Answer:
C. The dentist realizes his power over the mayor in this situation.
Explanation:
The given excerpt is from the story <em>One of These Days</em> written by Gabriel García Márquez. The main character, the dentist, gets a visit from the mayor. At first, he doesn't want to admit him, but the mayor threatens to shoot him. He lets him in and extracts an abscessed tooth without anesthesia, telling him that he will <em>pay for twenty of (their) dead men</em>. It's apparent that the mayor has the most power in the city, threatens to shoot people, and shoots them sometimes as he likes. But in this scenario, it's the dentist who has the power, and he displays it without fear. He caused him pain and began ordering him around. The dentist knows that the mayor is a terrible person and probably does enjoy watching him cry, but the display of power is what is most important.
Thus, the correct option is C.
