M. Clemenceau.--“We brought here a witness who had it from the lips
of one of the members of the council of war that a secret document was
communicated to the judges. We were not allowed to question him.”
M. Labori.--“I have two letters that say the same thing, and I have
another letter from a friend of the president of the republic,
declaring that he will not come to testify, because he has been warned
that, if he tells the truth, they will declare him a liar.”
M. Clemenceau.--“As to the secret document, why did not General Billot
show it to M. Scheurer-Kestner when that gentleman went to see him? In
that case the whole matter would have been finished by this time.”
Cutting the matter short, the court called the next witness. It was
Major Esterhazy. He advanced to the bar, and rested himself upon it,
facing the jury. A guard followed him, stopping a little distance
away. But M. Labori insisted that the trial could not go on until the
declarations of General de Pellieux had been either overthrown or
confirmed, and, General de Boisdeffre not having arrived, the court
postponed the hearing of Major Esterhazy to the following day, and an
adjournment was declared.