The first witness at the fourth day’s hearing was to have been Mme.
Dreyfus, whom at first the court had refused to hear on the question of
Zola’s good faith, but whom, after further reflection, it had decided
to hear. Nevertheless Mme. Dreyfus did not appear, M. Labori consenting
to excuse her in view of a letter which he had received from her, and
which read as follows:
_Dear Master_:
I answered to the call of my name at Tuesday’s hearing, in spite of
my great agitation. I made the effort because I hoped to express to
the court and the jury my deep gratitude to, and my admiration for,
M. Zola, who, obeying the voice of his conscience, has sacrificed
himself for justice and truth with a sublime disdain of the insults
and threats which he has drawn upon himself. I hoped also to declare
my absolute faith in my husband’s innocence,--an innocence which, I
am convinced, will be established before long,--and also my sincere
gratitude to you, dear master, who display so much courage and talent
to secure the triumph of the truth. The anguish of these three days,
added to all that I have suffered for three years, has put me in
a condition in which I could not endure a fresh trial. Permit me,
then, to absent myself from the court and accept, I beg of you, the
expression of my most distinguished sentiments.