Please help to translate

[Effie]

Hello,

Just wondering if you could please help me to understand, what the author means in the following abstracts:

Que maravillosa ocupación tomar el ómnibus, bajarse delante del Ministerio, abrirse paso a golpes de sobres con sellos, dejar atrás al último secretario y entrar...

Qué maravillosa ocupación entrar en un café y pedir azúcar, otra vez azúcar, tres o cuatro veces azúcar, e ir formando un montón en el centro de la mesa, mientras crece la ira en los mostradores y debajo de los delantales blancos, y exactamente en medio del montron de azúcar escupir suavemente, y seguir el descenso del pequeno glaciar de saliva, oír el ruido de piedras rotas que lo acompaña y que nace en las gargantas contraídas de cinco parroquianos y del patrón, hombre honesto a sus horas.

I underlined the phrases I cannot make sense of...even though I understand all of the words, cannot put them together into a sentence...

Thank you very much for your help!

[aleCcowaN]

Cortázar, nice!

The first one suggests to me a courier who gets the doors open because he is bringing an important delivery in the very hands of a minister. This courier-employee seems to enjoy the power he gets over those who otherwise will stop him from reaching the important official. There's an image of "abrirse paso a golpe de sable" (like "breaking through by means of sabre blows") which is a fixed expression that is somewhat exploited there.

The second one shows the contained anger of customers and owner as the "sound of stones that are breaking". I'm not sure what "a sus horas" means, but it suggests to me honesty is that man usual self or real nature.

[Effie]

Hi aleCcowan,

Thank you for your reply! This is very helpful indeed.

In the 1st case, where exactly is the person entering: "abrirse paso a golpes de sobres con sellos" ? I cannot make sense of "a golpes de sobres con sellos"... How would you say it in English?

Thanks again!

[aleCcowaN]

The person is entering a Ministerio (for instance, the Secretary of the Treasury) and those marks stamped in the letters are used like a weapon against the "enemy". The whole image depicts reaching the sancta sactorum of such Ministerio in a way similar to an invader taking a castle by the sword.

[Effie]

Thank you! It is very helpful :)

Have a nice day!