Hard-line Republicans, bent on taking the trial over the last mile, forced a court order on Monica so they could consider putting her on the stand in the Senate. They will first debrief her informally on Sunday to determine whether she will make a good witness.

In other words, Monica will be grilled to see whether she will say things which will puncture President Clinton's defence of perjury and obstruction of justice charges. In more than 20 interviews with law enforcement officials so far, Monica has steadfastly maintained that no one asked her to lie nor was she promised a job in exchange for silence over her affair with the President.

The general opinion, including hopesvoiced from the White House, is that she will not change her testimony. If she does, then President Clinton is toast.

Wearing a black baseball cap, a tense and sullen Monica returned to Washington from her home in Beverly Hills following the court order. Cameraman and reporters jostled and swore as they fought to get a view of the young woman on whose word the fate of the leader of the free world depends. It was an ugly, disorderly sight.

The American legislature was also sundered as lawmakers fought a legal and legislative battle over whether Monica should be questioned again. Democrats tried to prevent it, saying it would just be going over the same ground again. But the Republican Floor Managers who are prosecuting Clinton in the Senate won, by resorting to a dubious legal manoeuvre which momentarily took the case out of the legislature back to the courts. This enraged many Senators, especially Democrats, who felt that once the impeachment trial was in the Senate, it could not be influenced by outsideelements. There was plenty of ill will and rancour between the two houses over their respective privileges.

Lawmakers of the House of Representatives, which is the peoples house, are directly elected by the people. Senators, are also directly elected two per state -- but are seen as less representative of constituents and more guardians of the states and the nation.

Depending on how the debriefing of Monica goes, Republicans will force a vote in the Senate on Monday on whether to put her on the stand. They need a simple majority in the Senate where they have a 55-45 advantage. Because the Monica question has once again divided the political forces so sharply, a separate motion to be moved by Democratic Senator Robert Byrd calling for outright dismissal of the impeachment case looks doomed.

Looks like the show will go on.