身的海军上将帕迪利亚的凶手。另外，与此同时，国内其它地方的情况也极为不妙，到处是无政府状态，到处都是乱糟糟的一片，而乌达内塔政权又没有能力对付这样的局面。那天，当碰见将军在一位刚给他送来圣菲方面消息的特使面前破口大骂时，加斯特尔冯多大夫又一次为他胆汁的复生能力感到吃惊。“这个狗屁政府，它不是让老百姓和重要人物参与国事，而是把他们的手脚捆得不能动弹，”他一个劲地嚷道，“它将再一次垮台，而且不会第三次得救，因为它的那些成员和支持它的民众将被斩尽杀绝。” 医生想平息他怒火的努力根本没有用，当他痛斥完政府后，又直着嗓门一个一个地数落所有跟过他的那些参谋人员。对华金?巴里加上校，这位二次大战役的英雄，说有多坏就有多坏，“甚至是杀人犯”，对被疑为参与阴谋杀害苏克雷的佩德罗?马格伊蒂奥将军，说他是能力低下的指挥官，对他在考卡省最坚定的支持者冈萨雷斯狠狠地砍了一刀：“他患的病就是忧郁病和软弱症。”发完火后，嘴里直喘粗气，一下跌坐在摇椅里，好让他的心脏稍微缓一下劲儿，20 年来，他一直都需要这样的休息。这时，他看到了僵立在大门边的加斯特尔冯多大夫，于是提高嗓音说道“说到底，对一个用两座房子作赌注玩骰子的人，您能期待他什么呢？” 加斯特尔冯多大夫觉得摸不着头脑。 “您在说谁？”他问道。 “说乌达内塔，”将军答道，'在马拉开波，他把两座房子都输给了一位海军司令，但是在房契上却让写着是卖给对方的。”将军深深地吸了一口气。“当然，与奸诈狡猾的桑坦德相比，他们还是大好人，”他继续说道，“桑坦德的朋党盗窃向英国借来的贷款，以实际价值十分之一的价钱搜购债券，然后国家付给他们百分之一百的钱。”他声明，不管怎样，他反对向外国贷款不是担心出现腐败现象，而是及时预见到了它威胁着曾为之流过如此多鲜血的独立事业。 “我比憎恶西班牙人还要憎恶外债，”他说，“所以我提醒桑坦德，如果我们接受贷款，我们为国民做的那些好事将付于东流，因为我们得一个世纪又一个世纪地偿付利息。现在我们都看清楚了，我们将毁于外债。” 在现政府开始执政时，他不仅赞同乌达内塔关于尊重战败者生命安全的决定，而且为这一新的战争伦理观表示祝贺：“这并不是因为我们现在的敌人用我们对付西班牙人的做法来对付我们。”就是说，不是你死，就是我活的恶战。但是，在索莱达小镇上的那些黑暗的长夜里，他在一封叫人受不了的信里提醒乌达内塔，在所有的内战中，总是最残酷的人获胜。“请相信我说的，大夫，”他对医生说道，“我们的威严，我们的生命只有用我们敌手的鲜血才能保存。” 突然，他的暴怒消失得无影无踪，就象它发生时一样突然，将军对刚刚被他辱骂过的军官一一予以历史性的赦免。“不管怎么说，是我错了，”他说，“他们想到的只是争取独立，这是件直接而具体的事情，唉，而且干得不错！”他向医生伸出骨瘦如柴的手，让帮他站起来，他长叹了一声结束道：“相反，我却在寻找一种虚无东西的梦幻中迷失了方向。” 就在那些天里，伊图尔维德的去留一事决定了。10 月末，他接到了他母亲的一封信，一般都是从乔治敦写来，告诉他说，墨西哥自由派力量的发展使他们一家重返祖国的希望越来越渺茫了。他这种欲言又止的迟疑态度，加上他从小就有的优柔寡断的性格，折腾他实在无法忍受。幸好，一天下午，将军倚着他的胳膊在走廊里漫步时，意想不到地给他说起了过去的一件事。 “说起墨西哥．只有一件事的印象不愉快，”他说，“那是在韦拉克鲁斯，码头上船长的一群大猎犬把我准备带到西班牙的两条狗崽撕咬成了碎片。” 不管怎样，他说，那是他的第一次社会经历，给他永远留在心里。他第一次去欧洲是1799 年2 月，本来只计划在韦拉克鲁斯作短暂的停留，后来几乎停留了两个月，因为下一站停留的地点哈瓦那正遭受英国的封锁。在韦拉克鲁斯的耽搁，使他有时间乘车去了一趟墨西哥城，车子在积雪的火山和光怪陆离的沙漠里几乎往上爬了3000 米的高度，这种自然景色与他一直生活的土地、阿拉瓜河流域那充满田园情趣的黎明，没有一点共同之处。“我寻思月球上就应该那个样子。”他说。墨西哥城的空气如此清新，使他大感意外，街头的露天市场多得让他眼花缭乱，而且每一处都打扫得干干净净，售卖的吃食里有龙舌兰的红毛虫、犰狳、河蚓、蝗虫卵、蚱蜢、黑幼蚁、山猫、蜜渍水蠊、玉米蜂，家养鬣蜥、响尾蛇、各种飞鸟，矮脚狗，还有一种不停地跳动的、好似有生命的菜豆。“凡能走路的东西都吃。”他说。城里流淌着无数条清沏河渠，油漆着明快色彩的小船，还有繁茂艳丽的鲜花，都使他惊讶不已。但是2月的短暂白昼、沉默寡言的印地安人和下个没完的毛毛细雨使他沮丧扫兴，日后，在整个安第斯山地区，无论在圣菲、利马还是拉巴斯，这一切都将使他感到压抑、憋闷，当时，他只是第一次感到难受。一位通过朋友介绍的主教拉着他的手去谒见总督，他觉得这一位比主教更象主教．总督对这个面容消瘦、皮肤棕黑，衣着考究的小青年几乎没有怎么注意，年轻人还向他表示说自己是法国革命的崇拜者。“这本可以使我送命的，”将军说道，并觉得这件事挺有趣。 “也许当时找想，对一位总督，应该谈点政治，这是我16 岁时所唯一知道的事情。”从韦拉克鲁斯继续旅行之前，给他的叔叔佩德罗?帕拉西奥斯——索霍写了一封信，这将是他第一封被保存下来的信。“我的字写得这样差劲，以致我自己都看不懂写的什么，”说到这里，他自己都快笑死了，“但找向我叔叔解释说，字写得如此糟糕，是由于旅途太疲倦。”在一页半的信里有40 个书写错误。 伊图尔维德对他所讲的这些，无法说出自己的看法，因为他从记忆里已搜索不出更多的东酉了。所有残存在他脑海里的有关墨西哥的印象都是不幸的回忆，这种不幸的回忆使他那天生伤感的性格变得更加忧郁，将军应该理解他。 “别留下来跟乌达内塔跑，”他说，“也别和您家里人一起到美国去，那是个无所不能又非常可怕的国家，它有关自由的神话到头来将给我们大家留下一片贫穷。” 这句话给伊图尔维德充满犹疑的脑海里又投入了一个疑问。他呼喊道：“别吓唬我，将军！" “您别害怕，”将军平静地说，“回墨西哥去，哪怕是把您杀了人或死在那儿。现在就去，您年纪还轻，否则到某一天太晚了，那时候，您将感到既不属于这儿，也不属于那儿。在哪儿您都会觉得自己是个外乡人，一个人如果这样，比死还要难受。”将军直视着他的目光，并把手张开按在胸口，说道：“给我说说吧。” 就这样，伊图尔维德带着给乌达内塔的两封信，于12 月初离别了将军，在其中一封信上将军写道，伊图尔维德、威尔逊和费尔南多都是他身边最可信赖的人，直到第二年4 月，乌达内塔被桑坦德集团阴谋推翻时，伊图尔维德在圣菲还没有个固定的安排。他母亲以堪为典范的韧性，终于获得了任命他为墨西哥驻华盛倾使团秘书的差事，事后，他就在被人遗忘的公务中度过了他的一生，直到32 年后，当法国人以武力强迫墨西哥接受哈布斯堡王朝的马克西米利亚诺为皇帝，伊图尔维德家族第三代的两个男孩过继给他为养子，并被指定为他那虚无漂渺的王位继承人时，人们才又听到了有关这个家族的消息。 将军让伊图尔维德带给乌达内塔的另一封信，是要求乌达内塔销毁他此前和今后写给他的一切信函，以免留下他忧郁情绪的痕迹。乌达内塔没有使他满意。五年前，他曾向桑坦德将军提出了类似的请求：“无论我生前还是死后，您都不要去发表我的信件，因为这些写得很随便而且很杂乱。”桑坦德也没有按他的要求办。与他的那些信相反，桑坦德给他的信无论从形式或内容上看，都是完美无缺的，一眼就可以看出来，他写这些信时就意识到它们最终将被投入历史的篇章。 从写给韦拉克鲁斯的那封信起，到他去世前第六天口授的最后一封信止，将军一共至少写了l 万封书信，一部分是他亲笔写的，一部分是他口授、记录员抄写的，还有一些是记录人员根据他的指示撰写的。被保存下来的信件有3000 多封，被保存下来的经他签署的文件有8000 多份。有时，记录员们被他搞得不知所措，有时又与他们合作得很好。有几次，他觉得口授的信不满意，他不是重新口授一封，而是在原来的信上亲自加上有关记录员的一行字：“正如您将会发现的那样，马特利今天比什么时候都笨。”1817 年，在离开安戈斯图拉以便结束大陆解放事业的前夕，为了按期处理完政府的事务，他在一个工作日里一连口授了14 个文件。也许由此产生了那永远也没有得到澄清的传说，说他同时给数位记录员口授各不相同的信件。 进入10 月后，只有雨丝沙沙声。将军再也没有走出卧室一步，为此加斯特尔冯多大夫不得不运用他最聪明的办法以获得将军允许去看望他并带给他吃的东西。何塞?帕拉西奥斯有这样的感觉，午睡时，将军躺在吊床上一动也不动，他的目光在凝视空无一人的广场上的雨滴，他陷入了沉思，这是在记忆里核查他过去生活中甚至是最短暂的瞬间所发生过的事情。 “我的天啊，”某一个下午他叹息道，“不知曼努埃拉怎么样了！” “我们只知道她挺好，其它什么也不清楚。”何塞?帕拉西奥斯答道。 从乌达内塔执政以后，没有听到她的一点消息，将军没有再给她写过信，但让费尔南多及时告诉她旅途的最新情况。她最近的一封来信是8 月底写的，有关准备进行军事政变的秘密消息是那样多，要透过她那夸大其词的笔法和为了迷惑敌人故意弄成如乱麻一堆的数字中，搞清楚她所要告诉的那些秘密，并非一件易事。 曼努埃拉忘记了将军的忠告，她确实象回事儿地，甚至有些忘乎所以地，扮演起了全国第一个玻利瓦尔主义者的角色，单枪匹马地对政府展开了一场文字宣传战。莫斯克拉总统没有敢对她进行起诉，但并未制止他的部长们这样做。面对官方报纸的人身攻击。她以漫骂相回击，并印成传单，在女奴的护卫下骑着马在皇家大街颁发。她手握长矛，沿着市郊石子路的小巷追击那些分发攻击将军的传单的人，那些每天早晨出现在墙上的侮辱将军的口号，她使用更激烈的辱骂复盖上。 官方组织的宣传战最后指名道姓地攻击她。但她一点也没有畏缩。她在政府里的一些密友给她传递信息说，在国庆节的某一天，大广场上要安装烟火架，架子上挂有一幅将军身着滑稽可笑的国王服装的漫画像。曼努埃拉和她的女奴们不顾警卫队的阻拦，骑着马把烟火架冲得稀烂。于是，市长亲自带了一小队士兵，企图从床上把她抓走，而她则手握两支上好膛的手枪等候着他们，只是通过双方的朋友们调解，才没有酿成更大的事件。 唯一使她的行动缓和下来的乌达内塔将军夺权成功这件事。乌达内塔是她的一位真正朋友，而她则是乌达内塔军事政变的最热心的同谋。当将军在南方与入侵的秘鲁人作战、而她一个人留在圣菲时，乌达内塔是照顾她安全和解决日常生活需要的知心朋友。当将军有非常议会发表那篇不合时宜的声明后，是曼努埃拉说服将军给乌达内塔写了信，“我向您表示我昔日的全部友情和诚心诚意的彻底和解。”乌达内塔接受了这一豁达的表示，而曼努埃拉则在军事政变后还清了这份情谊。公众生活中不再见到她了，而且消失得不露一点踪迹，10 月初曾传说她已经去美国了，谁也不怀疑这一消息的可靠性。所以当何塞?帕拉西奥斯说'曼努埃拉挺好”时是有道理的，因为没有听到有关她活动的任何消息。 将军为无尽的期待而悲伤，期待谁？what to expect为什么期待？在绵绵阴雨中他感到茫然若失，在对历史往事的又一次探究中，触到了心灵的深处，结果在哭泣中睡着了。何塞?帕拉西奥斯在听到细微的呻吟时，以为是从河里捡米的那条狗在呜咽，却原来是他主人发出的声音。他惊慌得手足无措，因为在贴身服侍他的漫长岁月里，只见过他哭过一次，而那一次哭并不是由于悲伤而是由于暴怒。 帕拉西奥斯喊来了在走廊里值勤的伊瓦拉，他也听到了将军哭泣的声音。 “这将对他有好处，”伊瓦拉说。 “对我们大家都将有益”，何塞?帕拉西奥斯说。 将军比平常哪一天睡的时间都长。无论是邻近果园里鸟儿的啁啾，还是教堂里的钟声，都没有把他闹醒，何塞?帕拉西奥斯俯在吊床边好几次。想听听是不是仍在呼吸。当他睁开眼时，已经八点多了，天已经开始热了起来。 “10 月16 日，星期六”，何塞?帕拉西奥斯说，“今天是圣玛加丽塔?玛丽亚?阿拉科克日。” 将军下了吊床，眼睛望着飞着尘土、寂无一人的广场和破败不堪的教堂，几只兀鹰在争食一条死狗的残骸。炙人的朝阳预示着今天又将热得透不过气来。 “我们离开这儿，赶快走．”将军说，“我不想听见毙人的枪声。” 何塞?帕拉西奥斯心里一震。他这是生活在另一个地方，另一个时代，他的样子也和当时一模一样，赤着脚站在砖坯铺就的地上，下面穿着长长的短裤，剃光的头上戴着一顶睡帽。这是在现实中重温的一个旧梦。 “我们不会听到毙人的枪声，”何塞。帕拉西奥斯说，接着他又有意精确地加了一句：“皮亚尔将军是在安戈斯图拉处决的，不是今天下午，而是三年前如同今天的一天。” 曼努埃尔?皮亚尔将军，库拉索岛人，是个黑白混血儿，为人严酷无情，当时35 岁，在爱国者民兵队伍里他功勋卓著，当解放者军队迫切要求所有的力量团结一致以钳制莫里略的部队迅猛推进时，他使将军的权威经受了一次考验。皮亚尔号召黑人、黑白混血儿，桑巴人以及全岛所有无依无靠的人起来反对以将军为代表的加拉加斯的白人贵族。他的声望和象救世主般受到的欢迎只有何塞?安东尼奥?派斯或绰号保皇党人的搏韦斯（52）能与之相比，而且解放者军队里的一些白人军官也因他的影响转而支持他的主张。将军对他使尽了劝导的艺术，都没有收效。最后，将军下令把他逮捕，皮亚尔被押送到了临时首都安戈斯图拉，在这时，将军争取了一批亲近他的军官，地位得到了巩固，这些军官里有几个人后来一直陪同将军进行那次沿着马格达莱纳河的旅行。一个由将军任命、有皮亚尔在军队里的朋友参加的军事法庭对他进行了速决审判，何塞?玛丽亚?卡雷尼奥担任法庭负责人。辨护人称赞皮亚尔是反对西班牙政权的杰出人物之一，他这话没有一丝虚假的成分。皮亚尔被宣布犯有逃跑罪、叛乱罪和叛国罪，被判以死刑并取消一切军事荣誉称号。了解皮亚尔的功绩的人，都认为将军不可能批准这一判决，特别这是在莫里略的部队刚收复数个省份、爱国者的士气极为低落，大家都为队伍可能要大规模溃逃而担忧操心的时刻。将军受到了各种压力，他亲切地听取了皮亚尔最接近的一些朋友的看法，布里塞尼奥就是其中的一个，但是他的决定是不能申诉的。最后，他撤销了关于取消皮亚尔军事荣誉称号的决定，批准了枪决的判决，而且加重为当众执行。那是个一切坏事都可以发生的漫漫长夜。10月16 日下午五点，死刑在安戈斯图拉大广场的炎炎烈日下执行，六个月前，是皮亚尔本人亲自从西班牙人手里夺取了这座城市。行刑队队长让人把几只兀鹰啄食的死狗残骸弄走，关严了广场四周的入口处，以免一些无人管理的动物闯进来破坏了行刑的庄严气氛。皮亚尔要求让他给行刑队下令开火，他的这一最后殊荣遭到了拒绝，他的眼睛被强迫用黑纱蒙了起来，但并未能阻止他在离开这个世界时亲吻十字架和向国旗永远道别。 将军拒绝观看处决的场面。当时，唯一呆在他身边的人是何塞?帕拉西奥斯，当广场上传来枪声时，后者看到他如何挣扎着抑制将要流出的泪水。他在给部队通报此事的公告中说：“昨天是我痛心的一天。”在他一生的以后时日里，他将会反复说明，那是拯救国家的政治需要，它说服了违抗命令者，避免了一场内战。不管怎么说，那是他一生中最残暴地使用权力的一次举动，但也是一次最及时的行动，它立即巩固了他的权威，统一了军队的指挥权，并为他获取荣誉廓清了道路。 13 年后，在索莱达小镇上，他好象根本没有觉察到自己成了时间次序错乱的牺牲品。他的目光仍然盯着广场，直到一个衣衫褴褛的老妪，牵着一条驮椰子的毛驴穿过那里，她的身影吓得几只啄食的兀鹰四下惊飞。这时，他才如释重负地叹了口气，回到了吊床上，也没有谁问他，他就说出了何塞?帕拉西奥斯从安戈斯图拉那个夜晚就一直想知道的那个答案。 “我还将那样干。”他说。