Is it difficult to realise the harm such an untruthful comment in a newspaper, read by hundreds of thousands of persons, did to my case?
Marthe sobbed; my brother was furious, and I, profoundly hurt, wondered what to do.
"Go and see Maître Aubin," Julien suggested, "and the sooner the better...."
Marthe and I returned to Paris. I called on Maître Aubin, who I found was reading the newspapers.
"I am bewildered," he began. "Why did you not tell me you were writing to M. Hutin?"...
"I was told that the Press would help me.... My conscience is clear. I fear nothing, and no one. We will succeed...."
"I have no doubt about it," said Maître Aubin.
"Until now, I have refused to talk to journalists, but in future I will reply to all their questions, if only they will help me. And if certain papers attack me, or publish false statements, you will have to put a stop to it. The die is cast; I will go to the end of this mystery, and reach the truth."
Maître Aubin was somewhat bewildered. At the same time I could see that he was glad to find me so determined.
Shortly afterwards I went to the Palace of Justice to see M. Leydet and M. Grandjean the Procureur's Substitut. Maître Aubin had written to them that, dissatisfied with the apparent sluggishness and indifference with which the Impasse Ronsin case had been conducted, I had decided to take him, Aubin, as avocat-conseil.