above all others...
...to be named among the immortals
of France.
With assurances
of my deepest sincerity...
...Francois Coppee."
The academy, at last.
They can deny me no longer.
Now, my dear, there's nothing more
for me to desire.
Pardon, monsieur.
There's a lady to see you.
- A lady?
- Madame Dreyfus, monsieur.
Dreyfus?
- You didn't tell her I was home?
- Yes...
You blockhead!
Why didn't you come ask me?!
- The lady will hear you, Йmile.
- You knew I was busy.
- Well, well, well. Just ask her to come in.
- Yes, sir.
Madame Dreyfus, please.
- Madame Dreyfus?
- Yes, Monsieur Zola.
Please forgive me for intruding like this...
...but I had to see you,
talk to you about my husband.
But, madame, what can I do
for your husband?
He's innocent, monsieur.
I've absolute proof here.
But no one will listen to me. No one.
Naturally, as his wife,
you believe him innocent...
...but he was lawfully convicted.
Lawfully convicted of a crime
he did not commit.
Oh, Monsieur Zola...
...you're the only man in all of France
who can make them listen.
All your life, you've stood
for truth and justice.
I'm hardly the man to help you. I...
I'm just an ordinary citizen, and l...
Besides, I have my work,
my books to write. I can't...
What is this new proof
you say you have?
- A certain Colonel Picquart...
- Oh, that.
It was all in the papers.
Picquart came back from Africa...
...and accused Esterhazy of writing
the bordereau.
Esterhazy was acquitted.
Of course he was. Acquitted by the same
army group that convicted my husband.
But don't you see?
They had to acquit Esterhazy...
...to save the face of the general staff.
They'll stop at nothing...
...to protect themselves,
even to sacrificing one of their own class.
That's fantastic. Childish, madame.
The general staff has more important work
to do than...
What do you mean,
"sacrificing one of their own class"?
Colonel Picquart has been arrested
and imprisoned in Mount Valerien.
They've arrested Picquart?
Well, why?
- What had he done?
- Nothing.
Nothing except speak the truth.
But, madame, we must deal in facts,
not irony.
I have all the facts, Monsieur Zola. Here.
These are letters written to Picquart
by the assistant chief of staff...
...proving beyond doubt
that the general staff knows...
...my husband is innocent
and Esterhazy is guilty.
Well, why weren't these used
in the Esterhazy court-martial?
Colonel Picquart's a good soldier.
He kept silent at the command
of his superiors.
You mean they knew...
...and ordered him to suppress the truth?
Why, that's monstrous.
Oh, Monsieur Zola, you will help,
won't you?
How can anyone help you?
All France believes your husband guilty,
hates him as a traitor.
They would destroy any man
that would dare champion him.
There must be some way
to right this wrong.
Your husband's case is closed.
There's nothing that can be done.
Nothing.
Unless some fool were to publicly
accuse the general staff...
...and get himself dragged into court
on a charge of libel.
Then, possibly, they would...
I've lived my life.
I've had enough of fighting...
...turmoil, strife. I'm happy,
contented here. Why should I...
I'm sorry, Monsieur Zola.
It was only my despair
that brought me here.
I was thinking of my husband,
condemned to suffer a living death.
I dared to hope that perhaps
if you would...
Madame, if I could...
Madame Dreyfus!
Madame Dreyfus!
- Hello, Clemenceau.
- Labori.
- Why has Zola called us here?
- I know no more about it than you.
Hello.
How do you do, Madame Dreyfus?
Do you know...?
- I asked him for his help, but maybe...
- Why involve Zola in this hopeless mess?
Absolutely useless, beyond all remedy.
Oh, here he is.
- Oh, hello, Йmile.
- Hello, Anatole.
Labori.
- You're going to be busy.
- What are you going to do?
- Explode a bomb.
- A bomb?
Thank you for coming, all of you.
- What is it?
- A letter...
...to the president of