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the wa's an' the material； an' a whole lifetime； maybe mair； to
furnish the house。〃
〃Capital！〃 exclaimed Hugh。 〃I'll work like a horse； and we'll be at
it the morn。〃
〃I'se be at it afore daylicht； an' ane or twa o' the lads'll len' me
a han' efter wark…hours； and there's yersel'； Mr。 Sutherlan'； worth
ane an' a half o' ordinary workers； an' we'll hae truff aneuch for
the wa's in a jiffey。 I'll mark a feow saplin's i' the wud here at
denner…time； an' we'll hae them for bauks； an' couples； an' things；
an' there's plenty dry eneuch for beurds i' the shed； an' bein' but
a lean…to； there'll be but half wark； ye ken。〃
They went out directly； in the moonlight； to choose the spot； and
soon came to the resolution to build it so； that a certain back
door； which added more to the cold in winter than to the convenience
in summer； should be the entrance to the new chamber。 The chimney
was the chief difficulty； but all the materials being in the
immediate neighbourhood； and David capable of turning his hands to
anything； no obstruction was feared。 Indeed； he set about that part
first； as was necessary； and had soon built a small chimney； chiefly
of stones and lime； while； under his directions； the walls were
making progress at the same time； by the labour of Hugh and two or
three of the young men from the farm； who were most ready to oblige
David with their help； although they were still rather unfriendly to
the colliginer； as they called him。 But Hugh's frankness soon won
them over； and they all formed within a day or two a very
comfortable party of labourers。 They worked very hard； for if the
rain should set in before the roof was on； their labour would be
almost lost from the soaking of the walls。 They built them of turf；
very thick； with a slight slope on the outside towards the roof；
before commencing which； they partially cut the windows out of the
walls； putting wood across to support the top。 I should have
explained that the turf used in building was the upper and coarser
part of the peat； which was plentiful in the neighbourhood。 The
thatch…eaves of the cottage itself projected over the joining of the
new roof； so as to protect it from the drip； and David soon put a
thick thatch of new straw upon the little building。 Second…hand
windows were procured at the village； and the holes in the walls cut
to their size。 They next proceeded to the saw…pit on the
estatefor almost everything necessary for keeping up the offices
was done on the farm itselfwhere they sawed thin planks of deal；
to floor and line the room； and make it more cosie。 These David
planed upon one side； and when they were nailed against slight posts
all round the walls； and the joints filled in with putty； the room
began to look most enticingly habitable。 The roof had not been
thatched two days before the rain set in； but now they could work
quite comfortably inside； and as the space was small； and the
forenights were long； they had it quite finished before the end of
November。 David bought an old table in the village； and one or two
chairs； mended them up； made a kind of rustic sofa or settle； put a
few bookshelves against the wall； had a peat fire lighted on the
hearth every day； and at length； one Saturday evening； they had
supper in the room； and the place was consecrated henceforth to
friendship and learning。 From this time； every evening； as soon as
lessons； and the meal which immediately followed them； were over；
Hugh betook himself to the cottage； on the shelves of which all his
books by degrees collected themselves； and there spent the whole
long evening； generally till ten o'clock； the first part alone
reading or writing； the last in company with his pupils； who；
diligent as ever； now of course made more rapid progress than
before； inasmuch as the lessons were both longer and more frequent。
The only drawback to their comfort was； that they seemed to have
shut Janet out； but she soon remedied this； by contriving to get
through with her house work earlier than she had ever done before；
and； taking her place on the settle behind them； knitted away
diligently at her stocking； which； to inexperienced eyes； seemed
always the same； and always in the same state of progress；
notwithstanding that she provided the hose of the whole family； blue
and grey； ribbed and plain。 Her occasional withdrawings； to observe
the progress of the supper； were only a cheerful break in the
continuity of labour。 Little would the passer…by imagine that
beneath that roof； which seemed worthy only of the name of a shed；
there sat； in a snug little homely room； such a youth as Hugh； such
a girl as Margaret； such a grand peasant king as David； and such a
true…hearted mother to them all as Janet。 There were no pictures
and no music； for Margaret kept her songs for solitary places； but
the sound of verse was often the living wind which set a…waving the
tops of the trees of knowledge； fast growing in the sunlight of
Truth。 The thatch of that shed…roof was like the grizzled hair of
David； beneath which lay the temple not only of holy but of wise and
poetic thought。 It was like the sylvan abode of the gods； where the
architecture and music are all of their own making； in their kind
the more beautiful； the more simple and rude； and if more doubtful
in their intent； and less precise in their finish； yet therein the
fuller of life and its grace； and the more suggestive of deeper
harmonies。
CHAPTER XIII。
HERALDRY。
And like his father of face and of stature；
And false of loveit came him of nature；
As doth the fox Renard； the fox's son；
Of kinde； he coud his old father's wone；
Without lore； as can a drake swim；
When it is caught； and carried to the brim。
CHAUCER。Legend of Phillis。
Of course； the yet more lengthened absences of Hugh from the house
were subjects of remark as at the first； but Hugh had made up his
mind not to trouble himself the least about that。 For some time
Mrs。 Glasford took no notice of them to himself； but one evening；
just as tea was finished； and Hugh was rising to go； her restraint
gave way； and she uttered one spiteful speech； thinking it； no
doubt； so witty that it ought to see the light。
〃Ye're a day…labourer it seems； Mr。 Sutherlan'； and gang hame at
night。〃
〃Exactly so； madam；〃 rejoined Hugh。 〃There is no other relation
between you and me； than that of work and wages。 You have done your
best to convince me of that； by making it impossible for me to feel
that this house is in any sense my home。〃
With this grand speech he left the room； and from that time till the
day of his final departure from Turriepuffit； there was not a single
allusion made to the subject。
He soon reached the cottage。 When he entered the new room； which
was always called Mr。 Sutherland's study； the mute welcome afforded
him by the signs of expectation； in the glow of the waiting fire；
and the outspread arms of the elbow…chair； which was now called his；
as well as the room； made ample amends to him for the unfriendliness
of Mrs。 Glasford。 Going to the shelves to find the books he wanted；
he saw that they had been carefully arranged on one shelf； and that
the others were occupied with books belonging to the house。 He
looked at a few of them。 They were almost all old books； and such
as may be found in many Scotch cottages； for instance； Boston's
Fourfold State； in which the ways of God and man may be seen through
a fourfold fog； Erskine's Divine Sonnets； which will repay the
reader in laughter for the pain it costs his reverence； producing
much the same effect that a Gothic cathedral might； reproduced by
the pencil and from the remembrance of a Chinese artist； who had
seen it once； Drelincourt on Death； with the famous ghost…hoax of De
Foe； to help the bookseller to the sale of the unsaleable； the Scots
Worthies； opening of itself at the memoir of Mr。 Alexander Peden；
the Pilgrim's Progress； that wonderful inspiration； failing never
save when the theologian would sometimes snatch the pen from the
hand of the poet； Theron and Aspasio； Village Dialogues； and others
of a like class。 To these must be added a rare edition of Blind
Harry。 It was clear to Hugh； unable as he was fully to appreciate
the wisdom of David； that it was not from such books as these that
he had gathered it； yet such books as these formed all his store。
He turned from them； found his own； and sat down to read。 By and
by David came in。
〃I'm ower sune； I doubt； Mr。 Sutherlan'。 I'm disturbin' ye。〃
〃Not at all；〃 answered Hugh。 〃Besides； I am not much in a reading
mood this evening： Mrs。 Glasford has been annoying me again。〃
〃Poor body！ What's she been sayin' noo？〃
Thinking to amuse David； Hugh recounted the short passage between
them recorded above。 David； however； listened with a very different
expression of countenance from what Hugh had anticipated； and； when
he had finished； took up the conversation in a kind of apologetic
tone。
〃Weel； but ye see；〃 said he； folding his palms together； 〃she hasna'
jist had a'thegither fair play。 She does na come o' a guid breed。
Man； it's a fine thing to come o' a guid breed。 They hae a hantle
to answer