"I asked leave to go back to the Presbytère.

"'Better stay here, Monsieur le Curé. You will be safer. The burning is
going on. To-morrow, your town will be only a heap of ruins.'

"'What is our crime?'

"'Listen to that fusillade. Your inhabitants are attacking us, as they
did at Louvain. Louvain has ceased to exist! We will make of Senlis
another Louvain, so that Paris and France may know how we treat those
who may imitate you. We have found small shot (_chevrotines_) in the
body of one of our officers.'

"'Already?'--I thought. How had there been any time for the post-mortem?
But I was too crushed to speak.

"'And also from your belfry we have been fired on!'

"At that I recovered myself.

"'Sir--what may have passed in the streets, I cannot say. But as to the
cathedral I formally deny your charge. Since war broke out, I have
always had the keys of the belfry. I did not even give them to your
soldiers, who made me take them there. Do you wish me to swear it?'

"The officer looked at me.

"'No need. You are a Catholic priest. I see you are sincere.'