But between these fires and the abbey extended the Tweed, unfolding its luminous scales beneath the thick shade of tall green oaks.

Monk was perfectly well acquainted with this position, Newcastle and its environs having already more than once been his headquarters.

He knew that by this day his enemy might without doubt throw a few scouts into these ruins and promote a skirmish, but that by night he would take care to abstain from such a risk.

He felt himself, therefore, in security.
Thus his soldiers saw him, after what he boastingly called his supper--that is to say, after the exercise of mastication reported by us at the commencement of this chapter--like Napoleon on the eve of Austerlitz, seated asleep in his rush chair, half beneath the light of his lamp, half beneath the reflection of the moon, commencing its ascent in the heavens, which denoted that it was nearly half past nine in the evening.

All at once Monk was roused from his half sleep, fictitious perhaps, by a troop of soldiers, who came with joyous cries, and kicked the poles of his tent with a humming noise as if on purpose to wake him.
There was no need of so much noise; the general opened his eyes quickly.
"Well, my children, what is going on now ?" asked the general.
"General!" replied several voices at once, "General! you shall have some supper." "I have had my supper, gentlemen," replied he quietly, "and was comfortably digesting it, as you see.