Page:The Jail, Experiences in 1916.pdf/31

 "Well, you will see what his Austrianism amounts to. You were with him in the Crimea,—were you in touch there with Russian personalities?"

"With persons certainly, with personalities never."

"Of course, you were there seventeen years ago. You like the Russians?"

"Russian literature above all, the Russian peasant extremely, Tsarism less."

"You see we know all about you", declared Preminger triumphantly. "And the English?"

"Sir, if I were an Englishman, I should not have the pleasure of your in my house."

Preminger laughed.

"Look, that's the one", and the taciturn person pointed out to him some signature in a letter. Preminger nodded.

"Ležé again?" said I pointedly.

"What is the Volná Myšlenka?" asked Preminger instead of replying. "A society?"

"No, an association."

"Well, that is a society."

"An association. A society and an association are two different things."

"You were honorary President of this society, weren't you?"

"Yes, I was honorary President of this association."

"Which wages war against all religions?"

"Which waged war against clericalism. Waged it,—for immediately at the beginning of the war its activities both as regards issuing periodicals and publishing books were stopped."

"Have you any papers, documents from which it would be possible to learn what were the real aims of the association?"