“You flatter us, ingeniero. But it’s our opinion that a bad settlement is worth more than a good lawsuit.”

“You can try. I’m sure there is no lack of corruptible civil servants, either.”

Cifuentes sat back, uncomfortable.

“That is a strong word. We don’t need to rely on a man without honor; we want a man who sees the light of reason and helps us maintain order.”

“And will his assistance be offered for free?”

“Every form of work must have its compensation. We’re very generous when we want to be.”

“And do you have a viable candidate?”

“You.”

Fernando didn’t appear to be shocked or offended. He limited himself to asking, with a certain remote curiosity, “What made you think I would accept your proposition?”

“It is to your advantage, ingeniero.”

“Would it also be to the advantage of. . . . of those who trusted me?”

“If you mean the government, you’ll be doing it a large favor by keeping it out of a mess.”

“I was referring more to the Indians.”

This answer was so unexpected it left Leonardo without a response. But he recovered instantly.

“You want to help them, don’t you? On that we agree. Why can’t we also agree on how to help them?”

“The only way is the way set out by the law.”

“Who made the law, ingeniero? As far as I can tell, it was made by someone who doesn’t have the faintest idea of the problem. The law demands that a minimum wage be paid to the peons, which turns out to mean that the patrón will lose money, and that a school be established on every finca and, naturally, be maintained by the owner. And then there aren’t any teachers, or if there are they don’t speak the language. And since the Indians don’t understand Castilla they just sit there in a daze.”

“Those issues don’t fall under my jurisdiction, Don Leonardo. I came here for the redistribution of the land.”

“You come here and you spend a few days here and you arrange this and that and then you leave and never give another thought to what happened. We and the Chamulas are the ones who stay behind. You leave them all stirred up and us angry. Who’s going to see to it that what you ordered is carried out?”

“An inspector, undoubtedly.”