or
luncheon--I do not exactly remember which--a gentleman approached me, and
introduced himself as a member of the Press. Said he, 'I have been asking
Mr. Avory for you. You are Mr. Vizetelly, I believe?'

'That is my name,' I answered.

'Well, I have come to speak to you about M. Zola's presence in England.'

I should here mention that, in spite of my contradiction of the
'Chronicle' story, there remained some people who had reason to believe
it. Moreover, it had been more or less confirmed by the 'Morning Leader,'
and some editors, rightly surmising that if M. Zola were in London he
would very likely be in communication with his usual translator, had
despatched reporters to my house, where my wife had seen them. On
learning that I was quietly during jury service at the Old Bailey, some
had apparently concluded that I was not concerned in M. Zola's movements,
which, so it happened, was the very conclusion I had desired them to
arrive at. One gentleman, however, not content with his repulse at my
house, had followed me to the Court.

I answered his inquiries with a variety of suggestions. Zola in England,
and in London too! Well, we had heard that before, said I. But was it a
probable course for the novelist to take? He knew no English, and had but
few personal friends in England. His portraits, however, were in several
shops and in many newspapers. And only a few years previously he had been
seen by a thousand English pressmen and others. So would he not be liable
to recognition almost immediately? Now, the only modern language besides
French of which M. Zola had any knowledge was Italian. And if I were in
his place, I said, I should go to Italy--for instance, to one of the
little towns in the North, whence, if needful, one could cross over into
Switzerland; though, of course, there was little likelihood that the
Italian Government would ever surrender the distinguished writer to his
persecutors.

Continuing in this strain I gave my interviewer material for a very
plausible article, which I remember was duly published, and which thus
helped to divert attention from the right scent.

At the week-end, having given considerable time to jury duties, I was
compelled to spend Saturday morning in London on business, and in the
afternoon I allowed myself a few hours' relaxation. Reaching Wimbledon
about eight in the evening I called on Wareham, who received me with a
great show of satisfaction; for, said he, my services