"It's easy for you to say so," was Lorand's sharp reply; "sitting on that hack."
But "hack" means a kind of four-footed animal which this rider found no pleasure in hearing mentioned.[54]
[54] The Magyar word has a double meaning; besides a horse it means a peculiar whipping-bench with which gypsies used to be particularly well acquainted.
"My own training," he said proudly, as if in self-defence against this cutting remark.
"I know. I knew that even in my scapegrace days."
"Well, and where are you hobbling to now, student?"
"I am going to Csege, gypsy, to preach."
"What do you get from the 'legatio' for that, student?"
"Twenty silver florins, gypsy."
"Do you know what, student? I have an idea—don't go just yet to Csege, but turn aside here to the shepherd's where you see that fold. Wait there for me till to-morrow, when I shall come back, and preach your sermon to me: I have never yet heard anything of the kind, and I'll give you forty florins for it."