Unless a breach of the Queen's peace were committed, it might be
difficult for the English authorities to interfere. There appeared to be
no case or precedent in England applying to such a matter. In Germany a
foreign process-server would be liable to penal servitude. But, of
course, that was not to the point. Again, although the service by a
foreigner might not hold good in English law, that had nothing to do with
it. The process-server and his witnesses would immediately return to
France; they would there prove to the satisfaction of their employers
that they had served the judgment on M. Zola personally, and they would
be able to snap their fingers at English lawyers should the latter
complain that the thrusting of a document into a man's hand under such
circumstances was a technical assault. They would have gained their
point. Judgment would have been served, and in accordance with French law
M. Zola would be called upon to enter an appearance against it at
Versailles.

'Things must largely depend,' concluded Wareham, 'on whether French law
allows process to be served on a subject out of the jurisdiction. And
that is a point rather for French legal advisers than for me. Still I
shall look into the matter further; and if at the same time Maitre Labori
can be communicated with and can supply his opinion on the question, so
much the better. I now raise the point because it seems the crux of the
whole matter, and if it goes against us it is certain that M. Zola ought
to remain in close retirement. For the present it is as well that he
should run as little risk as possible.'

M. Zola acquiesced in the suggestion of writing to his French counsel on
the point which had been raised; and the conversation then went on in the
same low tone that had been preserved from the outset.