An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris

Author:Robert Harris [Harris, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780385349581
Amazon: 0385349580
Publisher: Knopf
Published: 2013-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

Boisdeffre is seated behind his grand desk, his elegant hands palm-down on the surface; a copy of L’Éclair lies between them. He says, “I gather you saw the minister yesterday.” His tone is one of a calmness that is only being maintained with great difficulty.

“Yes, I see him most days, General.”

Boisdeffre has left me standing to attention on the carpet, the first time this has happened.

“And you showed him the secret file on Dreyfus?”

“I felt he needed to be aware of the facts—”

“I will not have it!” He lifts one of his hands and brings it down hard on his desk. “I told you to speak to General Gonse and to no one else! Why do you think you can disobey my orders?”

“I’m sorry, General, I wasn’t aware your order applied to the minister. If you remember, last month you gave me permission to brief General Billot about the Esterhazy investigation.”

“About Esterhazy, yes! But not about Dreyfus! I thought it was made absolutely clear to you by General Gonse that you were to keep the two matters separate?”

I continue to stare straight ahead, at a particularly hideous oil painting by Delacroix hanging just above the Chief of Staff’s scanty white hair. Only occasionally do I risk a brief glance at the general himself. He seems to be under tremendous stress. The Virginia creeper–like mottling on his cheeks has ripened from crimson to purple.

“Frankly, I don’t believe it’s possible to keep the two matters separate, General.”

“That may be your opinion, Colonel, but you have no business trying to create dissension in the high command.” He picks up the newspaper and waves it at me. “And where did this come from?”

“The Sûreté believe the story may have originated with the Dreyfus family.”

“And did it?”

“It’s impossible to say. A considerable number of people have knowledge of the file.” I pull out my list. “I count twenty-one so far.”

“Let me see that.” Boisdeffre holds out his hand. He runs his eye down the column of names. “So you are saying that one of these must be behind the leak?”

“I can’t see where else it could have come from.”

“I notice you haven’t put your own name on it.”

“I know that I’m not a suspect.”

“You might know that, but I don’t. A casual observer might find it a curious coincidence that just as you begin agitating for a reopening of the Dreyfus case, revelations about it start to appear in the press.”

There is a loud crack from somewhere beyond the tall windows. It sounds as though a tree has blown down. Rain slashes against the glass. Boisdeffre, still staring at me, doesn’t seem to notice.

“I deny that insinuation absolutely, General. These stories do nothing to help my investigation, as you have just made clear. They only make it more difficult.”

“That’s one view. Another is that you are seeking every possible means to reopen the Dreyfus case, whether by going to the minister behind my back, or fomenting an agitation in the press. Did you know that

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