It commenced in the faubourg St.-Martin. It is said that the soldiers warned the occupants of houses designated to leave before they set fire to them. "Let us be just to the German soldiers," says M. de Maricourt. "In the evening of the day of occupation, the Archdeacon was brought to the Hôtel du Grand-Cerf, by the concierge Boullay. He was paraded before the officers, but was not mistreated, except that he was compelled to stand, and no one addressed him. Finally he was ordered to return to his quarters, but hardly had he arrived there, before another order came for him to return at once to the Grand-Cerf. Already towards the south end of the town the houses were in flames, and he saw the soldiers carrying lighted torches. He was brought before an officer who spoke French and whose manner was not discourteous:-- "'Monsieur,' said he, 'attend to me,'--and he read from a paper charges that the priest had allowed citizens to fire upon the entering German troops. "'It is not true,' replied the Archdeacon, 'I was alone in the church, and the keys were in my pocket.' "The officer read upon the face of the priest the evident sincerity of his words. "'Poor priest! Poor town!' he said pityingly, 'I believe you, but I must obey orders.' "'How so?' "'Because I am ordered to treat Senlis as was Louvain; by to-morrow there will remain not one stone upon another.' "M. Douvlent pleaded eloquently for his parishioners, whose innocence he vouched for. The officer seemed impressed. "'You are a Catholic priest, but alas, war is cruel, and orders are not to be ignored. This town merits chastisement.' "'Take me before the General,' urged the priest, 'I am your prisoner, and I have the right to plead the cause of my innocent parishioners.' "'No, sir,' retorted the officer frowningly, 'nothing of the sort; do you not realize that you are in great danger?' "'Danger?' ejaculated the priest, 'I fear no danger, I have made my sacrifice; I have faced it all this morning.' "'Very well,' said the officer, somewhat more gently, 'but I think it will be best for you to return to your house. If necessary I will call you.' "A short time after this conversation, I saw the priest, with the few who remained of his household, standing in the Square. I saw them again at about one in the morning; they were still standing in the Square beneath the lamp which shone upon their anxious faces. A dozen or so German soldiers stood about. Two sentries paced up and down, one at each crossing. No one returned to their houses. The curtain had risen upon the drama of Senlis.... "At the end of this day, Thursday, M. Odent (the mayor of Senlis), left the Hôtel de Grand-Cerf accompanied by an officer, and entering a covered automobile was driven rapidly away, followed by five cavalrymen. "They stopped at a place called 'le Poteari,' situated between Senlis and Chamont; there they found six captives whom the Germans had taken at hazard on the route.