The room was as cold as a well , and the bed , when I had found my way to it , as damp as a peat-hag ; but by good fortune I had caught up my bundle and my plaid , and rolling myself in the latter , I lay down upon the floor under lee of the big bedstead , and fell speedily asleep . With the first peep of day I opened my eyes , to find myself in a great chamber , hung with stamped leather , furnished with fine embroidered furniture , and lit by three fair windows . Ten years ago , or perhaps twenty , it must have been as pleasant a room to lie down or to awake in as a man could wish ; but damp , dirt , disuse , and the mice and spiders had done their worst since then . Many of the window-panes , besides , were broken ; and indeed this was so common a feature in that house , that I believe my uncle must at some time have stood a siege from his indignant neighbours -- perhaps with Jennet Clouston at their head . Meanwhile the sun was shining outside ; and being very cold in that miserable room , I knocked and shouted till my gaoler came and let me out . He carried me to the back of the house , where was a draw-well , and told me to `` wash my face there , if I wanted ; '' and when that was done , I made the best of my own way back to the kitchen , where he had lit the fire and was making the porridge . The table was laid with two bowls and two horn spoons , but the same single measure of small beer . Perhaps my eye rested on this particular with some surprise , and perhaps my uncle observed it ; for he spoke up as if in answer to my thought , asking me if I would like to drink ale -- for so he called it . I told him such was my habit , but not to put himself about . `` Na , na , '' said he ; `` I 'll deny you nothing in reason . '' He fetched another cup from the shelf ; and then , to my great surprise , instead of drawing more beer , he poured an accurate half from one cup to the other . There was a kind of nobleness in this that took my breath away ; if my uncle was certainly a miser , he was one of that thorough breed that goes near to make the vice respectable . When we had made an end of our meal , my uncle Ebenezer unlocked a drawer , and drew out of it a clay pipe and a lump of tobacco , from which he cut one fill before he locked it up again . Then he sat down in the sun at one of the windows and silently smoked . From time to time his eyes came coasting round to me , and he shot out one of his questions . Once it was , `` And your mother ? '' and when I had told him that she , too , was dead , `` Ay , she was a bonnie lassie ! '' Then , after another long pause , `` Whae were these friends o ' yours ? '' I told him they were different gentlemen of the name of Campbell ; though , indeed , there was only one , and that the minister , that had ever taken the least note of me ; but I began to think my uncle made too light of my position , and finding myself all alone with him , I did not wish him to suppose me helpless . He seemed to turn this over in his mind ; and then , `` Davie , my man , '' said he , `` ye 've come to the right bit when ye came to your uncle Ebenezer .
I 've a great notion of the family , and I mean to do the XXXXX by you ; but while I 'm taking a bit think to mysel ' of what 's the best thing to put you to -- whether the law , or the meenistry , or maybe the army , whilk is what boys are fondest of -- I wouldnae like the Balfours to be humbled before a wheen Hieland Campbells , and I 'll ask you to keep your tongue within your teeth .
Clouston Na Whae gaoler lassie miser nobleness peat-hag right spoons