One Hundred Years of Solitude

necessary to dig canals to get
the water out of the house and
rid it of the frogs and snails
so that they could dry the
floors and take the bricks
from under the bedposts and
walk in shoes once more.
Occupied with the many
small details that called for
his attention, Aureliano
Segundo did not realize that
he was getting old until one
afternoon when he found
himself contemplating the