The Judge.--“That is not a question, either. I will not put such
a question as that. Does it relate to the Dreyfus case or to the
Esterhazy case?”
M. Labori.--“Permit me, _Monsieur le Président_, in spite of all my
respect for you, to say that I do not understand this distinction. For
this there are two reasons. The first is that, as I said yesterday,
the only case in litigation here is the case of M. Zola. The second
is--and it is upon this especially that I insist--that General Mercier,
General de Pellieux, General Gonse, and others like them, come here,
speaking of the decrees of justice with which they are familiar,
sheltering themselves behind their privilege to avoid speaking, and
nevertheless, one after another, with the same vagueness and the same
uncertainty, throwing their word into the balance, convinced that,
thanks to the love which this country has for itself, their word, as
soldiers, will be sufficient, and need not be supported by any reason.
We do not stop them. They have the right to say, one after another:
‘Dreyfus is guilty.’ They speak out thus, in spite of the decrees of
the court, and no one blames them, for it is impossible to speak of the
Esterhazy case without speaking of the Dreyfus case. For this reason,
as for others, being given that there is a thing judged, as in the
Esterhazy case, I see but one explanation of the gag that is placed in
our mouths--namely, that they do not dare to speak of the Dreyfus case,
which it is impossible to separate from the Esterhazy case. I ask that
the liberty to speak be given to all the witnesses on all points that
do not concern the national defence, and I ask especially that, when I
put a question as discreet, as reserved, as moderate, as that which I
put to M. Salle, face to face with a witness in possession of a secret
which I know they do not want him to tell,--I ask that the question be
put, or else I protest against the obscurity that is being thickened a
little more every day because of fear of the light.”
The Judge.--“You can protest as much as you like. I have told you that
I would put no question to the witness on this point. I repeat it,
and so it will be to the end of the trial. [To the witness.] Have you
anything to say in relation to the Esterhazy case?”