Zola, Emile. A pair of letters from Zola, one written while in exile, the other written just after his return from exile compr...

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Zola, Emile. A pair of letters from Zola, one written while in exile, the other written just after his return from exile comprising: Zola, Emile. Autograph letter signed, in French, 2 pages (3.5 x 4.5 in.; 89 x 114 mm.), on a correspondence card, [England], 27 January 1899, on a correspondence card, to an unnamed friend. Zola, Emile. A pair of letters from Zola, one written while in exile, the other written just after his return from exile comprising: Zola, Emile. Autograph letter signed, in French, 2 pages (3.5 x 4.5 in.; 89 x 114 mm.), on a correspondence card, [England], 27 January 1899, on a correspondence card, to an unnamed friend. During his exile in England, Zola writes: I answer you quickly because we are waiting for you. We will be very happy to see you when you like, and as long as you like. We aren't on the first floor any more; we are on the second floor of the same house. I wanted to write you to thank you for your nice letter and your friendship, even during this new trouble, and was waiting for an occasion to do it Come soon so we can thank you very much. It will be best for you to tell us in advance the exact day of your visit I think Mirbeau will also be on his way soon. Now disgusting things are starting again. Oh! Poor country!... Together with: Zola, Emile. Autograph letter signed, in French, 1 page (8.37 x 5.25 in.; 213 x 133 mm.), Paris, 23 October 1899, to J. Flandin in Saint-Chamond (Loire); with the original envelope. Written four months after his return from exile, Zola writes: Alas dear Sir, you are calling on the wrong person. I live in complete isolation and I don't know any representative in the national assembly who would deliver the message and I have promised myself never to ask the government for anything, not for my friends, not for myself. I am totally convinced that would not obtain anything from them. I am still a rebel and have no influence. You are wrong about my true situation. I can only send you my sympathy and regrets. Zola's interest in the case of Alfred Dreyfus, who was found guilty of military espionage, led to the publication of the author's famous letter, "J'accuse"--a fierce denunciation of the French general staff --in the January 13, 1898 issue of Georges Clemenceau's newspaper, L'Aurore. Consequently, he was sued for libel and found guilty, but his conviction was overturned by the Cour de Cassation on 2 April. There was a retrial on 18 July, but Zola did not wait for the verdict. He fled to England on the advice of his lawyers and friends, and remained there for eleven months. On 3 June, he returned to France when he heard that the Dreyfus case would be reopened with a possible reversal of the original verdict. The writer, Octave Mirbeau, who is mentioned in the letter of 27 January 1899 letter herewith, was one of Zola's great supporters.