General de Boisdeffre.--“I have made an investigation, and questioned
the officers.”
The Judge.--“And you are certain that these communications do not
emanate from them?”
General de Boisdeffre.--“I take their word. There is only one case,--a
communication from Major Pauffin de Saint-Moret to M. Rochefort. That
communication was made by this officer’s initiative. For it I punished
him with thirty days’ confinement, and by suppressing his application
for the cross of the legion of honor. It will be seen, then, that he is
very far from the fifth stripe which, it has been said, he was on the
point of obtaining. He yielded to an impulse of his heart, but he is an
excellent officer and a very worthy fellow.”
M. Clemenceau.--“It results from the testimony of the witness that
the liberating document is a secret document which was at the war
department. It was stolen from the war department by some unknown
person and given to a veiled lady. This veiled lady carried it about
Paris, and one evening gave it to Major Esterhazy. He brought it back
to the chief of staff, and the importance of the document is such that
the chief of staff, when asked concerning its nature, says: ‘I consider
that here my professional secrecy is one with the secret of State.’
Upon which I observe, gentlemen of the jury, that secrets of State are
ill-kept at the war department. And that is simply what I wished to
say.”
General de Boisdeffre.--“My staff officers, several of whom have been
so violently attacked, are worthy people who do their whole duty. They
have at heart nothing but the interest of the country.”
M. Clemenceau.--“I have never attacked the staff officers. They are
very honest, and I am persuaded that they do not take documents. I
desire simply to note a fact, and against a fact there is no possible
struggle. I note it again. A secret document has been taken from the
war department and carried about by Major Esterhazy and by a veiled
lady. That is what I said; nothing more, nothing less.”
M. Labori then offered a formal motion that, whereas professional
secrecy can be invoked only by those who have received a confidence
in some sense forced and constrained, and who have received it in a
professional capacity, the court rule that General de Boisdeffre cannot
be relieved of the duty of answering the questions put to him, on the
ground of professional secrecy.
The court suspended its decision, and General Gonse was called to the
witness-stand.
_Testimony of General Gonse._
M. Labori.--“What was the document emanating from the war department
that was carried from the war offices and given to Major Esterhazy for
his protection, by the veiled lady?”
General Gonse.--“I cannot answer as to that.”
M. Labori.--“Why did Major Esterhazy call that document the liberating
document?”
General Gonse.--“I cannot answer.”