The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-26
TALK WITH lola.
He Is Fighting Great Fight, Not YET
Ended.

| RE Is rIgnting Great FlghtI NOT Yet
Ended.
M. lola is back again in his old
home. He looks wonderfully fresh and
well. He is neither thinner nor fatter
than when / saw him last-just In ex-
cellent condition. His house has been
sold up more than once, but everything
is as it was. Not single bibelot has
changed it's place. Madame Zola,
whose devotion throughout her hus-
bands exile has been beyond praise.
has kept the house spick and span, as
If its host had never left it for mo-
ment and this in spite of seizures and
windows broken by angry crowds. You
pass up the staircase, with it's old ca
thedral carvings in colored wood, which
even Amiens can hardly rival into the
salon with the great bust of the mas
ter as young man on the mantel-
piece; you place your hat upon an EliZ7
abethan throne and lean your stick
against Druidic harp. NJ Emile lola
quickly appears. 1 have said that he
seems to be in perfect health. l did
not notice that his hair was grayer
than when 1 last saw him. He is just
as conversationable as ever, speaking
make any positive statement for pub
LEGATION about the recent great devel-
opments of the Dreyfus case.
you see" he said to me, looking at
me with the old, piercing glance
through his nose-nippers, II have en-
tered the lists; l am a gladiator. l am
fighting great fight, which is by no
means at an end. / cannot throw
chances away. 1 refuse to write any
hi wit lan 1e. l.,
shall be in a position to sum UP the
whole affair, and draw additional con
illusions from it, which cannot be clear
ly or convincingly stated yet.
1T is my intention to write a book
upon the Dreyfus affair. That is my
duty and l do not intend to seek any
financial advantage from it's accom-
plishment 1 cannot say when this
book-which will be a novel-will be
finished, but I shall not write line
of 1t until the affair is entirely at an
end"
"And what opinions have you formed
Of the English?' enquired.
"A high one" replied M. Zola. II
cannot say that | was absolutely hap
py In exile; what exile ever is happy.
English life is, of course, different from
what ! have been accustomed to, and
the daily spectacle Of my country
Struggling WIIH SO tragic problem was
not calculated to cheer me up. But the
English were constantly sympathetic
to me, always respected my incognito,
my privacy, and were on the right side
to o man. Stop, there was one excep-
ton, journalist, who came and blub-
bered his admiration to me shortly af-
ter my departure from France, who
played a double role, fattering me to
my face, and insulting me behind my
back. l had him thrown out by the
footman, and / don't think he will
show his face here again."
Now, will you tell me something
about your future plans?"
IT am perfectly safe here, for IN
spite of the nonsensical statements in
some of the anti Dreyfusard papers It
Is not possible to arrest me. We will
see whether q French jury shall again
condemn me for sneaking the truth
AS soon as the writ of judgment is
served on me shall appeal against
the verdict, and then the whole case
will have to be tried over again before
another jury. / do not think that there
will be complete solution before the
end of the summer. Moreover, we are
by no means at an end of the Dreyfus
affair. The innocence of Dreyfus has
been recognized. That's all very well.
But there are certain guilty persons
who must be punished, If France is to
recover her self-respect."-P Cor
respondent Of St. James Gazette