The story is about Laura, a single woman who has come to Mexico as a schoolteacher, but whose real reason for being there is to support the Mexican revolution. The story takes place in one evening, but it contains flashbacks of Laura's experience in assisting the revolution so far. Laura, who is idealistic and practices her Roman Catholic faith in secret, receives a salary from a prime figure in the revolution, Braggioni, a large, repulsive...
The story is about Laura, a single woman who has come to Mexico as a schoolteacher, but whose real reason for being there is to support the Mexican revolution. The story takes place in one evening, but it contains flashbacks of Laura's experience in assisting the revolution so far. Laura, who is idealistic and practices her Roman Catholic faith in secret, receives a salary from a prime figure in the revolution, Braggioni, a large, repulsive man who is sitting on the porch singing to her this night. Her main way of providing assistance to the revolution has been to bear messages between the faction leaders on behalf of Braggioni. Laura is becoming disillusioned with the revolution because she sees that the leaders, including Braggioni, are more interested in what they can gain personally than in how they can benefit the Mexican people. At least two men have tried to secure Laura's affections, but she has rebuffed them; she does not even allow herself to get close emotionally to her little students. The story also reveals the relationship between Braggioni, a serial philanderer, and his wife, who loves him despite his flaws and who is the only one in the story who seems to truly care about Mexican workers. On this particular day, Laura has been to the prison to deliver narcotics to an agent for the revolution who Braggioni has the power to free from prison but will not. Eugenio, Laura believes, has taken all the narcotics at once, committing suicide. She is tormented by this. Whether Laura has a romantic interest in Eugenio is ambiguous. Laura lets Braggioni know that Eugenio has probably killed himself, and Braggioni is indifferent. Braggioni returns to his forgiving wife, and Laura goes to bed thinking about how "it is monstrous to confuse love with revolution." She dreams that Eugenio appears at her window to take her to a new country, which is death. She follows him, and he gives her blossoms from the Judas tree to eat from his fleshless hand. The blossoms are satisfying, and Eugenio says, "Murderer! Cannibal! This is my body and my blood." Laura cries, "No!" and wakes at the sound of her own voice.
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