IT was in 1590 winter. Austria was far away from the world and asleep; it was still the Middle
Ages in Austria and promised to remain so forever. Some even set it away back centuries upon centuries and said that by the mental and spiritual clock it was still the Age of Belief in Austria. But they meant it as a compliment not a slur and it was so taken and we were all proud of it. I remember it well although I was only a boy; and I remember too the pleasure it gave me.