But her legacy cannot die.” A few guests lowered their eyes.

He held up a folder.

“That is why, by the legal authority she granted me, I am today assuming leadership of Guerra Cyber Defense, and launching a foundation in her name.

Everything I do,” he said, “will be to protect what Renata built.” There was polite applause.

And into the pause after it, from the back of the room, I said, “What a lovely speech.”

I had listened to the whole performance with a kind of clinical fascination, the way you might study a competitor’s pitch, because it was, in its awful way, expertly done.