As it was, I
said:
"Oh, it's only some ... I don't know ... it doesn't matter what we put on
for the first coat...."
That saved me for the time being, at any rate. The Captain said no more
about it then.
When I had done the house all grey, and doors and windows white, I went
down to the summer-house and did that the same. But it turned out horrible
to look at; the yellow underneath showed through and made it a ghastly
colour. The flagstaff I took down and painted a clean white. Then I put in
a spell of field-work with Nils and was haymaking for some days. Early in
August it was.
Now, when I went back to my painting again I had settled in my mind to
start on the house as early as possible, so as to be well on the way with
it before the Captain was up--too far, if I could manage it, to go back! I
started at three in the morning; there was a heavy dew, and I had to rub
the woodwork over with a bit of sack. I worked away for an hour, and then
had coffee, then on again till eight.
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