sloth and carelessness tend to penury and misery, in this present life;
and there is no sloth more ruinous to health and property than that of
wasting the precious morning hours in bed."

Tamar was not deaf to the pleadings of Shanty; she began immediately to
rise with the first crowing of the cock, and thus obtained so much time
for her business, that she could then afford herself some for reading.
Mrs. Margaret took also to rise early, so that instead of breakfasting
as formerly at eight o'clock, the family took that meal at seven; but
the Laird often managed to have such bright and valuable thoughts just
at breakfast time, that for the sake of posterity, as he was wont to
say, he could by no means endanger the loss of them by suffering such a
common place interruption as that of breakfast, such an every day and
vulgar concern. On these occasions Tamar always took in his coffee and
toast, and set it before him, and she generally had the pleasure of
finding that he took what she brought him, though he seldom appeared to
be aware either of her entrance or her exit, Mrs. Margaret invariably
exclaiming when Tamar reported her reception in the study, "Lord help
him! see what it is to be a genius!"

In the meantime, the moat around Dymock's Tower was repaired and filled
up, or was fast filling up; the draw-bridge was in its place, and the
gates and walls restored; and as the neighbours said, the Tower wanted
nothing but men and provisions to enable it to stand a siege. At length,
all being pronounced ready, though no interior repairing had taken
place, the new possessor arrived, bringing with him two servants, an old
man and an old woman, and many heavy packages, which were stowed in a
cart, and lifted out by himself and his man-servant, whom he called
Jacob. This being done, he and his people were heard of no more, or
rather seen no more, being such close housekeepers, that they admitted