ire of
youth in her eyes. While the woman thought of that young man who could
fight like a hero; was ready to work like a day laborer, to throw money
away like a noble, to fascinate women like an angel, and to blaspheme
the powers that be like a devil!

CHAPTER XIII

WHICH WILL CONVERT THE OTHER?

In the morning the coach rolled into the courtyard of the castle of
Lankadomb.[56]

[Footnote 56: _i. e._, Orchard-hill.]

Topandy was waiting on the terrace, and ran to meet the young lady,
helped her out of the coach and kissed her hand very courteously. At
Lorand, who descended from his seat beside the coachman, he gazed with
questioning wonder.

The lady answered in his place:

"I have brought an expelled student, who desires to be steward on your
estate. You must accept him."

Then, trusting to the hurrying servants to bring her travelling rugs and
belongings after her, she ascended into the castle, without further
waste of words, leaving Lorand alone with Topandy.

Topandy turned to the young fellow with his usual satirical humor.

"Well, fellow, you've got a fine recommendation! An expelled student;
that's saying a good deal. You want to be steward, or bailiff, or
praefectus here, do you? It's all the same; choose which title you
please. Have you a smattering of the trade?"

"I was brought up to a farm life: it is surely no hieroglyphic to me."

"Bravo! So I shall tell you what my steward has to do. Can you plough
with a team of four? Can you stack hay, standing on the top of the
sheaves? Can you keep order among a dozen reapers? Can you...?"

Lorand was not taken aback by his questions. He merely replied to each
one, "yes."

"That's splendid," said Topandy. "Many renowned and well-versed
gentlemen of business have come to me, to recommend themselves as farm
bailiffs, in buckled shoes; but when I asked them if they could heap
dung on dung carts, they all ran away. I am pleased my questions about
that did not knock you over. Do you know what the 'conventio'[57] will
be?"

[Footnote 57: The payment. The honorarium.]

"Yes."

"But how much do _you_ expect?"

"Until I can make myself useful, nothing; afterwards, as much as is
required from one day to the next."

"Well said; but have you no claims to bailiff's lodgings, office, or
something else? That shall be left entirely to your own discretion. On
my estate, the steward may lodge where he likes--either in the ox-stall,
in the cow-shed, o