An Officer and a Spy

‘You lost two of them. The third is sitting downstairs. Fortunately, he works for me. I don’t think there’s a fourth, but even so, I suggest we keep our conversation brief.’

‘Yes, of course. It was good of you to come at all.’

‘What is it you want?’

‘I need to speak to Lemercier-Picard.’

‘Why?’

‘There’s been a lot of forgery in the Dreyfus case: I suspect he may have had a hand at least in some of it.’

‘Oh.’ Desvernine sounds pained. ‘Oh, that won’t be easy. Can you be more specific?’

‘Yes, I’m thinking in particular of the document mentioned in the Zola trial the other day, the so-called “absolute proof” that General Boisdeffre vouched for. If it’s what I think it is, it consists of about five or six lines of writing. That’s a lot for an amateur to forge, and there’s plenty of original material to compare it with. So I suspect they must have brought in a professional.’

‘“They” being who in particular, Colonel — if you don’t mind my asking?’

‘The Statistical Section. Colonel Henry.’

‘Henry? He’s acting chief!’ Now he looks at me.

‘I’m sure I can get access to money, if that’s what your man wants.’

‘It will be what he wants: I can tell you that now — and a lot of it. When do you need to see him?’

‘As soon as possible.’

Desvernine huddles down in his coat, thinking it over. I can’t see his face. Eventually he says, ‘Leave it with me, Colonel.’ He stands. ‘I’ll get off here.’

‘I’m not a colonel any more, Monsieur Desvernine. There is no need to call me that. And you aren’t obliged to help me. It’s a risk for you.’

‘You forget how much time I spent investigating Esterhazy, Colonel — I know that bastard inside out. It sickens me to see him walking free. I’ll help you, if only because of him.’

For my duel against Henry I need two witnesses to make the arrangements and ensure fair play. I travel out to Ville-d’Avray to ask Edmond Gast to be one of them. We sit on his terrace after lunch with a blanket across our knees, smoking cigars. He says, ‘Well, if you’re dead set on it, then of course I should be honoured. But I beg you to reconsider.’

‘I’ve issued the challenge in public, Ed. I can’t possibly withdraw. Besides, I don’t want to.’

‘What weapons will you choose?’

‘Swords.’

‘Come on, Georges — you haven’t fenced for years!’

‘Neither has he, by the look of him. In any case, I have a cool head and a little physical agility.’

‘But surely you’re a better shot than you are a swordsman? And with pistols there’s a healthy convention of deliberately missing.’

‘Yes, except that if we use pistols and he wins the draw and chooses to go first, he may not try to miss. It would certainly solve all their problems if he put a bullet through my heart. No, that’s too much of a risk.’

‘And who will be your other witness?’

‘I wondered if you’d ask your friend Senator Ranc.’

‘Why Ranc?’

I puff on my cigar before I reply. ‘When I was in Tunisia, I made a study of the marquis de Morès. He killed a Jewish officer in a duel by using a heavier sword than was allowed by regulations — pierced him through his armpit and severed his spinal cord. I think it would be good life insurance for me to have a senator on hand. It might deter Henry from trying any similar tricks.’

Edmond looks at me in alarm. ‘Georges, I’m sorry, but really this is madness. Never mind yourself — you owe it to the cause of freeing Dreyfus not to put yourself in harm’s way.’

‘He called me a liar in open court. My honour demands a duel.’

‘Is it your honour you’re trying to avenge, or Pauline’s?’

I do not reply.

The following evening, on my behalf, Edmond and Ranc call at Henry’s apartment in the avenue Duquesne, directly opposite the École Militaire, to issue the formal challenge. Afterwards Edmond says, ‘He was plainly at home — we could see his boots in the passage, and I could hear his little boy crying “Papa”, and then a man’s voice trying to hush the lad. But he sent his wife out to talk to us. She took the letter and said he would respond to it tomorrow. I get the feeling he’s anxious to avoid a fight.’

Wednesday passes without any reply from Henry. At about eight o’clock in the evening there is a knock at the door and I get up to answer it, assuming it will be his witnesses bringing me his answer, but instead standing on the landing is Desvernine. He comes in briefly without taking off his hat or coat.

‘Everything is fixed,’ he says. ‘Our man is staying at a lodging house, the hôtel de la Manche, in the rue de Sèvres. He’s using one of his aliases — Koberty Dutrieux. Do you have a weapon, Colonel?’

I open my jacket to show him my shoulder holster. Since my service revolver was taken from me, I have bought myself a British gun, a Webley.

‘Good,’ he says. ‘Then we should go.’

‘Now?’

‘He doesn’t stay long in one place.’

‘And we won’t be followed?’

‘No, I swapped shifts and made sure I’m in charge of your surveillance this evening. As far as the Sûreté are concerned, Colonel, you will be tucked up in your apartment all night.’