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in order to waylay him“. In reality, as I later on found out, the matter concerned a visit that had been made to the French Embassy, to which Captain Sadoul had come at the requests of his chiefs in order „not to oblige Trotzky“, but to arrange a matter of the highest interest to France, namely the expulsion of the French Military Mission from Russia owing to the violent campaign of calumny and lies directed against Bolshevik leaders which had been promoted in the Russian press by certain members of the Mission.
I was also one of those who, without knowing anything definite, deprecated the „influence of Captain Sadoul“ on the Military Mission. Here again it was the same as with my opinions of the Bolsheviks. Instead of obtaining the necessary information for myself, I believed what I heard stated about me by „highly respectable and reliable“, men and shared their „legitimate indignation“. In all things in life, but especially in politics, one must, if he wishes to be really loyal, draw his conclusion from facts that he has personally verified, without relying upon anybody, for otherwise one runs the risk of being led eventually to share the passions and the hates of other people. It is so very easy to come and say afterwards: I have been lead into an error, advantage was taken of my simplicity. But this rectification after the event does not prevent one's thoughts, actions or words having temporarily exercised a bad influence from the point of view of justice and the truth, the only point of view which a politician or a journalist, who every moment belongs to public life, should have.
