Émile ZOLA. 7 L.A.S., 1899-1901, to Maître Fernand Labori; 11pages in-8, envelopes. To his lawyer, who also defended Alfred Dreyfus. Paris, October 8, 1899. Zola is to have lunch on Friday at Labori's villa Les Marguerites in Samois, with Desmoulin: "I'm counting on the good day I promise myself. My wife left yesterday for Italy"... - October 12th. He cannot stay for dinner the next day, as he has to be in Paris in the evening: "I warn you, knowing that the mistresses of the house like to be warned. What good hours I promise myself!"... - October 16th. Zola forwards to Labori his wife's postcard, sent from Florence (postcard enclosed, bearing an autograph inscription signed by Alexandrine Zola). "What a beautiful day we had on Friday! I have the whole forest in my head and in my heart. We got back to Paris late, but once at the table, everything fades away, and only the memory of beautiful and happy things remains. [...] I've just seen Mathieu Dreyfus. We had a long talk. He too wants to walk resolutely. Rest well, and as soon as you return, we'll take action. [Dreyfus had been found guilty with extenuating circumstances, and the government wanted to pardon and amnesty him. Zola wanted the trial to resume, in order to prove Dreyfus's innocence]. The postcard sent from Italy by Alexandrine Zola depicts Pontius Pilate showing Christ to the crowd; it bears a text printed in Italian, saluting the lawyer and apostle of truth, with the printed address "Illustre Avvocato Fernando Labori"; Alexandrine Zola has added at the bottom of the card a sending line in Italian, and signed. - December 28. About the Judet affair and the François Zola file (which Judet had slandered). Zola has seen Waldeck-Rousseau and General de Galliffet (Minister of War): "Everything has been arranged". He will pick up Labori to go to the Ministry on January 3. "Jacques Dhur is authorized to accompany us [...] we'll have time, in the carriage, to chat and get along"... Paris July 23, 1900. He leaves for Médan... "I don't think we have anything useful to say to each other until October. You're quite right, let's rest as cheerfully as we can, and build up our strength for future struggles, because it's impossible for such great things to end like this. I am hopeful, in spite of everything. Our day will come"... Paris, February 23, 1901. Zola asks Labori for a meeting: "We still need to talk and decide what we're going to do about the Judet affair and that of the experts. I've been so overwhelmed with work so far, I've been playing dead for a while. But as the days go by, it becomes necessary to act"... - February 25. "From the two summonses I am sending you, it appears that we have until March 12 for Judet and March 15 for the experts. I will think on my side and I beg you to think on yours. Towards the end of the week [...] we will make a decision"...