Chapter 3
De Soto was furious. Yesterday afternoon, Diego had asked him if he could present his findings on Lavatar's theory. Curious to see whether don Diego had discovered anything relevant to his quest to unmask Zorro, he had agreed to a meeting. But now de Soto regretted it deeply. How dare Diego de la Vega make these insinuations? While they were indeed accurate, there was no way Diego could have known. De Soto had always been careful to keep his criminal activities well hidden.
"Uh, si," stammered Diego as he pointed to a sheet of paper. "As you can see, if my calculations are correct, based on your appearance, there is a 72% chance that you are a fraud and an 85% chance that you are a murderer. The reason for these numbers to be that high is that your index finger and middle finger are of equal length, and your unusual light hair colour combined with light brown eyes suggests unreliability and a deceitful character." As De Soto snorted angrily, Diego's voice dropped to a barely audible whisper.
"Where do you get this nonsense?" De Soto pushed the piece of paper onto the floor. "How dare you accuse someone of such slander recklessly? Someone who serves your king, no less!"
"Well," Diego squirmed uncomfortably, shifting further back. "I've already apologized and said it seems unlikely. However, I can only go by the facts given in señor Lavatar's book, and if I do, I can only arrive at these numbers." Don Diego took out a second sheet of paper from the leather portfolio he had brought. "As you requested, I have also attempted to create a profile based on the known physical characteristics of Zorro. It's a shame that you failed to convey my request to Zorro. You will understand that, with the limited data available to me, this might have created a slightly skewed image."
Don Diego placed the sheet in front of De Soto on his desk.
"Zorro likely has black or very dark brown hair and light eyes, indicating reliability. He has an athletic build. The fact that he wears a mask could suggest he is trying to hide a physical feature of which he's ashamed, perhaps a scar. This could indicate his involvement in a past altercation."
De Soto wondered how someone who was reputedly intelligent could spout such nonsense.
"Or perhaps he uses the mask to conceal his true identity." De Soto remarked sarcastically, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
The utterly astonished look on Diego's face convinced De Soto that the foolish man hadn't considered that possibility.
"But if that were the case," Diego mused, "why would he reveal his name?"
So much foolishness. De Soto rose from his chair, placed his hands on the desk, leaned forward, and stared directly into Diego's eyes. "Because, you half-witted fool, that man isn't really named Zorro."
"Like a secret identity," Diego contemplated, stroking his moustache. "So, you think he doesn't want anyone to discover who he really is."
De Soto sat back wearily. This wasn't getting anywhere. Mendoza was even quicker to comprehend. It was unbelievable how someone could be so out of touch. It reminded him of Diego's time in Madrid. Back then, Diego had always been with his nose in the books. After the Easter play, in which they both had roles, the professor who coordinated the production had invited everyone to celebrate at the tavern. Diego had attended, but left after a glass of wine because he wanted to study to catch up on the missed lessons. He had been peculiar even back then. De Soto patiently attempted to enlighten Diego about the truth. "Zorro knows that if I ever catch him, he will hang. That's why he keeps his true identity hidden from everyone."
"Ah, I understand. So you wanted me to search for physical characteristics so that you could identify him without a mask."
Finally, they were getting somewhere. "Exactly."
Diego paused to think. "Let's see, unfortunately, I have very few leads. Zorro seems to have a preference for the colour black. This implies that he operates in secret, particularly at night. Furthermore, he is athletic, indicating good physical condition."
"You think!"
Diego nodded. "Yes. And his broad shoulders and slender waist suggest determination. If you had managed to persuade Zorro to come to the hacienda, I might have been able to provide you with more information."
"And...?" De Soto asked, slightly hopeful that Diego finally understood the purpose.
"He's skilled in horseback riding. That might suggest someone who prefers to cover long distances on horseback rather than by foot or carriage. Perhaps a horse thief."
"Don Diego," De Soto remarked with a mocking grin, "all of that has been known for a long time. Zorro is a traitor to the crown, a thief, a swindler, a burglar, a vandal, a trespasser." he listed.
Diego looked at De Soto with the utmost surprise. "But if all that is true, and you already knew this, why did you want me to create a profile?"
"Out!" De Soto pointed to the door. "Out. Get out with your nonsense and so-called science. It's the biggest nonsense I've ever heard. And take that silly book with you." De Soto threw his version of 'Physiognomic Fragments for the Advancement of Understanding and Love for Humanity' in Diego's direction.
Don Diego wasted no time in reaching the door. "But, Alcalde," he tried again, "in all fairness, you were the one claiming the scientific basis of..."
"Lies, all lies! I would never claim such a thing! That man, just like you, spouts nothing but nonsense. That isn't science. It is rubbish! I don't want to hear another word about it ever again! Do you hear me? Not a single word!" De Soto's face was flushed, and his mouth twisted with anger.
Diego fled outside.
As the door closed, De Soto, panting heavily, picked up the paper with his profile from the floor. He lit a candle and burned the document. No one should ever discover how close Diego's findings were to the truth. Everything the don had discovered and written was accurate. He had committed fraud, threatened people, and even killed someone.
Outside, Felipe was waiting for Diego. As soon as he saw Don Diego, he started making signs. Diego put his arm around Felipe's shoulders. "Yes, De Soto turned quite pale. I don't think he'll ever mention Señor Lavater's theory again. Not now that he knows of the criminal activities he could get accused of when this theory was ever taken seriously by anyone, and someone started an investigation on him.
"Mendoza..." Don Diego greeted the sergeant, who was passing by on his way to the tavern.
"Don Diego, what a pleasure to see you. I was just heading to the tavern." The sergeant couldn't believe his luck. Usually, the presence of Don Diego in the pueblo meant a free meal for him.
Diego chuckled and winked at Felipe. "What an excellent idea. I think Felipe and I will join you."
The End.
This story was meant just as a fun read. Nothing more, nothing less.
It was to demonstrate how de Soto is willing to believe everything he hears until it becomes too close to the truth when it concerns himself.
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