"She looked her interlocutor straight in the face.
"'Swear to me,' she said, 'swear on the head of your children that you will never say a word of what I have told you to-night.'
"The oath was given, but, last night, thinking of the innocent persons whom fatal coincidences might ruin, and frightened by the terrible responsibility of keeping silent, Mme. Steinheil's interlocutor confided the secret to us.
"We have faithfully repeated the narrative of the interlocutor without naming the culprit.
"It was our duty.
"Now let the law do its duty."
Can any reader wonder, after this, that public opinion was fearfully excited against me!
I need hardly add that not one of those statements was true, but the harm they did me may well be realised! There is unfortunately no Law for Contempt of Court in France.... And now, for the edification of the reader, and in accordance with my plan of submitting the actual evidence given by the witnesses, I will quote from the Dossier the various facts about this scandalous Ghirelli-Rosselli-Sauerwein affair....
"January 19th, 1909; before us, André, examining magistrate, &c.... has appeared Mme. Alphonsi, born Alba Ghirelli, thirty-six years of age....
Question. "We have summoned you here on account of a letter dated January 12th, 1909, which reached us two days later, on the 14th, and which the day before had appeared in the Matin."