onging to Monk's army, which watched the enemy; it was composed of
one hundred and fifty Scots. They had swum across the Tweed, and, in
case of attack, were to recross it in the same manner, giving the alarm;
but as there was no post at that spot, and as Lambert's soldiers were
not so prompt at taking to the water as Monk's were, the latter appeared
not to have much uneasiness on that side. On this side of the river, at
about five hundred paces from the old abbey, the fishermen had taken up
their abode amidst a crowd of small tents raised by the soldiers of the
neighboring clans, who had with them their wives and children. All this
confusion, seen by the moon's light, presented a striking coup d'oeil;
the half shadow enlarged every detail, and the light, that flatterer
which only attaches itself to the polished side of things, courted upon
each rusty musket the point still left intact, and upon every rag of
canvas the whitest and least sullied part.

Monk arrived then with Athos, crossing this spot, illumined with a
double light, the silver splendor of the moon, and the red blaze of
the fires at the meeting of the three causeways; there he stopped, and
addressing his companion,--"Monsieur," said he, "do you know your road?"

"General, if I am not mistaken, the middle causeway leads straight to
the abbey."

"That is right; but we shall want lights to guide us in the vaults."
Monk turned round.

"Ah! I thought Digby was following us!" said he. "So much the better; he
will procure us what we want."

"Yes, general, there is a man yonder who has been walking behind us for
some time."

"Digby!" cried Monk. "Digby! come here, if you please."

But, instead of obeying, the shadow made a motion of surprise, and,
retreating instead of advancing, it bent down and disappeared along
the jetty on the left, directing its course towards the lodging of the
fishermen.

"It appears not to be Digby," said Monk.

Both had followed the shadow which had vanished. But it was not so rare
a thing for a man to be wandering about at eleven o'clock at night, in
a camp in which are reposing ten or eleven thousand men, as to give Monk
and Athos any alarm at his disappearance.

"As it is so," said Monk, "and we must have a light, a lantern, a torch,
or something by which we may see where to set our feet, let us seek this
light."

"General, the first soldier we meet will light us."

"No," said Monk, in order to discover if there were not