on through London from policeman to policeman, until he took train to a
village in Warwickshire, where the little daughter of an innkeeper had
recognised him from seeing his portrait in one of the illustrated
newspapers.

There was something also about his acquaintance with the vicar of the
locality and a variety of other particulars, all of which helped to make
up as pretty a romance as the 'Times' readers had been favoured with for
many a day. But excellent as was M. de Blowitz's narrative from the
romantic standpoint his information was sadly inaccurate. Of his _bona
fides_ there can be no doubt, but some of M. Zola's friends are rather
partial to a little harmless joking, and it is evident that a trap was
laid for the shrewd correspondent of the 'Times,' and that he, in an
unguarded moment, fell into it.

On the incidents which immediately preceded M. Zola's departure from
France I shall here be brief; these incidents are only known to me by
statements I have had from M. and Mme. Zola themselves. But the rest is
well within my personal knowledge, as one of the first things which M.
Zola did on arriving in England was to communicate with me and in certain
respects place himself in my hands.

This, then, is a plain unvarnished narrative--firstly, of the steps that
I took in the matter, in conjunction with a friend, who is by profession
a solicitor; and, secondly, of the principal incidents which marked M.
Zola's views on some matters of interest, as imparted by him to me at
various times. But, ultimately, M. Zola will himself pen his own private
impressions, and on these I shall not trespass. It is because, according
to his own statements to me, his book on his English impressions (should
he write it) could not possibly appear for another twelve months, that I