Colonel Picquart.--“Yes.”
M. Labori.--“And from what did Colonel Picquart desire to remove the
traces of pasting?”
Colonel Picquart.--“Why, from the photograph.”
M. Labori.--“Would it have been possible to remove such traces from the
original?”
Colonel Picquart.--“There was never any question of removing them from
the original. The original has never been altered. Once pasted, it was
not thereafter touched.”
M. Labori.--“In the charges made against Colonel Picquart are there any
relating to events that occurred later than 1896?”
Colonel Picquart.--“No.”
M. Labori.--“Were not all the doings of Colonel Picquart known to all
his superiors?”
Colonel Picquart.--“Absolutely.”
M. Labori.--“Why, then, had they not taken in 1896 the attitude that
they have taken since?”
Colonel Picquart.--“I do not know.”
M. Labori.--“In a case as serious as that of Major Esterhazy, at a
time when the chief of the bureau of information was investigating a
serious charge of treason, was not the arrest of Major Esterhazy almost
necessary, in order to get at the truth?”
Colonel Picquart.--“That was my opinion, but it did not prevail. My
superiors thought otherwise.”
M. Labori.--“But, without arresting an officer, is it not possible to
watch him so that he can have no chance of doing things still more
reprehensible and concealing his tracks?”
Colonel Picquart.--“Certainly. There was enough against Esterhazy to
send him to a fortress.”
M. Labori.--“In occupying yourself with the Esterhazy case, were you
obeying your conscience?”
Colonel Picquart.--“Absolutely.”
M. Labori.--“Did you feel that you were endangering your military
career and your interests?”
Colonel Picquart.--“Yes.”